MUSSAR CLASSICS

Click here for access to the important contemporary books by Dr. Alan Morinis, and other frequent TMI faculty.

This list does not include all Mussar books, but does identify the key works in the Mussar tradition. Many are available from online booksellers.

Sa’adia Gaon - Sefer Deot v’Emunot / The Book of Beliefs and Opinions (933)

R’ Bahya ibn Paquda - Chovot Ha’Levavot / Duties of the Heart (1080)

R’ Shlomo ibn Gabirol - Tikkun Middot Ha’Nefesh / Improvement of the Traits of the Soul (1045)

R’ Moshe ben Maimon - Shmoneh Perakim / Eight Chapters (1168)

Avraham ben HaRambam - Ha’Maspik l’Ovdei HaShem / Guide to Serving God (1230)

Rabenu Yonah Gerondi - Shaarei Teshuvah / Gates of Repentance (1250)

Yechiel ben Yekutiel - Ma'alot ha-Middot / Book of Higher Virtues (1298)

Anonymous - Orchot Tzaddikim / Ways of the Righteous (1540)

R’ Moshe Cordovero - Tomer Devorah / Palm Tree of Deborah (1588)

R’ Moshe Chaim Luzzatto - Messilat Yesharim / Path of the Just (1740)

R’ Menahem Mendel Leffin - Cheshbon Ha’Nefesh / Accounting of the Soul (1811)

R’ Eliezer Papo - Pele Yoetz / Wonderous Advisor (1824)

R’ Yisrael Salanter - Ohr Yisrael / the Light of Israel (1890)

R’ Yosef Yozel Hurwitz - Madregas ha’Adam / The Levels of Man (n.d., lived 1848-1919)

R’ Nosson Zvi Finkel -Ohr Ha’Tzafon/ The Hidden Light (n.d., lived 1849-1927)

R. Simcha Zissel Ziv - Chochmah u’Mussar / Wisdom and Mussar (1957)

R’ Eliyahu Dessler - Michtav mi’Eliyahu / Strive for Truth! (1959/1983/2016)

R’ Yerucham Levovitz - Da’as, Chochmah u’Mussar / Knowledge, Wisdom and Mussar (1969)

R’ Elya Lopian - Lev Eliyahu / Elijah’s Heart (1975)

R’ Shlomo Wolbe - Alei Shur (1968/1998) (not yet available in English)

R' Hilell Goldberg - The Fire Within: The Living Heritage of the Mussar Movement (1987)

R' Ira Stone - A Responsible Life: The Spiritual Path of Mussar (2006)