I saw your excellencies’ letter, and my heart rejoiced to see pursuers of righteousness,1Compare Isaiah 51:1. seeking closeness to God.2Compare Isaiah 58:2. My soul clothed itself in exultation without interference from my desire. What could blind my reason?3Since my desire/instinct is not blocking, there is nothing to distort my reason. It is accurately confirming the correctness and purity of my joy over your decision to focus on learning Mussar. Would that this would be our heart’s desire for ourselves,4Compare Deuteronomy 5:25. to rejoice in the fear of God without the opposition of the desire. Do not be afraid of the noise of the crowd, and do not fear. Hold fast to the tree of life, that is, Mussar study, which keeps reason alive, that it not drown in the forces of the desire which habituate us [to give in to instinct].
One who studies Mussar proclaims, “I am alive! I am alive!”5I.e., one who studies Mussar is emotionally alive. R. Salanter is poetically reversing the leper’s proclamation, “I am impure! I am impure!” (Lev. 13:45). See Letter 4. Within its parameters, he lives and senses everything, taking to heart knowledge of his faults [and] yearning to correct them.6R. Salanter here and further on sounds one of his distinctive themes, which he will return to in later letters: the person who lives the unexamined life, without reverence or Mussar study, “dies” emotionally. His reason drowns in the flood of conflicting emotions and desires. Due to his preoccupation, habituation, and worldly activity, he loses his emotional “life.” His standard behaviors become routine and he is “dead” in a certain sense. He will not fall into the net of the [evil] urge to mock the fear of God,7Some Torah scholars belittle the study of Mussar. In effect, they mock striving for fear of God as excessive. to be an “armed bandit”8An ignorant person who talks us out of studying Mussar is like a thief (who robs us of opportunity to achieve reverence of God); a Torah scholar who talks us out of studying Mussar is like an “armed bandit” – he has a loaded weapon, i.e., his Torah learning is impressive, and this convinces us to listen to him and stop our study of Mussar. and divert souls from His service,9R. Salanter is referring to Torah scholars who state that Mussar study is a diversion from learning Torah. In so doing, they have fallen into the net of the evil urge. blessed be His name – even when desire is not present.10When instinct, desire, and evil urge are not present to block learning Mussar, those misguided Torah scholars dismiss it. The eye sees the sin which reaches to the heavens. And the heart desires to hold onto Mussar in order to remove itself from the pit below. [Of those pursuing the study of Mussar,] the response [I] say: “Blessed it is”11A reference to the chorus of angels uttering blessing, quoted from Ezekiel 3:12 in the Kedusha prayer. to bring souls close to the fear of God. The work is little but the reward is great – for “those who make the many righteous” will “shine like the stars…”12Daniel 12:3.
A person should not be discouraged when he learns Mussar and is not stirred, and no sufficient impression is made on his psyche for him to change his way. He should know surely that even though the impression is not apparent to the human eye, the mind’s eye sees. Over time, through increased study, from the accumulation of the unseen impressions he will be transformed into a different person. His desire will be reined in so it does not break out much; sometimes it even will be nullified. Experience testifies, even through cursory observation, that one who learns Mussar – a little [or a lot]… – will surpass his peers in his understanding and all his behavior.
This is something we can hang on the words of our Sages, of blessed memory, in Avot DeRabbi Natan, chapter 6: How did R. Akiva begin? They said: He was forty years old and had never learned. One time he stood at the mouth of a well. He said: “Who carved this stone?” They said to him: “The drops of water which fall on it continuously every day.” They said to him: “Akiva have you not read [the verse] ‘Stones rubbed out by water’?”13Job 14:19. Immediately, Akiva said to himself, “A fortiori – if the soft [water] has carved out the hard [stone], the words of Torah, which are strong as iron, all the more so will engrave my heart which is only flesh and blood.” He immediately turned to study Torah….” See further there. For at the beginning of his learning, in the absence of visible impression on himself, R. Akiva despaired for his soul, so they showed him the refutation [of his despair] from the water pouring on the stone. For though he could not see any change in the stone, still, for all this, those who probe the matter rationally deduce that an impression not visible to human senses was being made. This was the cause of the hollowing out of the stone – from the multiple drops of water over many days; [the same would occur to the human] from the accumulation of the many impressions, which were not detected by the senses.
