Quotes from the Tanya – 11
By zevi770 · February 19, 2012
CHAPTER 10
“When a person can induce such delight in God that his animal souls desires are quashed (hence he only desires goodness kindness as per God’s wishes) such a person is called A Tzaddik Vra Lo (A Tzaddik who still contains some evil) for if all of the evil in the left ventricle were banished then it would have been transformed itself, into love for God, goodness and kindness, and as such, namely, it hasn’t been transformed, it is a proof that though the person may imagine that all the evil in him is gone, it is only squashed.”
“The Tzaddik Gamur – the complete Tzaddik, is different to the Tzaddik that has some evil, for as he has completely removed the evil desires of the animal soul, by despising all that opposes God, for that which opposes God derives (and gives) every from the Sitra Acharah, side of unholiness; so as his love for God is so consummate, and as despising the opposite of what you love (like hating the enemy of your friend) is based on the extent of ones love, hence as the complete Tzaddik’s love for God is so all consuming, his corresponding repulsion of evil has completely eliminated any desire for it, and transformed his animal soul into a Godly soul.”
“The Tzaadik who is incomplete (Tzaddik that has some evil) is one who doesn’t thoroughly despise the other side, the sitrah achrah, hence doesn’t hate the evil properly, which really indicates that he has some hidden love for these animalistic desires, for if he had no love for them they would have transformed into a love for holiness.
Hence though they may not have the strength to influence his thoughts speech and actions they cannot be considered as if they are annihilated.”
“Seeing that if his love for God was complete, the corollary despising (hating what your friend hates,) would be consummate, hence he is called an incomplete Tzaddik, relating to his incomplete love for God.”
“The level of Tzaddik Vra Loi (the incomplete Tzaddikim) is subdivided into many many levels, for there are four evil elements stemming from the animal soul, so the question arises, to what extent and which evil element has been subjugated (one to sixty, one to a thousand etc.) now there are thousands of such Tzaddikim in every generation.”
“However there are only one or two like a Tzaddik Gammur (a complete Tzaddik in a generation) as when Reb Chiyah heard when he desired to ascend to the level of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (a complete Tzaddik) “whoever has not transformed darkness into light and bitterness into sweetness, may not ascend to his level.””
“Additionally the uniqueness of the complete Tzaddik is that he serves God not out of his personal desire, hence desires to quench his yearning to unite with God, but rather like a child who is prepared to give his life for his parents, out of his great love for them, he performs Mitzvos solely for the benefit of God.”