ראשוניםRishonim
בחינת עולםBechinat Olam14th-century poem about the unpredictable nature of the world and the paths that lead to the world to come.אגרת הרמב"ןIggeret HaRamban13th-century letter attributed to Nachmanides instructing his son to live a life of humility, recited by many on a weekly basis.כד הקמחKad HaKemach14th-century encyclopedia of select character traits, holidays, and commandments, incorporating commentary on the books of Job, Jonah, and Esther.אגרת הרמב"ן לבנוLetter from Ramban to his Son13th-century letter of Nachmanides to his son focusing on the value of chastity, incorporated in the will of a figure named Shlomo ben Yitzchak.מעלות המדותMa'alot HaMiddot13th-century Italian ethical treatise that discusses 24 positive character traitsמנורת המאורMenorat HaMaor14th-century work by Rabbi Yisrael Alnaqua with practical legal instructions, ethical guidance, and discourses on the significance behind commandments.מבחר הפניניםMivchar HaPeninim11th-century collection of short maxims arranged according to behavioral categories, originally composed in Arabic.אורחות חיים להרא"שOrchot Chaim L'HaRosh14th-century work of short maxims on living an ethical life, composed by the Rosh for his children.אורחות צדיקיםOrchot Tzadikim15th-century work following the structure of "The Improvement of the Moral Qualities,” based upon insights from Maimonides and others.ספר הישרSefer HaYasharPopular 13th or 14th-century ethical book based on the philosophical work “Duties of the Heart.”ספר היראהSefer HaYirahShort 13th-century essay attributed to Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi describing how one should act from the time they wake up in the morning and throughout the day.שער הגמול - רמב''ןSha'ar HaGemul of the Ramban13th-century treatise on the world to come, reward, and punishment; the last chapter of Ramban’s legal work, Torat HaAdamשערי תשובהSha'arei TeshuvahPopular 13th-century work of Rabbeinu Yonah Gerondi on repentance, punishment, and forgiveness.שקל הקדשShekel HaKodesh12th-century rhyming work of short maxims based on Mivchar HaPeninim.תקון מדות הנפשThe Improvement of the Moral Qualities11th-century accessible analysis of 20 personality traits divided by the senses to which they correspond.תומר דבורהTomer Devorah16th-century kabbalistic and ethical treatise by R. Moses Cordovero with a focus on the concept of imitating Godיסוד התשובהYesod HaTeshuvahShort and practical guide on how to begin repentance, attributed to 13th-century scholar Rabbenu Yonah Gerondiיסוד היראהYesod HaYirahShort poetic work similar in style to and often printed together with "Shekel HaKodesh."