Daily Tanya

The Alter Rebbe explains that there is a higher level of awe than that which is a prerequisite for performing the commandments. This level can only be attained as a result of one’s observance of the commandments.Now if the commandments lead one to a higher level in the fear of G-d, surely the study of the Torah leads one to a still higher level. This the Alter Rebbe now discusses.

G-d’s wisdom is thus the source of vitality for all the worlds.It must be above all the worlds, since it is their source.

Since every Halachah expresses the Divine will, the unity which the study of the Halachah effects between the soul and the Divine will surpasses even the unity of body and soul. Thus, when one studies the Torah, Prophets, and the Writings, he becomes united with the Divine will and wisdom, which are absolutely one with G-d Himself. For the unity of the mitzvot with G-d is like that of body and soul, where two separate entities are joined, whereas Torah is entirely one with G-d.

The reason for the Sages’ designating specifically the Patriarchs as G-d’s chariot, although every Jew’s body becomes a “chariot” when he performs a mitzvah, is that the Patriarchs’ submission to the Divine will was unique in its power, its scope, and its consistency. All their organs were totally surrendered to the Divine will throughout their lives—whereas with other Jews, only those organs which perform a mitzvah are a “chariot,” and then only during the act. In fact, the same organ which today served as a “chariot” to G-d’s will might conceivably serve the opposite purpose tomorrow.

The response of his organs is automatic; one need not consciously occupy himself with activating his hand. As to the phrase, “without any command or instruction”: When one must exert effort in activating his faculties (e.g., when one dislikes a particular task but forces himself to do it on the strength of logic), this effort is spoken of as an internal command from one faculty to another. However, when one’s will activates the organs of his body, there is no such command involved.

Since G-d desires the worlds only as a vehicle for the performance of the mitzvot, as explained above, and it is only for this reason that He animates the worlds—

In this chapter, the Alter Rebbe goes on to say that since, after all, the Torah does use the term “speech” with regard to Divine revelation, we must say that Divine speech contains, to some extent at least, the second characteristic of human speech as well (i.e., that it becomes separated from the speaker). He explains that this is in fact so but only with respect to the beings created by Divine “speech”—they perceive G-d’s Word that created them, and consequently also themselves, as being separate from G-d. This is specifically the case with the kelipot and the sitra achara, which represent a denial of G-d’s unity.

“Even the darkness does not obscure because it derives from you”, i.e., the veil of tzimtzum is itself of divine origin, and therefore, it cannot obscure G-dliness. For as the Alter Rebbe goes on to say, only a foreign body can constitute an obstruction; one cannot hide from his own self.

For the created beings, the revelation of the creative power contained in G-d’s Word represents the greatest possible change—the passage from nonexistence to existence, since they come into being only when the Divine Word begins to actually create worlds.

When we refer to G-d’s revelation as His “speech,” the analogy extends only to speech as revelation and communication but not to speech as something separate from the speaker—an idea which is not applicable to G-dliness.

In comparison with G-d, Who is infinite, His Word, which represents His creative and animative powers, is as totally nonexistent.

G-d’s unity means not only that there is but one Creator but that G-d is the only existing being. All of existence is absolutely nullified before Him and completely one with Him. Therefore, when one acts in defiance of G-d’s will as expressed in the commandments, he sets himself apart from G-d as though he were a separate and independent entity. This constitutes a denial of G-d’s unity, and the transgressor is therefore considered an idolator. This the Alter Rebbe now explains in detail.

Two questions remain: (1) What is the nature of this love (i.e., what does it strive for)? (2) How is fear of G-d incorporated in it? They will be dealt with in this chapter.

The Alter Rebbe now goes on to explain why it is chochmah that is the original recipient of the light of the Ein Sof. The explanation is based on a discussion of the nature of the soul’s faculty of wisdom.

The union of every Jewish couple, no matter how low their spiritual level, brings forth a soul from, at the very least, the lowest level of holiness.

