Mussar is like a telescope, allowing one to see themselves in detail.
-R Yisrael Salanter
Modern Uberdox
“I write not because I have the strength to write, but because I do not have the strength to remain silent.” -Rav Avraham Yitzchok Kook zt’l
Mussar is like a telescope, allowing one to see themselves in detail.
-R Yisrael Salanter
Great one from R’ Yisroel – People want to learn kol haTorah kulo in one night – and get a good night’s sleep in too!
Open question worth contemplating:
Why telescope rather than microscope?
-micha
Both instuments are similar, since you use them to examine objects close up. I believe that most people don’t see themselves as needing to fix what is lacking in themselves, so they see themselves as “far away”. A telescope allows you to focus up close on things that might be you cannont focus on with your natural eye.
Now, you can say the same thing about a microscope, but there’s one importance difference between the two.
The galdus of the telescope (and I’m thinking of a hand-held one or even one on a tripod) is that you can see up close or you can swing it around and see thing further than they really are. This allows you to get a better perspective and not only focus on one item, but several. If you are only focused on yourself, then you are limiting yourselve to bein Adam l’Makom or bein Adam l’Atzmo. Seeing things from a larger view opens yourself up to bein Adam l’Chavero.
Just my initial thoughts.