Thus, a person who has not drowned to death [emotionally] in the turbulence of desire, whose reason is still alive and is seeking a refuge for his soul in eternal life, even though his heart is still a heart of stone: let him pour a lot of water – that is, Mussar study – on his soul. Hidden impressions will be born inside him, to lead him to the way of life – that is the study of Torah, which equals the whole world and the commandments of the Torah (Y. Pe’ah 1:1). [The Torah] is compared to water. These sweet waters will engrave his heart, saving him from all evil and changing his way to the better.
מִכְתַּב כְּבוֹדָם רָאִיתִי, וְשָׂמַח לְבָבִי בְּצִפִּיתִי רוֹדְפֵי צֶדֶק קִרְבַת ה' יֶחְפְּצוּן, וְנַפְשִׁי תִּלְבַּשׁ גִּילָה בְּאֵין תַּאֲוָתִי חוֹצֶצֶת, וּמַה יְעַוֵּר שִׂכְלִי — מִי יִתֵּן וְהָיָה זֶה לְבָבֵנוּ לְעַצְמֵנוּ לִשְׂמֹחַ בְּיִרְאַת ה' בְּאֵין שִׂטְנַת הַתַּאֲוָה — אַל יֶחֶרְדוּ מִקּוֹל הֲמֻלָּה וְאַל יֵחַתּוּ — יַחֲזִיקוּ בְּעֵץ הַחַיִּים הוּא לִמּוּד הַמּוּסָרִי, הַמְחַיֶּה הַשֵּׂכֶל לְבַל יִטְבַּע בְּכֹחוֹת הַתַּאֲוֹת הָרוֹגֶלֶת:
I saw your excellencies’ letter, and my heart rejoiced to see pursuers of righteousness,1Compare Isaiah 51:1. seeking closeness to God.2Compare Isaiah 58:2. My soul clothed itself in exultation without interference from my desire. What could blind my reason?3Since my desire/instinct is not blocking, there is nothing to distort my reason. It is accurately confirming the correctness and purity of my joy over your decision to focus on learning Mussar. Would that this would be our heart’s desire for ourselves,4Compare Deuteronomy 5:25. to rejoice in the fear of God without the opposition of the desire. Do not be afraid of the noise of the crowd, and do not fear. Hold fast to the tree of life, that is, Mussar study, which keeps reason alive, that it not drown in the forces of the desire which habituate us [to give in to instinct].
לוֹמֵד הַמּוּסָר חַי חַי יִקָּרֵא, בְּגֶדְרוֹ כָּל חַי מַרְגִּישׁ, לָשׂוּם לַלֵּב לֵידַע חֶסְרוֹנוֹתָיו לְהִשְׁתּוֹקֵק לְתִקּוּנָם — לֹא יִפֹּל בְּרֶשֶׁת הַיֵּצֶר לְהַלְעִיג עַל יִרְאַת ה', לִהְיוֹת לִסְטִים לְקַפֵּחַ נְפָשׁוֹת מֵעֲבוֹדָתוֹ יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ, גַּם בְּאֵין תַּאֲוָה מוֹצֵאת — עַיִן רוֹאָה אֶת הַחַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר לַשָּׁמַיִם יַגִּיעַ, וְהַלֵּב חוֹמֵד לְהַחֲזִיק בַּמּוּסָר לְמַעַן סוּר מִשְּׁאוֹל מַטָּה — לְעֻמָּתָם בָּרוּךְ יֹאמַר לְקָרֵב נְפָשׁוֹת לְיִרְאַת ד', הֶעָמָל מוּעָט וְהַשָּׂכָר הַרְבֵּה מִמַּצְדִּיקֵי הָרַבִּים אֲשֶׁר כַּכּוֹכָבִים יַזְהִירוּ:
One who studies Mussar proclaims, “I am alive! I am alive!”5I.e., one who studies Mussar is emotionally alive. R. Salanter is poetically reversing the leper’s proclamation, “I am impure! I am impure!” (Lev. 13:45). See Letter 4. Within its parameters, he lives and senses everything, taking to heart knowledge of his faults [and] yearning to correct them.6R. Salanter here and further on sounds one of his distinctive themes, which he will return to in later letters: