Daily Tanya

Everyone should be aspiring to be a Beinoni. The one demand: That the mind should control the heart, and all three soul garments: Thought speech, and actions. A tzaddik may be born that way and is an unattainable level for most.

Is there a difference in the prayers of a Beinoni and that of a Tzaddik? The Alter Rebbe argues that the love of G-d felt by a Beinoni is not constant, deeming it "untrue", vs. that of a Tzaddik, which is constant and unstoppable. However, there are differences in degrees of truth. When one awakens and serves G-d, that is their truth. While it may not reach the level of Tzaddikim, or their ultimate true love, there is intrinsic truth to it as well.

The Beinoni is always "on guard" so as not to become complacent. There are those however who busy themselves with Torah all day, and some may even walk around feeling a love for G-d all day. Those should still never feel sure or let down their guard. Just like Rava, who because he was always learning Torah thought that perhaps his constant love for G-d was due to his constant study of Torah.

A Beinoni has to always be on guard, knowing that he is capable of falling to his desires.

So how does one become a Beinoni? When the mind has dominion over the heart. How is this done? During prayer, when done properly, even the Beinoni's animal soul is incapacitated. Once prayers are done, the animal soul awakens. The residual effect of this powerful prayer remains with the person throughout the day, empowering him to control himself. The Beinoni is capable of being victorious in his struggle even on an interpersonal level.

The Beinoni never succumbs to the animal soul. We learned that the G-dly soul is in the mind. The rule: The mind controls the heart. This is the basic definition of a human being and distinguishes the human from other mammals. An animal is a slave to its impulses and desires. Man has the power to control his emotions. This muscle, however, must get practice.

The Beinoni and Tzaddik both have impeccable garments in thought speech and action. Inside however, the Beinoni is similar to the Rasha, with desires and raging passions to contend with. The Beinoni however, unlike the Tzadik is constantly in control.

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 beinoni accomplishes this by not allowing himself to be dominated in any way by the animal soul, even for the shortest duration, never thinking, speaking, and surely not acting in a sinful manner. The garments of the divine soul alone—namely thought, speech, and action in Torah and mitzvot—are those used by the beinoni.

the Alter Rebbe now addresses himself to the definition of the rank that is the antithesis of the tzaddik—that of the wicked person, the rasha. In direct contrast to the tzaddik, whose divine soul overpowers his animal soul, the rasha is one whose animal soul overwhelms his divine soul.

In one tzaddik, the vestigial evil may be such that the proportion of good to evil could be described as 60:1; the evil in another tzaddik may be more minute so that it is overwhelmed by a proportion of good that is 1000:1; and so on. 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 “men of ascent,” however, whom we have been discussing, are beyond this level of divine service. They do not study Torah or perform mitzvot with the intention of quenching their own thirst for G-dliness, for such service is—in a subtle sense—self-serving, as it is motivated by one’s desire for a certain spiritual profit, namely, the bliss of closeness to G-d.

The Alter Rebbe now proceeds to explain that one who vanquishes his animal soul and transforms its evil into good is a tzaddik.

each soul wishes to direct the city’s inhabitants according to its will

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

The Alter Rebbe will discuss the battle fought within the Jew between the two souls.

He who never derived pleasure from this world all his life need not undergo the “Purgatory of the Grave.” However, anyone who has not attained this level must undergo this punishment to purify his body of the uncleanness received from the enjoyment of mundane pleasures.

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.

As explained in the first chapter, all evil characteristics come from the four evil elements of the animal soul, with the appetite for pleasures emanating from the element of Water,

When a humorous remark is made with this intent, the vitality of the words, which originates in kelipat nogah, is extracted from the evil of kelipat nogah and is absorbed in Sanctity.

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.

When one engages in Torah study, his surrender to G-dliness emerges to affect him on a revealed, external level, since such study entails setting aside one’s own notions and presumptions in order to understand and accept G-d’s wisdom and will as expressed in Torah. It is this surrender to G-dliness that causes the Divine Presence to rest upon the Torah student.

