You, my friends! I come now to fulfill my longstanding promise to speak expansively on the “wisdom of the world,” the worldly wisdom that is prerequisite for the wisdom of Mussar, without which the work would be very difficult. You will not know how to shed light on it¹ because the sicknesses of the soul, desire and error, make trouble for it.² Desire burns³ and tendencies⁴ in Hebrew) are those hidden biases which distort judgment. For example, if one likes sweets, one might seek out an article that says sweets are not bad for one’s health, or misread an article that says sweets are bad for one’s health. The tendency or bias misdirects one’s reasoning or thinking. This is one of R. Salanter’s main discoveries: Although humans properly use their reason to understand and to think through problems, reason itself is a flawed instrument that is constantly distorted by our unconscious, irrational drives. For example, if one’s netiya is toward fame, then they will strive irrationally toward activities that are likely to increase their fame. They may cut corners ethically to win fame. Netiyot are particularly powerful because one is unaware of them even as they distort one’s reason. are inflamed – and try to declare pure⁵ (lit. “crawling thing”), the acme of impurity, is pure. Of R. Meir, the Talmud relates that he was able to convincingly argue that the impure was pure and the pure was impure. As a result, many of his peers became less trusting of his actual rulings. He was too sharp. The netiya has this same capacity to “spin” and to categorize the impure as pure. the crawling creature that actually must be called out as impure.⁶leper calls out that his state is “impure, impure” when he walks by (Lev. 13:45). [Remember:] A time will come, where an accounting will be given for the fruits of human acts – each person will be paid according to his way; and as he has done, so will be done to him. For although the Torah is given over to humans to render decisions under the direction of human intelligence,⁷ it is not our captive to do with as we please,⁸ according to the dictates of our will. Such action is “offensive,⁹,” a term that refers to a sacrifice that was disqualified because it was offered with the wrong intentions (Lev. 19:7). and will not be accepted.”¹⁰. We must use Mussar to keep our netiyot in check. If we apply Torah thoughtlessly, our service will not be acceptable to God. We must give a right answer to those who ask and an equitable ruling to those who appeal to us for justice.¹¹, but with that of traditionally observant Jews who think they can trust their own judgment and take their readings of Torah at face value. R. Salanter offers a strong critique of this undiscerning observance. Many people who learn Torah do not recognize their netiyot, which may distort their judgment about what the Torah is actually teaching. See Letter 14, which describes that the person who does not learn Mussar is governed by bad habits and by a spirit of impurity that distorts his soul and spoils his reason. Hence, they will not be capable of arriving at true repentance. This idea of overcoming bias and the need for partial purification of reason will be further developed in R. Salanter’s article in Tevunah, Letter 30.

footnotes: ¹ Compare Isaiah 47:11. ² I.e., these factors distort our judgment and therefore disrupt proper understanding of Torah and Mussar. ³ Recall that in R. Salanter’s analysis, desire is so powerful because it is rooted in instinct. These comprise the most basic emotional forces in the human being. ⁴ In R. Salanter’s lexicon, “tendencies” (netiya/netiyot ⁵ Compare Eiruvin 13b, where the Talmud states that a veteran disciple in Yavneh was capable of “proving” in 150 different ways that vermin, the sheretz ⁶ The metzora/ ⁷ Although God knows that humans’ flawed reason may distort their understanding of the Torah’s message, God has given over the Torah to be applied by human judgment. ⁸ I.e., the Torah is not ours to shape as we please and as best fits with our desires. Rather, we must try our best to understand the Torah without distortion and to come close to its expectations. ⁹ Heb. “pigul ¹⁰ The Torah is given into the hands of humans but we have to understand it to the best of our ability, and we should not be paralyzed by the realization that our reason is “tainted” and our judgment distorted by unconscious forces and internal biases. Nevertheless, we should remain aware of and make adjustments for the fact that we bring biases and tendencies that warp our understanding. The Torah was given by God to be judged using our best judgment. We do not have carte blanche ¹¹ In this passage, R. Salanter is not dealing with the opposition of the maskilim

By this standard, how wantonly we have acted¹² in all our ways! Who will show us the right way? Desire, honor-seeking, jealousy, and competitiveness spread their wings through all of our mental capacities and in all the foundations of our reason. However, fear [of God] can gain control over everything. [It can rule] over desire, which it can harness with its strong hand so that it [desire] does not overstep its bounds and is only used for what is essential and permitted. Fear of God can fire its arrows¹³ at a person’s tendencies, right in front of his face, so that he act with fear [of sin] in everything and making him consider every angle, so that, in any case, he will discard the chaff and let the wind blow it away.¹⁴ Even so, if we look only to fear [of God] to be the bedrock foundation and the standard by which we judge all our undertakings, and we treat it with nothing else,¹⁵ then our service will still be way off. For if we have not heard then we have seen, and experience has shown, how hard it is for a person (even when fear is anchored firmly in his heart) to have fear of God spread over [and master] his stubborn willfulness. And even if he works at it sufficiently, it will still not permeate [and channel all] his thinking, except marginally,¹⁶ compared to overbearing desire. What can all its power give us compared to a tendency that confuses us and cavorts within us? It is child’s play for [desire] to carry out its [evil] plans.

footnotes: ¹² Compare Numbers 12:11 and the Rosh HaShana liturgy. ¹³ Compare Psalms 18:15 and 144:6. ¹⁴ I.e., he will separate the good from the bad. Compare Psalms 1:4. ¹⁵ We fail to treat it with Mussar. ¹⁶ Compare Numbers 23:13.

