ולפי שפגם הברית בהוצאת זרע לבטלה Since the violation of the covenant through wasteful emission, ואין צריך לומר בעריות, או שאר איסורי ביאה דאורייתא או דרבנן to say nothing of incestuous relations, or other unions prohibited by the Torah or the Sages (כי חמורים דברי סופרים וכו’) (12 for13 “the words i.e. the prohibitions of […]

The theme of the previous chapter was teshuvah ila’ah and how it finds expression in the “cleaving of spirit to Spirit” — through Torah study, tzedakah and acts of lovingkindness. והנה תשובה עילאה זו, דאתדבקותא דרוחא ברוחא על ידי תורה וגמילות חסדים This higher level of teshuvah, the cleaving of spirit to Spirit through the […]

בלי שום ספק וספק ספיקא בעולם [The worshiper offers supplications such as the above] without the faintest vestige of doubt. וכמו שאנו מברכין בכל תפלת שמונה עשרה: תיכף שמבקשים סלח לנו כו’, ברוך אתה ה’ חנון המרבה לסלוח For this reason, in every Shemoneh Esreh, the moment we plead, “Pardon us ……,” [we conclude,] “Blessed […]

Now if mere mortals are also expected to forgive instantly, what kind of praise is it that we offer the Infinite One in Shemoneh Esreh (the Amidah) by ascribing a like attribute to Him? This is the question that the Alter Rebbe now anticipates: ומה שמשבחים ומברכים את ה’: חנון המרבה לסלוח, המרבה דייקא As […]

ומה שכתוב: וחטאתי נגדי תמיד As to the verse that says,20 “My sin is always before me,” אין המכוון להיות תמיד עצב נבזה, חס ושלום this does not imply that one ought to be constantly melancholy and humiliated, G‑d forbid, דהא כתיב בתריה: תשמיעני ששון ושמחה וגו’ for later verses declare, 21 “Let me hear […]

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 one in whom the evil qualities of his […]

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 Ein Sof is no longer in a state […]

The Alter Rebbe explained in the previous chapter that although a penitent should always remember his past sins, his recollection should not lead to a state of ongoing depression or shame; such an attitude would cripple the cardinal principle of serving G‑d with joy. Rather, he should recall his past misdeeds “from afar” — only […]

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, כי מאחר שמשביעים אותו: תהי צדיק, למה צריכים […]

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. The Beinoni therefore finds evil desirable, and it […]