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Climbing Jacob's Ladder within Navardok, comes an unexpected course, idiosyncratic elements in of Orthodoxy, receive a secular and con- book that shows that musar, while Morinis’ journey, but he more than fused but highly motivated and intelli- hardly rebuilt to prewar proportions, opens his soul for us to view. Not that gent searcher? Morinis’ description of his does demonstrate maturity and reso- the courage to communicate one’s travels and anxieties in advance of his nance within a new cultural setting. deepest anxieties and triumphs is a first meeting with Rabbi Perr is master- Climbing JacobÕs Ladder: Reb Yisrael always saw musar as a small thing, but Climbing Jacob’s ful. This is the surprising denouement: potential bridge, capable of linking the Ladder goes further. Morinis succeeds Slowly he [Rabbi Perr] crossed to me. most devout circles of Jewish piety with in making the psychological teachings Then, taking my hand in both of his, One ManÕs Journey to Rediscover a the most assimilated societies of the and exercises of Reb Yisrael alluring. those soft eyes gazing directly into mine, Jewishly ignorant. In part, that is why he From within the specificity of his own he asked, “May I give you a kiss?” devoted the last twenty-five years of his life life, Morinis strikes a universal chord. A kiss! I had thought that, in my anx- Jewish Spiritual Tradition to teaching assimilated students and com- The essence of musar is not the con- iety, I’d rehearsed every possible greeting munities in Western Europe, particularly tours of a personal struggle but the I might conceivably receive from this Germany. Musar preaches purity of intent; idea of struggle. The thoroughness of man, but a kiss hadn’t even crossed my as such, it can identify both the spiritual Morinis’ struggle becomes a trans- mind. I must have given some sign of flaws in the most Orthodox and the gen- parency, enabling others to see that if consent, however, because he cupped my uine spiritual strivings in the most unob- he can succeed, they can too. face in his hands and, through the rasp servant. Musar, under Reb Yisrael’s fine of his beard, I felt his warm lips on my scalpel, could turn rabbis in on them- cheek. In that moment, relief coursed By Alan Morinis United States, Israel and, in many completely died out as a popular selves, searching for defects in their punc- through my entire body. Broadway Books instances, even in Europe. Where is effort. I was once shown a sefer with tilious observance, and could attract the Climbing Jacob’s Ladder is three New York, 2002 Slabodka, Kelm, Navardok? Clearly, the official stamp of the populist Beis assimilated to the Torah, validating their books in one: an account of Morinis’ 225 pages the answer is not in any Nazi predilec- HaMusar of Kovno, dated in the late instinctive elements of ethics or spirituali- ssential to Morinis’ struggle inner journey; a portrait of two musar Reviewed by Hillel Goldberg tion for musar adherents; the evil ones 1930s. I don’t know how it survived ty. To Reb Yisrael, musar was a ladder. are his two musar teachers, Rabbi practitioners (the Perrs) and of killed any Jew they found. While it is the War.) In yeshivot, the demanding Those on the lowest rung could eventually Yechiel and Shoshana Perr of Far Morinis’ interaction with them and a true that adherents of a given Chassidic discipline of musar had a chance to reach the highest, while those on the Rockaway, New York. By turns insight- description of nine musar disciplines. group may have fortuitously survived take root. Students had time to devote upper rungs, if not careful, could slip ful, colorful and compassionate—and The effectiveness of the descriptions in relatively large numbers, this cannot to it; musar masters had the opportu- downward. Alan Morinis, in Climbing alwaysE expansive and expressive—the of the disciplines derives from the live- explain the contemporary, widespread nity for the requisite concentration. Jacob’s Ladder, seeks musar from assimilat- Perrs invited Morinis into their lives liness of his relationship with the efflorescence of Chassidism, a handful Reb Yisrael once said that it takes ed, unobservant moorings; his search because of a phone call. Morinis’ jour- Perrs, who alter his journey in ways of whose adherents survived. Nor is twenty-five years to perfect a single begins on the lowest rung—precisely the ney begins in earnest when he, a total that sometimes are wrenching and the answer to be found in the correct character trait; alternatively, one can place that Reb Yisrael and the Alter of stranger to the Perrs, asks them sometimes so indirect that it takes observation that the prewar musar study the entire Talmud sooner than Navardok thought that musar could be whether they would be his guides in Morinis months to realize the effect of adherents numbered far fewer than did