Humility from Divine Kindness

עוד פי' והותירך כי ע"י רוב חסדי ה' צריך האדם לקבל הכנעה רבה מזה החסד עליון שיהי' בעיני עצמו כמותר כמ"ש לשארית נחלתו מי שמשים עצמו כשיריים

There is yet another explanation of "and He will make you exceed" (vehosircha): through the abundance of Hashem's kindnesses, a person must take on great submissiveness from this lofty kindness, so that in his own eyes he should regard himself as a mere leftover, as it is written "to the remnant of His inheritance" (Micah 7:18) — referring to one who makes himself like leftovers.

When a person sees how much kindness Hashem showers upon him, the proper response is not pride but humility — he should feel himself to be merely a surplus, an undeserved remainder, just as Hashem favors those who make themselves like "leftovers" of no account.

אך לפעמים ע"י שפלות בעיניו מגרע בעבודת הבורא

However, at times, through being lowly in his own eyes, a person diminishes in the service of the Creator.

Yet this self-effacement carries a danger: if a person feels too worthless, he may lose the confidence and energy needed to serve the Creator properly.

לכן נאמר והותירך רק לטובה כנ"ל

Therefore it is stated "and He will make you exceed" only for the good, as explained above.

For this reason the Torah promises "and He will make you exceed" as a wholly good thing — a state of being "extra" that brings humility without weakening one's avodah.

והבן כי קצרתי בכל זה ממיעוט פנאי:

And understand this, for I have been brief in all of this on account of a lack of time.

The Sfas Emes notes that he has kept this teaching short because he lacked the time to elaborate further.

Summary: The Sfas Emes offers a further reading of the word vehosircha, "and He will make you exceed." Confronted with the abundance of Hashem's kindnesses, a person should be moved to deep humility, regarding himself as a mere leftover or surplus — the quality Hashem cherishes in one who "makes himself like leftovers." But he cautions that excessive lowliness can backfire, sapping the strength a person needs for his avodah of the Creator. Therefore the verse promises that being made "extra" will be only for the good: a humility that elevates rather than diminishes. He closes by noting that he has abbreviated the matter for lack of time.