American Mussar

21st century Jewish spiritual practice for an authentic and meaningful life

How To Remember September 11th Like A Mensch

By 2 Comments

Remember September 11th Like A MenschI hadn’t planned on writing anything to commemorate September 11th, but as the day has progressed, here I am. The words just started to flow, beginning when I wrote the following on the American Mussar Facebook page:
Then I read an article called For 9/11 Families, A Bittersweet Anniversary Falls On Rosh Hashanah.  Reading about those Russian-speaking Jewish families who lost sons and daughters and sisters and brothers was tough. But I made myself keep reading to remember their stories. It brought something home to me: All of us lost something on 9/11. But some people lost people.
9/11 on Rosh Hashanah has a special resonance. It is a day of intense introspection that comes in a season of reflection. For example, this “like a mensch” series of blog posts started in the month of Elul, as I started to reflect more deeply on my life.
In fact, Rosh Hashanah is also known as the Day of Remembrance. Remembrance is one of the three parts of the Shofar service. The traditional interpretation is that we remember the covenant with God. Mishkan Ha’Nefesh, the Reform High Holiday prayer book, includes the phrase “The Divine wakens within us – a sudden awareness of Your presence.” If you are not sure about the Divinity, or don’t really understand the covenant,  think of the Shofar blast as a reminder to connect to the Divine in other people.
We do this on two ways on 9/11. The first is to come to a state of Hineni, a Hebrew word which means “HERE I AM.” On Rosh Hashanah, we read the story of the binding of Isaac from the Torah. When Abraham is about to slay his son, an angel calls out to him and he answers Hineni, Here I am. It is a moment of total attention, where life hangs by a knife edge. If we are to remember September 11th like a mensch, we must come from a place of Hineni. Then, we do the following Mussar Practice.

*** Here’s the Mussar Practice.***

Read names out loud. In Judaism we say, “May their memory be a blessing” to someone in mourning. Saying a person’s name is one way to keep their memory alive. A widowed friend recently told me she find that people are reluctant to say her husbands name, which is the last thing  she wants. “How can we make his memory a blessing if we never talk about him or say his name?”
While many of us don’t know the stories of those killed on 9/11, we can say their names.
Right now, read the names of the three people mentioned in the Forward article out loud:
  • Yelena ‘Helen’ Belilovsky
  • Marina Gertsberg
  • Vladamir Savinkin
Another option is to go to 911memorial.org, set a timer, and read names for a minute. I did this, and read 21 names.
**********************************
The Untaneh Tokef prayer on Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur asks who will live and who will die? It goes on to list ways that we could go e.g  “who by fire and who by water, who by war and who by beast.”  And then it says, “But through return to the right path, through prayer and righteous giving, we can transcend the harshness of the decree.”
It is ok and normal to be sad on 9/11. We cannot change what happened, but we can work to transcend the harshness of the decree. Lets make this day about something more than sadness, and sharing stories of where we were when we found out about it.
Remembering those who were killed is a way for us to connect to other people, which helps us to return to the right path.
When we speak, we practice the Soul Trait of Silence, and assist the Divine in the ongoing act of creation of the world. How does reading the names of the dead create a better world?

How To Send An Email Like a Mensch

By Leave a Comment

haughtiness of spirit
See below for a Mussar Practice on how to send an email like a mensch and avoid haughtiness of spirit

The last two posts I’ve shared with you two Mussar practices inspired by my encounters with haughtiness of spirit. Did you try the practice for Humility related to how you dress, or the Order practice relating to where you put things down?

Somewhat to my amazement (and dismay) I had yet another encounter with haughtiness of spirit. Two in fact, and both related to email. Each time I was hasty, which means I was thinking more about my need to get done and not about the impact of my words on other people.

The first example is the more minor of the two: I sent an email with an error. The mail merge didn’t work, and instead of a name there was raw HTML.

