My basic approach is that of Israel Salanter. I go with his idea that the basic cannon of Musar books defines the Torah approach. That is to say there is something like a closed cannon. The basic ones are well known.[חובות לבבות, אורחות צדיקים, מסילת ישרים, שערי תשובה]
This concept was never really articulated by Rav Salanter himself but it seem implicit in the basic Musar approach that developed after him.
I bring this up because I want to tell people to learn Musar right when they get up in the morning. For myself I have known that the first hours in the morning are very important, and you can see this theme in Chaim from Voloshin also."Everything goes by the beginning."
The advantage of Fear of God is that it brings to length of days. That is your days become longer. You have to spend less time wasted with trivial stuff that adds nothing to your quality of life.
Appendix: If people would learn Musar I think many issues on a personal basis and a national basis would be solved. You can't imagine people learning Musar that would have any doubt about abortion or homosexuality. But further more the disciple of Israel Salanter Isaac Blazer wrote that Musar is a cure even for mental disease. It is רפואת הנפש ורפואת הגוף. So the solution to all your problems is right in front of you. And the solution to all the problems in the USA is right in front of them. And the solution to all the problems in Israel is right in front of us all. Learn books that instill in you fear of God right away when you get up in the morning. I mean even one page. Say it word for word.
The point is not just to learn Torah but to get in a direct way what the Torah is telling you.
I bring this up because I want to tell people to learn Musar right when they get up in the morning. For myself I have known that the first hours in the morning are very important, and you can see this theme in Chaim from Voloshin also."Everything goes by the beginning."
The advantage of Fear of God is that it brings to length of days. That is your days become longer. You have to spend less time wasted with trivial stuff that adds nothing to your quality of life.
Appendix: If people would learn Musar I think many issues on a personal basis and a national basis would be solved. You can't imagine people learning Musar that would have any doubt about abortion or homosexuality. But further more the disciple of Israel Salanter Isaac Blazer wrote that Musar is a cure even for mental disease. It is רפואת הנפש ורפואת הגוף. So the solution to all your problems is right in front of you. And the solution to all the problems in the USA is right in front of them. And the solution to all the problems in Israel is right in front of us all. Learn books that instill in you fear of God right away when you get up in the morning. I mean even one page. Say it word for word.
The point is not just to learn Torah but to get in a direct way what the Torah is telling you.
