Tanya In Simple English – Chapters 10,11,12
September 12, 2024
Chapter 10
Core Point –The Complete and Incomplete Tzaddik Ranks
The Tzaadik
Now when a person can increase the power of his G-dly soul and overpower his animal soul to the extent that he can banish the evil from the left side of the heart, as the verse says, “You shall banish the evil from within yourself…” as the evil did not convert into pure good (namely the love for the physical to a love for G-d) this person is called “an incomplete Tzaddik, and a Tzaddik who has some bad,” meaning he has a tiny bit of bad in the left side of the heart, but it is sublimated and humbled to the good, as it is so minute. (And as it is so minute hence it doesn’t consciously appear) as such, it may appear to the individual that he has managed to completely eliminate it. But had he truly banished it, then it would have converted into (a force / desire) for good.
The Complete Tzaadik
The explanation of this is – the complete Tzaddik who has converted his evil into good, which is why he is called a “Tzaddik and good is to him” – comes about through removing the evil garments of the animal soul in entirety, which happens though being thoroughly disgusted by the pleasures of this world. In other words to take pleasure in them, as people do, merely to get a sense of pleasure for the body – but not altruistically, to serve G-d (such as enjoying food for Shabbos.) The reason he has such a despise of taking pleasure for the body, is because these pleasures stem from the kelipah and sitra-achara.
Now everything that stems from the kelipa and sitra-achara the Tzaddik Gamur has a complete loathing towards.
The reason he loathes it so much, is because he loves G-d and His holiness with “an incredible love of pleasure” as mentioned earlier.
The kelipah and sitra-achara are the opposite of the love for G-d and holiness, as it is written, “A complete hatred I have to your enemies, search and know my heart….” To the extent of how great is one’s love for G-d will be the amount of one’s hatred toward the sitrah-achara and disgust of evil; for disgust is the opposite of love, just as hate is.
The Incomplete Tzaadik
And a Tzaddik who is incomplete is one who doesn’t hate the kelipah and sitra-achara with a complete hatred, and therefore also does not have a complete loathing toward them; and if the hatred and loathing are incomplete, this is actually a sign that there remains within him somewhat of a vestige of desire and pleasure toward it, and he has not completely removed its garments. As such it hasn’t been converted to genuine good – because he has still some minor attraction to the evil (desires/pleasures). Its only that its negligible (and therefore doesn’t actually infect / effect his consciousness…) this is why he is called, “A Tzaddik and the evil is subjugated to him.”
As mentioned, this is also a sign that his love for G-d is incomplete – which is why He is called an “incomplete Tzaddik.”
Now this level subdivides into tens of thousands of levels – in terms of how minute is the quantity of evil (desire) within the Tzaddik from the four evil elements.
The vestige may be for example only 1/60th (of bad to good) 1/1000th, 1/10,000th etc. These are the many Tzaddikim in every generation as it states in the Talmud that “twelve thousand Tzaddikim stand before G-d.” However regarding the greatness of a “Tzaddik Gamur – complete Tzaddik,” Rabbi Shimoin Bar Yochai said, “I have seen “high men” and they are few etc.” This is why they are called “high men,” for they transform the evil and elevate it to holiness, as it states in Zohar in the introduction, that when Rabbi Chiya wished to elevate to the chamber of Rabbi Shimoin Bar Yochai (in heaven) he heard a heavenly voice that said, “Whomsoever of you has not transformed darkness into light, and bitterness into sweetness… may not enter etc.”
Another reason why they are called “high-men” – for even their service of G-d in keeping the Torah and fulfilling her Mitzvos, is for the sake of G-d and completely altruistic – and not in order to attach / cleave to G-d for their own sake namely to quench the thirst of their soul… that thirsts for G-d. As it states “All who are thirsty, go to water (Torah.”) And as stated elsewhere…
Rather as explained in the Tikkunim, “Who is a Chossid (in this context, a high level referring to the Tzaadik Gamur) whoever does kindness with his Master.” In other words, he is doing Torah and Mitzvos to unite G-d and His Shechina down here below, as is written in Rayeh Meheme Parshas Teitze “Like a son who loves his parents more than himself, and is willing to give his life for them to save them etc.” And as explained elsewhere.
