List of Middot

Our community is using the 13 traits listed in the "Current 13 Trait Cycle" section as our collective "soul path" to support each other in exploring each trait. This is similar to the way that everyone in the world learns the same Torah portion each week (except sometimes in Israel), or people study the same page of Talmud each day.

However, for those of us who would also like to create a custom set of traits to work on, this list below may provide value in thinking about which traits should make up your own personal "soul path".

Please feel free to add to the list since it is in no way complete (and never could be - my mussar teacher says that there are an infinite number of traits).

Also, it is useful to compare a historical set of 13 traits created by Benjamin Franklin, Rabbi Leffin (Cheshbon HaNefesh) and Rabbi Yisrael Salanter. Click here to see that comparison.

• Abstinence – prishut
• Alacrity/Zeal - zerizut
• Arrogance – azut
• Anger – ka'as
• Awe of G-d – yirat hashem
• Compassion – rachamim
• Courage – ometz lev
• Cruelty – achzriut
• Decisiveness
• Envy - kina
• Equanimity – menuchat hanefesh
• Faith in G-d - Emunah
• Forgiveness – slicha
• Generosity - nedivut
• Gratitude – hoda'ah
• Greed Falsehood - sheker
• Hatred – sina
• Honour - k'vod
• Humility – anavut
• Joy - simcha
• Laziness - atzlut
• Leadership - hanhagah
• Life force – chiyut
• Love – ahava
• Lovingkindness – chesed

• Miserliness - tza'yekanut
• Modesty – tzniut
• Order – seder
• Patience – savlanut
• Presence – hineni
• Pride – Ga'ava
• Regret – charata
• Recognizing good – hakarat hatov
• Repentance - teshuva
• Respect
• Restraint - hitapkut
• Righteousness – tzedek
• Self-Awareness - hitlamdut
• Shame – busha
• Silence - shtika
• Simplicity – histapkut
• Slander – lashon hara
• Strength - gevurah
• Truth – emet
• Trust in G-d – bitachon
• Watchfulness – zehirut
• Wealth - osher
• Willingness – ratzon
• Worry – de'aga
• Fear/awe – yirah