BOLDNESS One kind of boldness is thoroughly evil. This is the unashamed self-assertiveness of arrogant people. For “the bold-faced will go to hell” (Avoth 5:25) and Abraham preferred exile rather than hell as the punishment for the sins of the Jewish people. All other sins are punished with exile, but the penalty for this kind of brazen arrogance is still Gehinnom. On the other hand, there is another kind of forcefulness which is essential for anyone who wants to come closer to God. It is impossible to draw closer to the Tzaddikim and sanctify oneself without it. It entails a certain firmness, determination and initiative. This is the quality the sages referred to when they said, “Be bold as a leopard” (Avoth 5:24). The people who oppose those who are truly righteous and who put every kind of obstacle in their way have a brazen arrogance which is “royalty without a crown.” Whoever chooses life and truth needs the other kind of forcefulness in order to overcome these obstacles. His opponents have set their jaws firmly against him, and therefore he needs to set himself equally firmly against them. Only with determination is it possible to enter the gates of holiness (22:11).
עַזוּת
א. עַזּוּת הִיא מִדָּה רָעָה מְאֹד, כִּי עַז פָּנִים לְגֵיהִנֹּם. וְהָעֹנָשִׁים שֶׁל כָּל הַדְּבָרִים הֶחֱלִיף אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ עַל שִׁעְבּוּד מַלְכֻיּוֹת, אֲבָל עֹנֶשׁ הָעַזּוּת נִשְׁאָר רַק בְּגֵיהִנֹּם. אַךְ צָרִיךְ שֶׁתֵּדַע, כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָעַזּוּת הוּא מִדָּה רָעָה מְאֹד, כְּמוֹ כֵן צָרִיךְ הָאָדָם דַּוְקָא שֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עַזּוּת דִּקְדֻשָּׁה, כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לָבוֹא לְצַדִּיקֵי אֱמֶת וּלְהִתְקָרֵב אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי עַזּוּת דַּיְקָא, כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמְרוּ רַזַ"ל: "הֱוֵי עַז כַּנָּמֵר" וְכוּ'. כִּי כָּל הַמּוֹנְעִים וְהַחוֹלְקִים וְהַמִּתְנַגְּדִים עִקַּר כֹּחָם הוּא רַק עַל־יְדֵי הָעַזּוּת, שֶׁהוּא מַלְכוּתָא בְּלָא תַּגָּא. עַל־כֵּן מִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה לִבְחוֹר בַּחַיִּים וּלְהִתְקָרֵב אֶל הָאֱמֶת, אִי אֶפְשָׁר בְּשׁוּם אֹפֶן כִּי אִם כְּשֶׁיִּהְיֶה לוֹ עַזּוּת גָּדוֹל מְאֹד לַעֲמֹד נֶגֶד עַזּוּתָם הָרָע וְיִהְיֶה מִצְחוֹ חָזָק לְעֻמַּת מִצְחָם. כִּי אִי אֶפְשָׁר לִכְנֹס אֶל הַקְּדֻשָּׁה כִּי אִם עַל־יְדֵי עַזּוּת: (לק"א סי' כ"ב אות י"א)
BOLDNESS
One kind of boldness is thoroughly evil. This is the unashamed self-assertiveness of arrogant people. For “the bold-faced will go to hell” (Avoth 5:25) and Abraham preferred exile rather than hell as the punishment for the sins of the Jewish people. All other sins are punished with exile, but the penalty for this kind of brazen arrogance is still Gehinnom. On the other hand, there is another kind of forcefulness which is essential for anyone who wants to come closer to God. It is impossible to draw closer to the Tzaddikim and sanctify oneself without it. It entails a certain firmness, determination and initiative. This is the quality the sages referred to when they said, “Be bold as a leopard” (Avoth 5:24). The people who oppose those who are truly righteous and who put every kind of obstacle in their way have a brazen arrogance which is “royalty without a crown.” Whoever chooses life and truth needs the other kind of forcefulness in order to overcome these obstacles. His opponents have set their jaws firmly against him, and therefore he needs to set himself equally firmly against them. Only with determination is it possible to enter the gates of holiness (22:11).