TO REFINE MANKIND

The concept of self-discipline ("mussar") occupies an important place in Nachmanides's thinking, teaching and writing. Generally, the term mussar refers to the pursuit of self-control, the perfection of one's character, and the purification of one's motives and values. These are the lofty themes which Nachmanides addresses frequently in his works.

Nachmanides's philosophy of Judaism is complex and cannot be adequately portrayed in a few short lines. Nevertheless, a theme which penetrates much of his thought is: "The sole purpose of God's mitzvot is to refine and purify mankind.” (see his commentary to Deut. 22:1)

Just as the crucible separates the dross from precious metals, so do the mitzvot expel the impurities from the hearts of men. Man's nature, if left unbridled, can become harsh and coarse; therefore, the Almighty designed mitzvot which would accustom the heart to compassion and sensitivity.

Thus, according to Nachmanides, God insists that we display kindness toward animals, not so much because of His concern for these creatures, but because of His concern for us. If we act unkindly toward a feeling, living creature, we implant a streak of cruelty within ourselves. God desires that we sculpt our personalities to imitate His perfect ways: Just as the Almighty is caring, merciful and compassionate, so must we be. (see Talmud - Shabbat l33b)

Nachmanides views eating in a similar manner: One is affected spiritually and physically by what one eats. The flesh of a wild beast, a predator, can have a powerful and detrimental affect upon the character of the one who eats it.

In a similar vein, Nachmanides writes that the mitzvot which command us to remember God's miracles are not designed for God's sake, but for our own. By acknowledging God's wondrous kindness and salvation, our hearts are imbued with the positive traits of gratitude and humility and our souls are suffused with love of God. Every mitzvah improves man. Each addresses itself to another middah (character trait) so that ultimately the person who fulfills all of God's mitzvot will become a paragon of virtue.

THE HUMAN FOUNDATION

Nachmanides's emphasis on ethical refinement has indeed been shared by the sages of all generations. King Solomon said: “Cling tightly to ethical discipline, do not let loose! Guard it carefully, for it is your life” (Proverbs 4:13).

The Vilna Gaon comments that man was created so that he may eliminate his negative character traits. The person who fails to accomplish this has lived to no avail.

Similarly, Maimonides writes in his introduction to Pirkei Avot (Shmonah Perakim LeHaRambam, ch. 4): "The person who strives for perfection must be ever mindful of his character and he should evaluate his actions and carefully examine his character traits every day..."

Finally, Rabbi Chaim Vital, the most illustrious disciple of [the great 16th century kabbalist] the Arizal, writes that the reason there is no direct Torah command to perfect our character is because the observance of the entire Torah is contingent upon it: "A good character is the primary requisite to fulfilling the 613 mitzvot... Therefore manifesting a faulty character is much more serious than transgressing a command... One must be more heedful of evil emotions than of observing the positive and negative commands."

Rabbi Eliyahu Lopian would illustrate Rabbi Vital's statement with a parable: Once a builder signed a contract obligating himself to build a structure for a certain fixed price. Upon completion of the building, the builder was paid the stipulated sum, yet the builder wanted more. "You must pay me extra for the excavation and laying of the foundation!" argued the builder. The landlord, however, adamantly refused to pay. "When I contracted for the whole structure, the foundation was certainly included. Can you imagine a building without a foundation? With no solid base, a structure is worthless and will surely collapse."

Similarly, said Rabbi Lopian, God commanded Israel to structure themselves according to a Divine blueprint. But to accomplish this, they must perfect their character traits, for good character is the foundation of the human structure. A person must dig deep into the soil of his heart and lay a foundation of sensitivity, humility, and fear of God. Only on such a solid base can he build his personal edifice.

HUMILITY EXAMINED

In the classic "Iggeres HaRamban," Nachmanides speaks about the character trait of humility. He writes: "Do not stare at your listener [to intimidate or belittle him]. Let all men seem greater than you in your eyes."

The great teachers of Jewish character improvement use a parable to illustrate the psychology of the overbearing individual. Imagine the following scenario:

One day, the two richest men in the world happened to meet. They conversed, and eventually came to discuss the immensity of their respective assets. Each was eager to establish himself as the wealthier, and they began to list to one another their entire holdings.

As the hours went by, they found to their amazement that their fortunes were exactly equal. Neck to neck, the contest continued, until there was nothing left to count. Exasperated, one of the men withdrew a small case from his pocket: "Seventeen matches!" he called out.

The other reached into his pocket and laid out tiny sticks upon the table. Slowly he counted: "...16, 17, 18. Eighteen matches. Ah! I am the richest man, the richest in the world. And you - you are nothing but a wretched pauper."

Every person is created in God's image. Every person, in his very existence, possesses unimaginable wealth. The physical and intellectual gifts of a mere child are uncountable. What then, are one man's advantages over another? A hint of talent, a shade of beauty, sink into meaninglessness when seen in perspective of the common pricelessness of the human being. He who looks down upon others betrays his inability to grasp man's true greatness.