[In fact these two reasons (why he is called a Tzaddik Gamur) actually are similar – for through the birurim / refinement of the sparks of Nogah that we elevate from below (like mist rising) which becomes Holy-Yechudim (unions) to draw down Divine flow (like rain). These are the waters of kindness (which flow into and are contained) in every Mitzva of the 248 Mitzvos, for they are all kindness and “male waters,” which means drawing down the holiness of G-d from above to below, to come into us in this world, as it states elsewhere.]
{In Summary
- The Incomplete Tzaadik has a vestige of love for evil as his love for G-d hasn’t reached the “Love of Pleasure” indicating that there is still a vestige of the animal soul’s desires.
- The unique complete Tzaadik, operating on the “Love of Pleasure” has completely removed any desire for evil (pleasures) by thoroughly hating anything stemming from the Kelipah and sitra achra (where these desires come from) which is the corollary emotion to having a complete love for G-d.
- Finally the complete Tzaadik doesn’t serve G-d for his own spiritual satisfaction rather his love – like a son willing to give his life for his father – causes him to wish to do the will of G-d (irrespective of how it makes him feel.)}
Chapter 11
Key Point – The two levels of Rasha explained
Key Terminology:
“Teshuva” – Repenting (doing what is right after feeling remorse..)
The wicked person who has good in him
G-d created the realm of evil to be the contrast of the realm of good so the “the wicked person who has good in him” is the corresponding (inverted dimension) of the “The Tzaddik who has bad in him.”
In other words, the good in his G-dly soul which is found in his mind and the right side of his heart is subservient and nullified to the bad from Kelipa located in the left side of the heart.
And this also subdivides into tens of thousands of levels – distinguished by the quantity or quality of how much the good is subjugated to the bad, G-d-forbid.
Levels
By some the subjugation of the good is actually very minimal – and even then this doesn’t consistently occur nor happen often rather only occasionally and infrequently does the evil overpower the good and conquer “the small city,” the body.
And even then, not the entire body, but just a small part.
For example to get the body to listen to her and do her will, that one of her three evil garments will take over (in thought speech or action). And even so just in in action… to do small sins (not G-d-forbid large ones.) Or just in speech… to speak something bordering on Lashon-Hara or mocking etc. Or just in thought, as our sages teach, “The thinking about sin, is actually worse than sinning (as thought is deeply connected to our soul hence it defiles our essence – such as lustful thoughts (pornography, bad images etc.) And even then he doesn’t think to do the sin, rather about the male / female copulation which goes against that prohibition of the Torah, “Protect yourself from all evil…” for thinking about it during the day… (can lead G-d-forbid to a seminal emission at night (during dreams – as we dream about our daily thoughts.))
Or perhaps it is a good time to study Torah, and one wastes time, as it states in Pirkei-Avos, “One who is up at night… but wastes their time (instead of studying – is guilty against his own soul.”)
(So these two latter cases are when the sin is only in thought but not even in speech nor action.)
Regret
Any of the above (relatively minor sins) at the time (of the sinning) one is called wicked. For the evil in the animal soul has prevailed and has entered the body, and is causing him to sin and defiling him.
However afterwards the good in his G-dly soul overpowers (the evil) and the person regrets the sin, and requests of G-d to forgive him – and of-course when doing the proper Teshuva, G-d immediately forgives (when one repents in the manner our sages educate as Rabbi Yishmoel teaches about the three types of atonement, and written about elsewhere. (Iggeret Hateshuva Chapter 1.))
A Lower Level Of Rasha
However there is another… in whom the evil overpowers him to a greater degree – in fact it occupies all three garments (of evil speech, thought and action) and causes the person to sin in serious sins, and perhaps even frequently – but between sinning the person feels remorse and thoughts of returning to G-d enter one’s mind due to the good in his soul which gains strengthens itself temporarily – its just that the good doesn’t have enough strength to overpower the evil to actually stop sinning – to actually stop doing what’s wrong.
