Greek Wisdom mp3 shiur

Here is a shiur I gave last night (the first night of Chanukah) at Darche Noam on "Greek Wisdom and Kaballah". I argue in favour of learning science (at a time which is not day and not night) in order to come to know G-d, and to come to love and fear Him. This is also the goal of learning kabbalah, which explains the Rema's comment in Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 246:4 that 'Tiyul BePardes' means learning about nature.

I also mention an idea of Rav Tzadok HaCohen that kabbalah is the penimiyus and Greek Wisdom is the chitzoniyus, as well as discussing Acher (Elisha ben Avuyiha), and the wars between the Chashmonaim which led ultimately to the destruction of the Temple.

The mp3 audio shiur can be downloaded by clicking on this link:
Greek Wisdom and Kabbalah

Or listen to it online:




Here are (some of) the sources for the shiur:
pdf download

Midos 2:3
ב,ג לפנים ממנו, סורג גבוה עשרה טפחים. ושלוש עשרה פרצות היו בו, שפרצום מלכי יוון; וחזרו וגדרום, וגזרו כנגדן שלוש עשרה השתחוויות.

Sotah 49b
בפולמוס של טיטוס גזרו על עטרות כלות ושלא ילמד אדם את בנו יוונית... ת"ר כשצרו מלכי בית חשמונאי זה על זה היה הורקנוס מבחוץ ואריסטובלוס מבפנים בכל יום ויום היו משלשלין דינרים בקופה ומעלין להן תמידים היה שם זקן אחד שהיה מכיר בחכמת יוונית לעז להם בחכמת יוונית אמר להן כל זמן שעוסקים בעבודה אין נמסרין בידכם למחר שלשלו להם דינרים בקופה והעלו להם חזיר כיון שהגיע לחצי חומה נעץ צפרניו נזדעזעה א"י ארבע מאות פרסה אותה שעה אמרו ארור אדם שיגדל חזירים וארור אדם שילמד לבנו חכמת יוונית... איני והאמר רבי בא"י לשון סורסי למה אלא אי לשון הקודש אי לשון יוונית ואמר רב יוסף בבבל לשון ארמי למה אלא או לשון הקודש או לשון פרסי לשון יוונית לחוד וחכמת יוונית לחוד וחכמת יוונית מי אסירא והאמר רב יהודה אמר שמואל משום רשב"ג מאי דכתיב (איכה ג) עיני עוללה לנפשי מכל בנות עירי אלף ילדים היו בבית אבא חמש מאות למדו תורה וחמש מאות למדו חכמת יוונית ולא נשתייר מהן אלא אני כאן ובן אחי אבא בעסיא שאני של בית ר"ג דקרובין למלכות הוו
[Bava Kama 82b-83a]
[Shita Mekubetzes Bava Kama 82b]
[Magen Avos Tashbetz 2:19]

Menachos 99b
שאל בן דמה בן אחותו של ר' ישמעאל את ר' ישמעאל כגון אני שלמדתי כל התורה כולה מהו ללמוד חכמת יונית קרא עליו המקרא הזה לא ימוש ספר התורה הזה מפיך והגית בו יומם ולילה צא ובדוק שעה שאינה לא מן היום ולא מן הלילה ולמוד בה חכמת יונית

Rambam Perush Hamishnayos end of Sotah

'שהיו מכנים את הרמזים שבדבור וכן דברים שאינם כפשוטם אלא יש להן ענין נסתר, חכמה'.

Teshuvos HaRivash 45
אמנם, ספרי הטבע לא מן השם הוא זה. אבל ראוי לימנע מהם אם הם מתאמצים לעקור עקרי תורתינו הקדושה, ובפרט שני עמודי התווך אשר היא נכונה עליהם, שזהו: חידוש העולם, והשגחת השם יתברך בפרטי המין... ואנחנו מקבלי האמת דעתנו שהתורה שלנו שלמה שבאה אלינו במעמד הר סיני מפי הגבורה ובאמצעות אדון הנביאים ע"ה, היא למעלה מהכל וכל חקירתם אפס ותוהו לערכה...
ואין להביא ראיה מן הרמב"ם ז"ל כי הוא למד קודם לכן כל התורה כולה בשלמות, הלכות ואגדות תוספתא ספרא וספרי וכוליה תלמודא בבלי וירושלמי, כמו שנראה מספר משנה תורה. וכדי להשיב את האפיקורוס עשה ספר המורה, לסתור המופתים והראיות שהביא הפילוסוף...

