Ten Minutes of Meaning (Part 170): Good Head and Good Heart - Mesillas Yesharim

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#Mussar #SelfImprovement #SelfHelp #Judaism #Jewish #Mindfulness Become a better version of yourself with just 10 minutes of wisdom from R' Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (Ramchal) and his magnificent work, Mesillas Yesharim. For more content, visit http://www.rabbiefremgoldberg.org. Today, we finished Chapter 19, translation courtesy of Sefaria. https://www.sefaria.org/Mesilat_Yesharim.19?lang=bi. והוא ענין כהן גדול שאמרו עליו (מכות י"א): שהיה להם לבקש רחמים על דורם ולא בקשו. וכן אמרו (שם): ההוא גברא דאכליה אריא ברחוק תלת פרסי דריב"ל ולא אשתעי אליהו בהדיה, הרי לך החובה המוטלת על החסידים לבקש ולהשתדל על בני דורם. And this is the matter behind the Kohen Gadol (high priest) which our sages said: "[the high priests were not without blame as] they should have implored Divine mercy for their generation, which they failed to do" (Makot 11a). Likewise, they said: "there was a case of a man who was eaten by a lion some three miles from the town where Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi lived and Eliyahu would not appear to the Rabbi for three days on that account" (Makot 11a). See then, that it is a duty incumbent on the Chasidim to plead and exert themselves on behalf of their generation. והנה כבר בארנו חלקי החסידות הראשיים ופרטיהם מסורים לכל שכל ולכל לב טהור להתנהג בהם בדרך הישר לפי השרשים האלה כל דבר בעתו. We have clarified the primary divisions of Chasidut. Their particulars are given to every pure heart and mind to conduct himself uprightly in them, each matter in its own time, according to the application of these root principles. Chapter 20 https://www.sefaria.org/Mesilat_Yesharim.20.1?lang=bi&with=all&lang2=en מה שצריך לבאר עתה הוא משקל החסידות הזה. What now needs explanation is the weighing of this Piety. והוא ענין עקרי מאד מאד, ותדע באמת שזהו המלאכה הקשה שבחסידות כי דקותו רב ויש ליצר בדבר הזה כניסה גדולה, על כן נמצאת סכנתו עצומה כי הרבה דברים טובים יוכל היצר לרחק כאילו הם רעים, והרבה חטאים לקרב כאילו הם מצות גדולות. This is a very, very primary matter. Know that, in truth, this is the most difficult work in Chasidut due to its great subtlety and because the evil inclination has much entry into this area. Therefore, its danger is enormous. For the evil inclination may convince a person to distance many good things as if they were evil and draw him near to many sins as if they were great mitzvot.