Hiddur Olam™: The 49 Creative Middot
A collection of forty-nine character traits reimagined through the bold, illustrative art of Mike Wirth.
Each piece pairs creative reflection with design process insights, revealing the inner architecture of a single trait, one middah at a time. There’s no set order here. Open to any page. Sit with any trait. The book was built to be read the way a soul actually grows: nonlinear, personal, and a little messy.
COMING MID-AUGUST 2026
About the book
Middot are the character traits mussar has trained Jewish seekers to name and refine for centuries: patience, humility, gratitude, courage, and forty-five more. The 49 Creative Middot takes each one and asks a different question than the traditional texts do. Not just “how do I practice this trait,” but “what does this trait look like made visible.”
Forty-nine illustrations. Forty-nine reflections. No sequence required. You can start with the middah that’s bothering you this week, or the one you’ve never heard of, or just the page that has the color you’re drawn to today. The book trusts the reader to build their own path through it, because that’s how real character work happens anyway. Not in a straight line, but in returns, detours, and sudden recognitions.
Snapshot of the Book:
Content Includes:
Full color illustrations, artist reflections, creative wisdom, and design empathy insights
Genre:
Creativity / Design Thinking / Mussar
Audience
Artists, Designers, educators, spiritual seekers, Mussar active or curious, and Torah readers (Jewish or not).
Total Pages:
146
Paper Type:
Premium
Format:
Softcover
Dimensions:
8.5″ x 8.5″
Edition:
First (2026)
Artwork:
49 full-color illustrations
Publisher:
Mike Wirth Art, Inc. (Self)
One Trait, Many Lenses
Every middah in this book passes through the same creative prism. There’s no correct order to read them in, but there is a consistent way each one gets explored.
01
Mussar
The character/spiritual refinement practice
02
Design Thinking
The UX/design lens, centered on empathy rather than just method
03
My Creative Process
The experience of making the art itself
COMING MID-AUGUST 2026
Invite Mike to Your Community
Send Mike a note and let’s set up a Hiddur Olam™ creative Torah workshop in your community.
By submitting your information, you`re giving us permission to email you. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the “49 middot” in this book?
Middot are character traits central to mussar, the Jewish practice of ethical and spiritual refinement. Traditionally, seekers work through them one at a time to build a more whole and honest character. This book takes forty-nine of these traits and gives each one an original painting and reflection meant for artists, designers, or creative people of all kinds-professional or not.
Do I need to read the book in order?
No. Hiddur Olam: 49 Creative Middot is designed to be read freestyle. Every reader can start wherever they want and follow whatever trait calls to them that day.
Do I need a Jewish studies background to understand this book?
No prior background is required. The reflections are written to be accessible whether you’re new to mussar or you’ve studied it for years.
Do you need to be Jewish to read this book?
No. This book presents the Jewish ethics system of Mussar as a lens on empathy during the design process. Design asks us to be empathetic with our audience, but doesn’t show us how. This book takes us right into that conversation.
Shemot – Exodus is coming soon!
Follow Mike on Instagram for Release Updates