Tanya In Simple English – Chapter 6

Core Point: The Animal Soul and Her Clothing

Core Terminology:

“Kelipah” / “Sitra Achara” – The other side – that which is not aligned to the will of G-d (There are two levels of Kelipah.)

Kelipah

Now G-d created the realm of evil to be an inverted mirror of the realm of good.

The Animal Soul

Just as the G-dly soul is comprised of ten holy spheres (levels) and enclothes herself in the three holy garments (of thought, speech and action of Torah and Mitzvos) similarly the soul from “the other side” from Kelipas-Noga, which comes into the blood of a person (that gives us life and is also called the animal soul) is comprised of “ten crowns of unholiness”.

These are the seven negative emotions, which come from the four bad elements mentioned in chapter one; and the mind that gives birth to them – namely Chochmah, Binaah, and Daas, which are the source of the emotions.

(In other words, from the element of water comes the desire say for a chocolate bar – the element of fire a desire for pride…)

Mind / Emotions

(Now why would the mind be the source of emotions?) For emotions correspond to the intelligence of a person – as we see, a child desires and loves petty things – for his mind is too immature to understand anything more valuable.

Similarly, a child gets angered and vexed from small things, and will boast about petty things and likewise with the other emotions; (their lack of maturity causes them to feel strongly about things of little value.) 

And these ten impure levels – when a person contemplates in them, or speaks or does something (towards their attainment) then the thoughts in his brain, and the speech in his mouth, and the ability to act, which is in his hands, and his other limbs, are called “clothing” for the ten negative levels.

For at that time the person places themselves into them, whether in thought, speech, and action.

Animal Soul Clothing

Generally speaking this includes all the foolish worthless pursuits that people engage in, as it states in the Zohar, Parshas Bishalach, they are a “degradation of spirit (holiness).”

Similarly are all the speech and thoughts which are not for G-d and His will, and in His service (they all fall under the category of serving the other side.)

The Other Side

 For this is the explanation of the terminology, “The other side,” – in other words, a side which is not the side of holiness.

Holiness

Now the side of holiness is only that which manifests and draws down (from) the holiness of G-d.

Where G-d Is

And G-d resides only in something that is humble to Him, whether in actuality, such as the holy angels or in potential, such as every Jew below, who has the ability to be completely humble (“nullified” as if a non-independent entity) to G-d, being ready to even give one’s life for the sake of G-d (mesirus nefesh).

It is for this reason that our sages say, that even a single Jew who sits and studies Torah, the Shechina – Divine presence rests upon him etc. (so when actually doing a Mitzvah certainly G-d there is present.)

And whenever there are ten Jews, the presence of G-d is found.

The Life-force of Kelipa

However whatever is not Battel (humble) to G-d, rather is a separate identity – a self-serving ego – does not receive energy (life-force) from the holiness of G-d – which means from His inner holiness and essence, in His glory and from He Himself – rather (they) receive from the level of hind (outer level.)

The energy (life-force) descends level after level, tens of thousands levels in the descent of the spiritual worlds (through the chain of cause and effect (level to level…) and multiple and many great contractions (diminutions of this high light) to the extent, that the light and the life(force) continually descend until it can become so minute, to be able to come into a level of Galus (hidden) within the matter/entity which is separate to G-d.

And it gives life, and causes it to come into existence – matter from sheer nothingness (for matter – as explained in the second book of Tanya – always pops into existence from nothingness) thereby keeping it in existence so it shouldn’t revert back into the nothingness (and non-existence) that it was prior to its being born/created. 

This World

It is for this reason, this world and most of what is in it (which is not surrendered and used in service of G-d) is a world of kelipah and sitra achara (the other side…) And likewise for this reason, much of the circumstances (and behaviors) in this world are tough and evil (unlike holiness which is soft and loving) furthermore evil people prevail, as it is written in Eitz Chayim, Gateway 42, the end of Chapter 4.

Holy In The Mundane

This is notwithstanding the fact that within everything (there is G-d/Holiness, as for it to exist there must be at least) the ten Sefiros of the holy world of Asiyah (as is written in Eitz Chayim Gate 43.) And within the Sefiros of Asiyah are the ten Sefiros of Yetzirah. And within them, the Sefiros of Beriah, and within them the ten Sefiros of Atzilus, and within them is the infinite light of G-d.

As such the infinite light of the blessed G-d pervades all existence in this mundane world through investing itself in the ten Sefiros of the four worlds of Atzilus, Beriah, Yetzirah and Asiya (as written in Eitz Chayim Gate 47 Chapter 2, and in Sefer Gilguim Chapter 20.)  

The Source of Animal Soul’s Clothing

Now the Kelipos themselves are divided into two types.

One level under the other.

The Lower Kelipah

The lowest level is called “the three completely impure and completely evil Kelipah.”

They contain no good (compassion, humility, loyalty, love etc.) whatsoever, and are called in the vision of the “chariot” seen by Yechezkel “a stormwind” “and a great cloud” (and “a flaring fire” representing the three completely impure Kelipos.)

From these forces, come all the souls of the nations of the world (who are mean) and the sustenance of their bodies, and the soul of all the unkosher animals which are forbidden to be eaten and the sustenance of their bodies. And the source and life-force of all unkosher foods from vegetation – such as Orlah (a tree in its first three years) and a mixture of grain seeds in a vineyard (Kilayim which are forbidden) etc. (as is written in Eitz Chayim, Gateway 49 Chapter 6)

Likewise it is the source (creator) and life-force of all action, speech, and thought of all the 365 prohibitions (of the Torah) and their offshoots (derivatives) as written there in the end of Chapter 5.

{In Summary:

1. The animal soul has ten parts – seven emotional and three intellectual.
2. The desires of the animal soul derive from the four negative elements (earth, air, fire, water as discussed in chapter one.)
3. Everything surrendered to G-d – in His service is Holy (and He dwells there).
4. Anything seeking its own gratification (certainly vengeance etc.) is deriving energy from the other (bad) side.
5. This side is the source of all bad in this world.
6. Even within every (negative object) there must be – as all existence must come from G-d, Holiness, but it is sort of in exile within it.
7. When the individual will use his animal soul to indulge whether in thought speech or action in any negative behavior, then he lowers his soul (which comes from Kelipas nogah) into the wretched completely evil three kelipos.}