Shulchan Aruch Yoreh Deah 246:4


Hilchos Teshuva 10:6
י [ו] דבר ידוע וברור שאין אהבת הקדוש ברוך הוא נקשרת בליבו של אדם, עד שישגה בה תמיד כראוי ויעזוב כל שבעולם חוץ ממנה כמו שציווה ואמר "בכל לבבך ובכל נפשך" (דברים ו,ה; דברים י,יב; דברים ל,ו): אלא בדעה שיידעהו. ועל פי הדעה--על פי האהבה--אם מעט מעט, ואם הרבה הרבה.
יא לפיכך צריך האדם לייחד עצמו להבין ולהשכיל בחכמות ותבונות המודיעין לו את קונו כפי כוח שיש באדם להבין ולהשיג, כמו שביארנו בהלכות יסודי התורה.

Hilchos Yesodei Hatorah 2:1-3
א האל הנכבד והנורא הזה--מצוה לאוהבו וליראה ממנו, שנאמר "ואהבת, את ה' אלוהיך" (דברים ו,ה; דברים יא,א) ונאמר "את ה' אלוהיך תירא" (דברים ו,יג; דברים י,כ). [ב] והיאך היא הדרך לאהבתו, ויראתו: בשעה שיתבונן האדם במעשיו וברואיו הנפלאים הגדולים, ויראה מהם חכמתו שאין לה ערך ולא קץ--מיד הוא אוהב ומשבח ומפאר ומתאווה תאווה גדולה לידע השם הגדול, כמו שאמר דויד "צמאה נפשי, לאלוהים--לאל חי" (תהילים מב,ג).
ב וכשמחשב בדברים האלו עצמן, מיד הוא נרתע לאחוריו, ויירא ויפחד ויידע שהוא בריה קטנה שפלה אפלה, עומד בדעת קלה מעוטה לפני תמים דעות, כמו שאמר דויד "כי אראה שמיך . . . מה אנוש, כי תזכרנו" (תהילים ח,ד-ה).
ג ולפי הדברים האלו אני מבאר כללים גדולים ממעשה ריבון העולמים, כדי שיהיו פתח למבין לאהוב את השם, כמו שאמרו חכמים בעניין אהבה, שמתוך כך אתה מכיר את מי שאמר והיה העולם.

Moreh Nevuchim [Letter of the Author to his Pupil, R. Joseph Ibn Aknin.]
In the name of G-d, Lord of the Universe.
To R. Joseph (may God protect him!), son of R. Jehudah (may his repose be in Paradise!):--
My dear pupil, ever since you resolved to come to me, from a distant country, and to study under my direction, I thought highly of your thirst for knowledge, and your fondness for speculative pursuits, which found expression in your poems. I refer to the time when I received your writings in prose and verse from Alexandria. I was then not yet able to test your powers of apprehension, and I thought that your desire might possibly exceed your capacity. But when you had gone with me through a course of astronomy, after having completed the [other] elementary studies which are indispensable for the understanding of that science, I was still more gratified by the acuteness and the quickness of your apprehension. Observing your great fondness for mathematics, I let you study them more deeply, for I felt sure of your ultimate success. Afterwards, when I took you through a course of logic, I found that my great expectations of you were confirmed, and I considered you fit to receive from me an exposition of the esoteric ideas contained in the prophetic books, that you might understand them as they are understood by men of culture.

Avi's Bar Mitzvah speech

Well we are half way there. Tonight is Avi's 13th Hebrew birthday, making him a 'man' in Jewish law and eligible to wear a big black hat!

