from the mussar masters

“And he called out to the people, saying to them,'Listen and understand! It is not what enters the mouth that makes the person tamei, but what comes out from the mouth—that makes the person tamei.'” --Mashiach Yeshua, Matthew 15:10-11, DHE

Rabbi Samuel bar Nachman said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: “Here the Yetzer seduces you, there the Yetzer betrays you.” --Talmud

Nittai the Arbelite said: Keep thee far from an evil neighbor and associate not with the wicked; and abandon not belief in retribution. --Avot 1:7

“The greater a person is, the greater is the force of his temptation.” --Talmud, Succah 52a

Hasten to do even the slightest mitzvah, and flee from all sin. Because one mitzvah will lead to another, and one sin will lead to another.” --Avot 4:2

“You have given Your people beginnings of new months, which are time of forgiveness for all their transgressions.” – Rosh Chodesh Mussaf service

“One who walks with the wise will grow wise, but the companion of fools will be broken.” --Proverbs 13:20

Rabbi Eleazar ha-Kappar used to say: “Jealousy, lust, and ambition remove man from the world.” – Avot 4:28

“Reflect upon three things and you will not come within the power of sin: Know what is above you --a seeing eye, a hearing ear, and all your deeds recorded in a book.” --Avot 2:1

 Don't quench the Spirit, don't despise inspired messages. But do test everything – hold onto what is good but keep away from every form of evil.” --1 Thessalonians 5:19-22

“What G-d wants is that you be holy, that you keep away from sexual immorality, that each of you know how to manage his sexual impulses in a holy and honorable manner, without giving in to lustful desires...” --1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

“Therefore, do not let sin rule in your mortal bodies, so that it makes you obey its desires; and do not offer any part of yourselves to sin as an instrument for wickedness.” --Romans 6:13

from the mussar masters

Simeon ben Shetah said: "Examine the witnesses diligently and be cautious in thy words lest through them they learn to falsify." --Avot 1:9

“You shall be sincere with the L-d your G-d.” --Deuteronomy 18:13

“Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from deceitful speech.” --Psalms 34:14

“Accustom your tongue to say, 'I do not know.'” --Talmud, Berachos 4a

“Correct yourself first, and then you can correct others.” --Talmud, Bava Metzia 107b

“Keep your distance from falsehood.” --Exodus 23:7

“Foolishness is joy to one who lacks [an understanding] heart, but a man of understanding [will rejoice] when he walks uprightly.” --Proverbs 15:21

“Do not offer vain testimony against your fellow, to denar yourself with your lips. Do not say,'As he has done for me, so will I do for him; I will reward the man according to his acts.'” --Proverbs 24:28

“One who deceives his fellow through flattery is spreading a net for his own footsteps.” --Proverbs 29:5

from the mussar masters

“But I tell you that whoever is enraged against his brother baselessly is liable to a beit din, and whoever says to his brother, “reka” is liable to a sanhedrin, and whoever calls him “naval” is made liable to the fire of Geihinnom.” --Mashiach Yeshua, Matthew 5:22, DHE 

“The world is a very narrow bridge. They key to crossing is to not be afraid.” --Rabbi Nachman ben Simcha of Bratslav

“It is intelligent of a person to be slow to anger, and his splendor to ignore an offense.” --Proverbs 19:11

 “If you have been abused, remain aloof; and if you have thoughts [of responding in kind], put your hand to your mouth; for the squeezing of milk produces butter; the squeezing of the nose produces blood; and the squeezing of anger produces strife.” --Proverbs 30:32

 “A gentle reply turns away wrath, but a galling word incites anger.” --Proverbs 15:1

“Into His hand I shall entrust my spirit, when I go to sleep – and I shall awaken. With my spirit shall my body remain. Hashem is with me, I shall not fear.” – Siddur, Morning Blessings

 “For G-d alone, wait silently, my soul, because my hope is from Him. He alone is my Rock and my Salvation; my Stronghold, I shall not falter.” --Psalms 62: 6-7

“Hashem is my shepherd, I shall not lack. In lush meadows He lays me down, beside tranquil waters He leads me. He restores my soul...Though I walk in the valley overshadowed by death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me. --Psalm 23:1-3

 “Hashem is my light and my salvation, who shall I fear? Hashem is my life's strength, whom shall I dread?” --Psalm 27:1

 “From the straits did I call upon G-d; G-d answered me with expansiveness. Hashem is with me, I have no fear; how can man affect me?” --Psalm 118:5-6

 “Hashem will protect you from every evil; He will guard your soul. Hashem will guard your departure and your arrival, from this time and forever.” --Psalms 121:7-8

 “There are four temperaments among men: Easy to provoke and easy to appease--his loss is canceled by his gain. Hard to provoke and hard to appease--his gain is canceled by his loss. Hard to provoke and easy to appease--he is a saintly man. Easy to provoke and hard to appease--he is a wicked man.” --Avot 5:14

from the mussar masters

On Diligence...