This is why our sages teach, “The wicked are filled with remorse…” this refers to most people who fall into the category of wicked, that still have good in their souls.
The Very Rasha – Who Has No Good
However a person who is remorseless, and no thoughts for repentance come to him at all, is called “A wicked person that is all bad.”
That the evil in his animal soul is solely left in him, for it has so strengthened itself over the good to the extent that the good has left him and now it’s in the category of only hovering over him (in other words is not internal, nor effective.) And therefore our sages teach, “Whenever you have ten people – the Shechina rests (for if nothing else G-d – the Divine soul – is in a hovering state.)”
{In Summary:
There are two levels of wicked
- The Wicked person who has good so he sins only occasionally.
- This subdivides into either the person who feels remorse and repents but then the evil regains control.
- And the wicked person who can’t find the strength to change but at least feels bad.
- The lower, “The wicked person who is but bad” is one who doesn’t feel remorse as the G-dly soul has sort of been banished and is hovering above (but not internal and effective.)}
Chapter 12
Core Point – The Benoini Rank
The Benoini
The Beinoini is one who in whom the evil of the animal soul never conquers his small city (namely him – neither in his thoughts, speech nor actions.)
They do not enter the body to cause it to sin.
This means that the three “clothings” of the animal soul namely her thoughts, speech and actions emanating from the kelipa do not overpower the G-dly soul by actually entering the body to contemplate or speak or do – with any of one’s 248 limbs – anything sinful and impure G-d forbid.
Only the three garments of the G-dly soul control the body – namely the thought, speech and actions of the 613 Mitzvos of the Torah.
Furthermore, the Benioni has never sinned and will not – and he is not termed a Rasha even during one hour or moment throughout his life.
(It is explained that this doesn’t mean that he never sinned, but that the level of Teshuva – repentance and Kabbalas Oil / discipline to do what is right that he currently has places him on the level that he will never sin nor ever has (as proper Teshuva – erases all past sins.))
(If so why is such a person not considered a Tzaddik?) As the essence and identity of his G-dly soul which is the ten levels (from Chochma to Malchus) do not have sole control and dominance in the small city.
Prayer Power
Only during specific times (does the G-dly soul dominate completely) such as when he reads the Shema or Shemonah Esrei. This is a time of elevated consciousness above (in heaven) as well as below thereby attaching one’s Chabad Binah and Daas (to contemplate) the greatness of the Blessed G-d and inspiring the love – a burning love for G-d in the right side of one’s heart (which in turn causes the Benoinie to desire) to connect to G-d through fulfilling the Torah and Mitzvos with love. (For as one seeks to connect to G-d – and as explained in chapter four the ablity of this connection, is but through Torah and Mitzvos, hence this love gives rise to a burning desire to study the Torah and do the Mitzvos.)
This is the purpose of saying Shema (namely to inspire one’s love.) Saying the Shema twice daily is a Mitzvah of the Torah (hence we see how central is this twice daily inspiration to love.)
And the blessings that precede and follow the Shema (which are a Mitzvah from the Sages to say) are a preparation to do the Mitzvah of Shema as we wrote about elsewhere (how the blessings of Shema inspire a greater love for G-d…)
Now when we actually feel this love during reciting the Shema and her blessings then the evil in the left side of the heart becomes subdued and nullified to the good (love) that is emanating in the right side of the heart due to the Chochmah, Binah and Daas contemplation of the greatness of G-d (creating this love.
In other words, at this time the animal soul’s desires are humbled before the stronger love of the G-dly soul.)
After Prayer
However after praying, when the elevated consciousness of seeing the greatness of G-d departs, then the evil reasserts herself in the left side of the heart and then it desires the pleasures of this world.