We had a maleve malka for his school class which was really nice. They are such nice kids, and the principal and class teacher are wonderful. Here is Avi's speech (complete with hat) - sorry it is in Hebrew. Hopefully we'll provide a translation soon.



And to show you how much fun everyone was having - here are the lads singing (and playing the tabuka). Watch out for Mo's drumming skills. And as always thanks to Shani for serving the food and making sure everything was running smoothly.



Next week (Parshas Vayeshev) Avi will lein in Ateret Nof (13 Brand Street Har Nof) and we are making a kiddush after Shul in the lobby of our building (28 Brand). If any of you readers are in the area please come by to eat some kugel!


May we share only simchas together.

David

PS If you can't hear what he is saying and would like to follow along - here is the text (still in Hebrew I'm afraid):


שבוע טוב. קודם כל אני רוצה להודות לכל חברי מהכיתה שהגיעו לשמוח עמי את שמחת הבר מצוה וגם תודה רבה לרב יהודה שליט"א ולרב גוטליב שליט"א שעשו את כל המאמצים להגיע לבר מצוה שלי. ובמיוחד אני רוצה להודות מקרב ליבי לאמי ולאבי ולסבתי ולסבי שעשו את כל המאמצים לעשות את הבר מצוה בצורה הטובה ביותר (והשמחה) והכיפית ביותר. ותודה רבה לר' יהונתן מור שהשקיע הרבה ללמד אותי את קריאת התורה וההפטרה. וגם תודה רבה לכל מי שלא נמצא כאן אבל עזר עם ההכנות.

עכשיו ברשותכם אני אגיד כמה מלים.

בפרשת וישב שאני אקרא שבת הבאה ,אם ירצה ה', מדובר על מכירת יוסף. כולם חושבים שמכירת יוסף זה דבר (שלילי) רע מאוד. אחרי שהאבות הגיעו לשיא של עבודת השם עכשיו חזרנו לסיפור של קין והבל ורוצים להרוג את אחיהם. לא רק שבסוף מכרו את אחיהם הקטן וגרמו הרבה צרות לו ולאביהם, אלא שע"י מכירתו התגלגלו הדברים ובסוף ירדנו לגלות מצרים. בגלל מכירת יוסף ישבנו במצרים כמה מאות שנים והיינו עבדים לפרעה.

אבל במבט אחר מכירת יוסף היה מוכרח והיה קיום של הבטחתו של הקב"ה לאברהם אבינו. בברית בין הבתרים בפרשת לך לך הקב"ה הבטיח לאברהם שיהיו לו בנים וינחלו את ארץ ישראל ויבנו בית המקדש. וכתוב שם: "ידוע תדע כי גר יהיה זרעך בארץ לא להם ועבדום וענו אותם ארבע מאות שנה". ואח"כ "ואוציא אותם משם ברכוש גדול ...”. לכן אם מסתכלים במכירת יוסף בעינים של התוכנית של הקב"ה רואים שזה היה בסופו של דבר לטובתם של בנ"י.

ויעקב הבין את זה ורמז לזה כששלח את יוסף לאחיו. כתוב וישלחו מעמק חברון. רש"י שם מקשה "והלא חברון בהר" ומתרץ ששלח אותו לקיים עצה עמוקה של אותו צדיק שנקבר בחברון. כלומר כששלח יעקב את יוסף אל אחיו הוא התחיל את תהליך הגאולה והקמת ההבטחה שהבטיח הקב"ה לאברהם אבינו.

ר' צדוק הכהן כותב בצדקת הצדיק שמצוה ראשונה שאדם מקיים בהיותו בן י"ג שנה זה קריאת שמע של ערבית.
המצוה של קריאת שמע היא ליחד שמו של הקב"ה. זאת אומרת שחייבים אנו לדעת שכל מה שנעשה בעולם הוא תוכנית של הקב"ה. אפ' כשצרות באים עלינו חייבים אנו לדעת שהכל לטובה. וזה מזכיר לנו את ר' עקיבא שמסר את נפשו כשהיה קורא קריאת שמע. וכל החיים שלו חכה ואמר מתי יבוא מצוה זו של מסירות נפש לידי ואקיימנו. תמיד אמר על כל דבר שקרה לו "כל מה דעביד רחמנא לטבא עביד" – כל מה שעושה הקב"ה הוא עושה לטובה.

