ISO sources for midda of consistency

Aylat

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:07 pm

I'm looking for sources for working on the midda of consistency - התמדה or עקביות. Probably not הרגל, which seems to be the negative side of consistency.
I've searched indices of a few mussar works but not turned up much. Can anyone point me in the right direction? Mussar, chassidus, Chazals...?

TIA!

windchime

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:11 pm

Kabalah: the sefirah of Hod alludes to consistency, ie, discipline to forge ahead.

Aylat

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:18 pm

windchime wrote:

Kabalah: the sefirah of Hod alludes to consistency, ie, discipline to forge ahead.

Thanks! Can you expand? And/or point me in the direction of a source which would explain this?

chicco

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:23 pm

This is interesting. I've never thought about it before, but I have trouble understanding how consistency for consistency sake would be a value to a belief system that is focused on constant growth and being real and responsive to one's reality.

Not that we wouldn't value the things that come along with "consistency", but it still feels odd.

chicco

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:27 pm

The value that we find in consistency I would separate and characterize as
1. Emes, being honest with what the situation demands
and
2. Avoda/Gevurah, doing the work

Last edited by chicco on Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:43 pm; edited 1 time in total

windchime

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:30 pm

Aylat wrote:

Thanks! Can you expand? And/or point me in the direction of a source which would explain this?

Hod is thanks and humility. When one is in such a state of קבלת עול, than no matter what might come their way, they are loyal and consistent to the task at hand.

Simple1

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:45 pm

Consistency with what? I've heard of having a set place to daven and we learn that from the Avos.

Otherwise, seems to be a personality trait. As with all midos, it can be used for good or for bad. The negative side of consistency would be excessive rigidity. Like the Rambam says, we should take the middle road.

41793371

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:48 pm

Something about Sarah Imeinu, I don't remember exactly what is was, I believe something how it said when she was bas kuf, ki'caf (like when she was 100 she was like 20 and when she was like 20 she was 7). I believe my husband once mentioned about consistency, how at every stage of her life she was still being the best eved Hashem she could be. Sorry I don't know the details:(

lk1234

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 4:58 pm

https://torah.org/torah-portio.....chas/

In his inimitable style rav frand had this to stay on consistency. I heard him say this live and it stuck with me since.

fortunate123

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 6:27 pm

I don’t know if this is what you are looking for but the story of Rabbi Akiva and the steady drip of water boring a hole in a rock which is what made him realize he can learn Torah even at the age he was.

fortunate123

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 6:28 pm

4pom

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 6:40 pm

Not quite sure which aspect of consistency you are referring to.
When reading your OP what comes to mind is the idea Rabbi Mendel Kaplan taught. Whatever you do , do well. He taught his students to do well at secular subjects and projects too. Whatever assignment one has should be done well.

Trying to figure out which category this would fit into in the 13 middos of Rabbi Yisrael Salanter: Patience, Silence, Pleasantness, Humility, Thriftiness, Justice, Truth, Cleanliness, Diligence, Alacrity, Peace of Mind, Respect and Order.
Diligence/Order?

And what about the mishna in avos of the 48 ways. which way would this be?

Abby2

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 8:45 pm

Rebbetzin Shira Smiles has a beautiful shiur on parshas teruma explaining the placings of the kerashim.

https://www.yutorah.org/lectur.....anks/

ibelongtosomebody

Mon, Jun 28 2021, 10:12 pm

Check out Ami from this past week, the parshah article from Rabbanit Mizrachi. She speaks about the karban TAMID and it’s meaning in terms of consistency.