Lesson 1 and 2
What is the goal of life according to the Vilna Gaon?
To improve your middos.
What did Shaul do to King Agag? And what did Shmuel do to him?
Shaul spared him and Shmuel killed him.
Fill in the blank: "it is easier to finish all of Shas than to _______________.
it is easier to finish all of Shas than to change one midda.
What is the placebo effect?
You think something is happening but really it's not. That thought will have real-life effects on your body.
"if not for this day, how many _________________"
"if not for this day, how many Yosef's would be in the marketplace"
Fill in the blank: a person's middos are measured only through his relationship to his ______
Wife
Fill in the blank: "Anyone who is ________________ toward cruel people, will eventually be ____________ toward _________________ people."
"Anyone who is compassionate toward cruel people, will eventually be cruel toward compassionate people."
According to R' Akiva, which is better: bread or wheat?
Bread
What did Baruch ben Neriya complain about to Yirmiyahu?
Why didn't I get nevua?
What were the 3 traits rav Yosef said he possessed?
1. Anger
2. overly compassionate
3. Overly clean
Why are middos not explicitly commanded by the Torah?
They are so central and important, they need not be commanded.
If one has a pillow and either he or his eved can use it, who gets it?
The eved (Tosfos)
What does the Torah do to get us to feel certain ways?
It has us do certain actions to help us feel emotions connected to the action.
What is self talk?
It's the voice in our head that gives commentary on the events in our lives.
What do anger, money, alcohol, and humor have in common according to Chazal?
They are all things which show you what a person's true character is.
Does having good manners always mean one has good middos?
No! Think back to the story of theb Nazis y''s.
Where is this a quote from?
"Moshe received the Torah at Sinai and transmitted it to Yehoshia, Yehoshua to the Elders, and the Elders to the Neviim, and the Neviim to the Men of the Great Assembly"
The opening to Pirkei Avos.
How do we change how our brain views events that happen to us?
We need to learn new perspectives.
What are the two ways to change the people in your environment?
1. Leave your environment
2. Dan likaf zechus.
Who is Natie Finkel?
The Rosh Yeshiva of the Mir.
Explain the mashal of the building and how it relates to middos vs. manners
Middos are like the foundation of the building and manners are like the paint. When the foundation is shaky, the whole building could fall down and it doesn't matter how nice the paint is. But when the foundation is sturdy, then the paint has value.
If someone wrongs you, you cannot take revenge. Is that as far as the Torah goes?
No, the Torah requires one to even pretend it didn't happen (Sefer hachinuch)
Fill in the chart:
Event -> __________ -> _______________
Event -> Brain's Interpretation ->Emotional Output
Why does Yechzkiel get nevua while Baruch ben Neriya does not?
Yechezkiel was positive and saw Klal Yisroel asa worthy people, whereas Baruch (on his level) did not.
Why did Shimon and Levi get "cursed" by Yaakov if they had good intentions for what they did in destroying Shechem?
They had additional motives that weren't as pure.