Questions tagged [mussar-ethics]
Questions relating to how a Jewish life should be led.
256 questions
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How could the patriarchs have observed the ritual commandments?
The Sources says that the patriarchs and those they taught followed halacha.¹
There are two types of commandments: Ethical and ritual. I understand that the ethical commandments could have been ...
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Torah term for putting others first?
Pretty self-explanatory. Is there any Torah term or phrase that refers to the ethical act of "Putting Others First"?
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Does anyone know how to contact Rav J. Glass who has posted a translation of Netivot Shalom online?
His now non-working email address is still visible where he posted his translation. It used to be [email protected]. I would like to find out if he has finished or is still working on finishing his ...
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Why is "giving nachat ruach" to Hashem not considered "giving to Him" or "Him receiving from us"
There is a theme throughout all Torah thought, that we cannot give to Hashem. He is perfect and lacking nothing; He needs nothing; He has no desire to receive; He cannot receive; we have nothing to ...
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Rabbeinu Yonah's Shaarei HaAvodah online
The Rabbeinu Yonah, famously known for his work on Teshuvah, Shaarei Teshuvah, also wrote a sefer called שַׁעֲרֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה (Shaarei HaAvodah).
Does anyone know where to find this sefer online (free ...
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Advice how to prevent sin
I would like to ask for advice when in the following situation:
Being in a cycle of having a habit to certain things that are forbidden, without the motivation to work on getting better. Basically, ...
user38344
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What is a Novardok "Vaad asiri kodesh"?
What is (was?) exactly a Vaad Asiri Kodesh [וועד עשירי קודש] in the context of Novardok Musarists?
Could it be a collective moment too or was it just a time for individual introspection?
Thanks!
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Is it true that the yetzer hara for honor never goes away?
BH
I heard someone say that the Yetzer Hara for all bad things eventually goes away with age, but the yetzer hara for honor never goes away. Is this true? If so, where does it say this?
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What is the lesson of the Book of Iyov for the "average" person
One of the main moral lesson of the Book of Iyov could be that if righteous people are go through suffering they will receive relief eventually. This is the case of Yaakov and Yosef who went through ...
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What is the source for the teaching, ‘Shame is intelligence, intelligence shame’?
I came across this teaching a while ago - it came from a reputable source. I am quite sure the source was pre-acharonim.
Does anyone know who said it and where?
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What does it mean col Minei gehinom sholtim bo
BH
Hi, in Igerret HaRamban the Ramban quotes Razal (Nedarim 22a) and says:
כל הכועס כל מיני גיהנם שולטין בו
Anyone who gets angry, all kinds of Gehenna rule over him
What does this mean? Isn’t ...
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Rambam’s ancient writing spilled on by coffee
I heard a beautiful story of a Rabbi, who after being successful in business, decided to try to use his wealth to put together a research team to come up with a definitive edition of the Rambam's ...
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Rashi and the Pun
A long time ago, I was in someone's house and they had a book about the life of Rashi. In it was a great story, which I will summarise to the best of my memory:
Rashi was travelling Europe and in a ...
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Animal euthanasia in Halacha
According to Halacha, is it prohibited or permissible to do animal euthanasia on sick or injured animals? Or would it be prohibited as a violation of Tzaar Balei Chayim?
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Can Jews make a Siyum on mussar literature
In Halacha, can Jews make a Siyum upon completion of mussar literature? For example to eat meat during the 9 days. Or no, is this not a type of Torah learning which would warrant a Siyum Seudat ...
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Public nuisance in Halacha
Does Halacha recognize the notion of someone being liable for “public nuisance”? In secular law, a public nuisance is generally defined as someone who is doing something which is significantly ...
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Edition of Mesilat Yesharim
Can someone please recommend an edition of Mesilat Yesharim?
I am looking for an edition with the following features.
All Hebrew
Nice, clear print
Elucidations/commentaries for difficult passages
...
