Tanya Chapter 13

Chapter 13 Tanya

By Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi

Saturday January 23, 2021

Present: Rabbi Potash, Schecter

Translated with Commentary by Rabbi Gedalia Potash and William Schecter, MD

This draft has been neither edited nor approved by Rabbi Potash

In the Chapter 12, the Elter Rebbe defined Beinoni (the Average Person) as a person in whom the evil of the animal soul never attains enough power to conquer the “small city” (a synonym for the body, which is likened to a small city which the divine and animal soul both wish to dominate). The Elter Rebbe begins the chapter by saying “From this it will be understood, “this” referring to the G-dly and Animal Souls which he refers to as the Good and Evil Inclinations (יצר הטוב ויצר הרע) and continues with a reference to the Talmud the Beinonim will be judged by their good and evil inclinations (Brachot 61:a:2). The Elter Rebbe then supports this contention by quoting King David: “because He stands at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those who would condemn him”. Rabbi Potash commented that “the needy person” referred to is the Beinoni. (Psalm 109). The Elter Rebbe now says “The Talmud doesn’t say that both the G-dly and Animal Souls govern the body, G-d forbid, because if the Evil Inclination were to rule the body for even a moment, that person would be called evil (רשע). As the Elter Rebbe said in Chapter 12, in the Beinoni, the Evil Inclination never conquers the Good Inclination. Rather, The Evil Inclination is only, by way of example, like a judge who expresses an opinion on a point of law. Even though this opinion has been expressed, that doesn’t mean that the case will be so decided. Why? Because there is another judge (the Good Inclination) which will dispute the opinion of the Evil Inclination, and the decision will go according to the opinion of the One who decides (referring to G-d). Comment by Dr. Schecter: Although the Elter Rebbe is using the word judge, it seems to be that the analogy is more like two lawyers arguing their case rather than two judges, unless we are referring to a disagreement between a lower court and a higher court after an appeal.

The Elter Rebbe now goes on to explain his understanding of the process. The Evil Inclination states its opinion in the left side of the heart. From there it ascends to the brain where the opinion is considered. Immediately the second judge (the Good Inclination) disputes the opinion of the Evil Inclination. This Good Inclination spreads to the right side of the heart where it dwells. And the decision is made by the arbitrator (G-d) who always assists the Good Inclination. To support this last statement, the Elter Rebbe quotes the Talmud “If it were not for the Holy One Blessed be He Who assists him with the Good Inclination, the Beinoni would not be able to overcome the Evil Inclination” (Sukkah 52:b) This assistance is the glow of the Divine Light which shines upon the G-dly Soul granting It supremacy and control over the stupidity of the fool and the Evil Inclination similar to the supremacy of light over darkness as referred to above (discussed in previous chapters).

Since the evil in the left side of the Beinoni’s heart is part of his nature, says the Elter Rebbe, he lusts after the pleasures of this world. The evil is not nullified or banished from its place (in the left side of the heart) but it does not govern or control the rest of the organs of the body because “G-d stands to the right of the needy person, namely the Beinoni (Psalm 109), assists him and enlightens his G-dly Soul. Therefore, he is called like an evil person. To clarify this important point, the Elter Rebbe quotes the Talmud “Even if the entire world tells you are Tsadik (a righteous person), you should consider yourself a Resha (an Evil Person)” (Nidah 30:b). Not really a Resha, says the Elter Rebbe, but he should strengthen himself as a Beinoni and never believe that the evil within him has been completely eliminated, for this is a spiritual level achieved only by a Tsadik, but rather he should consider that the essence of evil still has supremacy in the left side of his heart and has not been expunged. On the contrary, the evil will have been strengthened even further with the passage of time by eating, drinking (for pleasure) and pursuit of the affairs of the world. Even if a person is involved in Torah study day and night, this is no proof that the evil in the left side of his heart has been eliminated. Rather, it is possible that the essence of evil retains its supremacy in the left side of the heart but its garments, namely the thought, speech and action of the animal soul, have not invested the brain, mouth, hands and remainder of the bodily organs, because of G-d, Who gave control and governance to the brain over the heart. Therefore, the G-dly Soul in the brain rules the body and its all of its organs which will be invested in the three garments, Thought, Speech and Action, through the 613 commandments of the Torah.