ודוקא מתחילים בקריאת שמע של ערבית – זמן של חושך כשקשה מאוד לראות את האמת ואיך כל דבר הוא לטובה. חושך מסמל את הגלות והחושך הרוחני שבו אנחנו נמצאים עכשיו. וזה מצוה ראשונה שאני התחייבתי בה הלילה.

כתוב במדרש רבה על פרשתינו: “שבטים היו עסוקין במכירתו של יוסף, ויוסף היה עסוק בשקו ובתעניתו... ויהודה היה עסוק ליקח לו אשה. והקב"ה היה עוסק בבריאת אורו של מלך המשיח".

כל מה שחשבו השבטים, ויוסף, ויהודה הכל היה תהליך להביא את משיח. וגם היום אנחנו חייבים לדעת ולראות שכל מה שקורה בעולם ולנו הכל הוא חלק מהתהליך של תוכנית הקב"ה להביא את המשיח. ויהי רצון שנזכה כולנו לראות את ביאת המשיח ואת בנין ירושלים במהרה בימינו אמן.

Livni speaks like Kahane!

Only yesterday Tzippi Livni, head of Kadima, was chastising Likud for electing Feiglin to the number 20 slot on their electoral roll. Apparently were the 'right wing' of Likud to become the ruling party there would be no further hope for peace (because apparently she thinks that the 'centrist/left wing' government of which she is part have brought peace - though she did say the day before that the situation in Gaza is intolerable and cannot stay like that - so presumably it isn't the kind of peace where they stop firing missiles or anything like that)!

Yet today, changing her mind like the weather, she is espousing views normally associated with the late Rabbi Meir Kahane (and his current incarnation of Moshe Feiglin). Here is a quote from the Jerusalem Post:

Kadima leader Tzipi Livni on Thursday said that Israeli Arabs should leave Israel for a Palestinian state once such a state is established.

"My solution for maintaining a Jewish and democratic state of Israel is to have two nation-states with certain concessions and with clear red lines," Livni said. "And among other things I will also be able to approach the Palestinian residents of Israel, those whom we call Israeli Arabs, and tell them, 'your national solution lies elsewhere.'"

So now she wants to make peace by declaring war and to transfer all the Israeli Arabs to the future Palestine. Make any sense? Not to me. I suppose if she espouses every possible opinion she thinks that everyone will vote for her. Right??

Good new - elections coming up in a couple of months. Bad news - nothing will change as a result of the elections. But I suppose at least we don't have to deal with the problems they have in Illinois! Imagine having a corrupt politician as the leader of the State (or country). Hmmmmm

Ben Franklin and Cheshbon HaNefesh

I saw on the news the other day that Joe Satriani (one of my all time favourite musicians) is suing Coldplay for ripping off his song "If I could fly". Apparently Coldplay's song "Viva La Vida". I'm no expert, but listen to this and make up your own mind:



Over Shabbos we were discussing the sources of mussar (specifically whether the 12 step program is a legitimate Jewish approach. I claim that it makes no difference whether it is 'Jewish'. If it works (and is not Christian - which it doesn't have to be) then Jews may (and should) use it. Mussar doesn't have to be 'Jewish'). To demonstrate this I mentioned that the mussar sefer 'Cheshbon HaNefesh' is taken largely from Ben Franklin's autobiography.

After Shabbos I wanted to check up on this (since my guests were a bit incredulous). I found reference to the similarity between Benjamin Franklin's work and that attributed to Rabbi Mendel of Satanov (and translated by Shraga Silverstein: Published by Feldheim), but nobody actually explained fully. So I did some research.

Bear in mind that Cheshbon HaNefesh was a staple of the mussar movement. Rav Yisroel Salanter was instrumental in getting it published in Vilna in 1844. The three basic texts that R' Yisroel wanted people to learn were Chovos HaLevavos, Mesilas Yesharim and Cheshbon HaNefesh.