In my rush to get the email out, I did not send myself a test message. My haste came with a cost – it looks bad, and moreover it dishonors something important to all of us – our name. Names are a big deal in Judaism. When I was a kid, the prayer book only had the names of the only the Patriarchs – now we include the Patriarchs and the Matriarchs. A name denotes importance, and in my haste I lost an opportunity to connect with people in the American Mussar community.

But the bigger mistake was an email I sent to a friend that was tone deaf to some anger in the email I was answering. 9 times out of 10, what I wrote would have been just fine. But not this time. I’ll keep the details vague, but because I didn’t follow up on something, and then did not address it in the email, a budding friendship was damaged. Not only was the recipient really mad at me, but also at a third person who wasn’t even on the email chain.

In circumstances like this, it can be tempting to blame the other person for their reaction. But Mussar teaches that primary responsibility falls on the speaker, not the listener for communication. I should have done better, and am working on repair.

Which brings us to another Mussar Practice to try to help combat haughtiness of spirit.

****Here’s the Mussar Practice***

Send yourself a test email, and read it before sending the real thing. If you can, do this for an entire week. But realistically, the number of us who could actually do this practice for a week is zero. Too big a leap. But each of us can try it for a day, or an hour, or a few times. And then we can add a few more.

And as you read it, think on the words of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Lefin who wrote in the Mussar classic Cheshbon Ha’Nefesh, “Before you open your mouth, be silent and reflect: “What benefit will my speech bring me or others?”

This practice relates to the soul trait of Silence. Rabbi Alan Lew reminds us that the Torah teaches that the world was created with speech. We too create a different world when we speak, or in this case communicate by email. The communications I sent lost an opportunity to create a better world, and in one case created a worse version of the world.

For me, this practice can help me deal with this longstanding tendency I have towards “haughtiness of spirit.” Each and every email, I’ll come face to face with my own importance, and force myself to really think about the person I am communicating with. I’ll be the first to admit, there is a danger for me in this, as sometimes I can cycle through lots of drafts of “important” emails and get paralyzed. But hey – the way I look at it, I can’t go wrong spending more time making sure my communications are sent in the spirit of service to others.

***********************************

I don’t think it is an accident that the last few weeks have featured several missteps that all point to my issues with haughtiness of spirit. While I have made lots of progress, there is clearly more work I have to do. This is the Jewish month of Elul, the last of the year, and a time traditionally devoted to self reflection to prepare for the High Holidays. I am being given a gift from the Divine, an opportunity to notice and focus on a key part of my spiritual curriculum that is ready to heal. If you are unsure of the Divinity, think of it as the Universe, or the best part of yourself.

The path of the mensch isn’t always easy. We measure ourselves by impact, not our intention. It is, however, very rewarding. One can gain an exquisite sensitivity to the impact our actions have on others, both to the good and not so good.

Each and every one of us has the capacity to be a mensch, and I so hope you’ll join me in some of these transformative practices.

Want to experience Mussar and personal transformation in community? Sign up for the Personal Transformation High Holidays Mussar Workshop

How To Dress Like a Mensch

By 5 Comments

mensch
Rabbi Finkel and his well dressed Yeshiva students. See the Mussar practice below inspired by their example

A few weeks ago, I was arriving at my synagogue for a board meeting. One of my fellow board members looked at my shorts and sneakers, and said “Greg, you look like you rolled in from the beach.” I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but I did notice that everyone else in the meeting was dressed business casual.

Then yesterday, when I was preparing to lead a Torah Study in a few weeks, I opened The Book of Legends, (a great compendium of the Talmud), and my eyes fell on this passage

He who walks in the marketplace with his shoes unlaced is among those who are of haughty spirit. He who walks with his cloak thrown over his shoulder or his cap tilted back or sits crosslegged or holds the straps of the tefillin in his hands and throws them behind him while walking in the marketplace – he is among those who are of haughty spirit. – Derrik Eretz Rabbah chapter 11, The Book Of Legends p 711:241

Not How a Mensch Would Act

Arrogance was my fatal flaw in the corporate world. And as I thought back to that board meeting, I decided not to bother to get changed. I thought to myself “They know me. What difference does it make anyway? I am really tired, and have had a rough week.”

