Musar su Salmi 31:20

Our Rabbis said: "Every man who is impudent or proud of spirit it is as though he were an idolator" (Sotah 4b), for it is written, "Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord" (Prov. 16:5) and it is written there: "You must not bring an abhorrent thing (idol) into your house …" (Deut. 7:26). And there are those who say it is as though he violated all the laws against sexual license, for it is written: "For all these abominations were done by the people who were in the land before you and the land became defiled …" (Lev. 18:27). And there are those who say, "It is as though he built a place for idolatry." And they said in Sotah 5a, "Every man who is arrogant of spirit becomes less in the end as it is said: 'They are exalted for a little while' (Job 24:25). And such a one is deserving to be hewn down like a grove planted for idol worship, as it is said: 'And the high ones of stature shall be hewn down' (Is. 10:33). And his dust shall not awaken and the Spirit of God laments over him. The Holy One Blessed be He, said, 'I and he cannot live in the same world,' as it is said: 'Whoso is haughty of eye and proud of heart, him will I not suffer'" (Ps. 101:5).

then the wise and intelligent man ought to expend all his efforts in order to reach the highest dignity which he seeks, in order that it may be, as one of the sages said, "Help the celestial bodies with your souls, even as tilling and irrigating help the seed to grow";²Horovitz (pp. 127, 128, notes 105, 106). Maimonides holds that to admit the influence of the planets upon human relations is to limit the freedom of man. The possibility of such limitation of human freedom by planetary influence Gabirol would not be ready to admit, except in some such way as modern freedomists take account of the influences of heredity and environment. Thein ("Der Talmud oder das I'rincip des planetarischen Einflusses," Frag, 1874, p. 65 ft seq.) discusses the position of Maimonides, Albo, Ibn Ezra, and Jehuda ha-Levi in regard to this mystic and unphilosophic teaching. and this occurs naturally through the instrumentality of the earth. He should endeavor to be one of the number of the excellent and through his zeal follow in their steps. Further, he must refine his qualities until they be improved and not employ his senses except when it appears necessary, until he becomes one (of those) who is honorably known and famed for his excellence, for that is worldly happiness. But when man reaches it, his eyes must not cease to gaze wistfully at the attainment of that which is above it, i.e., enduring happiness which he can reach in the intellectual world, the world to come. For this is the highest gift of God to His servants, in addition to the favor which is their common lot as existent creatures.³The thought that existence is in itself a mark of favor from God to man, as set forth in this passage, is dwelt upon at greater length in "The Crown of Royalty," and is, according to Sachs (p. 244. and note), emphasized by many of the later moralists. The prince David, peace be unto him, had implored that he might attain to the well-being of this world, in saying (Ps. Ixxxvi. 17), "Make with me a covenant for goodness." He also desired to be one of those well fitted to attain the bliss of the world to come, in that he said (Ps. xxxi. 20), "O how great is the goodness which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee"; (Ps. xxxvi. 9), "They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house. " This height cannot be reached by any one save through merit. Thus he asked (Ps. xv. i, 2), "Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle, who shall dwell in thy holy hill?" And the answer is, "He that walketh uprightly and worketh righteousness." Having arrived in the course of our remarks at this stage in the account of man's preeminence, let us direct our attention to the statement of the object of this our work and the method of deriving some advantage therefrom. This will come to pass after we shall have divided the treatise into all its sections as is incumbent upon us. Then will we realize the benefit of it. Thus Solomon the Wise, peace be unto him, has said (Eccles. vii. 27), "Behold this have I found, saith the Preacher, counting one by one to find out the account"; by which he meant to say that when things are brought together, it is necessary to enumerate them. So, also, by properly ordering the discourse, it will be understood.

Therefore, every man who reflects should try with all his might to attain the final good, for if a man reaches a good state or elevation then he will always desire to ascend to the degree which is higher until he will finally attain the ultimate good and in this manner he will reach the "world of reward" which is the world to come. Long ago David longed to attain the good of the world to come, when he said: "Oh, how abundant is Thy goodness, which Thou hast laid up for them that fear Thee" (Ps. 31:20), and he said: "They are abundantly satisfied with the fatness of Thy house, and Thou makest them drink of the river of Thy pleasures" (Ps. 36:9). And this degree no one can attain except he be worthy of it, as he said: "Who shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness" (Ps. 15:1). And the rest of the matter which is said there.