Mesilas Yesharim: Perhaps it really is nothing more than a magnificent guide to Torah perfection
No one who’s spent serious time learning Rabbi Moshe Chaim
Luzzato (Ramchal)’s ethical masterpiece Mesilas Yesharim can walk away
uninspired. It’s possible to return to sin after being
confronted with Ramchal’s powerful arguments, but it won’t be easy.
There’s no doubt that Ramchal gave the world his Mesilas Yesharim out of a genuine desire to have a positive impact. But what was the precise impact he hoped for? A simple reading of the book suggests it’s nothing more than a guide to perfecting our observance of the Torah’s timeless principles. But some claim the book was also designed to subtly introduce esoteric kabbalistic ideas into mainstream Jewish culture.
