תחבשת משלשה סמיםA Poultice for Pride

taḥboshet mi-sheloshah samimIn Gamatria ↗

Three herbs for the proud heart, then a cup of love.

True humility, Cordovero writes, is to find no worth in oneself, to count oneself as ayin, nothing, as the Crown regards itself before its source. For the 'illness of pride' he prescribes a poultice of three ingredients: flee honor; dwell on your own lowliness, which others may not see but you know; and welcome insult as the best of sufferings, since it neither weakens the body nor stops your service. Then a drink to follow: honor every creature, because scorning a crafted thing insults its wise Maker; and train the heart to love all people, even the wicked, by looking at their good qualities.

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