http://mussar-psych.org Torah Insights Into How We Tick Fri, 25 Dec 2009 08:39:13 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en There is now a link to a class that I recently presented on Chanukah. It is suitable for all levels and is entitled:"Chanukah and Taryton - We'd rather fight than switch" You may download the (free) class by clicking on the Audio link over on the left side of this page. Wishing ... http://mussar-psych.org/2009/12/14/chanukah-and-taryton-wed-rather-fight-than-switch/ `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 Glass, Chapter 6 I have noticed over the years that the term Mussar ... http://mussar-psych.org/2009/04/06/the-ingredients-of-mussar-critical-thinking-self-help-and-torah/ What is the difference between Mussar and other forms of personal growth? I’ve been asked any number of times how Mussar differs from Covey, Pransky, Positive Psychology and a host of other self-improvement programs and concepts.  You may find yourself asking the same question and I’d like to save you the ... http://mussar-psych.org/2008/04/26/the-difference-between-mussar-and-self-improvement/ 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 Mussar.The Jewish People were physical endangered during ... http://mussar-psych.org/2007/12/05/a-chanukah-gift/ 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 Ty Cobb once commented that Babe Ruth (the home run king ... http://mussar-psych.org/2007/12/01/home-runs-and-torah-do-not-meet/ 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 which push the limits of physics; we create and ... http://mussar-psych.org/2006/10/15/mussar-and-the-force-of-gravity/                 ed note: The following requires an understanding of the basics of Mussar; the ideal, the real and the process.  If you have not done so yet, please be sure to study the introduction to Mussar carefully.                 There is an ideal called Bitachon which, loosely translated, means assurance drawn from ... http://mussar-psych.org/2006/09/13/on-the-road-to-bitachon/ 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 forward to growing with you and because of you!  The ... http://mussar-psych.org/2006/09/11/audio-update/ Dear Friend,Thank you for your question and for the opportunity to clarify important aspects of prayer or Tefilah.  To get us started we must take a look at the purpose of Jewish prayer.Prayer is an opportunity for me to review my sense of G-d’s Providence.  That means that when I ... http://mussar-psych.org/2006/08/31/why-do-we-repeat-our-prayers/ In my first foray into the wild world of MP3 technology, I am pleased to report that a timely class on the topic of Teshuva and Elul (we are definitely going to need a dictionary page here) is now up and available for your free listening at TorahMedia.com Hope you ... http://mussar-psych.org/2006/08/25/an-audio-class-is-now-available-online/