(1) When his physical strength wanes in its normal power of movement due to either sickness or frail temperament or weakening constitution and he becomes submissive due to this, and he pleas to G-d and to human beings, as written "And He submitted their heart with toil" (Tehilim 107:12).
(2) When he is smitten by troubles or suffers poverty and he now needs people whereby he previously did not need them, and he becomes submissive to them, and his spirit becomes too broken to be arrogant in his situation, as written: "And it will be that everyone who is left in your house, will come to prostrate himself before him for a silver piece and a morsel of bread"(Shmuel 2:36).
(3) When someone who is better off than him, will manifest his kindness towards him, he will make himself submissive towards him, as written "Many will entreat the favor of the generous man" (Mishlei 19:6).
(4) One who must pay back his fellow a debt but is unable to do so, and makes himself submissive before him as written "If you do not have what to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?" (Mishlei 22:27).
(5) One who is in the prison of his enemy - will make himself submissive towards him and his spirit will drop low, as written "They afflicted his foot with fetters; his soul was placed in irons"(Tehilim 105:18), and "if they be bound in fetters, and be held in cords of affliction; [Then He declared unto them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly. He opened their ear to discipline, and commanded that they return from iniquity]" (Iyov 36:8).
(6) A slave who does not have the ability to redeem himself (purchase freedom) from the hand of his master and becomes submissive towards him as written "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters" (Tehilim 123:2).
(7) When saddening troubles and disasters befall a man, his spirit will break and his heart will submit, as written "And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be submitted" (Vayikra 26:41).
(8) When one makes a personal accounting and sees that he has rebelled against G-d despite G-d's goodness towards him, and how instead of praising Him for it, he has kicked. Then, he will become submitted, ashamed, and humiliated from the Al-mighty, as written "O G-d, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my G-d: [for our iniquities are increased over our head]" (Ezra 9:6).
(9) When the Creator rebukes him and humiliates him on having rebelled against Him, he will become submitted and terrified, as written on Achav "Have you seen how Ahab has submitted himself before Me?" (Melachim 21:29).
(10) When one senses the nearness of death, and the coming of his final day, and he contemplates the terror of death, and how he will be brought to trial and have to give an accounting, and he becomes submitted and bowed down. He will think little of himself and will regret the passing of his days, and wasting of his life without having prepared provisions of good deeds to come before him for his journey to the next world, as written "The sinners in Zion are afraid" (Yeshaya 33:14).
אֲבָל הַסִּבּוֹת אֲשֶׁר תִּהְיֶה הַכְּנִיעָה וְהַשִּׁפְלוּת בַּעֲבוּרָם מִן הָאָדָם אַחַר גַּאֲוָתוֹ עֶשֶׂר.
In what does one submit
The circumstances which will bring a person to submission and a lowly spirit after he has become proud are ten.
אַחַת כְּשֶׁיֶּחֱלָשׁ כֹּחוֹ מִתְּנוּעָתוֹ הַטִּבְעִית מִפְּנֵי חֳלָאִים אוֹ מֶזֶג רַע אוֹ חֲלִישׁוּת הַרְכָּבָתוֹ וְיִכָּנַע בַּעֲבוּר זֶה וְיִתְחַנֵּן אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים וְלִבְנֵי אָדָם כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שם קז) וַיַּכְנַע בֶּעָמָל לִבָּם וְגוֹ׳.
(1) When his physical strength wanes in its normal power of movement due to either sickness or frail temperament or weakening constitution and he becomes submissive due to this, and he pleas to G-d and to human beings, as written "And He submitted their heart with toil" (Tehilim 107:12).
וְהַשֵּׁנִית כְּשֶׁיִּמְצָאֵהוּ פֶּגַע אוֹ רִישׁ וְיִצְטָרֵךְ לִבְנֵי אָדָם אַחַר שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לָהֶם וְיִכָּנַע לָהֶם וְתִשָּׁבֵר רוּחוֹ מֵהִתְגָּאוֹת בְּעִנְיָנוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שמואל א ב) וְהָיָה כָּל הַנּוֹתָר בְּבֵיתְךָ יָבוֹא לְהִשְׁתַּחֲוֹת לוֹ וְגוֹ׳.
(2) When he is smitten by troubles or suffers poverty and he now needs people whereby he previously did not need them, and he becomes submissive to them, and his spirit becomes too broken to be arrogant in his situation, as written: "And it will be that everyone who is left in your house, will come to prostrate himself before him for a silver piece and a morsel of bread"(Shmuel 2:36).
וְהַשְּׁלִישִׁית כְּשֶׁתִּהְיֶה עָלָיו לְזוּלָתוֹ טוֹבָה עוֹדֶפֶת וְיֵרָאֶה חַסְדּוֹ עָלָיו יִכָּנַע לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (משלי יט) רַבִּים יְחַלּוּ פְנֵי נָדִיב וְגוֹ׳.
(3) When someone who is better off than him, will manifest his kindness towards him, he will make himself submissive towards him, as written "Many will entreat the favor of the generous man" (Mishlei 19:6).
