קִצּוּר בִּאוּר אוֹפֶן הה': ה, הַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת עִם הוי' אֱלֹקֶיךָ, זְהִירוּת שֶׁלֹּא תְהִי שׁוּם בְּלִיטָה, וּכְמַאֲמַר לְעוֹלָם יְהֵא אָדָם עָרוּם בְּיִרְאָה, וְעִנְיַן הָעַרְמוּמִית הוּא שֶׁלֹּא יִהְיֶה נִכָּר כְּלַל, יָדוּעַ דְּכַמָּה מֵחֲסִידִים הָרִאשׁוֹנִים הָיוּ מַסְתִּירִים עַצְמָם וְאִם הִתְגַּלּוּ הָיוּ מִצְטַעֲרִים. וְזֶהוּ עֲבוֹדַת הַתְּשׁוּבָה הַבָּאָה מֵהַצְנֵעַ לֶכֶת.

An explanation [by the Rebbe Rashab] of the fifth approach, abridged: “Walk humbly with G‑d your L‑rd.”

This means carefully avoiding all conspicuousness. As the Sages expressed it,1 “A person should always be sly in his fear [of G‑d].” This “slyness” means ensuring that [one’s fear of G‑d] is utterly unnoticeable. As is well known, some early chassidim would conceal their [spiritual achievements], and were distressed if they were revealed.

This is the kind of teshuvah that comes from walking humbly.

Living as a Chassid

In the Baal Shem Tov’s time and before, there were many hidden tzaddikim — righteous men who concealed their identity while living among the common folk, in order to help them better observe Torah and mitzvos. Much of the early lore of Chassidus focuses on their lives. However, the trait of modesty is not reserved for such saints alone. Rather, it is a basic goal of every chassid. A chassid does not become proud if his prayers or Torah study are exceptional. He realizes that any positive qualities he possesses are a gift from above. He not only knows this, he makes every effort to live it, diverting attention from his special abilities, rather than flaunting them.

Above all, humility is an absolute prerequisite for the approach to study that enables one to appreciate the G‑dly light within the Torah. In the words of the Rebbe Rayatz:2

“Prominent scholars, even geonim, are not necessarily privileged to appreciate the light of the Torah. It is possible to be an outstanding Torah scholar, a veritable prodigy, a prolific fountain of innovative and mind-boggling hypotheses — and yet have no connection whatever with the light of Torah, nor the vaguest conception of the Giver of the Torah.

“Who appreciates the light of Torah? — An oved,3 one who toils in the service of G‑d; he meditates, as he prays, upon a G‑dly concept.”4