“Act while you can: While you have the chance, the means, and the strength.” – Talmud

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.” – Ecclesiastes 9:10

“One who is lax in his work is a brother to the master of destruction.” – Proverbs 18:9

“Through indolence the ceiling will cave in, and through inferior handiwork the house will leak.” –  Ecclesiastes 10:18

“I hastened and I did not delay to keep your mitzvot.” – Tehillim 119:60

Be not lazy but rather diligent, for it says: “Thus said the indolent, 'A lion is on the road, a lion [lies in wait] in the streets.'” – Proverbs 26:13

“Don't have contempt for your ability to do good. You make the effort and God does the rest...” – The Bershider Rebbe

“The work is not yours to complete, and [yet] you are not free to abstain from it.” – Avot 2:16

“A person should always be astute when fearing the Eternal; he must be knowledgeable, capable of deducing one thing from the other, and inventive in ways that will please his Creator through whatever means possible.” – Talmud, Berachot 17a

On Enthusiasm...

"True zeal consists of one's heart being alert, his mind being wakeful, and his limbs being light for the performance of his labor, but not in overhastiness in any matter." -- The Ways of the Tzadikkim, The Gate of Zeal, pg 293

"Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey." -- Bereishit 22:3

"Rabbi Yehudah be Tema said: Be bold as a leopard, light as an eagle, swift as a deer, and strong as a lion to do the will of your Father in Heaven." -- Avot 5:20

"When a man frees his heart of all other thoughts that reside in it and seizes upon one thought, then he will undoubtedly be zealous in its execution." --The Ways of the Tzadikkim, The Gate of Zeal, pg 283

"You must know that the trait of zeal is the foundation of all the traits, for one cannot constantly be learning. One must eat, drink, sleep , and attend to his other needs." -- The Ways of the Tzadikkim, The Gate of Zeal, pg 285

Rabbi Pinchas ben Yair said: "Zeal leads to cleanliness, cleanliness to separation, separation to purity, purity to holiness, holiness to humility, humility to fear of sin, fear of sin to saintliness, saintliness to the holy spirit, the holy spirit to the revival of the dead, and the revival of the dead to Eliyahu the prophet of blessed memory." -- Yerushalmi Shekalim 3:3, Sotah 49a, Avodah Zarah 20b

"If a poor man comes to your house to ask for bread, do not say, ' I cannot go to bring bread,' but go with zeal to bring it." -- The Ways of the Tzadikkim, The Gate of Zeal, pg 287

"Courage is going from failure to failure without losing enthusiasm." -- Winston Churchill

"The zealous advance themselves towards the doing of mitzvot." -- The Ways of the Tzadikkim, The Gate of Zeal, pg 285

"Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom." -- Kohelet 9:10

"Do not say, 'When I will be free I will learn'; maybe you will not be free." -- Avot 2:4

from the mussar masters

“Amen, I say to you, it is difficult for a rich person to enter the kingdom of Heaven. Moreover, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of G-d.”  —Mashiach Yeshua, Matthew 19:23-24, DHE

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rottenness consume them, and thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in the heavens, where moths and rottenness do not consume them, and thieves do not break in and steal." 

