Category Archives: Mussar

The Ingredients of Mussar: Critical Thinking, Self Help and Torah

Posted on April 6, 2009 by Rabbi Ephraim D. Becker

`That’s a great deal to make one word mean,’ Alice said in a thoughtful tone. `When I make a word do a lot of work like that,’ said Humpty Dumpty, `I always pay it extra.’ Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking … Continue reading →

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A Chanukah Gift

Posted on December 5, 2007 by Rabbi Ephraim D. Becker

Permit me to share with you my paraphrase of a Chanukah thought expressed best by the legendary Mirer Rosh Yeshiva (Dean of the Mir Torah Academy, transplanted from Lithuania to Jerusalem and NY) Rav Chaim Shmuelevitz (1902-1978) in his collection of discourses entitled Sichos … Continue reading →

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Home Runs and Torah Do Not Meet

Posted on December 1, 2007 by Rabbi Ephraim D. Becker

My apologies to those who are not familiar with baseball; hopefully the message will be clear even to those who do not share that childhood experience with me. Legend has it (I’ve not seen it confirmed anywhere) that baseball great … Continue reading →

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Mussar and the Force of Gravity

Posted on October 15, 2006 by Rabbi Ephraim D. Becker

Human beings have always attempted to push against the limits imposed on them by their nature, but we seem to have few tools for doing so when the nature we are dealing with is internal. We try to build buildings … Continue reading →

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On the Road to Bitachon

Posted on September 13, 2006 by Rabbi Ephraim D. Becker

There is an ideal called Bitachon which, loosely translated, means ‘assurance drawn from HaShem’, and is associated with tranquility and freedom from anxiety or anger. Anxiety and anger are preoccupying states of mind which drain precious resources from one’s service since one’s … Continue reading →

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Audio update

Posted on September 11, 2006 by Rabbi Ephraim D. Becker

There are now two free classes about Elul (the current month preparatory to Rosh HaShanah) available on the audio page, one of which was delivered this morning. I hope that you find them helpful. You are encouraged to comment – I look … Continue reading →

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