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Is advertising ever Lifnei iver for lo tachmod
Do a lot of advertisements ever constitute Lifnei iver for lo tachmod? The reason I ask is because the prohibition of coveting someone else’s goods (Lo Tachmod) seems more likely if one is culturally ...
- 4,532
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Is there a problem with gender pay discrimination
Inspired by this question I am curious if there is any issue in Halacha or anything else with paying (Jewish) women less than (Jewish) men or vice versa? Since there is a mitzvah to do business with ...
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Discerning how much one should trust Hashem
Shalom.
I am far from being a Ba’al Bitachon, but from what I have read - e.g. this: https://www.torah-box.net/jewish-ethics-and-learning/jewish-thinking/emunah-and-bitachon-two-essential-tools_572....
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What is shalom bayit
I’m curious what the concept of Shalom Bayit means in terms of practical Halacha. Is it a mitzvah, a general halachic rule, an ethical principle, or something else? Where is it derived from ...
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Irritation vs. Anger
I know, according to Torah, its a sin to be angry but is it a sin to be irritated? For example, if a child yells really loud and I calmly tell him to stop yelling, does the fact that I calmly told him ...
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Does someone get punished for unknowingly committing a sin or unknowingly hurting a person?
Does someone get punished for unknowingly committing a sin or unknowingly hurting a person? Please provide sources, thanks.
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What is the explanation of And don’t let the evil inclination assure your that the grave will be a place of refuge for you mean
BH
What do the main poskim and commentators explain “And don’t let the evil inclination assure your that the grave will be a place of refuge for you” mean in Pirkei Avot 4:22
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Caution against a person belittling himself
BH
I heard someone say that a person should never say "I am this [negative character trait]" or "I am that [negative character trait]" because Chas ve Shalom Hashem can bring that ...
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What type of enemies are being spoken about in Shaar Habitachon?
In Duties of the Heart, Ibn Paquda writes in Shaar Habitachon (Treatise on Trust, Ch. 4):
אבל עניני אויביו וחומדיו ומבקשי רעתו יבטח בעניניהם על הבורא יתעלה
ויסבל חרפתם ואל יגמל להם כפעלם אך יגמלם חסד ...
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Lashon harah about someone who leads people astray
Is it lashon harah to publicly criticize or attack those who you perceive as misleading people/leading people astray? For example, Rabbi Natan Slifkin has a blog in which he’s publicly criticized ...
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When is it acceptable to be impolite or rude
Is it ever ok to be impolite or rude. Say an employee is not doing their job or won’t help you when you paid for a service.
user24193
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Rabbi Yaron Reuven - Severe torture in gehinnom
I was out to eat the other day and in the restaurant, where one can take more sauces, there was a pile of dvd'd that people can take for free with the Tikkun Habrit movie on it. I ended up watching ...
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Eating reduces spritual sensitivity and Yitzchak Avinu wanting a meal before giving his berachot - contradiction?
There is a principle in mussar that overeating desensitises/spoils our mood for learning and davening with kavana (see Hachsharat HaAvrechim ch.9 for example). E.g. if one is very into one's learning, ...
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Messages from Hashem
I have heard from my teachers that when something major happens in the world, this is a message from Hashem. But it is a message for Israel and actually for the religious people in our nation- because ...
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Ethics of working in defense
The following is not halacha l'maaseh.
Say I am currently looking for a new role. In my search, I come across a fair number of (US-based) defense contractors that seem to have openings for what I am ...
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Pele Yoetz Question
Does someone know from which chapter of the Pele Yoetz this is taken or paraphrased from?
There is a general rule in life, that we believe with perfect faith
nothing bad comes from heaven, it is only ...
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Suggestion to help rid one's physical desire for food
What guides are there available in the corpus of Torah, including all Rabbinic writings, on ridding oneself of specifically the desire for food?
Context/Reason for asking:
It is a common theme in ...