The Elter Rebbe now qualifies the above statement. He says: But the essence of the G-dly Soul does not control the essence of the Animal Soul in the Beinoni except during the moments of revelation in his heart of his love for G-d which occur at certain regulated times such as prayer. Even at this time, there is not complete preponderance of Good over Evil. To make this point, the Elter Rebbe quotes a passage from Genesis discussing the struggle between Esau and Jacob in utero. “Two nations are in your womb, two separate peoples shall issue from your body; One people shall be mightier than the other, And the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23). When one rises (prevails) the other falls (submits) and the reverse such that when the G-dly Soul contends with and prevails over the Animal Soul at the source of its strength it achieves the Understanding to contemplate the Greatness of the Eternal G-d and gives birth to a powerful love, like the flames of a fire in the right side of his heart. Then the Sitra Achra (the Animal Soul) is subdued in the left side of the heart. But this subjugation is incomplete in the Beinoni, as opposed to the Tsadik where it is completely eliminated. To support this point, the Elter Rebbe again quotes Psalm 109: “For I am poor and needy and my heart is an empty void within me”. That is, the Tsadik is disgusted by evil, not only within himself but wherever he finds it. On the other hand, the Beinoni, by way of example, is like a sleeping man who is able to return and awaken from his sleep. What does this mean? The evil in the Beinoni’s (left side of the) heart is asleep during the recitation of the Sh’ma and the Amida (the 19 prayers that are central to the service) when the heart of the Beinoni, is on fire, can return and awaken upon completion of the prayers. Therefore, Rava¹ considered himself a Beinoni even though he never ceased from studying Torah² as Torah was his passionate desire both day and night. His heart yearned for G-d with a great love during the recitation of the Sh’ma and the Amidah. Therefore, he considered himself as a Beinoni that simply prayed all day long. The Elter Rebbe now quotes the Rabbi Yochanan in the Talmud “Would that a person pray all day long” (Brachot 21:a). And here the measure of this love uttered by the Beinoni during prayer by way of the triumph of the G-dly Soul, etc. cannot be compared to the spiritual level of the Tsadik who serves G-d in truth. Therefore, this attribute of love (that of the Beinoni) is not called True Service because this level of love passes upon completion of the prayers. The Elter Rebbe now quotes Proverbs 12:19 to emphasize the distinction between a Tsadkik and a Beinoni: “Truthful speech abides forever, A lying tongue for but a moment.” Nevertheless, regarding the spiritual level of the Beinoni, this level of love is called a truly perfect service for each Beinoni according to his particular spiritual level. This is the reason that the love expressed in the prayer of the Beinoni is also called “Truthful Speech abides forever” (Proverbs 12:19) because the strength of the G-dly Soul of the Beinoni returns and awakens forever by overcoming (the Animal Soul) during the times of prayer each day through the appropriate preparation of each Soul according to its particular level of spirituality. Here the measure of truth is called the measure of Jacob. Now the Elter Rebbe has a problem. He has to explain how it is possible that there are different levels of truth. A complete truth for the Tsadik and a myriad of truths corresponding to the myriad of spiritual levels of the Beinoni. He does so by quoting a passage from Exodus which describes the construction of the Mishkan (the Tabernacle which contained the Holy Ark which was moved from place to place during the 40-year sojourn of the Children of Israel in the desert). The sides of the Tabernacle were constructed of wooden planks which were held together by crossbars passing through holes drilled in the wooden planks. The Elter Rebbe quotes: “The full-length crossbar at the wall’s mid height must be inserted into holes drilled through the planks, from one end of the Tabernacle to the other”. (Exodus 26:28) The Elter Rebbe now explains the analogy. From the highest spiritual level through all the intermediate levels to the lowest. In each and every level there is a mid-point which is the point of its unique truth for that particular plank. So, are there multiple truths and is everything relative? The Elter Rebbe explains: The measure of truth “is a limitless inheritance” (Shabbat 118: a) It has no limit at its greatest heights. And all the intermediate levels below are as nothing compared to the supernal truth (as is known to all those who know Kabbalah). In other words, the attributes of the head and brain of a lower spiritual level are below the legs and heels of a higher spiritual level. We can conclude that while the “truth” of the prayer and service to G-d of Beinoni is real, it can’t compare to the truth of a Tsadik because the Tsadik’s truth is constant whereas the Beinoni’s truth is ephemeral. The Elter Rebbe concludes by quoting the Talmud: “The feet of the Chayyot are above all others (the lower Angels)”³ (Hagigah13:Pa) I believe the Elter Rebbe quoted this passage to emphasize the various spiritual gradations and levels. This concludes our consideration of Chapter 13 of the Tanya.

1. Rava (רבא) (c 280-353 CE) was a fourth century CE Rabbi living in Babylonia under Persian rule. He was known to be a great Torah scholar and eventually became head of the Talmudic Academy at Pumbedita (now called Falujah, Iraq). He was known for his disputes with Abaye, a contemporary scholar. Most of the rulings in Jewish Law (Halacha) follow the opinion of Rava.
2. 2.The Elter Rebbe uses the Aramaic phrase Delo Pasik Pumayah MiGirsah דלא פסיק פומיה מגירסא which loosely means he never stopped speaking words of Torah throughout the day. I have included this phrase in the footnotes because it is a well-known quotation which originally referred to King David (Shabat 30:b)
3. Chayyot are the highest order of Angels in the Kabbalisic cosmology based on the vision of Ezekiel. They are referred to throughout the Prophets and the Talmud. Maimonides in his Mishneh Torah (c 1187 CE) lists the hierarchy of angels as follows (source Wikipedia)