[Avodah] Mussar

[Micha Berger]

On Thu, Feb 07, 2008 at 04:07:02PM -0500, Yosef Gavriel Bechhofer wrote
about yir'as ha'onesh:
: It is Yiras Hashem to the extent that a reality check - a spiritual 
: reality check, a cognizance of "/l'ahn atah holeich/" - is Yiras Hashem. 
: I would say it is something along these lines.

The notion that yir'as ha'onesh is distinct from yir'as Shamayim is the
Ramchal's, not mine. I think it's actually closer to the knock-need man
RAEK belittles than desirable yir'ah.

But you missed a serious argument in favor of the centrality of yir'ah to
Tenu'as haMussar! The first of my "foundation stories" was RZS's words to
RYS -- "Yisrael, study mussar, so that you will become a yarei Shamayim"!

More from RDKatz via RYLevine's daily email:
> From The Mussar Movement, Volume I, part 2, page 269.

> If R. Israel held the fear of G-d to be the precondition for human
> perfection, he held Musar study to be the prerequisite for fearing
> G-d. Fear of G-d can only be induced by the study of Musar. Just as one
> can only see through his eyes and hear through his ears, so does the fear
> of G-d come through Musar16; only by prolonged Musar training, by studying
> Musar in accordance with the accepted methods, and by means of specific
> Musar exercises, can man attain steadfast fear of G-d. And if there is
> fear of G-d, there is everything. In consequence of one's fear of G-d,
> he will attain perfect faith in G-d, ethical and spiritual perfection,
> perfection in his deeds in their entire scope and compass.

Still can't explain, though, why yir'ah would only be introduced in
Tanu'as haMussar to counterbalance any false impression created by all
those stories about RYL ignoring a chumrah that would put others out.
Why in general one doesn't see yir'ah taking up more of a role than
other concepts (individual middos, other ideals, etc...) in sifrei Mussar
(other than BeIqvos haYir'ah, of course).

I need more thought on the role of yir'ah in tenu'as hamussar.

On Mon, Feb 04, 2008 at 10:13:36AM -0500, Jonathan Baker wrote:
: I've argued before that AishDas, whatever its methodology, needs to get
: away from the "mussar" self-description.  It's like a lead weight restraining
: any attempt to get off the ground.

OTOH, there is something odd about a drive to promote middos like emes
not to be up front about where it draws it goals.

...
: AishDas follows a methodology loosely based on the late R' Shlomo Wolbe's
: ideas about mussar, which are quite different from the old 19th-century
: heavy-handed model.  Just as the methods are different (no yelling at
: oneself for 20 minutes a day, or publicly humiliating oneself to break
: one's spirit), so too the label should be different.  The Daat-Rachamim-
: Tiferet slogan, while not terribly euphonious, does seem to indicate a
: different idea, one of Maimonidean moderation (daat mediates between chochma
: and bina, rachamim mediates between chesed and din, tiferet mediates between
: the seven lower sefirot and thus the emotions, in the Chasidic psychological
: model), rather than extreme self-abasement.

I think our model is older than RSW. See
<http://www.aishdas.org/avodah/vol10/v10n018.shtml#03> from the same
RJB. RYBS is quoted as saying that the battle against Tenu'as haMussar
ended with the switch to a focus on gadlus ha'adam; ie Slabodka.

But RJB's point is real -- by using the word "mussar" we are being heard
as saying something different than our intent. I do not know a solution
that doesn't irritate my sense of emesdik-keit.

I took Daas-Rachamim-Tif'eres in less qabbalistic terms. Dr Nathan
Birnbaum's qol qorei reads:
> These pioneers must gather to take counsel and create societal tools
> that will teach: a) How to deepen our awareness and love of Hashem; b)
> How to love our fellow human beings; c) How to pursue the modesty that
> is the glory of our G-dliness.

RYGB takes the definitions of the terms from Am Hashem pg 10 and writes
<http://www.aishdas.org/rygb/birnbaum.htm>:
> By Da'as he meant awareness and knowledge of Hashem. He did not mean
> that one should study the evidence of G-d's existence and the like. Dr.
> Birnbaum meant that we should be intimately acquainted with Hashem. This
> intimacy would be manifest in fervor (hislahavus) in Hashem and submission
> (hachna'ah) before Him. Awareness and knowledge that do not lead to
> fervor and submission are imperfect. Submission before Hashem leads one
> to submit to others that submit to G-d's will as well, but not to those
> who do not, i.e., evildoers, scoffers and the haughty.

> By Rachamim he meant that we should cling to Hashem's middas harachamim
> and have mercy upon our fellow beings. Such rachamim must be aroused when
> one perceives either physical or spiritual anguish in another; it must
> concern itself both with remediation of extant pain and with prevention of
> potential pain; and it must address communities and individuals equally.

> By Tiferes he meant that we must consciously borrow a part of the
> ultimate glory that is Hashem's and adorn ourselves with it. The stress
> here is on "borrow" - as opposed to "acquire." We must see ourselves as
> a part of the glory that is the Creation, not as independent sources of
> splendor. The danger of the latter attitude is haughtiness and self
> centeredness. Kedushas HaTiferes requires us to identify, define and
> pursue a Torah esthetic - in our dress, our abodes, our art and our
> music - one that reflects the values of an Am Segula.

As I see it -- BALM, BALC, and BALN; a/k/a (in a different order) Torah,
Avodah, Gemillus Chasadim. Or to cite Chazal on this morning's parashah:
the mizbei'ach hazahav and keser kehunah, the shulchan and keser malkhus,
and the aron and keser Torah.

What I called a holistic approach to halakhah.

Notice that all of the above is equally applicable within an MO or DL
worldview, a yeshivish one, or chassidus.

(With the exception of extreme Briskers [whether YU or yeshivish],
who believe in the impossibility of analyzing the goal, and halakhah
alone is the path. And perhaps Breslov, who would see such an approach
as getting in the way of the goal of a natural experience, and the only
path is asking Hashem to perfect me.)

Gut Voch!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             "The most prevalent illness of our generation is
micha at aishdas.org        excessive anxiety....  Emunah decreases anxiety:
http://www.aishdas.org   'The Almighty is my source of salvation;  I will
Fax: (270) 514-1507      trust and not be afraid.'" (Isa 12) -Shalhevesya