לרפואת חי' חנה בת אורנה אדל בתוך שח"י
Some people think that Mussar was an innovation of Rav Yisrael Salanter and is a matter of taste. If you like it - fine. If not - also fine.
This is a gross misunderstanding.
All of sefer Dvarim is essentially a Mussar Shmooze from Moshe Rabbeinu. [Rav Simcha Bunim said that Dvarim is his favorite Mussar sefer!!!] Neviim and Ksuvim are FILLED with Mussar. Mussar is part and parcel of Torah.
The arguments are HOW to learn Mussar and whether Mussar should be part of the official Yeshiva curriculum. But nobody can deny that Mussar is part of Torah and that everybody must learn it.
Look around at people you know. Have they changed in the last six months? The last year? The last five years?? Very rare. The only people who change are generally either those who learn mussar or who went through radical life changing experiences.
So if you want to grow - Mussar is a must. And keeping Torah and serving Hashem is all about growing. That is why we are here. The more Mussar you learn - the more you realize how much there is to fix. Those who don't are painfully unaware of their spiritual maladies which they take with them to eternity - רח"ל!!!! [Going for therapy could be a form of Mussar].
הַחֲזֵק בַּמּוּסָר אַל תֶּרֶף נִצְּרֶהָ כִּי הִיא חַיֶּיךָ.
Mussar is life!!!!!! Hold on tight!!!!