The basic concept is to take 13 chapters of mussar literature that deal with 13 different character traits. each person should prepare material relevant to his own negative traits. Then each chapter shoudl be summarised in a short statement or sentence. Then each of these should be condensed into a single code word. Each week one focusses on one of the thirteen traits, while reviewing the other 12 at the end of each day. In the course of a year a person will review each trait 4 times.

One should make a chart with the 13 traits in the margin and the days of the week across the top, and mark down for each day how well one succeeded in perfecting this trait.

Here is what Benjamin Franklin wrote to his son over 100 years earlier. Judge for yourself if the similarities are coincidental.

(By the way - just to clarify - I think Cheshbon HaNefesh is a great sefer, and highly recommend it. All I am trying to say is that there are many paths to self perfection, and one does not need to search for an 'authentic' Jewish approach if there is another one which works. I know this apparently contradicts the Talmud which says that the Torah is the only antidote to the Yetzer Hora (as quoted by Mesilas Yesharim), on the other hand each generation may need different tools and forms of mussar than previous generations. - Even Rav Dessler quotes from James Joyce - it can't be all bad).

So here is a (long) quote from Ben Franklin's autobiography. Skip the Christian references if they offend you.

At length he took for his text that verse of the fourth chapter of Philippians, "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, or of good report, if there be any virtue, or any praise, think on these things." And I imagin'd, in a sermon on such a text, we could not miss of having some morality. But he confin'd himself to five points only, as meant by the apostle, viz.: 1. Keeping holy the Sabbath day. 2. Being diligent in reading the holy Scriptures. 3. Attending duly the publick worship. 4. Partaking of the Sacrament. 5. Paying a due respect to God's ministers. These might be all good things; but, as they were not the kind of good things that I expected from that text, I despaired of ever meeting with them from any other, was disgusted, and attended his preaching no more. I had some years before compos'd a little Liturgy, or form of prayer, for my own private use (viz., in 1728), entitled, Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion. I return'd to the use of this, and went no more to the public assemblies. My conduct might be blameable, but I leave it, without attempting further to excuse it; my present purpose being to relate facts, and not to make apologies for them.

It was about this time I conceiv'd the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection. I wish'd to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I bad imagined. While my care was employ'd in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason. I concluded, at length, that the mere speculative conviction that it was our interest to be completely virtuous, was not sufficient to prevent our slipping; and that the contrary habits must be broken, and good ones acquired and established, before we can have any dependence on a steady, uniform rectitude of conduct. For this purpose I therefore contrived the following method.

In the various enumerations of the moral virtues I had met with in my reading, I found the catalogue more or less numerous, as different writers included more or fewer ideas under the same name. Temperance, for example, was by some confined to eating and drinking, while by others it was extended to mean the moderating every other pleasure, appetite, inclination, or passion, bodily or mental, even to our avarice and ambition. I propos'd to myself, for the sake of clearness, to use rather more names, with fewer ideas annex'd to each, than a few names with more ideas; and I included under thirteen names of virtues all that at that time occurr'd to me as necessary or desirable, and annexed to each a short precept, which fully express'd the extent I gave to its meaning.

