Quotes from the Tanya – 8
By zevi770 · February 19, 2012
CHAPTER 7
“The source of the Jewish animal soul which invests in a Jews blood to give him life as well as the source for all Kosher items from animals plants minerals, as well as all Kosher thoughts, speech and actions – i.e. thoughts speech and actions that are not in violation of the 365 prohibitions of the Torah (Bible) but at the same time are not for any lofty or spiritual reason, even thoughts speech and actions that are for the maintenance of the body (i.e. work etc.) if there is no higher purpose (e.g. to give charity etc.) than these thought speech and actions are certainly no loiter than the soul from whence they emanate out of, hence most thoughts speech and actions in this world are bad, there is only a bit of goodness within them.”
“As all of the above emanate from the second category of Kelipah called Kelipas Nogah which contains some light in it as well, hence the good characteristics to be found instinctively within the Jewish people (perhaps in the tame and non-aggressive nature of the Kosher animals as well) emanates from this Kelipah as well.”)
“Kelipas Nogah, the fourth Kelipah is an intermediary between the three wholly impure Kelipas (totally bad) and holiness (totally good.”)
“As mentioned seeing that Kelipas Nogah is an intermediary between bad and holiness, hence it has the capacity to descend into the three wholly unclean kelipas or ascend into holiness.
This occurs when it is used (e.g. food) for a good purpose, such as Rava (a Talmudic scholar and teacher) would eat fattened meat and a strong wine to give his mind expansiveness (there are many things that expands one’s horizons as the Talmud states, a pretty home, pretty furnishings, and a pretty wife expands ones mind,) hence if one uses the physical for spiritual – like enjoying food for the honor of Shabbos – then the light within the Kelipahs Nogah manages to break out of the shell, and ascend into holiness.”
“Another example would be of when one would tell a joke to open ones mind and to gladden ones heart as Rava would do, that before he would teach, he would tell the Rabbis / disciples a joke, thus making them receptive to listening, and then they would begin to study (in other words, nothing that is permitted – Kosher from the Torah – cannot serve a spiritual function and when it does, the light within the darkness shoots forth and gets enveloped within the source of light – holiness.”)
“If one merely indulges in food for the sake of the pleasure derived from it, which is one of the four evil elements, namely the element of water from where instinctive pleasures are born, than the life force animating the atoms of the meat and wine for example (seeing that it is Kosher and hence from Kelipas Nogah) then they descend for a time (as will shortly be clarified) into the three wholly unclean Kelipas.”
“When one indulges in food for the sake of pleasure (see above) it is only at that moment that ones body becomes the vehicle (the garment) for the three wholly unclean Kelipas for when a person returns to spiritual pursuits, then the body returns to be a vehicle for God.”
“As the food indulged in was Kosher hence those atoms are capable of ascending back into Kelipahs Nogah where they originated from.”
“This is why Kosher food is called permitted, for they are not bound in the three wholly unclean Kelipahs, and have an ability to reascend into holiness.”
“Though they can reascend, nonetheless, as there was a pleasure instinct indulged, hence the body receives the cleansing process of Chibut Hakever (the eating of the flesh by worms which turns the love for such pleasures into repulsion.”)
“In contrast, if one indulged in non Kosher foods or relationships (having forbidden intercourse etc.) then the indulging of these three wholly unclean kelapahs cannot be elevated even when the Jew returns to spiritual pursuits for these atoms are held – tied up, by the three wholly unclean Kelipahs.”
“When the Moshiach comes, as all evil will be banished hence it is only then that such sins will be erased.”
“On the other hand, if the sin itself causes repentance; for often the very fact that a person feels entirely removed from God is what propels him to seek out God (as our sages state, that the longing of a returnee to Judaism is greater even than the loftiest Tzaddik’s yearning for God, as one felt the distance, whereas the other doesn’t) thus the three wholly unclean Kelipas actually transform into positivity / holiness.”
“Though one can always repent, nonetheless, if the sins doesn’t cause the repentance (rather one simply decided to turn over a new leaf, but the distance didn’t compel the return) then though man of course is forgiven by God, for the sin, nonetheless, only when Moshiach comes will the three wholly unclean Kalipahs in which man indulged in become annihilated.”
“Though one shouldn’t waste seed, nonetheless there is a special dispensation, namely that if one does proper Teshuvah (repentance) and concentrates mightily when saying the Shema at night – as our sages state, whoever says the Shemah at night is like one who holds a double edged sword to slay the demons – hence one can redeem the energy placed into the three wholly unclean Kelipahs in such a manner.”