the person who lives the unexamined life, without reverence or Mussar study, “dies” emotionally. His reason drowns in the flood of conflicting emotions and desires. Due to his preoccupation, habituation, and worldly activity, he loses his emotional “life.” His standard behaviors become routine and he is “dead” in a certain sense. He will not fall into the net of the [evil] urge to mock the fear of God,7Some Torah scholars belittle the study of Mussar. In effect, they mock striving for fear of God as excessive. to be an “armed bandit”8An ignorant person who talks us out of studying Mussar is like a thief (who robs us of opportunity to achieve reverence of God); a Torah scholar who talks us out of studying Mussar is like an “armed bandit” – he has a loaded weapon, i.e., his Torah learning is impressive, and this convinces us to listen to him and stop our study of Mussar. and divert souls from His service,9R. Salanter is referring to Torah scholars who state that Mussar study is a diversion from learning Torah. In so doing, they have fallen into the net of the evil urge. blessed be His name – even when desire is not present.10When instinct, desire, and evil urge are not present to block learning Mussar, those misguided Torah scholars dismiss it. The eye sees the sin which reaches to the heavens. And the heart desires to hold onto Mussar in order to remove itself from the pit below. [Of those pursuing the study of Mussar,] the response [I] say: “Blessed it is”11A reference to the chorus of angels uttering blessing, quoted from Ezekiel 3:12 in the Kedusha prayer. to bring souls close to the fear of God. The work is little but the reward is great – for “those who make the many righteous” will “shine like the stars…”12Daniel 12:3.
אַל יִפֹּל לֵב הָאָדָם בְּלָמְדוֹ מוּסָר וְאֵינֶנּוּ מִתְפַּעֵל, וְאֵין רֹשֶׁם בְּנַפְשׁוֹ מוֹצֵאת לְשַׁנּוֹת דַּרְכּוֹ — יֵדַע נֶאֱמָנָה אִם כִּי לֹא נִגְלֶה לְעֵינֵי בָּשָׂר הָרֹשֶׁם, עֵינֵי הַשֵּׂכֶל רוֹאוֹת, בִּרְבוֹת הָעִתִּים, בְּרִבּוּי הַלִּמּוּד, מֵהִתְקַבְּצוּת הָרְשִׁימוֹת הַנֶּעְלָמוֹת, לָאָדָם אַחֵר יֵהָפֵךְ, וְתַאֲוָתוֹ נֶאֶסְרָה לְבַל תִּפְרֹץ הַרְבֵּה, וְיֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר תִּבָּטֵל, וְהַנִּסָּיוֹן יָעִיד בְּהַשְׁקָפָה קַלָּה, עַל לוֹמֵד מוּסָר אִם מְעַט כוּ', בְּיֶתֶר שְׂאֵת יַעֲלֶה עַל בְּנֵי גִּילוֹ בְּרַעְיוֹנוֹ וְכָל הַנְהָגָתוֹ:
A person should not be discouraged when he learns Mussar and is not stirred, and no sufficient impression is made on his psyche for him to change his way. He should know surely that even though the impression is not apparent to the human eye, the mind’s eye sees. Over time, through increased study, from the accumulation of the unseen impressions he will be transformed into a different person. His desire will be reined in so it does not break out much; sometimes it even will be nullified. Experience testifies, even through cursory observation, that one who learns Mussar – a little [or a lot]… – will surpass his peers in his understanding and all his behavior.
