Check out these books down below .there are of coarse more books out there that cover Mussar but I recently purchased these books and have enjoyed every word I've read in them.
If you want to read about the past and how they viewed ethics and morals then the three smaller books I highly recommend.
Thirteen characteristics of Mussar
This is a list of 13 Midot or soul traits of Mussar.
I used another gentleman's PDF to create this list. This was taken from Rabbi Nanus who wrote his pdf on may 20th 2020. The PDF was entitled
"Spiritual practices that teach how to live a meaningful life."
If you have never read up on Mussar it is a pretty neat practice.
You can if you wanted to even journal about your experiences through the week. Now I started journaling but I need to actually be in the mood to do this kind of thing. .The idea is so that you can look back at the past and see how you have developed as a person.
In Judaism morals and ethics play a major role in living a a Godly life.
| Characteristic | Definition |
|---|---|
| Humility | Knowing your proper place in the world and acting accordingly. Too little=arrogance Too much=self debasement |
| Patience | Patience governs our ability to bear the burden of an uncomfortable situation. Too little=anger and frustration Too much=inaction and fatalistic attitude |
| Enthusiasm | Energy that drives us to positive mindful action Too little=laziness and apathy Too much=rash decisions and frantic busyness |
| Trust | Trusting God that everything is good ng to be ok Too little=fear and worry Too much=recklessness and irresponsibility |
| Loving kindness | Selfless acts to help others without reward Too little=selfishness and cruelty Too much=excessive dotting and lack of self care |
| Truth | Avoiding falsehood and appreciate other people's perspectives Too little=we are dishonest Too much=could lead to unkind words |
| Honor | How we treat and think of others Too little=rude and judgemental behavior Too much=flattery and obsequiousness |
| Gratitude | Ability to recognize the good in any situation Too little=depression Too much=stifles action and energy to address injustice or personal danger |
| Order | Gives structure to our lives Too little=chaos Too much= controlling |
| Silence | When we talk and when we don't Too little=hurtful speech Too much=lost opportunity to bring good into existance |
| Equanimity | Tells you if you keep your cool or loose your head Too little=emotional roller coaster Too much=lack of emgagemt and ambivalence |
| Fear | Fear of consequences Too little=reckless behavior Too much=not taking risks not leaving the comfort zone |
| Awe | Referential respect with dread or wonder Too little=clself centered and cynical Too much=disconnected with the world |
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