The precept of Torah study may be performed by reciting passages of Scripture, even if one is ignorant of their meaning. Such study, however, lacks the infinitely superior quality of comprehending Torah, namely:

This chapter aims to show how Torah study is superior to all other mitzvot; not only is one encompassed by G-d’s will when he studies the Torah, as when he performs any mitzvah, but furthermore, he “embraces” G-d by understanding His wisdom as set forth in Torah.

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.

The soul possesses three auxiliary powers, which are its instruments of expression. Like garments, they can be donned or shed at will. When the soul utilizes any of these three powers, it is “clothed” in them; when it does not use them, it is “divested” of them. Also, just as garments give expression to their wearer’s beauty and importance, so, too, when the soul dons and utilizes these “garments,” its intellect and emotion find expression.

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.

how G-d animates all of creation with an immanent divine light and life-force (just as the soul fills and gives life to every part of the body)—a life-force which clothes itself in and unifies itself with each creature and which adapts itself to the individual needs of that creature.

These seven attributes are known as the “seven days of Creation,” for it was through these seven attributes that G-d created the world. Each day’s creation came about through a particular attribute: during the first day chesed was dominant, the second day gevurah, and so on.

That the Jew is rooted in G-d’s innermost and essential being is indicated further by the designation of the Jewish people as G-d’s “children,” whose souls originate in His “thought” just as a child stems from his father’s brain,

every Jew, whether righteous or wicked, possesses two souls,

The title page written by the Alter Rebbe

As we have seen from the title page, the Alter Rebbe perceives himself as a mere compiler rather than as an author. The discussion in his preface to the Tanya is his justification in putting this compilation of advice in Avodas Hashem into a published book for the masses.

In answer to the previously posed question, the Alter Rebbe states that the Tanya is addressed to his Chasidim, with whom he has a long-standing relationship and whose specific needs for guidance are known to him from their personal audiences with him. They will therefore find the advice provided in the Tanya relevant to their individual needs.

The soul of a Jew descends into a body for a purpose—in order to fulfill a specific spiritual mission in this world. To enable him to fulfill it, a heavenly oath is administered to him that he “be righteous and not wicked” and concurrently that he regard himself as wicked and not righteous.

The emanation of light from ChaBaD of Briah and Yetzirah which is the spiritual source for the Halachic laws, such an emanation cannot in fact serve as a source of created beings. Rather, this process resembles the drop that brings about a birth. For this reason, it is possible that created beings should result even from ChaBaD of Beriah and Yetzirah.

The entire purpose of man’s creation is to make the world become nullified in G-d’s light. And this is accomplished through Torah study. A created angel is called by the Divine Name at the time that he is carrying out his mission because at that time, G-d abides within him. So, too, since G-d abides within the words of the Torah, angels can be created ex nihilo.

although it would seem that purifications (beirurim) cannot be brought about when studying these types of laws (for one only draws down supernal wisdom), yet in point of fact, purifications do come about through this Torah study. Moreover, the reason for this is not that the Torah study leads one to observe a positive commandment or to refrain from transgressing a prohibition, nor is it that by virtue of his study, he is regarded “as if” he performed the positive commandment or is rewarded for refraining from transgressing a prohibition. The study itself brings about clarification and emanation of the supernal wisdom that by mere articulation manifests in the physical spheres of this world.

In the case of a detailed requirement of a prohibitory commandment, transgression brings about (G-d forbid) a descent in all the worlds. This was the delight of King David, may he rest in peace, as he sang to gladden his heart in his Torah study during his time of anguish. He was overjoyed when he contemplated how the entire world is of no account relative to one minor specific detail of the Torah.

The Alter Rebbe will now explain that this sublime level of Torah in which G-d alone delights descends to nurture the souls of the Jewish people. For this reason, the Midrash calls the Torah uman (lit., “a craftsman”), one who skillfully nurtures a young child. A term such as “songs” relates to the merely external aspect of the Torah that relates to the world and animates it. The purpose of carrying the Ark on the shoulders was thus to connect the external aspect of man with the inwardness of the Torah.