Looking back on it, I am reminded of a passage in the medieval Mussar masterpiece Orchot Tzadikim (The Ways of the Righteous).  about a man who uses every excuse in the world not to get out of bed, starting with “There is a lion in the street.” Spoiler: there was no lion in the street and he knew that. And I know that dressing appropriately is a sign of respect for the institution and my fellow board members. It was a failure of Enthusiasm, and of Humility. Enthusiasm, because I gave in to laziness, and Humility because I was arrogant for acting as if I did not need to follow the conventions of others.

Mussar is a practice of personal elevation, and how we dress is an important part of the journey. Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, the Alter of Slobodka, emphasized immaculate dress as a way of honoring the Divine within. He didn’t want his students wearing tattered clothing like the stereotype of a starving yeshiva student. Check out how dapper his students look in this picture above, which dates from the 20s in the British Mandate of Palestine.

You don’t need to be a Rabbi or psychiatrist to know that dressing well is part of healthy self esteem. Here is a Mussar Practice that we can take from this lesson.

****Here’s the Mussar Practice***

Be mindful of what you are wearing. Before you get dressed, think about the day to come. Is what you are going to wear respectful and appropriate to the people you are going to see. Will you be honoring the greatness within yourself? Are you dressing blandly because you don’t feel good about yourself?

At the same time, ask yourself if you are using your look or dress to try to overcome a hollow place within. In his book Everyday Holiness, Alan Morinis shared the story of one of his students who realized that she always dressed in bright colors and sat in the front row because of her insecurities. When she went to a meeting in beige and sat in the back, it helped her connect with others better. And she turned her focus from her dress towards building self-love. (EH p 47).

When we dress like a Mensch, we are comfortable in our shoes, respectful to the people we will be with, and look good.

***********************************

Remember – each and every one of has what it takes to be a Mensch, a person of outstanding character. In the grand scheme of things, what it a big deal that I wore shorts to a Board Meeting? Not really. But it is a good opportunity for growth on the path of the Mensch.

Making mindful choices about how you dress can open the door to balance and healing in the Humility and other soul traits.

Want to try Mussar in community?

Sign up for the Personal Transformation High Holidays Mussar Workshop

Meet These Super Inclusive Orthodox Rabbis

By Leave a Comment


This week I watched one of the most loving and connecting Torah study videos I have ever seen. It is a conversation between Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz and Rabbi Uri Topolosky. They are two liberal Orthodox Rabbis who are focusing on Religious plurality. There are Mussar lessons for all of us who wish to be more inclusive.

The key to religious plurality is a healthy dose of balance across multiple soul traits. And it stems from What Rabbi Uri calls The Torah of Uncertainty. Here are Five Mussar Practice Lessons I gleaned from the video.

  1. The Torah of Uncertainty comes from the first of the Ten Commandments, which reads “I am the Lord your God.” The Hebrew word for “I” is unusual in this case, and includes an extra letter that introduces uncertainty. The lesson for us is to remember that only the Divine One knows everything. When we practice the soul trait of Truth (EMET) we cannot be too certain.  We need to leave room for the perspective of others.
  2. When we practice Awe of the Divine, we need to stay to the middle way. We should not be so uncertain that we believe that anything goes. At the same time, we need to be mindful that we can’t be so certain of our view of what the Divine wants or teaches.  Rather, we need to be mindful of our own path. Late in video, they return to this idea in a wonderful conversation about the burning bush. As you may recall, Moses sees a bush that burns but is not consumed. Rav Shmuly relates that we don’t want to have no fire, and equally we don’t want to be so on fire with a zeal for the Divine that we burn  burn everyone around us. This is a Mussar practice  of we can enbrace – to act with a fire that does not consume us.
  3. Rabbi Uri shared a Midrash (story) about crossing the Red Sea (8:30). When the waters parted, there were 12 paths that split in the sea, one for each of the 12 tribes. This suggests there are multiple paths to the same destination. Moreover, the Midrash teaches there were windows in the walls. When you walk your path, recognize that others are walking a path that is different but equally valid as yours. This reminds us to practice Honor (Kavod), to respect the ideas of others.
  4. Rabbi Uri shared a personal story of a time when he was leading an Orthodox service on Rosh Hashanah in a chapel of a Reform synagogue after their space was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. . During a silent moment of the Orthodox service, the woman Cantor hit a high note in the Reform service. While his first reaction was “This isn’t proper for an Orthodox service,” the smiles of everyone in the room reminded him that they all felt grateful for the love in the Reform Jewish community for giving them a space of their own. When we are less certain of our Truth, we are more open to the Mussar practice of Gratitude.
  5. This beautiful teaching closes talking about learning from everyone, and the practice of Hitlamdut.  “an attitude of engaged curiosity and openness to learning throughout our lives.”  The less certain we are of what we know, the more we will be able to learn from others. This is the essence of Mussar practice.

