Having described in ch. 9 the ongoing battle between the divine and animal souls to capture and dominate the body, the Alter Rebbe proceeds, in ch. 10, to define the term tzaddik within the context of this struggle. He explains there that tzaddikim are classified in two general categories. The first is that of the […]
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Chapter 12 – Part 1
Video is also available – click to open In the previous chapters, the Alter Rebbe defined the terms tzaddik and rasha. The tzaddik, he explained, is one in whom the good qualities of his divine soul vanquish the evil qualities of his animal soul, to the extent of completely eradicating them. A rasha, conversely, is […]
Chapter 12 – Part 2
Video is also available – click to open אבל אחר התפלה, בהסתלקות המוחין דגדלות אין סוף ברוך הוא, הרי הרע חוזר וניעור בחלל השמאלי, ומתאוה תאוה לתאות עולם הזה ותענוגיו But this state of affairs lasts only for the duration of the spiritually-charged time of prayer. After prayer, however, when the intellect of the blessed […]
Chapter 12 – Part 3
The discussion of his mastery over his animal soul has thus far centered on matters pertaining to man’s relationship with G‑d. It now moves to another area: וכן בדברים שבין אדם לחבירו So, too, in matters “between man and his fellow-man.” The Beinoni will not grant expression in thought, speech or action to any evil […]
Chapter 13 – Part 1
וכמאמר רז״ל: הלואי שיתפלל אדם כל היום כלו as, indeed, our Sages have said,10 “Would that a man pray the whole day long!” Such a Beinoni is constantly ablaze with the love of G‑d, and consequently his desire for evil is always dormant, as explained. Therefore, the absence of any evil desires did not conclusively […]
Chapter 13 – Part 2
Until now we have been speaking of a working man who does not have the opportunity to spend all his time in Torah study and divine service. Now the discussion turns to the individual who spends all his time immersed in the study of Torah. ואף מי שבתורת ה׳ חפצו, ויהגה בה יומם ולילה לשמה […]
Chapter 13 – Part 3
וכמאמר רז״ל: הלואי שיתפלל אדם כל היום כלו as, indeed, our Sages have said,10 “Would that a man pray the whole day long!” Such a Beinoni is constantly ablaze with the love of G‑d, and consequently his desire for evil is always dormant, as explained. Therefore, the absence of any evil desires did not conclusively […]
Chapter 14 – Part 1
In previous chapters the Alter Rebbe explained that though the Beinoni is unsullied by sin in thought, speech or action, the internal evil of his animal soul remains strong enough to desire evil. That these desires do not find any practical expression is due only to the divine soul’s restraining them, with the aid given […]
Chapter 14 – Part 2
Video is also available – click to open ובזה יובן כפל לשון השבועה: תהי צדיק ואל תהי רשע Now we may understand the repetitious wording in the oath administered to every Jew before birth, “Be a tzaddik and be not a rasha” (as quoted from the Talmud in the opening words of Tanya). דלכאורה תמוה, […]
Chapter 15 – Part 1
Video is also available – click to open In the previous chapters, the Alter Rebbe discussed the difference between the tzaddik and the Beinoni. 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. […]