In the following chapters, the Alter Rebbe will explain an alternative method of attaining the love and awe of G-d, a method that may be used even by one with the aforementioned shortcomings. It consists of arousing the natural love of G-d that lies hidden in the heart of every Jew, a love that is his birthright, his inheritance from our Patriarchs. No meditation is needed to arouse it; all that is required of him is to recall and to make himself aware of this love—and he will be motivated by this recollection to observe the mitzvot. Since no meditation is required to create them, such love and awe of G-d are indeed “very near.” They are accessible to all.

The Alter Rebbe’s point is that the main objective in the commandment to love G-d lies not in the love itself but in the practical and wholehearted fulfillment of the commandments that is motivated by this love, for the main thing in this world is action. It is indeed “very near” to us to love and fear G-d, for we are able to create at least an “intellectual emotion” by means of our mind, which is under our control, even if our heart is not. However, this does not apply to the rasha, who is a slave to the desires of his animal soul and must repent before beginning to serve G-d with love and fear.

“Desires for worldly pleasures are unable to dwell in the heart together with a love of G-d.” In order to attain a love of G-d, therefore, it is necessary for one to change his nature from one extreme to the other—by no means an easy matter!

To be designated “one who serves G-d,” the beinoni must engage in a struggle with his evil inclination, either through a love of G-d born of meditation or at least by arousing his hidden love.

The Alter Rebbe now goes on to discuss the difference between “he who serves G-d” and “he who serves Him not,” who, as the Talmud declares, is not wicked.

The tzaddik has no evil inclination. Since there is no longer any evil in his own soul, evil holds no attraction for him. In the beinoni, however, the evil remains strong. The beinoni therefore finds evil desirable, and it is only through the constant vigilance and struggle of his divine soul that he is able to prevent his animal soul from implementing its desires in thought, speech, and action.

the ability to become a tzaddik is a gift from G-d, not granted to every man. “You have created tzaddikim” thus means that G-d created souls capable of attaining the rank of tzaddik. Even if a person is not privileged to become a tzaddik, he should at the very least not be a rasha, being instead a beinoni.By reason of the freedom of choice granted him, one is expected to surmount even the difficulty of faithfully observing this most difficult mitzvah of constant Torah study.For this reason, the oath is administered a second time. Even if one does not have the opportunity to become a tzaddik, it is still possible for him—and therefore expected of him—not to be a rasha.

The truth of the matter is that sin does separate man from G-d and that one does have a natural love of G-d that dictates the performance of mitzvot. “These truths,” one must say to himself, “I do not wish to deny.”Such arguments are effective in a conflict with one’s animal soul over actual thought, speech, and action. Using the abovementioned reasoning, one can prevail over his evil inclination at all times (in both “turning from evil” and “doing good”) and thereby attain the rank of the beinoni.

The attribute of truth, then, is measured according to the standards of each level. We may thus conclude that the divine service of beinonim is considered “true” service relative to their level, although when compared with the service of tzaddikim, it is not considered “true,” since it passes after prayer.

Just as a little light banishes much darkness, so is the abounding folly and darkness of one’s evil inclination driven away by dint of the little light of holiness emanating from his divine soul.

the divine soul is the beinoni’s only master. He neither thinks, speaks, nor does anything forbidden but acts only in accordance with Torah and mitzvot.

If the divine soul of the beinoni indeed dominates his every area of practical expression, alone dictating his every thought, word, and deed, why is he not considered a tzaddik?The Alter Rebbe explains:

The realization that only the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot will fulfill his desire to become one with G-d channels the beinoni’s love into a desire to observe Torah and mitzvot.

In this, the twelfth chapter, the term beinoni—the “intermediate man’’ who is neither tzaddik nor rasha—will be defined. The beinoni, the Alter Rebbe explains, is one whose practical conduct in thought, speech, and action is dictated solely by the divine soul; it has the upper hand over the animal soul.

The rank of rasha, too, is divided into two general categories: the “complete rasha” or the “rasha who possesses only evil” and the “incomplete rasha” or the “rasha who possesses some good.” These categories will be defined in this chapter.

The divine service of tzaddikim of lower levels may indeed be for the purpose of stilling their thirst for G-d and their desire to cleave to Him, for indeed, the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot satisfies these needs.

The terms “complete” and “incomplete” denote the tzaddik’s level of love for G-d, and the terms “who knows only good” and “who knows evil” denote the degree of his eradication and transformation of evil.