Ben Zoma said, “What is wise? One who learns from anyone.” (Pirkei Avot 4:1). While it may not be a stretch to learn from a Rabbi, it is an absolute pleasure to learn from Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz and Rabbi Uri Topolosky. I can say with certainty that this lesson of the Torah of Uncertainty will stay with me for a long time.

How does the Torah of Uncertainty apply in your life? Which Mussar Practice resonates with you? Please share below.

 

How Not To Offer Help – a Mussar Practice Perspective

By Leave a Comment

how not to offer help
If someone says “I”m super helpful” do you believe them?

Imagine yourself a writer with two books. You are waiting in line after an event to introduce yourself to the speaker. Someone in front of you was talking about a manuscript they have that no one will publish. You offer your card, saying you’ll introduce them to your agent for the book. After some more conversation on and off over the next 15 minutes, you walk away thinking, “They will never email me.”

You go on to construct a story in your head about everything wrong with this other person. You know Mussar enough to recognize a soul trait imbalance in the other, and weave that imbalance into your story. After all, they bragged to you that they already had one book out that sold more than 10,000 copies. You decide they would rather be a victim about their book and story, rather than taking ownership and opportunities for help.

You even find a text to back you up.

He who purifies himself will be assisted. One who sets out to defile himself will find the way open. (Yoma 38b)

You teach text all the time to help build resilience. When we are willing to reach out to others and ask for help to improve, help will be provided. But if we want to let ourselves go down a negative path, we have the free will to make those choices.

As you may have guessed by now, this is not a hypothetical example. I am describing an incident that happened recently, and those thoughts and reactions were my own.

I journaled about them, and a small warning bell went off in my head.

Greg, you are being awfully judgy.

Judging others is a big no no in a Mussar practice. The soul trait of Honor teaches us to be wary of judgements. So I asked myself a question: “What other explanation is there for this person’s actions? Maybe I did or said something that elicited their response.”

Here are a few things I noticed when I thought about our interactions in more detail:

  • They never asked me for help or advice
  • I inserted myself into their conversation several times as they spoke to different people
  • The final time I inserted myself, I said something about writing 2 books, to which they responded about the success of their first book.

My entire perspective on the experience changed. I don’t know what their situation is, and frankly it isn’t any of my business. Offering help is a fine thing to do, but all the other stuff, including the story and judgements I constructed is the work of the Evil Inclination throwing me off track.

And it is an important reminder of the following teaching:

“Wisdom is what brings a person to conceit and haughtiness more than anything else, because it derives from a noble quality that is inherent in the person himself—the intellect.” –Rabbi Chaim Luzatto, Path of the Just

The tone of this quote is a bit harsh, but I don’t take it that way. My Mussar knowledge should not be used to judge other people. And I normally don’t push myself on others in that way. I find comfort that this mistake is made by many of the most wise.

And I am so thankful that I have this practice to help me learn and grow.

Want to give Mussar a try? Take the Soul Trait Quiz.

Photo by Jonas Jacobsson on Unsplash