These names of virtues, with their precepts, were

1. TEMPERANCE. Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.

2. SILENCE. Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.

3. ORDER. Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.

4. RESOLUTION. Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.

5. FRUGALITY. Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.

6. INDUSTRY. Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.

7. SINCERITY. Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.

8. JUSTICE. Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.

9. MODERATION. Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.

10. CLEANLINESS. Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.

11. TRANQUILLITY. Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.

12. CHASTITY. Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.

13. HUMILITY. Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

My intention being to acquire the habitude of all these virtues, I judg'd it would be well not to distract my attention by attempting the whole at once, but to fix it on one of them at a time; and, when I should be master of that, then to proceed to another, and so on, till I should have gone thro' the thirteen; and, as the previous acquisition of some might facilitate the acquisition of certain others, I arrang'd them with that view, as they stand above. Temperance first, as it tends to procure that coolness and clearness of head, which is so necessary where constant vigilance was to be kept up, and guard maintained against the unremitting attraction of ancient habits, and the force of perpetual temptations. This being acquir'd and establish'd, Silence would be more easy; and my desire being to gain knowledge at the same time that I improv'd in virtue, and considering that in conversation it was obtain'd rather by the use of the ears than of the tongue, and therefore wishing to break a habit I was getting into of prattling, punning, and joking, which only made me acceptable to trifling company, I gave Silence the second place. This and the next, Order, I expected would allow me more time for attending to my project and my studies. Resolution, once become habitual, would keep me firm in my endeavors to obtain all the subsequent virtues; Frugality and Industry freeing me from my remaining debt, and producing affluence and independence, would make more easy the practice of Sincerity and Justice, etc., etc. Conceiving then, that, agreeably to the advice of Pythagoras in his Golden Verses, daily examination would be necessary, I contrived the following method for conducting that examination.

I made a little book, in which I allotted a page for each of the virtues. I rul'd each page with red ink, so as to have seven columns, one for each day of the week, marking each column with a letter for the day. I cross'd these columns with thirteen red lines, marking the beginning of each line with the first letter of one of the virtues, on which line, and in its proper column, I might mark, by a little black spot, every fault I found upon examination to have been committed respecting that virtue upon that day.

...
I determined to give a week's strict attention to each of the virtues successively. Thus, in the first week, my great guard was to avoid every the least offence against Temperance, leaving the other virtues to their ordinary chance, only marking every evening the faults of the day. Thus, if in the first week I could keep my first line, marked T, clear of spots, I suppos'd the habit of that virtue so much strengthen'd and its opposite weaken'd, that I might venture extending my attention to include the next, and for the following week keep both lines clear of spots. Proceeding thus to the last, I could go thro' a course compleat in thirteen weeks, and four courses in a year. And like him who, having a garden to weed, does not attempt to eradicate all the bad herbs at once, which would exceed his reach and his strength, but works on one of the beds at a time, and, having accomplish'd the first, proceeds to a second, so I should have, I hoped, the encouraging pleasure of seeing on my pages the progress I made in virtue, by clearing successively my lines of their spots, till in the end, by a number of courses, I should he happy in viewing a clean book, after a thirteen weeks' daily examination.

This my little book had for its motto these lines from Addison's Cato:

"Here will I hold. If there's a power above us (And that there is all nature cries aloud Thro' all her works), He must delight in virtue; And that which he delights in must be happy."

Another from Cicero,

"O vitae Philosophia dux! O virtutum indagatrix expultrixque vitiorum! Unus dies, bene et ex praeceptis tuis actus, peccanti immortalitati est anteponendus."

Another from the Proverbs of Solomon, speaking of wisdom or virtue:

"Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." iii. 16, 17.

And conceiving God to be the fountain of wisdom, I thought it right and necessary to solicit his assistance for obtaining it; to this end I formed the following little prayer, which was prefix'd to my tables of examination, for daily use.

"O powerful Goodness! bountiful Father! merciful Guide! increase in me that wisdom which discovers my truest interest. strengthen my resolutions to perform what that wisdom dictates. Accept my kind offices to thy other children as the only return in my power for thy continual favors to me."

I used also sometimes a little prayer which I took from Thomson's Poems, viz.:

"Father of light and life, thou Good Supreme! O teach me what is good; teach me Thyself! Save me from folly, vanity, and vice, From every low pursuit; and fill my soul With knowledge, conscious peace, and virtue pure; Sacred, substantial, never-fading bliss!"

The precept of Order requiring that every part of my business should have its allotted time, one page in my little book contain'd the following scheme of employment for the twenty-four hours of a natural day:bliss!"

THE MORNING.

Question. What good shall I do this day?

{5}
{6}
{7}
{8}

Rise, wash, and address Powerful Goodness! Contrive day's business, and take the resolution of the day; prosecute the present study, and breakfast.

{9}
{10}
{11}

Work

NOON.

{12}
{1}
{2}

Read, or overlook my accounts, and dine.

{3}
{4}
{5}

Work

EVENING.

Question. What good have I done today?

