Mesillat Yesharim
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The Mesillat Yesharim ("Path of the Just") is an ethical text composed in 1740 by the influential Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (1707-1746). It was written and published while he was living in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. It is quite different from Luzzato's other writings, which are more philosophical.
Mesillat Yesharim is probably Luzzato's most influential work, forming part of the curriculum of virtually every yeshiva since being introduced by the Mussar Movement of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter.
[edit] Aim of the work
The aim of the work is the perfection of character. Rather than innovating a new system, Luzzato builds his work on a Beraita in the name of the sage Pinchas ben-Yair who delineates the qualities man must possess in order to attain religious and ethical perfection. As mentioned in the Talmud:
- Torah (study) leads to watchfulness (zehirut)
- Watchfulness leads to alacrity (zerizut)
- Alacrity leads to cleanliness (of sin, nekiyut)
- Cleanliness leads to abstention (of improper practices, perishut)
- Abstention leads to purity (tahara)
- Purity leads to holiness (kedusha)
- Holiness leads to humility (anava)
- Humility leads to fear of sin (yirat chet)
- Fear of sin leads to righteousness (chassidut)
- Righteousness leads to Divine inspiration (Ruach ha-Kodesh)
- Divine inspiration leads to Resurrection of the Dead (techiyat ha-metim).
- (Bablylonian Talmud, tractate Avodah Zarah 20b).
Luzzato clarifies what each term means, how it can be acquired and what might distract from its acquisition. For example: watchfulness can be acquired by setting aside time for introspection, and acquiring watchfulness can be impaired by excessive mundane responsibilities, wrong company or a cynical stance in life. The same pattern is used for every single one of the traits mentioned.
[edit] Influence
Mesillat Yesharim is perhaps the most important Jewish ethical text of the post-Middle Ages period. The Vilna Gaon commented that he couldn't find a superfluous word in the first seven chapters of the work, and stated that he would have traveled to meet the author and learn from his ways if he'd still been alive. These and similar pronouncements largely cleared Luzzato from misgivings by others as to his suspected Sabbatean leanings.
[edit] Resources
- Complete Messillat Yesharim online
- Further Reading
- Luzzato, Rabbi Moshe Chayim. Mesillas Yeshorim; translated by Shraga Silverstein. New York: Feldheim Publishers. ISBN 0-87306-239-6.
- Luzzato, Rabbi Moshe Chayim. Mesillas Yeshorim; translated by Yosef Leibler. New York: Feldheim Publishers. ISBN 1-58330-691-9.
- Luzzato, Rabbi Moshe Chayim. The Path of the Just; translated by Yaakov Feldman. New York: Jason Aronson Publishers. ISBN 1-56821-596-7.
