Title: The Concise Chovos Halevavos
Edited by Rabbi Ilan Siegel and Rebbetzins Devorah Eisenbach and Miriam Samsonowitz
Feldheim Publishers, 286 pages
Chovos Halevavos (Duties of the Heart) is one of the earliest mussar seforim. It was written by Rabbeinu Bachya ibn Pekuda in the early eleventh century. Rabbeinu Bachya was a dayan in Sarsgossa, Spain (then under Muslim rule). Widely known as the bedrock of mussar, Chovos Halevavos utilizes sophisticated philosophical style and language. Rabbi Chaim Soloveichik of Brisk called it the “Shulchan Aruch of Yiddishkeit.” This classic work was studied by Rabbi Yosef Karo (author of the Shulchan Aruch) and the Vilna Gaon and has been learned by all communities across the centuries. When asked how he became who he was, Rabbi Avigdor Miller responded that he learned Chovos Halevavos daily.
Originally written in Arabic so as to reach the masses at that time, Chovos Halevavos in its Hebrew translation mirrors this erudite style, making it difficult to understand Rabbeinu Bachya’s main points. All this has changed with The Concise Chovos Halevavos. The authors have provided a great benefit to the English-speaking public with this new edition.
Rebbetzins Devorah Eisenbach and Miriam Samsonowitz have culled the principles of this work and edited it into a clear and absorbable sefer without losing its valuable lessons. Each chapter is divided by topic, with subtopics that break down the main ideas. Explanations with Tanachic and Talmudic sources are provided for each idea. Chief editor Rabbi Ilan Siegel, along with Rebbetzins Eisenbach and Samsonowitz, bring the classic mussar work to life for the layman and scholar alike. Rabbi Siegel points out that no major point has been omitted.
Rebbetzin Eisenbach started learning Shaar HaBitachon, a section of Chovos Halevavos, with Rebbetzin Henny Machlis, a”h, over 40 years ago. Through Siyata d’Shmaya, Rebbetzins Eisenbach and Samsonowitz began learning Rabbeinu Bachya’s sefer together over eight years ago, and together realized that they could do a great service to the community by providing an easily readable version of this life-changing work to the public.
Rebbetzin Samsonowitz points out: “A table of contents was provided to enable the reader to focus on areas of particular interest. The text was divided into short paragraphs separated by lines, and numbers and subtitles were utilized to facilitate reading. Sources cited by the author are shaded so they can be skipped if one wants to read only the text.”
It is our great fortune that in The Concise Chovos Halevavos, we have a clear, readable, and organized summary of the sefer in English which preserves the lessons of Rabbeinu Bachya for our time. Amongst these are “The Benefit of Teaching Others.” This topic is pursued in the chapter on “Loving Hashem,” under the sub-category of how to tell who loves Hashem. It is clear that this trait applies to Eisenbach and Samsonowitz. Feldheim has done the public a great service by freeing them from struggling over translation and bringing forth the points Chovos Halevavos was written to teach.
Regarding what makes a good teacher, Rabbeinu Bachya writes: “He teaches people to serve Hashem from the simplest to the most scholarly, gently or strictly, using the best approach for each individual. Of the student it is written: ‘A wise man hears and takes a lesson’ (Mishlei 1:5). If you are receptive to the lesson, then you are truly wise. The purpose of teaching is ‘to give prudence to the innocent, knowledge and discretion to the youth.’ (Ibid. 1:5). Once given the right direction, the student will know how to act in life. ‘One who brings many people to righteousness is far greater than a righteous man who lives a life privately devoted to Hashem.’
“A mashal is brought to explain: Two merchants came to a fair. One made a tenfold profit from his original 10 gold coins, earning a profit of 90 gold coins. The second merchant only made double, but since his original investment was worth 5,000 gold coins, his profit was 5,000 gold coins. The nimshal is as follows: If one only improves himself, he will have a small merit. But if he improves himself and many others, his merit increases by the number of people he brought closer to Hashem. This explains the importance of the commandment, ‘You shall surely rebuke your fellow man’ (Vayikra 19:17).”
During this Chanukah season, let us take Rabbeinu Bachya’s message to heart. Using The Concise Chovos Halevavos as a guide, we can better understand Rabbeinu Bachya’s work and share it with others.
Throughout Chanukah, we recite Mizmor Shir Chanukas Habayis l’Dovid (Tehillim 30). Rabbi Avigdor Miller explains (based on the teachings of Rabbeinu Bachya) that the avodah in the Beis HaMikdash was an expression of our gratitude to Hashem. In the merit of the Jewish people seeking to cleave to Hashem and bringing others close to Him, may we merit a return to this service soon with the lighting of the menorah in the Beis HaMikdash!