Guide
Hellenistic and Rabbinic Moral Psychology
By Carol Bakhos
Related Primary Sources
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Philo on Soul and Body
It is for this reason that Moses, the all-wise, ascribes to the righteous man soul-husbandry as a science in keeping with him and rightly pertaining to him, saying “Noah began to be a husbandman,”…
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The “Seven Spirits”
And now give heed to me, my children, concerning the things which I saw during my time of penitence, concerning the seven spirits of deceit. For seven spirits are established against mankind, and they…
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Mastering the Emotions
It is evident that reason rules even the more violent emotions: lust for power, vainglory, boasting, arrogance, and malice. For the temperate mind repels all these malicious emotions, just as it…
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The Good in the Bad Inclination
Naḥman [taught] in the name of R. Samuel: Behold, it was very good (Genesis 1:31). This refers to the good inclination. And behold it was very good. This refers to the evil inclination. And is the…
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Evil and Satan
Those captive [women] who were brought to Nehardea, [where they were redeemed,] were brought up to the house of R. Amram the Pious. They removed the ladder from before them [to prevent men from…