Group None

My brothers, my friends: Earlier I revealed1See Letter 1. that a man who is tormented and oppressed by the vanities of this world barely earns his livelihood, works hard, [but] finds no satisfaction in his affairs. When he conceives of a right road for himself, where there is great hope that this is the way out for him, a way that will calm his troubled spirit – he will certainly not rest or be silent until he sets up these plans on a solid basis2“Yated ne’eman,” lit. “a peg in a sure place” (see Is. 22:23). that will not be moved. For who is such a fool that, walking in darkness, when suddenly a bright light shines before him, will not act quickly to get close to it?

We are such people today! – in the progression of our souls’ occupation with preparing for our final end, to escape from the pit, from troubled spirit, and great shame in the eternal, everlasting world. We are tormented by illusory desires. Status-seeking, which removes a person from the world,3Compare Avot 4:21. envelops us, and we pursue and track it. We are confounded and exhausted by trying to satisfy its needs. It distracts us from the Torah, which is our life and length of days4Compare Ahavat Olam, the second prayer in the daily evening service; compare Deuteronomy 30:20. in this world and the next. It steals the commandments and every precious character trait from us. It leads us to sins and transgressions that reach to the heavens.Where can we flee for help, and to whom can we turn, if not to Mussar study? It chastises a person to remember his end, that he will not live forever in this lowly world. We are only sojourners in this life, here to do our assigned work so that we be paid our hire in our true place. Consider now: What honor can we really attain in this alien world, which passes like a shadow5Compare Psalms 144:4. and we will never see again?

Lo, these are some of the ways of Mussar. It is a bright light, while we walk in darkness,6Compare Isaiah 50:10. following our lowly, contemptible, physical will. How can we not urgently act to draw near to this study, to place it on solid, unshakable, foundations so that no bad happenstance harm it,7Compare the Shabbat zemira “Yom Shabbaton Ein Lishkoaĥ,” verse 5. God forbid, and stop this noble idea?To this end, the right thing to do is to reinforce it with nails well driven.8Compare Ecclesiastes 12:11. Set up regular times for it between every afternoon and evening service. Each one should strengthen the other9Compare Isaiah 41:6. and spur him on to formulate strategies; that there be a set time, which will never be missed. And if one person should be missing or should even become an opponent to this [practice], God forbid, then it is appropriate to attend to this matter, to seek counsel and strategy to defeat his foolishness and to win his heart with soft words (each one according to his own way and intelligence). Thus Mussar will be solidly established and anchored.10Compare Isaiah 22:23.

To become habituated to this discipline11R. Salanter is referencing his educational idea that regular practice (i.e., habituation) will make it second nature and a powerful determinant of behavior. – there are two main paths:The first is to fire up the spirit by refining thought through these noble studies, by studying with burning lips,12I.e., impassioned singing. One of R. Salanter’s creative methods to intensify the impact of Mussar learning was to chant and sing the words of the study text. He called this type of learning hitpa’alut (hispailus, in Eastern European pronunciation) – enthusiastic, active learning. by [using] the right [conception], [and] by expanding on each matter with extensive illustrations and making it more persuasive with relatable analogies. [Do this] until the heart is aflame – a little or a lot – so that it can give its strength to prepare the [external] limbs to carry out all the good acts for its sake – willingly or under duress.

The second is “worldly wisdom”:13R. Salanter concluded that people are much more strategic and analytical in their worldly/business activities, whereas religious matters were acted out unthinkingly, emotionally, and without a strategy or analysis. He coined the phrase “ḥokhmat haolam” (“the wisdom of the world”) to capture the idea of acting in religious matters with the wisdom that people develop from their business activities and the strategic thoughtfulness that they apply in worldly matters. to anticipate, to plan ahead before the bad days come,14Compare Ecclesiastes 12:1. to prepare counsel and strategy about how to lead himself and others to cut evil down to size, and so to lighten temptation to the point where reverence is more powerful than instinct.15I.e., R. Salanter classifies the basic urges (which often act out lowly physical desires) as instinct. These are not rational or refined behaviors. They are driven by gut emotions and often ignore or are not constrained by Torah guidance or ethics. This is the purpose of humankind:16Compare Ecclesiastes 12:13. to strengthen reverence and weaken instinct17I.e., unrestrained, amoral behaviors. with Mussar and wisdom. In this respect, how splendid would it be if we ourselves would have an axis18Lit. carrier or bearer. around which our learning and conditioning in Mussar and wisdom could revolve. This axis is: to bring others’ hearts closer to Mussar study. It will be based on Mussar, strengthened by patience, and done with wisdom so that it will blossom and bear fruit.19Compare Numbers 17:23.

If we become strong in this practice, that we not leap to anger at our friend [when we wonder] why his heart is blocked from understanding the nature of this study – rather we should say that in ourselves, too, foolishness reigns in many matters – then we will inscribe on our hearts and habituate ourselves in the qualities of patience and humility, so that we do not elevate ourselves over others.

The very deepening of our thinking, in preparing counsel and strategy on how to correct the other with persuasive words to bring him closer to our Father in Heaven, will give extra strength to ourselves. It will awaken us to correct ourselves in many areas, to bring ourselves closer to the work for which we were created, to our own benefit.20Compare Deuteronomy 10:13.

Moreover, assign21Lit., “measure out.” our work [among us] man by man,22Compare Joshua 7:14. so that each one is in charge of the area23Compare Esther 1:22. he is best suited for. One can correct the other with sophisticated language. Another can bring the other closer with a smiling face. This one can strengthen him with the enthusiasm of his pure heart, and that one can capture him with correct strategies and the necessary wisdom.How awesome is this habituation24To set up Mussar study as a regular, unbreakable routine. The goal is to make Mussar into hergel, a habit/routine, so that to study it becomes second nature. for establishing all [Mussar] studies and every proper trait, and removing many temptations which come to agitate the person! These are matters of life and death and the like – for in one moment a person can sin overwhelmingly and irretrievably, God forbid. However, if we condition ourselves that our activities be affected by many,25I.e., as a group. each person in accordance with his own way and interest, how easy it will be to revive numerous souls and to sustain an entire world with slight effort and little cost.26Compare the mishna in Sanhedrin 37a: “One who saves one life is considered to have sustained an entire world.” [The use of] “worldly wisdom” to lighten temptation and to cut [evil] down to size so that reverence will overcome requires thorough elucidation using many analogies. We will not find [the analogies] in Mussar books. Each and every person will draw [the proper analogy] forth with his own understanding, if you will apply your experienced heart to this.Without taking an oath,27“Belo neder” – this is customary pious language. It is to say: without taking an actual oath (which would serve as a “legal guarantee” that I carry this out), I am seriously committed to following through. God willing, we will talk about this more.