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Case study in chesed: parking morally
A strong, fit man decides that instead of grabbing the absolute closest and most convenient parking spot to his destination, he will leave it and park further away, in case someone more infirm/...
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Does Halakhah say anything about secular/religious professionals like therapists separating personal and professional beliefs working with clients?
WASHINGTON (AP) — In a defeat for gay rights, the Supreme Court’s
conservative majority ruled Friday that a Christian graphic artist who
wants to design wedding websites can refuse to work with same-...
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Musar Study - recommendations
In our weekly chavrusa on Musar, we (retired baalei batim) have covered over several years:
Michtav MeiEliyohu, Sifsei Chaim, Alei Shur and we are about to conclude Orchos Chaim.
We would welcome ...
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Source of a Rabbi Salanter story
This article gives several stories about Rav Salanter, in section V of the article.
There’s no citation but many of them are drawn from T’nuat ha-Mussar by Rav Katz.
However, I can't find a source for ...
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Looking for mussar on not thinking oneself wise
Shalom.
Mishlei makes clear that one should not think oneself wise and that it is very dangerous to do so.
From what I can see (from Mishlei 26:16), diligence is one way - the only way? - of ...
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Does Judaism value selflessness?
Does Judaism value selflessness?
In particular,
Rambam in Shemoneh Perakim lists יתרון טוב הלבב as an extreme/negative character trait, and he defines this as someone who is giving to others at their ...
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What about Hashem are we emulating by battling our yeitzer hara?
Derech Hashem and mussar state that Divine service is emulating Hashem, becoming His partner, and similar to Him so we can attach to Him.
Ramchal states that we should come to earn and therefore own ...
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וכבשוה ורדו - to what extent are we allowed to domesticate/kill animals in order to utilise the Earth for our civilisation?
Part of the point of Hashem giving the Earth into our domain is a permission for us to trap, subjugate and kill animals that would harm us or be pests for our crops and homes, e.g. see Sforno 1 & ...
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Online edition of Kuntres Tiferes Dovid
In the recently published sefer, Bircas HaTorah, Bringing Torah To Life And Life To Torah by Rabbi Nissim Tagger, a Kuntres is cited. It seems to be a Kuntres by Rabbi Dovid Leibowitz ztz"l, a ...
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Chovos HaLevavos on honoring parents
I read in Shaar HaBechinah from the Chovos HaLevavos that people wouldn’t honor their parents if not for shame.
Why do people need shame to honor their parents? And just in general, does anyone have ...
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Does anyone know where to find the Sefer toras Avraham by Reb avraham grodzenski?
If anyone knows where this Sefer,and other slabodka mussar seforim can be found. Or if anyone has them and is interested in selling them please call 929-842-8008 and leave a voicemail
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Question about degrees of honesty
I have been reflecting on some things I have done, and have begun to wonder whether my 'honest' words were simply a (subconsciously) clever way of gaining a person's trust, and thus of gaining power.
...
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Where can I find the Ramban's Letter in PDF?
I am looking to download or print a PDF of the Igeret HaRamban in the original Hebrew, to be able to view/read conveniently. Does anyone know where I can find this?
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The Gemara (Sukkah 25b) mentions "taking your mind off your worries." Do any commentators elaborate on exactly how to do that?
The Gemara (Sukkah 25b) mentions that an avel (mourner) is obligated in the mitzvah of Sukkah. One might have thought that since someone who is mitzta'er (in pain) is exempt from the mitzvah, that an ...
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Is it better to learn one mussar Sefer at a time or a few?
Would it be advisable to learn Mesillas Yesharim, Shaarei Teshuvah, Tomer Devorah and Chovas Halevavos etc. every day?
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Maayan HaMitgaber in Alei Shur (Rabbi Wolbe)
Maayan HaMitgaber in Alei Shur (Rabbi Wolbe) -- very strong concept, but I cannot locate the first mention in R Wolbe's Volume 1.
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