{6}

Put things in their places.

{7}
{8}

Supper. Music or diversion, or conversation.

{9}
{10}
{11}
{12}

Examination of the day.

NIGHT.

{1}
{2}
{3}
{4}

Sleep.

I enter'd upon the execution of this plan for self-examination, and continu'd it with occasional intermissions for some time. I was surpris'd to find myself so much fuller of faults than I had imagined; but I had the satisfaction of seeing them diminish. To avoid the trouble of renewing now and then my little book, which, by scraping out the marks on the paper of old faults to make room for new ones in a new course, became full of holes, I transferr'd my tables and precepts to the ivory leaves of a memorandum book, on which the lines were drawn with red ink, that made a durable stain, and on those lines I mark'd my faults with a black-lead pencil, which marks I could easily wipe out with a wet sponge. After a while I went thro' one course only in a year, and afterward only one in several years, till at length I omitted them entirely, being employ'd in voyages and business abroad, with a multiplicity of affairs that interfered; but I always carried my little book with me.

My scheme of ORDER gave me the most trouble; and I found that, tho' it might be practicable where a man's business was such as to leave him the disposition of his time, that of a journeyman printer, for instance, it was not possible to be exactly observed by a master, who must mix with the world, and often receive people of business at their own hours. Order, too, with regard to places for things, papers, etc., I found extreamly difficult to acquire. I had not been early accustomed to it, and, having an exceeding good memory, I was not so sensible of the inconvenience attending want of method. This article, therefore, cost me so much painful attention, and my faults in it vexed me so much, and I made so little progress in amendment, and had such frequent relapses, that I was almost ready to give up the attempt, and content myself with a faulty character in that respect, like the man who, in buying an ax of a smith, my neighbour, desired to have the whole of its surface as bright as the edge. The smith consented to grind it bright for him if he would turn the wheel; he turn'd, while the smith press'd the broad face of the ax hard and heavily on the stone, which made the turning of it very fatiguing. The man came every now and then from the wheel to see how the work went on, and at length would take his ax as it was, without farther grinding. "No," said the smith, "turn on, turn on; we shall have it bright by-and-by; as yet, it is only speckled." "Yes," said the man, "but I think I like a speckled ax best." And I believe this may have been the case with many, who, having, for want of some such means as I employ'd, found the difficulty of obtaining good and breaking bad habits in other points of vice and virtue, have given up the struggle, and concluded that "a speckled ax was best"; for something, that pretended to be reason, was every now and then suggesting to me that such extream nicety as I exacted of myself might be a kind of foppery in morals, which, if it were known, would make me ridiculous; that a perfect character might be attended with the inconvenience of being envied and hated; and that a benevolent man should allow a few faults in himself, to keep his friends in countenance.

In truth, I found myself incorrigible with respect to Order; and now I am grown old, and my memory bad, I feel very sensibly the want of it. But, on the whole, tho' I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it, yet I was, by the endeavour, a better and a happier man than I otherwise should have been if I had not attempted it; as those who aim at perfect writing by imitating the engraved copies, tho' they never reach the wish'd-for excellence of those copies, their hand is mended by the endeavor, and is tolerable while it continues fair and legible.

It may be well my posterity should be informed that to this little artifice, with the blessing of God, their ancestor ow'd the constant felicity of his life, down to his 79th year, in which this is written. What reverses may attend the remainder is in the hand of Providence; but, if they arrive, the reflection on past happiness enjoy'd ought to help his bearing them with more resignation. To Temperance he ascribes his long-continued health, and what is still left to him of a good constitution; to Industry and Frugality, the early easiness of his circumstances and acquisition of his fortune, with all that knowledge that enabled him to be a useful citizen, and obtained for him some degree of reputation among the learned; to Sincerity and Justice, the confidence of his country, and the honorable employs it conferred upon him; and to the joint influence of the whole mass of the virtues, even in the imperfect state he was able to acquire them, all that evenness of temper, and that cheerfulness in conversation, which makes his company still sought for, and agreeable even to his younger acquaintance. I hope, therefore, that some of my descendants may follow the example and reap the benefit.

