Quotes from the Tanya – Chapter 31
By zevi770 · February 26, 2012
CHAPTER 31
“Even if the previous chapters meditations (on ones lowness) through contemplating them an hour or two properly leads one to be saddened and sadness is from Kelipah, for in holiness there is just joy, nonetheless one should not refrain from doing them for this reasons, for the methodology to destroy the Kelipos comes from its own arsenal.”
“The handle for the axe that chops down the forest comes from itself, and our sages teach, from its own arsenal one destroys the kelipos.”
“This is the explanation of the verse, from every sadness there will be a payout – the payout is the joy which follows the sadness – as will be further explained.”
“The truth is, being sad about ones sins and ones enclothment into Kelipah is not sadness.
There are two distinct states – sadness, which causes one to be lifeless, without feeling, listless, as it were. The second is upsetness. Now upsetness is not listless, on the contrary the person is agitated over a certain state.
The state of bitterness over ones sins is not a depressed state God forbid, rather an upsetness state.
It comes from the Gevurah Dekedushah (the harsh side of holiness) and the heart contains both chessed of kedushah (namely happiness and joy as well as Gevurah Dekedushah as mentioned.”)
“When ones sees that one is prevented access from controlling their behavior (as mentioned, because the Kelipos of the animal soul and Yetzer Hara are being arrogant) this then is the time to break one’s arrogance and the methodology of harshness (namely recounting ones failings etc.) has the benefit of removing the Yetzer Haras and animal soul’s harshness (for as mentioned, you fight fire with fire.)
The appropriate time to do this, is when one sees one is in any event feeling sad (hence no need to bring on additional sadness.”)
“Through getting bitter over one’s shame, one then actually removes sadness over material concerns.”
“Now one can achieve true joy which follows the sadness.
For one should say to one’s heart “It is true that I am lower than animals and worms (for even they do not go against God’s will as mentioned) nonetheless, this is only my body and animal soul, but the Godly soul within me is pure God trapped as it is within such filth, hence I shall now through having great compassion on this prisoner, release him from his dungeon through connecting to God – returning the Godly soul back to its unity with God as it was before it entered my body.
Practically, one should pray with devotion to redeem ones soul, and subsequently do good deeds for the sake of uniting ones Godly soul with God.”
“This should then be ones constant joy through ones life, for whenever one engages in Torah study and prayer and service of God, one is redeeming one’s soul.
Can there be a greater joy than freedom.
It is exactly like a prince captured by the enemy, is forced to grind wheat while laying in a filthy dungeon – now imagine the joy he feels upon his return home to the kings palace.”
“This is the idea of Leaving Egypt, namely, that the Jews escaped from Egypt. Why did they have to escape if Pharaoh was so thoroughly humiliated that he would have had to allow them to leave? rather the idea is, the Egypt, within them.
For they had not freed their animal souls from the immorality of Egypt.
It was only at the Giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai did their internal evil depart them.
This then is the idea of Leaving Egypt, that we are escaping our animal souls, trying to flee from our own internal debasement to reunite our Godly souls to be in a consummate union with God.”
“Now one can achieve a far greater light and joy of ones soul, creating incredible Jewish happiness.
Open should contemplate, “It is not my fault that I was created with an animal soul and Yetzer Hara which trap Gods soul within such opposing tendencies of holiness, goodness and kindness.
Why did God do this? The reason is (as will be further explained in greater detail) as all descents – and this is the ultimate descent that part of God who is beyond, fills, and all the worlds are not even like a speck of dust compared to him, should enter into a lowly space – for the sake of an ascent, unreachable without the descent.
What is this ascent, it is to merge my very body and animal soul, with my Yetzer Hara, into God’s infinity.
This is done through when I think, speak, and say words of Torah and do the commandments; then as my animal soul is thinking and speaking and saying (even though it may be contrary to its desire,) this (as will be explained) merges it into Godliness.
This is what it states, that Torah returns one’s soul back to its original state.”