The goal of Mussar is holiness — Kedoshim is a critical text from a Mussar perspective. While Mussar shares and borrows techniques with non-religious self-help, it seeks a Jewish religious […]
Parshat Tazria-Metzora
In the rabbinic tradition, the text of Tazria-Metzora presents a cascade of punishments for sins related to our treatment of others: haughtiness, selfish manipulation, slander, and lashon hara, among […]
Parshat Shemini
Leviticus (9:1-3) The LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying to them: Speak to the Israelite people thus: These are the creatures that you may eat from among all the […]
Parshat Shemini
Parshat Shemini
Vayikra (9: 7) Then Moses said to Aaron: “Come forward to the altar …”
Rashi And Moses said to Aaron, Go to the altar: for Aaron was diffident […]
Parshat Tzav
The Mussar teachers draw three major lessons from Parshat Tzav:
Character traits can be for the good or for the bad. What matters is how we use them. And for […]Parshat Vayikra
Leviticus is a guide through the rituals and rules of the priests serving in the Mishkan, taking us ultimately to the truths found in the holy of holies. As we […]
Parshot Vayakhel-Pekudi
The Book of Exodus completes with a description of the building of the Mishkan. Just before Moses leads the Israelites in it’s construction, he reminds them that the Sabbath comes […]
Parshat Tetzaveh
Tetzaveh continues the detailed description of the artifacts and materials of the Sanctuary. It seems that the Torah has little to teach us here about spiritual development or becoming a […]
Parshat Beshelach
Shemot (14: 1-5) (Robert Alter, trans.) And the Lord spoke to Moses “… And I shall toughen Pharaoh’s heart, and he will pursue them, that I may gain glory through […]
Parshat Bo
How do we learn from the Torah and our life experiences? What is the exodus from Egypt supposed to teach us? The Mussar teachers tell us that the Torah and […]