Word had evidently reached the Alter Rebbe that the Chasidim of a certain synagogue did not permit a worshipper who would pray at length to lead the services because some individual there was pressed for time. In this letter of admonition, the Alter Rebbe writes that it is better for this person to even forgo participation in the congregational responses of Barchu and Kedushah (if it is absolutely impossible for him to remain longer) than to keep his fellow congregants from praying at length. For deliberate prayer involves life itself and, indeed, prolongs one’s life; by cutting short the prayers of others, this busy individual tampers with their very lives.The Alter Rebbe also explains that meditation during prayer with the goal of revealing the love of G-d that is concealed within the heart of every Jew constitutes an obligation explicit in the Torah—“And you shall love the L-rd your G-d….”

Tzedakah, as we shall presently appreciate, sensitizes the Jew who practices it so that the superrational degree of chochmah in his neshamah is able to light up the innermost recesses of his heart.

In continuation of yesterday's Tanya, the ALter Rebbe continues in his letter of admonition and petition for allowing the congregation to pray at a greater length, and also to use the time in between prayers for purposeful study

In the present essay, the Alter Rebbe will explain the statement of Pri Etz Chaim that nowadays, this “extraction” is mainly effected through prayer. For prayer is uniquely able to draw down an infinite degree of G-dliness; prayer alone can bring about changes within the world, healing the sick and causing rain to fall. In order for such a degree of G-dliness to be called down, there must first be an arousal initiated from below, an expression of man’s ardent desire to be the recipient of Divine benefactions. And if these benefactions are to flow from an infinitely high source, the plea that requests them must surge from a correspondingly deep source—“with all one’s might,” from the infinite depths of one’s soul.

The extraction and refinement of sparks is primarily accomplished through prayer, even though the study of Torah is loftier than prayer. For prayer involves the elevation of the sparks of Tohu to their most supreme source there and from there even higher to the Ein Sof.

The extraction and elevation of the sparks exiled in the various worlds is the ultimate purpose of creation.

The Alter Rebbe will now state that beyond the above-discussed superior quality of mitzvot requiring action (as well as the study of their laws), they are also essentially superior to the source of the soul by virtue of their source.Thus, the love and awe experienced by the soul, though spiritual in nature, pale in comparison to these mitzvot (even though they are performed with physical entities), not only because these mitzvot and the extraction of the sparks accomplished thereby are the ultimate purpose of creation, but in essence, too, they are superior to the source of the soul.

The Alter Rebbe will now point out the superior quality inherent in the very service of action-related mitzvot in comparison to intellectually generated love and awe. For the direction of the latter form of Divine service is merely elevation (haalaah), which causes a corresponding “elevation of the lights” above. The ultimate intent of creation is fulfilled not by this but by the practical commandments, for their

Practical mitzvot performed with physical objects arouse their source unto the loftiest of levels, unto the Divine Name Sag, the level that transcends the “breaking of the vessels.” This is also true with regard to studying the laws of these mitzvot; study likewise effects an elevation to this lofty level, for the study of a mitzvah is likened to its actual performance.

The loftier souls of earlier generations could accomplish beirur speedily merely by reciting the Shema with its introductory blessings and selections from the Verses of Praise. In our days, however, when such lofty souls are not to be found, the task of beirur must come about through prayer.

There is a certain aspect of Torah study that is common to both positive and negative commandments: Simply studying a subject, even if it has no practical application, binds the individual to supernal wisdom, inasmuch as this is the source from which all the detailed laws emanate.

When prayer without proper intent is elevated to the “lower heaven,” its elevation does not bring about that which prayer should effect. For in order for a prayer to have its proper effect, such as the fulfillment of its requests, there must be drawn down into this world a degree of Divine influence that transcends the world, thereby healing the sick, or providing the year’s blessings, and so on. When, however, a prayer is repelled to malchut of Asiyah, i.e., to that level from which all worldly things derive their life-force, then this level obviously cannot provide for whatever the world is lacking.However, when a properly motivated prayer reaches up to za of Asiyah, from there, an efflux can be drawn down into the world to provide whatever the world lacks, thereby fulfilling the individual’s petitions.