So, just as it is necessary for a person to work to hold the truth up before our eyes and let wholeness illuminate our footsteps; to delve into it so that we will not be confused, always examining our actions and the fruits of our thoughts, even to the roots of our hearts, to the point where we would be embarrassed and ashamed to exchange truth for falsehood, to clothe evil actions in a righteous facade, to stumble as a blind man in darkness who knows not what he stumbles over – so is it proper to deepen [our] insight into the pathways of the world, which operate through deceit.

The effect of all human activity is to ensnare people in the net, each person in his own way: the simpleton will give gold for trinkets of foolishness; the glutton will be caught in that trap – profane, scornful mockers¹⁷ will divert him to wherever they want him to turn. He who wants illusory honor – that desire is itself his snare; flattery will lure him into giving each person whatever they want,¹⁸ to see analytically the inward nature of people, including ourselves. Then, channel the inward tendencies to get others and ourselves to do the right thing. whatever he can give them. Thus, each person, in his own way, is caught. Deceivers observe his character traits in order to know and understand how to bind him¹⁹ so he will do as they please. These are some of the ways;²⁰ who can encompass all of their ways? There is not enough space to cover it all.

footnotes: ¹⁷ Compare Psalms 35:16. ¹⁸ In the ways of the world, people learn about other people’s nature – what excites them and what their tendencies and needs are. They use this knowledge to get the other to do their will. R. Salanter proposes to do the same analysis but use it to turn the other to the service of God. Use ḥokhmat haolam ¹⁹ Compare Genesis 42:24. ²⁰ R. Salanter makes an additional point: learning how to see through trickery and deceit, as is practiced in worldly matters, will equip us to see through the trickery and deceit of our desires and to set us on a truly righteous rational path.

Another natural human trait in worldly matters is to wise up²¹ so that one can anticipate what will develop in all his situations; to see and reinforce everything as best he can before troubles come.²² Worldly occupations teach a person their ways and concerns, and each person, according to his own adaptive capacity, will retain that wisdom and identify the obstacles that he can overcome. If he gives no quarter to his foolishness, then his wisdom will expand. Habituation (hergel) and experience rule everything. Thus, if we are to stand firm in our wholeness so that we do not stumble, it would be good to use these [worldly] tactics in the ways of God: to develop intellectually so that we know our own psychology, how we can be ensnared to turn our hearts to the holy service [of God] and reduce temptation. Fear [of God] will give us strength and reinforcement,²³ and each person will strengthen his friend. Worldly wisdom will lighten the burden, and fear [of God] will strengthen us. We will be afraid and terrified of every evil act and sin. And so we will escape ensnarement by evil before it even gets close.

footnotes: ²¹ Develop intellectually. ²² The wisdom of the world teaches us to systematically deal with all the difficulties and challenges that are coming in secular life. This includes anticipating problems and preparing remedies before trouble hits. This aspect of worldly wisdom is about sizing up reality more systematically and analytically. This capacity, applied to religious life, can strengthen our service of God. ²³ Compare Psalms 68:36.

My pen can’t contain all of my thoughts. So in this case, “give to a wise man and he adds wisdom.”²⁴ Active involvement in the ways of service [of God] will teach a person its ways.²⁵ Most of all, each person should teach his friend and lead him to wholeness. He should catch him in a snare – not for the sake of attaining honor, but for the sake of truth and righteousness. He should seek to understand his psychology so that he may turn his heart to fear [of God] and Torah. The stumbling block will instead become a shining light to arrive at the truth.²⁶ Then our righteousness will break forth like the dawn.²⁷ When we go all over the world²⁸ to understand each man’s particular diversions and their falsity, which will clearly stand out to us when juxtaposed to enduring wholeness, it will have the power to drive away all strange things and improper thoughts, with the help of fear [of God]. Therefore, in sum: hold onto the ways of Mussar and delve into and understand how to use the wisdom of the world in order to strengthen Mussar and not to destroy it (God forbid). Without strategy, there is no wisdom, and without study, no wisdom can be found.²⁹ Hashem (service of God) much stronger. One must take the insights and capabilities developed by secular activity and introduce them into one’s religious and spiritual way of life. This study will serve to bring people closer to Mussar and to establish it on the basis of worldly wisdom, fear [of God], and the power of wholeness.

footnotes: ²⁴ Proverbs 9:9. ²⁵ Just as involvement in worldly matters wises us up, so does systematic pursuit of service of God teach us how to do better as life and religious challenges unfold. ²⁶ Human weakness and illicit desire are turned into a force to drive the people to Mussar and fear of God. ²⁷ Compare Isaiah 58:8. ²⁸ Compare the Satan in Job 1:7. ²⁹ Worldly wisdom will give the Mussarites two legs up:Having learned human weaknesses and psychology, they will be able to analyze how their own desire and irrational forces may mislead them and then correct them.They can learn from business tactics how to systematically maximize achievement and minimize errors; strengthen weak spots before they crumble; and anticipate problems and deal with them more successfully.These two strategies are important and they will make one’s avodat