one can perfect a single character trait. effective. Morinis seeks to demonstrate musar. No questions asked, the Perrs a seemingly offhand comment. The uestion: Why have all manner of the Chassidim, but here, at least, we Clearly, the spiritual discipline of that even without a prior grounding in accept the challenge. Morinis had no pivot of the book, then, is the Perrs. Chassidic courts reestablished them- have a clue. musar takes time and tremendous Talmud and other Torah knowledge, one idea of his good fortune. Mrs. Perr is Rabbi Perr is Talmudist and preach- selves after the destruction of the The Musar Movement was always motivation. Given its essence, musar can find God within the quest for honesty the great-granddaughter of one of Reb er, logician and counselor, adept at rig- Holocaust while schools of musar have small. In fact, it is unclear in what was not a popular movement; its and integrity in human relationships— Yisrael’s major disciples, the Alter of orous analysis and penetrating allegory. Qnot? Ger, Breslov, Amshinov, Viznitz, sense it was a movement after the ini- adherents were never numerous. including one’s relationship with oneself. Navardok, Rabbi Joseph J. Hurvitz. Rabbi Perr’s total effect is to catch one Belz, Satmar and many other tial efforts of its founder, Reb Yisrael After the Holocaust, with most of Only a few years ago, Morinis was Rabbi Perr was ordained by Mrs. Perr’s off guard, to maneuver behind one’s Chassidic groups—all of which suf- Salanter (1810-1883). Reb Yisrael the musar role models deceased, there like one of the Jewishly ignorant stu- grandfather, Rabbi Abraham Joffen, defenses in order to hold one’s atten- fered grievous devastation in World envisioned a movement, that is, the was little chance for a quick revival. dents whom Reb Yisrael would have the son-in-law of the Alter of tion—an effect buttressed by his War II—are now flourishing in the improvement of personal character The mastery and the motivation with- met in nineteenth-century Germany. Navardok. Both Rabbi and Mrs. Perr imposing stature, which, however, traits by men and women, learned and in the one setting in which musar Morinis’ eloquent and spiritual record studied extensively under Mrs. Perr’s conveys warmth more than intimida- Rabbi Goldberg, Ph.D., executive editor unlearned alike. He worked hard showed some success—the yeshivah— of his quest is, perhaps, the ultimate father, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Nekritz, tion. “May I give you a kiss?”—vin- of the Intermountain Jewish News toward that end in Vilna and Kovno, could not be rapidly recreated. Then, verification of the potential reach of whose storied life includes unwavering tage Rabbi Perr. Master of the unex- (Denver), is an expert on the Musar from 1841 to 1858, and met some there is a musar methodological catch- musar beyond the Orthodox Jewish adherence to the musar disciplines even pected yet not manipulative, Mrs. Movement. He is the author of Israel success. But then began his long and 22: In the nature of things, most society in which it originated. during six years of exile in Siberia dur- Perr, as short as her husband is tall, is Salanter; Text, Structure, Idea: The mostly mysterious sojourn in Western musar role models would not announce Morinis, a former Rhodes Scholar ing World War II. neither Talmudist nor preacher. A Ethics and Theology of an Early Europe, where he was mostly cut off themselves, would not promote them- with an expertise in Hindu pilgrimage While his family is puzzled but sup- trained counselor, she is a listener and Psychologist of the Unconscious (New from his disciples. His students con- selves, once they emerged. The inclina- and a former film producer with a per- portive, Morinis, full of trepidation and encourager. Her musar is inherited, Jersey, 1982) and The Fire Within: The centrated their efforts within yeshivot; tion of musar is to hide, to avoid dis- sonal history of deep inner doubts and expectation, flies from his home in genetic, so to speak; her husband’s is Living Heritage of the Musar there, Reb Yisrael’s musar program play. True, the Navardok branch of the financial failure, modestly subtitles his Vancouver to New York to meet the learned, articulate, pedagogic. Neither Movement (New York, 1987). He is a evinced staying power. (It is worth movement did make it a point to reach book One Man’s Journey to Rediscover a Perrs. How would a yeshivah dean like the rabbi nor his wife is judgmental. contributing editor of Jewish Action. noting, however, that musar never out—and now, davkah from a scion Jewish Spiritual Tradition. There are, of Rabbi Perr, rooted in the black-hat mold Clearly, they delight in learning of Winter 5764/2003 JEWISH ACTION Winter 5764/2003 JEWISH ACTION Morinis’ spiritual forays as much as he delights in their guidance and support.
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