[Avodah] R' Samson Raphael Hirsch and the Imrei Emes (Gerrer Rebbe)

[Micha Berger]

On Wed, Jul 02, 2008 at 11:42:17PM -0400, Richard Wolpoe wrote:
: > In Madreigas haAdam (first essay), the Alter of Novhardok explains the
: > need for mussar...
: > RYS had to come up with a formal methodology for teaching that which
: > until then people were learning by osmosis. That methodolgy to create
: > the person our environment should have made us is Mussar.

: > I think therefore the Alter of Novhardok would answer RRW with a
: > resounding "definitely". But cultures dissolve, and then all you're left
: > with is books and techniques to try to mold who you are.
...
: I did not mean to attack Mussar, I meant to question the efficacy of READING
: or LEARNING mussar from a sefer. It works MUCH better when I society
: practices it.

As I already replied, I think they would have agreed. But you do not
have that much control over your environment. What you're presenting
as an open choice generally isn't.

: You can learn techniques from a Sefer, how to execute something better, but
: I have rarely seen Mussar "book" learning do that much good..

The second issue is that Mussar isn't studying books.

Hispa'alus: Look how REED describes in MmE vol I how to learn Mussar.
Mesilas Yesharim would be studied, repeated, absorbed, innovated, applied
to one's life at a rate of a couple of lines per day with 20 minutes to
a half an hour dedicated to the excercise. Their goal wasn't to study
or learn the book, but to create an emotional bond and unity with it.

Cheshbon haNefesh: They kept track of their middos and how they were
using them daily. Just making that process conscience does much for
tiqun hammidos that goes well beyond learning sefarim.

Similarly: Qabbalos and pe'ulos, hibonenus, etc...

The yeshivishification of Mussar, so that it is reduced to 15 min with
a book (and the book is generally *hilkhos* LH) rather than investing
time to actively work on oneself, means that few of us have ever seen
whether or not Mussar comes close to learning one's attitudes correctly
to begin with.

Tir'u baTov!
-Micha

-- 
Micha Berger             When memories exceed dreams,
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