Musar

Rishonim

Leading rabbis and thinkers who lived in the 11th through 15th centuries.

14th-century poem about the unpredictable nature of the world and the paths that lead to the world to come.

13th-century letter attributed to Nachmanides instructing his son to live a life of humility, recited by many on a weekly basis.

Kad HaKemach

14th-century encyclopedia of select character traits, holidays, and commandments, incorporating commentary on the books of Job, Jonah, and Esther.

Letter from Ramban to his Son

13th-century letter of Nachmanides to his son focusing on the value of chastity, incorporated in the will of a figure named Shlomo ben Yitzchak.

Ma'alot HaMiddot

13th-century Italian ethical treatise that discusses 24 positive character traits

Menorat HaMaor

14th-century work by Rabbi Yisrael Alnaqua with practical legal instructions, ethical guidance, and discourses on the significance behind commandments.

Mivchar HaPeninim

11th-century collection of short maxims arranged according to behavioral categories, originally composed in Arabic.

Orchot Chaim L'HaRosh

14th-century work of short maxims on living an ethical life, composed by the Rosh for his children.

Orchot Tzadikim

15th-century work following the structure of "The Improvement of the Moral Qualities,” based upon insights from Maimonides and others.

Sefer HaYashar

Popular 13th or 14th-century ethical book based on the philosophical work “Duties of the Heart.”

Sefer HaYirah

Short 13th-century essay attributed to Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi describing how one should act from the time they wake up in the morning and throughout the day.

Sha'ar HaGemul of the Ramban

13th-century treatise on the world to come, reward, and punishment; the last chapter of Ramban’s legal work, Torat HaAdam

Sha'arei Teshuvah

Popular 13th-century work of Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi on repentance, punishment, and forgiveness.

Shekel HaKodesh

12th-century rhyming work of short maxims based on Mivchar HaPeninim.

The Improvement of the Moral Qualities

11th-century accessible analysis of 20 personality traits divided by the senses to which they correspond.

Tomer Devorah

16th-century kabbalistic and ethical treatise by R. Moses Cordovero with a focus on the concept of imitating God

Yesod HaTeshuvah

Short and practical guide on how to begin repentance, attributed to 13th-century scholar Rabbenu Yonah Gerondi

Yesod HaYirah

Short poetic work similar in style to and often printed together with "Shekel HaKodesh."

Acharonim

Leading rabbis and thinkers who lived in the 16th through 20th centuries.

Ahavat David

18th-century compilation of 17 sermons delivered by the Chida on the Shabbatot before Yom Kippur, Purim, Pesach, and Shavuot.

Ahavat Yisrael

20th-century essay on the prohibition of baseless hatred, by the Chafetz Chaim.

Cheshbon HaNefesh

Early 19th-century guide to self-improvement, modeled on Benjamin Franklin’s program of systematic refinement of 13 distinct character traits.

Davar BeItto

20th-century work by the Chafetz Chaim admonishing those who eat non-kosher food while traveling and encouraging them to maintain their standards of observance at all times

Iggeret HaGra

18th-century ethical will that the Vilna Gaon sent to his family before his planned immigration to Israel.

Kav HaYashar

Influential 18th-century collection of stories, ethics, and customs with frequent quotations from the Zohar.

Kuntres Chovat HaShemirah

20th-century essay on the power of speech and guarding one's speech, by the Chafetz Chaim.

Kuntres Sefat Tamim

20th-century essay on the prohibitions of lying, theft, and usury, by the Chafetz Chaim.

Ma'amar Torat HaBayit

20th-century work of the Chafetz Chaim on the importance of learning Torah during one’s free time.

Mesillat Yesharim

Widely-studied 18th-century work by the Ramchal, structured around a progression of ideal character traits quoted in the Talmud

Ohr Yisrael

Teachings of R. Israel Salanter, founder of the 19th-century Musar movement

Pele Yoetz

19th-century accessible work on fundamental ethical principles, organized alphabetically.

Sefer HaChaim

16th-century ethical work by Rabbi Betzalel ben Chaim of Friedberg, brother of the Maharal of Prague.

Shemirat HaLashon

19th-century ethical treatise on proper speech by the Chafetz Chaim, often printed together with his legal work on the topic.

Shenei Luchot HaBerit

17th-century encyclopedic compilation of ethics, mysticism, and law that profoundly influenced the development of Chasidut; also known as the Shelah

Shevet Musar

18th-century ethical work divided into 52 chapters, corresponding to the weeks of the year

Ya'arot Devash I

18th-century collection of sermons on ethical matters delivered by R. Yonatan Eybeschutz

Yesod VeShoresh HaAvodah

18th-century guide to prayer and ethics, based heavily on the Zohar and the teachings of the Arizal.

Modern

Ma'amar Mezakeh HaRabim

20th-century article on the importance of spreading Torah to all Jews by the founder of the Novardok yeshiva.

Ma'amar Tzipita LeYeshuah

20th-century work of the Chafetz Chaim on the importance of actively awaiting the coming of the Messiah and the final redemption

Ohr HaTzafun

20th-century compilation of discourses by Rabbi Nosson Tzvi Finkel, founder of the Slabodka yeshiva.

Sichot Avodat Levi

20th-century insights on the weekly Torah portion from the founder of the Ner Yisrael Yeshiva in Baltimore.

About Musar

Musar is a category of Jewish literature that provides virtue-based instruction for moral and spiritual character development. Some works focus on practical and systematic programs for improvement, while others are more theoretical in nature. Study of musar was bolstered by the founding of the Musar movement in 19th-century Lithuania, which encouraged organized study of musar and produced its own musar literature.

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