good inclination - American Mussar

I was super caught up in the hype prior to the release of The Force Awakens. I was inspired to write five mussar lessons from Star Wars.

I was in 4th grade when Star Wars first came out, and my father took me to opening night of each of the original three movies. And my beloved wife bought tickets for the whole family to go opening night on Friday. Given that it is hard for me to think of anything other than Star Wars this morning, I thought I would try to do some soul work with my obsessive focus. So here are five American Mussar lessons we can learn from Star Wars

1. The Spiritual is more powerful than technology.

At the end of Star Wars episode 4, Luke turns off his targeting computer, and uses the Force to destroy the Death Star. For all that this forerunner of the franchise is recognized as a science fiction powerhouse, at the end of the day it is the power of something greater, something unseen that changes the world. Technology is but a tool. It is not like Luke isn’t using technology – he is. But technology cannot guide technology, it must be a human hand inspired by something greater.

The Soul Trait in play here is Awe of Something Greater. On my best mornings, I meditate for 40 minutes, and am filled with a Divine energy that powers me through the day. Five years ago I would have bet you a million dollars that I would never write or feel such a thing. But the truth is, that on multiple occasions I have tacked obstacles that I thought were impossible after a deep meditation. The answer was not found out there, but became apparent when I unblocked my Divine Spark.

2. We are driven by the battle between the Good and Evil Inclinations

The first three movies in the series are about the battle within Anakin Skywalker between the dark side and the light side of the Force. Such a battle goes on inside of each of us every day. We are presented with Choice Points, spiritual challenges where we can pick the good or evil path. Each decision makes it more likely that we will make a similar decision in the future, as it says in the the Talmud, “one mitzvah leads to another mitzvah, and one sin leads to another sin.” Anakin does not become Darth Vader overnight. He makes a series of choices that leads him to become the embodiment of evil. Yet the battle still rages within, and eventually the good once again becomes ascendant as he returns to his Jedi roots to kill the Emperor.

3. Too Much Good is Bad

Yoda caused the destruction of the Jedi because he was too Humble. In the third movie, Anakin goes to Yoda sick at heart because he has visions of Padme’s death. Yoda stayed with the party line that “Attachment leads to jealousy”, and advises him to “let go … of everything you fear to lose.” Where else does Anakin have to go but towards the dark side? Yoda was a leader, who could have bent the rules and helped Anakin come out of hiding with his marriage, and helped him channel his strong emotions. Anakin was prophesied to bring balance to the Force, and he did in an sense because he wiped out the Jedi who became detached from human emotion, and then defeated the Emperor who became ruled by his dark emotions. We cannot defeat the Evil Inclination, nor should we want to. When the Rabbis trapped the Evil Inclination, the chickens stopped laying eggs, and no one went to work. The key is to guide our impulses and emotions, and not let them control us.

4. No Victory is Complete

I haven’t seen the movie yet, but a shadowy figure in front of a melted Darth Vader helmet shows that the battle within is a constant one. Rabbi Dessler teaches that one the Evil Inclination tries to lull us into complacency by telling us that we are done (Strive for Truth p 46). We then let down our guard, and become susceptible to the impulses that lead to bad decisions. We need the Soul Trait of Enthusiasm to keep our focus on proactively doing the right thing.

5. Keep Going When It Seems Hopeless

It doesn’t get much darker than the end of Episode 3. We know that things will get better with A New Hope. Rabbi Tarfon taught, “It is not incumbent on you to complete the task, but neither are you at liberty to desist from it.” (Pirkei Avot 2:16). Moses did not live to see the Promised Land, just as Obi Wan and Yoda did survive to see the victory in Jedi. Each of these great leaders kept going when all seemed lost. And for every Yoda and Moses, there were thousands of people doing their small part in service of something greater.

What do you think of these five mussar lessons from Star Wars? Do they fit with your life experience? Let me know below or on Facebook.