—Mashiach Yeshua, Matthew 6:19-21, DHE

Ben Zoma said : "Who is wealthy? One who is happy with his lot.” —Avot 4:1

“The lover of pleasure will be a man who lacks; the lover of wine and oil will not grow rich.” —Proverbs 21:17

"Whoever possesses the following three traits is of the disciples of our forefather Abraham: … a good eye [generosity], a humble spirit [humility], and a modest soul [frugality]." —Avot 5:19

 “A desirable treasure and oil endures in the abode of the wise, but the fool of a man swallows it up.” —Proverbs 21:20

 On taking frugality to an extreme, it is said: “In the future world, a man will have to give an accounting for every good thing his eyes saw, but of which he did not eat.” —Talmud, Kiddushin 4:12

“It is forbidden to cause the oil in a lamp to burn too quickly, thus wasting fuel.” —Talmud, Shabbat 67b

from the mussar masters

Rabbi Judah the Prince said: "Which is the right course that a man should choose for himself? That which is an honor to him and elicits honor from his fellow men." --Avot 2:1

Rabbi Jose said: “Let the property of your fellow man be as dear to you as your own.” --Avot 2:17

“But if three have eaten at one table and have spoken over it words of the Torah, it is as if they had eaten from the table of G-d, for it is written (Ezekiel 41.22) 'He said to me, 'This is the table which is before Hashem.'” --Avot 3:4

“A person may tend to deliberate whether he should or should not give tzedakah (charity). That is why the Torah exhorts, 'Do not close your hand to the poor.'” --Rashi, Deuteronomy 15:7

“I constantly place the presence of G-d before my eyes” (Psalms 16:8). This is a fundamental rule in Torah and behavior of the righteous who walk in the path of G-d. --Shulchan Aruch Orach Chaim 1:1

“Judge every person favorably.” – Avot 1:6

 “A person should be humble and as flexible as Hillel, rather than as stern and strict as Shammai.” --Talmud, Shabbos 30b

from the mussar masters

“One who acquires understanding loves his soul, guarding understanding to find good.” --Proverbs 19:8

 “Of Your precepts I speak and I look at Your paths. I occupy myself with Your statutes, I will not forget Your word.” --Psalms 119:15

“Ready my steps in Your word, and do not let any iniquity dominate me.” --Psalms 119:133

“Whosoever possesses these three qualities belongs to the disciples of Abraham our father: a generous eye, a humble spirit, and a meek soul.” --Avot 5:22

“Cursed is he who misleads an undiscerning person.” --Deutoronomy 27:18

Regarding the cleanliness of language, it is said: “The throne [of the Mashiach] will be established with benevolence and he will sit on it through truth.” – Isaiah 16:5

“Who is courageous? One who conquers his inclination.” --Avot 4:1

“Envy, lust and the [pursuit of honor] remove man from the world.” --Avot 4:21

from the mussar masters

Hillel says, "If I am not for myself, who will be for me? But if I am only for myself, who am I? If not now, when?" – Avot 1:14

“He who has not yet ruled over his evil inclination is like one lost along the paths [of the maze] unable to differentiate between them.” – The Path of the Just, Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto

“Commit your way to Hashem, rely on Him and He will act. He will bring forth your righteousness like a light, and your justice like the high noon.” – Psalms 37:5-6

“Align the course of your feet, and [thereby] all your ways will be corrected.” – Proverbs 4:26

“Generally, one must be content to rely on logic and make his determination based on probability. Moreover, one must reach his logical decisions quickly, for most situations require alacrity so that the opportune moment does not pass.” – Rabbi M.M. Lefin of Satanov, Cheshbon HaNefesh

from the mussar masters

“Align the course of your feet, and [thereby] all your ways will be corrected.” – Proverbs 4:26

“If a person in need of discipline is obstinate and resistive, he may suddenly crumble, and there will be healing for him.” --Proverbs 29:1

“One who deals responsibly and truthfully with others and with whom the souls of others are at ease, it is as if they have fulfilled the entire Torah. --Mekhilta on Exodus 15:26

“In all your ways know Him and He will align your paths.” --Proverbs 3:6

“It is good to give charity before praying.” --Shulchan Arukh, Orach Chayim 92:10

“Only he who prepares prior to Shabbat eats on Shabbat." --Talmud, Avodah Zara 3a

“All your actions and possessions should be orderly – each and every one in a set place and set time. Let your thoughts always be free to deal with that which lies ahead of you.” – Rabbi M.M. Lefin of Satanov,  Cheshbon Hanefesh

“Fish die when they are out of water, and people die without law and order.” --Talmud

parasha noach and equanimity of judgment

Commentary on Parasha Noach from the First Fruits of Zion Torah Club v.1 audio magazine by Boaz Michael and Toby Janicki. Used with permission.

This discussion on Parasha Noach (Genesis 6:9-11:32) reflects on the personal ethics of judging one another, giving the benefit of the doubt, and holding equanimity when dealing with these situations. 

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