וְהָרְבִיעִית מִי שֶׁנִּתְחַיֵּב לַחֲבֵרוֹ דָּבָר וְאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לְפָרְעוֹ וְיִכָּנַע לוֹ כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר (שם כב) אִם אֵין לְךָ לְשַׁלֵּם וְגוֹ׳.
(4) One who must pay back his fellow a debt but is unable to do so, and makes himself submissive before him as written "If you do not have what to pay, why should he take your bed from under you?" (Mishlei 22:27).
וְהַחֲמִישִׁית מִי שֶׁהוּא בְּמַאֲסַר אוֹיְבוֹ וְיִכָּנַע לוֹ וְתָשׁוּחַ נַפְשׁוֹ כמ״ש (תהלים קה) עִנּוּ בַכֶּבֶל רַגְלוֹ וְגוֹ׳. וְאָמַר (איוב לו) וְאִם אֲסוּרִים בַּזִּקִּים.
(5) One who is in the prison of his enemy - will make himself submissive towards him and his spirit will drop low, as written "They afflicted his foot with fetters; his soul was placed in irons"(Tehilim 105:18), and "if they be bound in fetters, and be held in cords of affliction; [Then He declared unto them their work, and their transgressions, that they have behaved themselves proudly. He opened their ear to discipline, and commanded that they return from iniquity]" (Iyov 36:8).
וְהַשִּׁשִּׁית הָעֶבֶד שֶׁאֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לִפְדּוֹת עַצְמוֹ מִיַּד אֲדוֹנָיו וְיִכָּנַע לוֹ כמ״ש (תהלים קכג) הִנֵּה כְעֵינֵי עֲבָדִים וְגוֹ׳.
(6) A slave who does not have the ability to redeem himself (purchase freedom) from the hand of his master and becomes submissive towards him as written "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the hand of their masters" (Tehilim 123:2).
וְהַשְּׁבִיעִית כְּשֶׁתִּמְצֶאנָה אֶת הָאָדָם צָרוֹת וּפְגָעִים מַעֲצִיבִים תִּשָּׁבֵר רוּחוֹ וְיִכָּנַע לְבָבוֹ כַּכָּתוּב (ויקרא כו) אוֹ אָז יִכָּנַע לְבָבָם הֶעָרֵל.
(7) When saddening troubles and disasters befall a man, his spirit will break and his heart will submit, as written "And that I also have walked contrary unto them, and have brought them into the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised hearts be submitted" (Vayikra 26:41).
וְהַשְּׁמִינִית כְּשֶׁיַּחְשֹׁב עִם נַפְשׁוֹ בְּהַמְרוֹתוֹ הָאֱלֹהִים בְּטוֹבָתוֹ וּבָעֳטוֹ בָּהּ בִּמְקוֹם הַשֶּׁבַח עָלֶיהָ וְיִכָּנַע וְיֵבוֹשׁ וְיִכָּלֵם מִן הָאֱלֹהִים כמ״ש (עזרא ט) אֱלֹהַי בֹּשְׁתִּי וְנִכְלַמְתִּי.
(8) When one makes a personal accounting and sees that he has rebelled against G-d despite G-d's goodness towards him, and how instead of praising Him for it, he has kicked. Then, he will become submitted, ashamed, and humiliated from the Al-mighty, as written "O G-d, I am ashamed and blush to lift up my face to you, my G-d: [for our iniquities are increased over our head]" (Ezra 9:6).
וְהַתְּשִׁיעִית כַּאֲשֶׁר יוֹכִיחֶנּוּ הַבּוֹרֵא וְיַכְלִימֶנּוּ עַל הַמְרוֹתוֹ אוֹתוֹ יִכָּנַע וְיִפְחַד כְּמוֹ שֶׁאָמַר עַל אַחְאָב (מלכים א כ״א:כ״ט) הֲרָאִיתָ כִּי נִכְנַע אַחְאָב מִלְּפָנָי.
(9) When the Creator rebukes him and humiliates him on having rebelled against Him, he will become submitted and terrified, as written on Achav "Have you seen how Ahab has submitted himself before Me?" (Melachim 21:29).
וְהָעֲשִׂירִית כְּשֶׁיַּרְגִּישׁ בְּקִרְבַת הַמָּוֶת וּבוֹא יוֹמוֹ וְיַחְשֹׁב בְּאֵימַת הַמָּוֶת וּמַעֲמַד הַדִּין וְהַחֶשְׁבּוֹן וְיִכָּנַע וְיָשֹׁחַ וְתֵקַל נַפְשׁוֹ בְּעֵינָיו וְיִתְחָרֵט עַל חֲלִיפַת יָמָיו וּכְלוֹת חַיָּיו מִבְּלִי צֵדָה מִמַּעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים יְקַדְּמֵם לְפָנָיו לְעֵת נָסְעוֹ כמ״ש (ישעיהו ל״ג:י״ד) פָּחֲדוּ בְּצִיּוֹן חַטָּאִים:
(10) When one senses the nearness of death, and the coming of his final day, and he contemplates the terror of death, and how he will be brought to trial and have to give an accounting, and he becomes submitted and bowed down. He will think little of himself and will regret the passing of his days, and wasting of his life without having prepared provisions of good deeds to come before him for his journey to the next world, as written "The sinners in Zion are afraid" (Yeshaya 33:14).