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mussar lessons after paris terrorist attack — Photo by Beatrice Urrupsil via Flickr CC

Like most of us, I was saddened and horrified by the attacks in Paris on Friday night. I was traveling, and did not fully immerse myself in the news until a few days later. The responses are all over the map.

There are a significant number of people who blame “the other” for the attacks. Many politicians seem to be reacting from fear by calling for restrictions on Syrian refugees. Yet the reality is that most of the terrorists were European citizens. Other leaders make rational, data driven arguments that the refugees are victims of trauma themselves, and merit our help not scorn. Ok, I’ll admit it: I’m disgusted to see politicians grandstanding and saying that they won’t accept Syrian refugees in their states. However, I think the real issue for us to grapple with is the appropriate spiritual response to Paris. I don’t mean prayer or calls for peace. Rather, I ask myself what do the Paris attacks trigger my own Soul Traits? How can I work on my spiritual curriculum? Do my own actions bring people together, or do they ever lead anyone to feel alienated or alone?

Mussar Lessons After Paris Terrorist Attack

The debate about the refugees reminds me of the struggle inside all of us between the Good Inclination and the Evil Inclination. The Evil Inclination comes from our emotional drives and survival impulses. When there is an attack, the EI screams “Protect Protect” and automatically looks externally for threats. In contrast, Good Inclination derives from our social and intellectual abilities. The GI will look at data, offer a rational course of action, and reminds us that we all share a Divine Spark. When we remember the Divine Spark in the other, the bar is much higher for judgement and reactivity. And, the GI fosters our desire to give comfort to others in need.

When something like the Paris attacks happen, we are all tested.

A government can close its borders. An an individual can close his or her heart.

It is far easier to see this issue as something in Europe and the Middle East. It is more comfortable to frame the discussion around military solutions or refugee assistance than it is to take the opportunity to look within. The French government should ask of the welfare of it’s citizens of North African ancestry. Yes, Isis funded and trained people, and I think a military response is warranted. However, the masterminds and most attackers were European. I admit it, I notice that the attackers do not look like the people I think of as typical Europeans. But if I let the difference in skin tone color my reactions, I will have failed an important spiritual test. I need to rise to the occasion, and train myself to think of these dark skinned people born in France as French.

But even then, if I am only thinking of Europe, I will miss the greater test. Did you see the article in the Huffpost about the conversation between Alex Malloy and his Muslim cab driver in New York City? Malloy was thanked by his cab driver when he got in. Why? He was the first fare the driver had had in two hours. You see, the driver was a Muslim, and no one would get in his cab. Malloy wrote on twitter that the driver was crying, and said “Allah my God does not want this but people think I am a part of it and I’m not. Nobody wants to drive with me bc they feel unsafe.” Malloy expressed his support, shared his experience on Twitter and was shocked to find over 30K retweets overnight. “Please stop generalizing ppl” was his plea. While I don’t know Alex Malloy personally, I thank him for having an open heart when the taxi pulled to the curb to offer him a ride.

Please stop generalizing captures the spiritual challenge when our soul trait of Honor is out of balance. We were born to judge, and few of us will ever escape our instinct to judge any time soon. (I know that I won’t.) However, we do not have to listen to or act on the judging voice. We have the opportunity to overcome our judgements and unconscious bias on a daily basis.

Just now, someone’s computer in the library started playing a loud video. My first thoughts about the person were unkind. My instinct was to pick up the sign saying “quiet area” and put it on his table. Thankfully I did not act on the impulse. It was only when he managed to shut off whatever was happening did I realize that it was an ad that started playing without his permission.

If Parisians can overcome their fears to flock back to the cafes and museums, than surely I can find a way to mentally quiet my judging voice more quickly. And, I’d like to think I can find a way to support the Stranger in my own community. After all, I was once a stranger in the land of Egypt.

I hope that you did not lose someone close to you in the attack, and may we all find the resolve to become better people.

#iAMHonor.

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