After elaborating in the previous chapter on the ongoing battle between the divine and animal soul over mastery of a Jew’s body, the Alter Rebbe now proceeds to explain that one who vanquishes his animal soul and transforms its evil into good is a tzaddik.

The yetzer hara (evil inclination) consists of a powerful drive, an appetite for whatever it perceives as good and desirable. This drive is neutral and may be steered in any direction; however, being clothed in a corporeal body, it inclines toward physical pleasures. These lusts become “unclean garments” for the animal soul’s drive.By steering it away from physical pleasures toward an appreciation of spiritual pleasures, the divine soul strips the yetzer hara of its “unclean garments” and clothes it in “pure garments” so that it may apply its powerful appetite for pleasures to G-dly, holy matters.This, then, is the divine soul’s desire: that it create, by means of its intellectual faculties, a fear and love of G-d so powerful as to transform the animal soul to good.

In the present chapter, the Alter Rebbe will discuss the battle fought within the Jew between these two souls.

Something prohibited even by Rabbinic enactment remains attached to the three unclean kelipot and cannot be elevated to holiness, even when it is used unwittingly and for the sake of heaven (i.e., in order to have the strength to study and pray). Once the person has committed the act, a residue of the evil will attach to him, even once repentance has been completed. A cleansing of the soul will be necessary at the end of one's life to remove this.

Since the sin of wasteful emission of semen can be rectified even without “repentance out of love,” the Torah does not include this sin with the related sins of forbidden coition. Concerning this sin, all that is necessary to elevate the degraded vitality to holiness is proper repentance with true intent and devotion during the recitation of the bedtime Shema.

Eating permissible food for bodily pleasure causes the food to descend into total evil. Subsequently, the food becomes part of the body. Though repentance elevates not only the person but also the energy of the food and drink as well, still, having become a part of the body, a vestige of evil remains.

A Jew’s actions, words, and thoughts should be directed toward the service of G-d. When this is done, the energy found in the object used for the Mitzvah, while originating in Klipat Noga is then absorbed into G-dliness.

All that is not surrendered to G-d but considers itself separate from Him receives its vitality from the achorayim of G-dliness by way of numerous descents and various contractions. The Divine life-force is concealed within it in a state of exile; thus, it belongs to the realm of kelipah.

Sinful garments, belonging to the realm of wholly impure kelipot, are lower than the animal soul itself and drag it down to their level, in exact opposition to the divine soul’s garments of the thought, speech, and action of Torah and the mitzvot which are higher than the soul and elevate it.

The Alter Rebbe begins to discuss the animal soul. He explains that its structure exactly parallels that of the divine soul; it too has ten faculties and three garments; only, unlike the divine soul, the substance of the animal soul is kelipah, and its faculties and garments are impurity.

The bond that Torah study creates between the soul and G-d is two-fold: The soul “embraces” G-d and is “embraced” by G-d. In this, Torah study is superior to other mitzvot, as discussed in the following chapter.

We see, that although G-d’s wisdom and will are beyond man’s reach, they are made accessible to him because the Torah is clothed in physical terms, and its commandments are vested in physical objects.

Torah is the food of the soul and mitzvot are its garments.

The Alter Rebbe now goes on to state that, unlike physical garments, which are less important than their wearer, the garments of the divine soul are even loftier than the soul which “wears” them. Thus, “wearing” its garments—i.e., thinking and speaking words of Torah and acting in performance of the commandments—elevates the soul to a higher level.

In comprehending Torah the soul’s faculty of intellect clothes itself in thought. Completeness in the performance of the commandments demands love and fear of G-d; one can bring to his fulfillment of the commandments the fullness generated by vitality and depth of feeling only when he is imbued with fear and love of the Almighty.

The soul possesses three auxiliary powers, which are its instruments of expression. Like garments, they can be donned or shed at will. The garments are: thought, speech, and action as they find expression in the 613 commandments of the Torah.

Intellect gives birth to emotion. By contemplating on the greatness of G-d, one, in turn, becomes vivified and passionate in His Love and Worship. True contemplation using all three intellectual steps of Chochma Binah and Daat is the only way to truly connect the knowledge to an emotional reaction.