Spiritual Exercises in Novarodok Mussar and the Early Work

Abstract

This article compares aspects of the teachings launched in pre-revolutionary and revolutionary Russia of two spiritual figures: Rabbi Yoseph Yozel Horwitz and George Gurdjieff. Yozel founded the Novarodok school of Mussar within Judaism; Gurdjieff founded the spiritual tradition known as “the Work” or “Fourth Way.” There are of course great differences between Judaism and the Work, but some similarities might be expected between spiritual disciplines, especially similarities in practice as opposed to doctrine. This article explores similarities of some spiritual exercises in the Mussar school of Novarodok and secondarily in later or other Mussar teachings and in the early Gurdjieff Work and secondarily in its later development, specifically exercises that are undertaken in the midst of the ordinary activities of daily life. These similarities are interesting given the substantial differences in their Jewish and non-Jewish contexts.