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<font size=3>At 08:44 PM 1/31/2008, Micha Berger wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">The way I formuilated things,
your saying the ikkar of mussar is not<br>
the notion of having a program for reaching qedushah, but rather the<br>
holistic definition of qedushah. (With nothing said about the role
of<br>
tiqun hamidos.)</font></blockquote><br>
It is hard for me to believe that if someone put real effort into
modelling the actions of RYS that the result would not be that he would
end up with good midos, whatever this means. Indeed, if one takes the
dictum of RYS that "The other person's gashmius is your
ruchnius." seriously, I cannot see how he would not end up with good
midos.<br><br>
Then again, I am reminded of the following story.<br><br>
<font size=3>There was an older unmarried fellow who was approached by a
Shadchan and asked what he was looking for in a prospective wife.
He replied that he wanted the most nasty and abrasive woman that could be
found. When asked why, he replied, "It says that a man who is
married to a bad wife gets a big share in the world to come. That is what
I want."<br><br>
Well, the Shadchan eventually found someone who was "suitable,"
and they got married. <br><br>
A couple of months later the new chosson came to the Shadchan and said,
"What have you done to me? You know the kind of woman I was looking
for. However, my wife it the perfect mate. She is always cheerful. The
house is always spotless. When I come home from shul there is a delicious
breakfast waiting for me. Lunch is always on time and excellent as is
dinner. She never says an unkind word and never argues with me.
What have you done to me?"<br><br>
The Shadchan was surprised and so she went to the new kallah and said,
"You know, before you were married you were known as not being the
nicest woman in the world. Now your husband tells me that you are the
perfect wife. What is going on?"<br><br>
She replied, "He is not going to get Olam Haba because of
me!!!" >:-} <br>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Yitzchok Levine</font></body>
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