The Mesillat Yesharim [The Path of the Just] is probably the most popular musar [instruction] work in Jewish literature.
Authored by Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, also known as the RaMCHaL after his initials, Mesillat Yesharim is studied in all Yeshivos and is considered the finest such work ever written. Indeed, Rabbi Yisroel Salanter, founder of the Musar movement which stressed the study of such books on piety, said, "All the classical works of Musar demonstrate that man must fear God. The Mesilas Yesharim tells us how."
"I have been given permission (from upstairs) to ask and understand in any and all matters of the holy Torah even the most difficult passages in the Zohar.." [RamChaL]
More and more, however, people are also realizing that Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto was one of the most brilliant thinkers of the past several centuries. Both his depth of thought and systematic mind are evident in all his works, which are literally filled with important basic insights. Over two hundred years ago, Rabbi Eliahu, the famed Vilna Gaon, declared that Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto had the most profound understanding of Judaism that any mortal human could attain. He furthermore stated that if Luzzatto were alive in his generation, he would go by foot from Vilna to Italy to sit at his feet and learn from him.
More and more, however, people are also realizing that Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto was one of the most brilliant thinkers of the past several centuries. Both his depth of thought and systematic mind are evident in all his works, which are literally filled with important basic insights. Over two hundred years ago, Rabbi Eliahu, the famed Vilna Gaon, declared that Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto had the most profound understanding of Judaism that any mortal human could attain. He furthermore stated that if Luzzatto were alive in his generation, he would go by foot from Vilna to Italy to sit at his feet and learn from him.
A new point-by-point summary of the book can be found at Daf Yomi Review
Then read the entire book in english at: Shechem
8 comments:
Rabbi Yossi Mizrachi has an excellent series of lectures on Mesilat Yesharim on his website divineinformation.com
Thanks for that.
Here is the link to all Rabbi Mizrachi's videos in this series:
Divine Information: The Path of the Just
This Anon101. Thank you so much for this post. I learned this sefer before, but now it is so important in getting to do my purpose in life. When I told a person about how to know your purpose in life, all they wanted to know is what MY purpose in life is. What a waste, 80 years in this world and you failed your test.
Rabbi Moshe Chaim Luzzatto is my absolute favorite. I can't emphasis how valuable his books are for a Jew wanting to know how to serve Hashem.
great post.
there's a pdf|epub|mobi version of the long shechem translation here for those with an mobile device
http://dafyomireview.com/article.php?docid=213
The Purpose of Life Rabbi Yosef Mizrachi Rabbi Yosef Mizrach https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTvE3inFOgE&t=2412s
there's a brand new translation there with lots of commentaries
http://dafyomireview.com/447
your shechem.org link is dead. the site went down
use this link instead http://dafyomireview.com/447
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