Divine Source of All Pride

גאה גאה.

“Exceedingly exalted.”

The phrase indicates a doubled exaltation, hinting that all forms of elevation in the world trace back to God's own exaltedness.

פי' שכל הגיאות שיש בעולם הכל גאותו ית'.

“Meaning: all pride that exists in the world is entirely His exaltedness.”

All manifestations of greatness or elevation in existence are expressions of the divine grandeur.

רק שבצדיק ניכר שהוא מהשי"ת.

“Only that in the righteous it is recognizable that it comes from God.”

For the righteous, their elevation is transparently sourced in the divine, not in self‑aggrandizement.

וכל גאות וגדלות שיש לו נותנו להשי"ת.

“And any pride or greatness he possesses, he gives over to God.”

The righteous redirect any honor they receive back toward heaven.

וברשע הגיאות כדי שיפול ויהי' שבח יותר אח"כ להשי"ת.

“But in the wicked, the pride is so that he will fall, and afterward there will be greater praise to God.”

The wicked misuse elevation, which leads to their downfall; that downfall ultimately magnifies God’s glory.

וזה שהבינו בנ"י אחר הישועה איך שנתרבה כבוד ה' ע"י גיאות פרעה שמקודם.

“And this is what Israel understood after the salvation—how the glory of God increased through Pharaoh’s prior arrogance.”

Israel recognized, after redemption, that Pharaoh’s pride had served to amplify the display of divine power.

וז"ש אמר אויב ארדוף כו'.

“And this is what is meant by: ‘The enemy said: I will pursue…’ ”

Pharaoh’s boastful intentions became the groundwork for God’s ultimate revelation.

ומגיאות זה נעשה גיאות השי"ת.

“And from this arrogance was made the exaltedness of God.”

The transformation of human pride into divine exaltation is central to the Sefat Emet’s reading.

וכ"כ בתרגום אתגאי על גותניא וגיאותי' דילי' הוא.

“And so it is in the Targum: ‘He is exalted over the exalted ones, and the exaltation is His.’”

The Aramaic translation supports the idea that all forms of elevation ultimately revert to God.

פי' כל הגיאותים לבסוף מבררין גיאות השי"ת.

“Meaning: all forms of pride ultimately clarify the exaltedness of God.”

Every display of greatness in the world eventually reveals the singular divine source.

וזה גאה גאה שכל הגיאות שבעולם הוא גיאותו ית' בלבד.

“And this is ‘exceedingly exalted’: that all exaltation in the world is His alone.”

The doubled phrase underscores the Sefat Emet’s core teaching: no true greatness exists apart from God.

Summary: All forms of pride or greatness, whether in the righteous or the wicked, ultimately serve to reveal and magnify the singular exaltation of God.