How did you feel about 2020? I didn't tell anyone this for the longest time but...it was my best year. I literally wore out a pair of boots and a pair of sandals walking the dirt roads along Albuquerque's canals, reading thousands of pages of Mussar books. You might be wondering what that word was I just used. It's pronounced moo-SAR and is the Hebrew word for discipline, but it's so much more than that. Mussar is a personal practice of reflection, inner work, and growth in specific character qualities. It's a thread that runs through the Bible, a genre of Jewish literature, and a nineteenth-century renewal movement that saved Judaism. It's also a quiet revolution today that I am helping to lead.Β
So how did I get into Mussar? It all started in the winter of 2018. As I shared in my story about working with volunteers, this was a low point in my life. Our Directors had recommended that we focus more on character and less on personality types, and that gave me the idea to bring in a guest teacher to do a short talk for our volunteers about a different character quality every month. I had heard about Mussar and knew it was focused on that very thing, so I reached out to the Mussar teachers I knew to see if anyone wanted to teach my volunteers, but no one was interested. So, I decided to do it myself!Β
Before we go on, I need to explain a word. Much of Mussar is oriented around character development, but not in a vague generic way. Instead, it's focused on growing in specific character qualities. The Hebrew word for this is middot (pronounced mee-DOTE) with the singular middah (pronounced mee-DUH.) Middot is one of those Hebrew words that don't translate into a single English word. Most importantly, Middot are the attributes of God, but they're also character qualities, soul traits, and values, all wrapped up into one. I've also heard them described as virtues but that's not my favourite word because, while virtues are always good, middot can be bad when exercised in the wrong situation or taken to imbalanced extremes.Β
So anyways, our Directors had recommended that we emphasize character, and I felt the best way to do that was to focus on specific middot, so I got to work. I started by listing the nine middot which together we call the 'fruit of the Spirit' along with the original Greek words for each of them and their Hebrew equivalents. I then did the same with the requirements for elders and deacons which Paul gave in 1 Timothy and Titus and was struck by the intensity of his Mussar. From there I also included Simon Peter's collection at the beginning of his second letter, and the Beautitudes. Moving on from the New Testament, which I regard as the earliest and best Mussar literature which the Jewish world has ever produced, I did the same with two lists in the Talmud of 13 and 48 middot and then finished with a list of 13 middot from one of the most popular nineteenth-century Mussar books which, ironically, had been borrowed directly from Benjamin Franklin.Β
Mussar was one of the best things that ever happened to me and I reached a point where I was going to explode if I didn't share it! So at the end of 2020 I founded the Mussar Center. My plan was to start with the actual word "mussar" and a couple related words in the Bible and teach something of a 'Biblical Mussar' course. From there I wanted to build on that foundation by looking at Mussar literature from the Biblical, Rabbinic, Classical, Movement, and Modern eras and then use those texts to introduce basic Mussar philosophy and practice. I also wanted to tell the story of the Mussar movement which was inspired by Rabbi Israel Salanter back in the 1800s. And then, having given my listeners a solid understanding of what Mussar is, go back even further to show how the New Testament was some of the earliest and best Mussar literature the Jewish world ever produced! And about that last part - yes, potentially controversial.
At the same time I founded the Mussar Center I also started filming the Biblical Mussar course. In the very first one I gave a preview of what our Mussar conversations were going to be about, explained why we use the β¦ symbol for our movement, and finished with the three things I conclude each of our Mussar conversations with: practical assignments, a "mazal tov" celebrating something we experienced, and a special personal blessing. Each of these Biblical Mussar videos were intensive, requiring many hours of research and preparation. And, because the Mussar Center wasn't a primary source of income, I was only able to work on it on the side. This made it a source of even greater joy when, four years later in 2025, I was finally able to teach the fiftieth lesson and complete the course.Β
After that I started on a new 'Game of Life' course revealing how life is structured exactly like a game and how Mussar holds the secrets, not just to having fun and playing well, but to winning. This course is ongoing so I do hope you sign up for texts or emails from the Mussar Center so I can send you the newest videos as they come out. Learn more and sign up here:Β