| Greetings!
This is one in a series of weekly middah emails that the Mussar
Leadership madrichim are sending over the summer. We hope that
these messages will support you in your practice until we beginning
meeting again in the fall.
We appreciate hearing your comments.
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Steps to Practice
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Step 10
Add one mitzvah to your daily practice. Last year, the Mussar Pathways program focused on enhancing observance of three mitzvot - saying the morning and evening Sh'ma, saying the blessings before eating, remembering the Sabbath day and keeping it holy.
1. The mitzvah of reciting the Sh'ma when lie down and when we rise up is a good match for practicing this week's middah - Silence. For us to hear that Adonai Eloheinu Adonai Echad we must first be silent.
To be continued.
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| Middah |
Silence | Shtikah | שְׁתִיקָהBefore you open your mouth, be silent and reflect:
"What benefit will my speech bring me or others?"
(Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Satanov, Chesbon HaNefesh).
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| Pasukim
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It is a good practice to find a pasuk (a scriptural verse) that reminds you of your middah and repeat it (or sing it, if
possible) to help in cultivating that character trait. The Hebrew word for this week's middah, shitkah (שְׁתִיקָה), though found in the Talmud, does not appear in scripture. Here are some three other words from scripture that mean silence.
דמם in Amos5:13 -
Whoever is prudent keeps quiet.
הַמַּשְׂכִּיל
בָּעֵת הַהִיא--יִדֹּם הרש in Job33:33 -
Be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.
הַחֲרֵשׁ,
וַאֲאַלֶּפְךָ חָכְמָה
הסה in Zechariah 2:13 -
Be silent all flesh before the
Lord.
הַס
כָּל-בָּשָׂר, מִפְּנֵי יְהוָה
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Torah Portion
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Re'eh
(Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17)
Threre are at least two place where this week's middah - silence - connects with this parsha.
In the 3rd aliyah (13:5), we read, "You shall follow the Lord, your God, fear Him, keep His commandments, heed His voice, worship Him, and cleave to Him." In order to hear Gods voice (בְקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ) we must practice being silent and listening.
In the 6th aliyah (15:7-8), we read, "If there
will be among you a needy person, from one of your brothers in one of
your cities, in your land the Lord, your God, is giving you, you shall
not harden your heart, and you shall not close your hand from your
needy brother. Rather, you shall open your hand to him, and you shall lend him sufficient for his needs, which he is lacking." Again, in order for us to be able to hear the voice of the other we must learn to be quiet.
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Mussar Leadership classes will resume meeting at Beth Zion-Beth Israel in Philadelphia on Tuesday, September 8, 2009. For more information about who we are, visit our website.
Sincerely,
The Madrichim
Mussar Leadership
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