Tonight I taught a Mussar class. Mussar is the organized study of refining our character traits through Judaism.
It dawned on me: all the negativity in the world, and I do mean ALL, can be reversed by studying mussar in tandem with halacha – Jewish law.
Every single time someone is upset, offended, annoyed, enraged, sarcastic, cynical, or rude, it’s a mussar issue. Guaranteed. That means the one experiencing the negative emotions has something to work on.
Incredibly empowering… and burdensome. So much more fun to blame others.
(For a participant’s viewpoint, check out mussarforthemasses.com.)
Some Musar is questionable. Though I understand that Rabbunu Yonah and other Spanish rabbis made an attempt to correct their sin of calling the Rambam an Apikorus and going to the Dominicans to burn his books. I still believe that Rabanu repented on the deed but not on the world view that lead him to criticize the Rambam and this world view is written in his Musar book.
In fact I think a lot of later Musar was built not on the Chavot Levavot but on the books of those who considered the Rambam an Apikorus.
I also think it important for someone to dig up the Pachad Isaac and find out what the complain about the Ramchal is.
But if in fact you are referring to the Musar movement of Israel Salanter then i agree that mot of the books to come out of that movement are excellent.
Thank you! I needed to read that just now.
I don't know if it's more fun, necessarily, to blame others, but it certainly is much, much easier.
The thing that gets me is something I believe the Baal Shem Tov said, that whenever something, a trait or what have you, is bothering us in someone else, we can be sure that it is because we have this trait in ourselves. BAM. Shtark.
Thanks for this post, and the reminder, and the blog! miss you.
You should be really proud of me, I have decided to accept the fact that the roof just plain irks me:)
Some negativity spurs change. A total lack of being upset means no social justice movements, for example.
Some negativity spurs change the way some people who drive irresponsibly emerge safely. That doesn't make it good, nor spur optimal results.
Social justice emerges most beautifully when spurred by positive, constructive emotion. That said, one can certainly use a second-rate emotion for the good. That doesn't make it anything to strive towards, nor suggest there aren't better ways to accomplish the goal.
Please give some historical examples of significant social justice movements spurred exclusively by positive, constructive emotions. I find myself uninformed. Thanks.
They are rare, since your average human doesn't even know there's a better way. I'm no history buff, but I'll give you some Jewish examples:
Abraham. Rabbi Y Salanter's mussar movement. The Hassidic movement. The Beth Jacob movement.
Many, many NGOs are formed due to sympathy for others Ans the desire to make a difference.
And shani… I am!!!