Recently, I watched a delightful webinar by Rabbi Avi Fertig about the Slabodka Mussar Practice. Rabbi Fertig is the Associate Dean of the Mussar Institute, and this webinar was a members only event, so I cannot share a link to it here. Background: Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, the founder of the 19th Century Mussar Movement, had three key disciples, each of whom started their own school of Mussar. Slabodka was started by Rabbi Nosson Zvi Finkel, who was known as the Alter of Slabodka.I … [Read more...]
Three Tips To Practice Mussar Equanimity
Many people starting their Mussar journey jump to the chapter on Equanimity. I remember doing exactly that, and then being confused. In this post, I'll explain why this soul trait is hard, and offer you some ways to practice Mussar Equanimity. As you may recall, Equanimity translates directly from Hebrew as "calmness of the soul." Equanimity in balance means that, we have the ability to keep our head, to not get too high when things are going well, and not too low in a setback. Right … [Read more...]
Mussar Practice Can Heal the Political Divide Within the Jewish Community
Whoever you voted for in the last Presidential election, I think we can all agree that we are living in dangerous times for the US, Israel, and the American Jewish community. We are seeing an uptake in anti-sematic acts like the burning of the Beth Hamedrash Hagadol synagogue in New York that is suspected to be caused by arson, and the desecration of Jewish cemeteries. In my area in San Francisco Bay Area, some synagogues are hiring on site security people for the first time to allay the fears … [Read more...]
Assume You Have a Divine Spark, an American Mussar Practice
Recently I got the following question by email: I’ve seen you write on several occasions that we all have a Divine Spark. I don’t believe it. I need external validation. My Divine Spark is flickering. It is very faint. What advice can you give me? – Dark Inside Dear Dark Inside,Thank you for having the courage to admit that is how you feel. You are not alone. I also need external validation. As I shared in my book - despite my Ph.D. from MIT, and string of career successes, I felt … [Read more...]
Trans Outing on Survivor: a Mussar Practice Lesson
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BXqrOSNKn0If you are a Survivor fan, you already watched the tribal council when Jeff outed Zeke as a transgender man, arguing that Zeke's secrecy made him untrustworthy. This tribal council represents a rare opportunity to glean a Mussar practice lesson from a complicated and painful human experience. I was stunned, not only because it was a cruel and dangerous thing to do, but because I am practicing the Mussar Soul Trait of Silence this week. Silence … [Read more...]