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In This Issue

Welcome – Modya Silver
Through a Mussar Lens – By Alan Morinis
Mussar Want-Ads
Donations
Upcoming Events and Announcements

By Modya Silver, Co-President

Today is the third day of Passover. That means that by the time you read this you should have sobered up from drinking eight glasses of wine and had your fill of matzah, maror and many other things that are an assault on our bodies. Also, it’s only one month after we over-loaded our bodies at Purim by over-drinking.

It’s funny that many of our Holy Days seem to be laced with extreme measures and yet our teachings from the Mussar tradition preach moderation and finding the middle way. This dichotomy seems to run through everything we do in life and provides an interesting point of reflection for us in developing our character traits.

Read more.

By Alan Morinis

It is well known and easily understood that matzah represents the middah [trait] of humility. Compared to the fancy, inflated breads that take four or five adjectives to describe (like multi-grain seeded artisan fig and olive, for example), the humble matzah is simple and unpretentious, admirable qualities for a human being as well.

The matzah I am eating this year holds special significance because my own eyes observed it being made, baked and packaged. The Olympics were coming to my hometown of Vancouver, promising crowds, traffic and mayhem. What an excellent time to make my first visit to Israel in 42 years. And there I was able to fulfill the mitzvah of observing matzah being made.

Read entire article.

Interested in a Chevruta

Please note I am a political conservative. Background: studied 6 years with a Chasidic, 7 years 1-on-1 with a European Reform rabbi, started Jews of Meaning, author with background in personal finance - now just eesh kelev. In the end, all we take with us is character. Contact: manofdog01@yahoo.com

Seeking Chevruta in SF Bay Area

Please email sarahrose7@earthlink.net.

Testimonials: Mussar Want-Ads Work

Our new Mussar Want-Ads really work. Here are two testimonials from Yashar readers who emailed us to express their gratitude:

My ad RE: "Ways of the Tzaddikkim," which ran in Yashar solicited a reply the following day from a man in Ottawa. He is connected with the JCC there and belongs to a Mussar group, which needed a copy of the "Ways of the Tzaddikim." All this to show you that the Want-Ad did work, for which I thank you.

Yesterday I saw the "Mussar Want-Ad" in my emailed newsletter from The Mussar Institute. Since I live in Chicago, I decided to contact [the person] who was seeking a chevruta [study partner]. I live within five miles of him and we actually met up last night for mincha/maariv at a shul near his home. He and I will, hopefully, start learning very soon. I'm very excited and just wanted you to know that the "want-ad" idea seems to have worked.

How to Get Your Ad in Yashar

Need a chevruta partner? Do you have a Mussar book for sale or one you are seeking? Whatever your need or want in the area of Mussar, you can advertise your need or request in Yashar by sending it to wantads@mussarinstitute.org. We'll be sure to include your ad in the next issue, as long as we get your ad by our deadline. The deadline is the 10th of each month.

The Mussar Institute depends on the generosity of supporters. Please consider making a donation to honor someone or to remember a loved one.

• Julie August
• Josh Gressel
• Susan Henley
• Barbara Pachano
• Roger Perilstein
• Neil Persky
• Lynn Sipher

Donations gratefully accepted here.

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