It will be remark'd that, tho' my scheme was not wholly without religion, there was in it no mark of any of the distingishing tenets of any particular sect. I had purposely avoided them; for, being fully persuaded of the utility and excellency of my method, and that it might be serviceable to people in all religions, and intending some time or other to publish it, I would not have any thing in it that should prejudice any one, of any sect, against it. I purposed writing a little comment on each virtue, in which I would have shown the advantages of possessing it, and the mischiefs attending its opposite vice; and I should have called my book THE ART OF VIRTUE, because it would have shown the means and manner of obtaining virtue, which would have distinguished it from the mere exhortation to be good, that does not instruct and indicate the means, but is like the apostle's man of verbal charity, who only without showing to the naked and hungry how or where they might get clothes or victuals, exhorted them to be fed and clothed. -- James ii. 15, 16.

But it so happened that my intention of writing and publishing this comment was never fulfilled. I did, indeed, from time to time, put down short hints of the sentiments, reasonings, etc., to be made use of in it, some of which I have still by me; but the necessary close attention to private business in the earlier part of thy life, and public business since, have occasioned my postponing it; for, it being connected in my mind with a great and extensive project, that required the whole man to execute, and which an unforeseen succession of employs prevented my attending to, it has hitherto remain'd unfinish'd.

In this piece it was my design to explain and enforce this doctrine, that vicious actions are not hurtful because they are forbidden, but forbidden because they are hurtful, the nature of man alone considered; that it was, therefore, every one's interest to be virtuous who wish'd to be happy even in this world; and I should, from this circumstance (there being always in the world a number of rich merchants, nobility, states, and princes, who have need of honest instruments for the management of their affairs, and such being so rare), have endeavored to convince young persons that no qualities were so likely to make a poor man's fortune as those of probity and integrity.

My list of virtues contain'd at first but twelve; but a Quaker friend having kindly informed me that I was generally thought proud; that my pride show'd itself frequently in conversation; that I was not content with being in the right when discussing any point, but was overbearing, and rather insolent, of which he convinc'd me by mentioning several instances; I determined endeavouring to cure myself, if I could, of this vice or folly among the rest, and I added Humility to my list) giving an extensive meaning to the word.

I cannot boast of much success in acquiring the reality of this virtue, but I had a good deal with regard to the appearance of it. I made it a rule to forbear all direct contradiction to the sentiments of others, and all positive assertion of my own. I even forbid myself, agreeably to the old laws of our Junto, the use of every word or expression in the language that imported a fix'd opinion, such as certainly, undoubtedly, etc., and I adopted, instead of them, I conceive, I apprehend, or I imagine a thing to be so or so; or it so appears to me at present. When another asserted something that I thought an error, I deny'd myself the pleasure of contradicting him abruptly, and of showing immediately some absurdity in his proposition; and in answering I began by observing that in certain cases or circumstances his opinion would be right, but in the present case there appear'd or seem'd to me some difference, etc. I soon found the advantage of this change in my manner; the conversations I engag'd in went on more pleasantly. The modest way in which I propos'd my opinions procur'd them a readier reception and less contradiction; I had less mortification when I was found to be in the wrong, and I more easily prevail'd with others to give up their mistakes and join with me when I happened to be in the right.

And this mode, which I at first put on with some violence to natural inclination, became at length so easy, and so habitual to me, that perhaps for these fifty years past no one has ever heard a dogmatical expression escape me. And to this habit (after my character of integrity) I think it principally owing that I had early so much weight with my fellow-citizens when I proposed new institutions, or alterations in the old, and so much influence in public councils when I became a member; for I was but a bad speaker, never eloquent, subject to much hesitation in my choice of words, hardly correct in language, and yet I generally carried my points

In reality, there is, perhaps, no one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Disguise it, struggle with it, beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive, and will every now and then peep out and show itself; you will see it, perhaps, often in this history; for, even if I could conceive that I had compleatly overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.

[Thus far written at Passy, 1741.]

(Taken from chapter 8 of the online version of Benjamin Franklin's autobiography