Quotes from the Tanya – Chapters 35, 36
By zevi770 · February 27, 2012
CHAPTER 35
“Understanding better that it is very easy for a Jew to keep all of Torah and Mitzvos, in practice (the word, in practice, is the direct translation of the original and is the emphasis of this chapter.)
Additionally to console the Bennoinie who must constantly fight the negative of his animal soul and the disturbing thoughts he gets, not being able to banish the animal soul.
By way of introduction:
In the Zohar it teaches that man is like a wick, God is like a flame, and good deeds are like the oil that bind the flame to the wick.
Why good deeds specifically?
Even a great Tzaddik whose fear and awe, love and reverence, for God are complete, still does not match his fear love, awe and reverence, as they would be, as his soul was in heaven.
Hence, why should the soul come into a body where at best it is second best?
The answer is (as will be later explained in greater detail) the soul needs no rectification, rather the ultimate purpose is the rectification of the animal soul and the body.
For ultimately, the complete bond with God is in that which is subservient to him, and even the greatest love for God, includes the “I” that loves.
On the other hand, when a Jew down below studies Torah and particularly performs the physical Mitvahs, including the speech of Torah study and prayer then he is imbibing God into the very animal soul which though it may be contrary to its desires, nonetheless acquiesces and is a participant (for the Godly soul cannot manage, master, direct the body without the intermediary of the animal soul.)
When this occurs, God’s shechinah, indwelling (unifying,) manifests in the very lowest realm, the significance of which shall be further explained in the next chapters.”
CHAPTER 36
“The well know reason for God creating the world, is as our sages teach “God desires to dwell in the lowest space.””
“There is no concept of higher and lower space when it comes to God for God fills all space.”
“The explanation of the apparent anomaly (see two quotes above) is that God has never changed from before creation to after creation for in his terms he always occupied (and is always occupying) all spaces, but relative to the created beings there is a difference.”
“The idea of the chain of decent of God’s light which is the source for all living things is the idea of Tzimtzumim namely that as the light descends lower its further hidden from the recipients hence the verse “no man (nor angel) can see me (my light) and live.”
The lowest space of this descent is this world, where God’s light is completely concealed to the extent of people being able to deny God altogether.”
“The ultimate desire of God is not the loftier spiritual worlds (there are four loftier spiritual levels in ascending order above us) and the reason for this is simple, that relative to the essence of God which they do not perceive rather only a ray of his infinite light hence one cannot say that God would create a universe for the sake of putting in light, which is nothing compared to his essence (that would be like building a home underground, to live in it with light if you can live in a well lit place above ground.)”
“Rather God’s desire is specifically for our lowest space.
This desire cannot be intellectually comprehended, rather so arose in his will to shine with his complete light through the subjugation of the kelipos (the service of the Benoinie) and the subsequent transformation of the space of darkness – our world run by kelipos and the other side – obviously accomplished when man suppresses his animal soul in favor of God, Torah and Mitzvos.”
“The ability to be able to be within the infinity of God which shall be physically revealed (that all is God) once Moshiach comes, as it states “the body will no longer conceal God” (so the God within the material will be revealed) is through the cloak of Torah which will shield the individual from nullifying himself out of existence.
(In other words, a ray of light within the sun, is sun; it is not a separate part of the sun, so when Moshiach will come, through the infinity of God will manifest, nonetheless God through the Torah we studied in exile will allow us to still remain ourselves.”)
“It is well known that the messianic days and particularly after the resurrection of the dead (which will occur forty years later) are the ultimate purpose and perfection for which reason the world was originally created.”
“This somewhat already occurred at the giving of the Torah, for our sages state, the people saw the voice, they were able to look in every direction and see the voice of God emanating (i.e. seeing how God is everywhere.”)
“In contrast to the giving of the Torah when the Jewish people were not able to withstand this great revelation as it states, each time God spoke their souls departed, and God resurrected them through the dew of resurrection, which is the power of Torah – which will shield people in the future, in order to be able to withstand this intense infinity of God being revealed, and yet remain themselves.
Not only will the Jewish people benefit from this revelation intended for them, but the entire world will be bathed in God’s infinite being as it states, the nations of the world will go in your light.
People will hide (presumably the bad people) in crevices to shield themselves from the light.
The entire world will serve God as one.”