Nature and Mussar

Here is my response to RW and Matt. RW is exactly right-I am referring to the systems of Creation. But Matt you are right too, the psyche operates in terms of pleasure and pain. The key is to coax the psyche into realizing that success in pleasure and pain is a result of the Chochma of the universe. This is pointed out by R Rosenthal in his comment on the previous post. Here is the link between the systems of Tehillim and the consequences of Mishlei as seen in Sholomo Ben David's intro to Mishlei. We see the baal Mishlei is indeed the son of the Baal Tehillim. Please share your reaction with all of us.

Principle of Mussar:
1:7 The fear of Hashem is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

Definitions:

Fear of Hashem- realizing that as a natural entity oneself, the same Chochma guiding all natural systems is also the only basis of the quest for human success

The foolish despise wisdom and instruction- those addicted to the fantasy of human sovereignty despise the wake up call of reality. We are but a small case of entities in a creation governed by Chochma.

Wisdom and Instruction: Wisdom is seeing Causality in the Solar system / ecosystem of Earth
Instruction: seeing applications of causality to the special circumstances of human interactions (home city work waking up in the morning) so that Bechira can occur.

Mussar #1: folly of trusting human systems founded for the dreams of “stars”
1:8 My son, listen to your father’s instruction, and don’t forsake your mother’s teaching:
1:9 for they will be a garland to grace your head,and chains around your neck.
1:10 My son, if sinners entice you, don’t consent.
1:11 If they say, “Come with us, Let’s lay in wait for blood; let’s lurk secretly for the innocent without cause;
1:12 let’s swallow them up alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down into the pit.
1:13 We’ll find all valuable wealth.We’ll fill our houses with spoil.
1:14 You shall cast your lot among us. We’ll all have one purse.”
1:15 My son, don’t walk in the way with them.Keep your foot from their path,
1:16 for their feet run to evil.They hurry to shed blood.
1:17 For in vain is the net spread in the sight of any bird:
1:18 but these lay wait for their own blood. They lurk secretly for their own lives.
1:19 So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain.It takes away the life of its owners.

Notice that the narrator of Mussar #1 is a parental voice. The parent is the immediate representative of Chochmat hashem as a natural force. He is the proximate instrument of Natural “form” doing the bidding of Chochmas Hashem. It is for this reason we have Kibude Av Vaem. We must ever remember that we are part of the the reproductive system. Let us zoom out and look again at the parental phenomenon. If we look at Earth we can see once again the outlines of our terrestrial home. As we zoom in we can discern a hospital. In one ward we see the maternity ward. How wonderful to see the human generations all expressing the same “form” of tzelem going back to Adam harishon and Chava. The parents and babies are locked in the beginnings of home. They see only each other, we see much more. All round the maternity ward are the other parts of the hospital. The cancer ward the psychiatric ward full of addicts and otherwise disturbed people. Overeating and lack of excersize have filled the cardiac ward. Sad families sit there,huddled around their beloved family members. "...When calamity overtakes you like a storm,when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you. Why were they stricken down? Why do they have diabetes or a heart condition? Did they eat the diet of Mcdonalds? Did they feast upon the banquet of “outback”? Where were the parents of this patient when they could have guided him away from the lifestyle of doom? Zooming back to the maternity ward we see these parents are ill equipped to help their children. They will be the one to feast with their children at Mcdonalds. What else is there after a long week of depressing work days implementing the greedy vision of the “stars”? What is one to do after a long day of building pyramids and towers of Bavel? The material vision has left them with no option-eat and drink for tomorrow we die!

Mussar #2: The shem hashem must be brought into society for success to be possible
1:20 Wisdom calls aloud in the street.She utters her voice in the public squares.
1:21 She calls at the head of noisy places. At the entrance of the city gates, she utters her words:
1:22 “How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity? How long will mockers delight themselves in mockery, and fools hate knowledge?
1:23 Turn at my reproof.Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you. I will make known my words to you.
1:24 Because I have called, and you have refused;I have stretched out my hand, and no one has paid attention;
1:25 but you have ignored all my counsel,and wanted none of my reproof;
1:26 I also will laugh at your disaster.I will mock when calamity overtakes you;
1:27 when calamity overtakes you like a storm,when your disaster comes on like a whirlwind; when distress and anguish come on you.
1:28 Then will they call on me, but I will not answer.They will seek me diligently, but they will not find me;
1:29 because they hated knowledge,and didn’t choose the fear of Hashem.
1:30 They wanted none of my counsel.They despised all my reproof.
1:31 Therefore they will eat of the fruit of their own way,and be filled with their own schemes.
1:32 For the backsliding of the simple will kill them.The careless ease of fools will destroy them.
1:33 But whoever listens to me will dwell securely,and will be at ease, without fear of harm.”

Or no perhaps there is something else – a natural “form”. “The fear of Hashem is the beginning of knowledge; but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction”. Hashem is the source of a chochma that fashions all systems of heaven and Earth-man included. His wisdom could be the basis of a new yishuv-if we would bring his chochma into humanity via the home and, by extension, the city. The parent who views himself as a natural force is the bridge to Chochma of the Creator in all things. The Parental narrator jumps in once more with the mitzva instruments of Bechira at the ready.

2:1 My son, if you will receive my words, and store up my commandments within you;
2:2 So as to turn your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;
2:3 Yes, if you call out for discernment,and lift up your voice for understanding;
2:4 If you seek her as silver,and search for her as for hidden treasures:
2:5 then you will understand the fear of Hashem,and find the knowledge of God.