Are we allowed to teach Sifrei Mussar (for instance Orchos Tzadikim, Mesilas Yesharim, Chovos Halevavos) to non-Jews?
What about the Gra on Mishlei?
Answer
R' Yechiel Perr, RY in Far Rockaway was asked by Dr Alan Morinis about this. Morinis's Mussar Institute teaches a lot of people whose spouse is Jewish, or who self-identify as Jewish but are far from being Jews halachically. I was present when the question was asked.
Rabbi Perr said that Mussar -- development of one's middos -- is also obligatory for non-Jews no less than Jews. So, like teaching them the laws incumbent on non-Jews as terms of the covenant with Noah, teaching Mussar is a mitzvah, not merely permissable.
(Even outside the institute's context of needing to teach to some non-Jews in order to reach a primarily Jewish population.)
Any errors are in my memory, and R' Perr (as a scion of Novhardok, this is his turf) should be consulted if one is asking for a practical halachic ruling.
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