Musar su I Re 21:78

The eighth principle is submission in [his] actions - such that one should be accustomed to [giving] a gentle response, as it is stated (Proverbs 15:1), "A gentle response allays wrath." For this is the way of lowliness, as it is stated (Isaiah 29:4), "And you shall speak from lower than the ground, your speech shall be humbler than the sod" - the opposite of that which is stated about a rich man who is proud: "The rich man’s answer is harsh" (Proverbs 18:23). And he should not be occupied with the beauty of clothing and jewelry, as it is stated (Exodus 33:5), "and now take off your finery." And it is stated about Ahab, (I Kings 21:27), "he fasted and lay in sackcloth and walked about subdued." And God, may He be blessed, said about this (I Kings 21:29), "Have you seen how Ahab has submitted?" And the matter of "walked about subdued," is the opposite of the way of kings, who walk with many soldiers and the din of a troop. And he should always lower his eyes, like the matter that is stated, (Job 22:29), "for He saves those who lower their eyes." And signs of submission - like a gentle response, a soft voice and lowered eyes - remind him to have a submissive heart.

The eighth principle is submission in [his] actions - such that one should be accustomed to [giving] a gentle response, as it is stated (Proverbs 15:1), "A gentle response allays wrath." For this is the way of lowliness, as it is stated (Isaiah 29:4), "And you shall speak from lower than the ground, your speech shall be humbler than the sod" - the opposite of that which is stated about a rich man who is proud: "The rich man’s answer is harsh" (Proverbs 18:23). And he should not be occupied with the beauty of clothing and jewelry, as it is stated (Exodus 33:5), "and now take off your finery." And it is stated about Ahab, (I Kings 21:27), "he fasted and lay in sackcloth and walked about subdued." And God, may He be blessed, said about this (I Kings 21:29), "Have you seen how Ahab has submitted?" And the matter of "walked about subdued," is the opposite of the way of kings, who walk with many soldiers and the din of a troop. And he should always lower his eyes, like the matter that is stated, (Job 22:29), "for He saves those who lower their eyes." And signs of submission - like a gentle response, a soft voice and lowered eyes - remind him to have a submissive heart.

...Our rabbis taught (Rosh Hashanah 16b): "Three books are opened on Rosh Hashanah - one for thoroughly righteous people, one for thoroughly evil people, and one for the average people. Thoroughly righteous people are inscribed and sealed immediately for life; thoroughly evil people are inscribed and sealed immediately for death; average people remain undetermined for between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. If they merit it, they are inscribed for life; if they do not merit it, they are inscribed for death." That which the sages said of righteous people - that they are inscribed for life - or evil people - that they are inscribed for death - is not said of righteous people who have no sins or evil people who have no merits, for many righteous people die immediately, and many evil people live long lives in serenity. Also, the verse (Ecclesiastes 8) cries out "that there are righteous people whose experiences [would be fitting recompense for] the actions of evil people, and evil people whose experiences [would be fitting recompense for] the actions of righteous people." Already, Sages have said (Pirkei Avot 4) that "it is within our grasp [to understand] neither the tranquility of the wicked nor the suffering of the righteous." Rather, this is the rule: There are sins that - as determined by The Holy One, Blessed is He and His just laws - are requited for in this world, and there are some in which the law is that they will be requited for in the world to come. So also for merits - there are some of them for which the Master of Reward pays their wages in this world, and some in the world to come. When a man sins constantly and begrimes himself with iniquities and besmirches himself with sins and rolls around in his wanton violations, but also does acts of charity and good deeds - when his actions come before the Master of All, He weighs these actions against those. The righteous person who is thoroughly righteous achieves life, and similarly the evil person - whose verdict it is that he will be paid his reward in this world for his good actions - is also inscribed and sealed immediately on Rosh Hashana for life. That is to say, that he [the evil man] is awarded life, serenity, wealth, possessions, and honor.

Go forth and learn from the example of Ahab, king of Israel, who robbed and coveted and murdered. And he called for Jehoshaphat, the king of Judea who lashed him three times each day. And Ahab would pray and fast early and late before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and he never returned to his past evil deeds, and his repentance was accepted as it is said, "Seest thou how Ahab humbleth himself before Me? Because he humbleth himself before Me I will not bring the evil in his days" (I Kings 21:29).

And they said in the Pesikta (of Rab Chana, Piska Deshuva Cant. Rabbah 1:5, letter 36. Yerushalmi ibid. And see Ta'anith 28b and Rashi ad. loc.) : If he was accustomed to eating after three hours let him eat after six, and if he used to eat after six hours let him eat after nine. And what is meant by, "And went softly" (I Kings 21:27)? Rabbi Joshua, the son of Levi, said that he walked barefoot, and from him (Ahab) every man should learn. Moreover (Pirke de-Rabbi Eliezer, chap. 43), go forth and learn from Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, who did all the evil abominations in the world, yet the Holy One, Blessed be He, received him when he repented. Moreover (Sanh. 103a), Rabbi Johanan said, "Anyone who says that Manasseh has no share in the world to come weakens the hands of those who would repent. As a Tanna taught before Rabbi Johanan," Manasseh repented for thirty-three years and the Holy One, Blessed be He, received him.