הוּא הַדָּבָר נוּכַל לְהַעֲמִיס בְּדִבְרֵי חֲזַ"ל, בְּאָבוֹת דְּרַבִּי נָתָן פֶּרֶק ו' וְזֶה לְשׁוֹנוֹ. מֶה הָיְתָה תְּחִלָּתוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אָמְרוּ בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה הָיָה וְלֹא שָׁנָה כְּלוּם, פַּעַם אַחַת הָיָה עוֹמֵד עַל פִּי הַבְּאֵר, אָמַר מִי חָקַק אֶבֶן זוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ הַמַּיִם שֶׁתָּדִיר נוֹפְלִים עָלֶיהָ בְּכָל יוֹם. אָמְרוּ לוֹ עֲקִיבָא, אִי אַתָּה קוֹרֵא אֲבָנִים שָׁחֲקוּ מַיִם, מִיָּד הָיָה דָּן רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא קַל וָחֹמֶר בְּעַצְמוֹ, מָה רַךְ פָּסַל אֶת הַקָּשֶׁה, דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה שֶׁקָּשֶׁה כְּבַרְזֶל, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁיַּחְקְקוּ אֶת לִבִּי שֶׁהוּא בָּשָׂר וָדָם, מִיָּד חָזַר לִלְמֹד תּוֹרָה כוּ' עַיֵּן שָׁם, כִּי רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא בִּתְחִלַּת לִמּוּדוֹ, בְּאֵין רֹשֶׁם מוֹצֵאת אֶצְלוֹ, אָמַר נוֹאָשׁ לְנַפְשׁוֹ, וְהֶרְאוּ לוֹ סְתִירַת הַדָּבָר מִשְּׁפִיכַת הַמַּיִם עַל הָאֶבֶן, אֲשֶׁר לֹא יִרְאֶה מְאוּמָה הִשְׁתַּנּוּת בְּהָאֶבֶן, וְעִם כָּל זֶה הַמֶּחְקָרִים בְּשִׂכְלָם גּוֹזְרִים, כִּי נַעֲשָׂה רֹשֶׁם נֶעְלָם מֵהֶרְגֵּשׁ אֱנוֹשִׁי, הִיא הַסִּבָּה לַחֲקִיקַת הָאֶבֶן, מֵרִבּוּי הַמַּיִם בִּרְבוֹת הַיָּמִים, מֵהִתְקַבְּצוּת הָרְשִׁימוֹת הַבְּלִי נִרְגָּשׁוֹת:
This is something we can hang on the words of our Sages, of blessed memory, in Avot DeRabbi Natan, chapter 6:
How did R. Akiva begin? They said: He was forty years old and had never learned. One time he stood at the mouth of a well. He said: “Who carved this stone?” They said to him: “The drops of water which fall on it continuously every day.” They said to him: “Akiva have you not read [the verse] ‘Stones rubbed out by water’?”13Job 14:19. Immediately, Akiva said to himself, “A fortiori – if the soft [water] has carved out the hard [stone], the words of Torah, which are strong as iron, all the more so will engrave my heart which is only flesh and blood.” He immediately turned to study Torah….”
See further there. For at the beginning of his learning, in the absence of visible impression on himself, R. Akiva despaired for his soul, so they showed him the refutation [of his despair] from the water pouring on the stone. For though he could not see any change in the stone, still, for all this, those who probe the matter rationally deduce that an impression not visible to human senses was being made. This was the cause of the hollowing out of the stone – from the multiple drops of water over many days; [the same would occur to the human] from the accumulation of the many impressions, which were not detected by the senses.
בָּזֹאת — הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר לֹא נִטְבַּע טְבִיעָה מִיתִית בְּרִגְשַׁת הַתַּאֲוָה, וְשִׂכְלוֹ חַי לְבַקֵּשׁ מָנוֹחַ לְנַפְשׁוֹ לְחַיֵּי עַד, וְלִבּוֹ כְּלֵב הָאֶבֶן, מַיִם הַרְבֵּה יִשְׁפֹּךְ עַל נַפְשׁוֹ, הוּא לִמּוּד הַמּוּסָרִי, וּרְשִׁימוֹת נֶעְלָמוֹת בְּקִרְבּוֹ יִוָּלְדוּ, לְנַהֲלֵהוּ לְדֶרֶךְ הַחַיִּים, הוּא לִמּוּד הַתּוֹרָה הַשְּׁקוּלָה כְּנֶגֶד כָּל הָעוֹלָם, וּמִצְוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה (יְרוּשַׁלְמִי פֵּאָה פֶּרֶק א') וּמְשׁוּלָה לְמַיִם, וּמַיִם הַמְתוּקִים הָאֵלֶּה, יַחְקְקוּ אֶת לְבָבוֹ לְשָׁמְרוֹ מִכָּל רַע וּלְשַׁנּוֹת דַּרְכּוֹ לְטוֹבָה:
Thus, a person who has not drowned to death [emotionally] in the turbulence of desire, whose reason is still alive and is seeking a refuge for his soul in eternal life, even though his heart is still a heart of stone: let him pour a lot of water – that is, Mussar study – on his soul. Hidden impressions will be born inside him, to lead him to the way of life – that is the study of Torah, which equals the whole world and the commandments of the Torah (Y. Pe’ah 1:1). [The Torah] is compared to water. These sweet waters will engrave his heart, saving him from all evil and changing his way to the better.