[Avodah] Mussar

[cantorwolberg at cox.net]

R' David Riceman: 
A friend from Jerusalem stopped by last week, and we chatted for a few 
hours.? One of his remarks struck me as worth repeating here.? He told 
me that when he reads mussar sefarim he gets the impression of small 
mindedness; the concerns are very petty.? Whereas when he reads Rabbi 
Kook "ze mamash marhiv et hada'at." 
Any comments (I'll reserve my own)? 

Just a thought...
I'm reminded of the phrase 'Can't see the forest from the trees' which refers to being too close to the problem to see the solution. Perhaps your friend was thinking that the mussar sefarim reflect this saying, whereas Rav Kook sees the bigger picture. 

Another way of looking at it is that when you are a child, your parent disciplines you and you could say you're given mussar every day, every hour (if you're lucky or unlucky, however you look at it). When you become mature (whenever that is), then the parental mussar ceases and hopefully, you are now able to see the bigger picture and Rav Kook's hashkafa takes over.

Shabbat shalom.
ri