It is only because it is not the sole ruler and master in the city, that it cannot express its desire into fulfilment, namely to control the limbs of the body in actual actions, speaking and thinking – in other words, to think about how to get the pleasures of this world.
(The reason the animal soul cannot dominate is because) by nature the human mind can control the heart (in other words just because my heart wants “ice-cream” doesn’t mean I need to think, speak or act on this desire – as it states in Rayeh Mehemna, Parshas Pinchus.)
Mind Over Emotions!
For so G-d has created man, that the desire (decision) of my mind can restrain and control the desire in my heart.
I can choose to not fulfil the desire of the heart, whether in action, speech or thought. In fact I can completely stop thinking about the desires of the heart – and focus in the diametrically opposite direction.
(This powerful ability of the mind to control my desires through ignoring them and focusing on something else is true of anything such as in food, what to do with free time etc.
But even) more so when we are dealing with refocusing toward holiness. As it is written, “I have seen that there is a benefit to wisdom over foolishness, like the benefit of light over darkness.”
In other words, just as light by its very nature is greater and more powerful than and controls darkness, for even a minute amount of light automatically (when lit) banishes a lot of darkness – similarly much of the foolishness of the animal soul and the sitra achra (bad side) in the left side [as our Sages say, “One doesn’t sin unless a spirit of stupidity washes them over etc.” (namely one thinks that “though I am sinning I am just as whole with G-d as before…”) is banished via the Chochmah / wisdom in the G-dly soul, whose desire is to be the sole ruler over the city, and to inhabit the whole body through her three garments as mentioned earlier. Namely the thought, speech and actions of the 613 Mitzvos of the Torah as mentioned before.
(So when you wish to do the will of G-d, G-d helps overpower the foolish wishes of the animal Soul.)
Now though this person is always controlling their thoughts, speech and actions for good… nevertheless he is not called a Tzaddik, because the strength of the light of the G-dly soul over the darkness and foolishness of the Kelipah which naturally expels her (as mentioned in the example of light above) only effects the three garments of the Kelipah (namely her thoughts, speech and actions) but not its essence and core existence. For the essence and core of the animal soul from the Kelipah in the left side, has not been banished at all from its place in the heart by the Benoini.
The Benoini After Prayer
After prayer when the burning love for G-d is not pulsating in the right side of the heart – only the innate hidden love every Divine soul naturally has in the heart, as will be explained later (but the burning love born from contemplating G-d’s greatness is not felt after prayer.)
…As such the foolishness of the fool (animal soul) can manifest in the left side – to desire all matters/pleasures of this physical world, whether permitted or prohibited G-d-forbid, as if one didn’t pray at all!
Now this person doesn’t think to actually G-d-forbid do the prohibition – rather “lesser” issues such as thinking about sins (such as the union between male and female) which is worse than sinning, can cause the person think about them (to pop into their consciousness) disturbing one from their Torah study and Avodah (service of G-d) as our Sages teach, “There are three sins everyone transgress daily… thinking about sin… not concentrating properly in prayer etc.”
However the remnant of the love generated during prayer in the mind, as well as the innate hidden fear and love for G-d in the right side of the heart overpowers and controls the evil desire ensuring that the animal soul doesn’t have power of control in the city to actually bring its desire from potential into fulfilment in the actions of the body. This is to the extent that it prevents even thinking about the evil (desire.) As soon as one is conscious that they are thinking something bad they cease to think about it.
Meaning Of Controlling Thoughts
As soon as an evil thought comes into the person’s mind they banish the thought upon realizing that this is an evil – sinful thought.
One does not choose willing to think about this thought and certainly to think about how to do it G-d forbid or even to speak about it – as one who thinks willingly about a lustful thought is a rasha at that time and the Benoinie is not considered a Rasha even one hour during his life.
Similarly regarding matters between people – as soon as one contemplates (in other words popps in) one’s mind from their heart any animosity or hatred G-d-forbid, one accepts not the thought in one’s mind willingly. In fact one does the opposite, that the mind dominates the feelings in the heart to do the opposite namely to treat his friend kindly and with great love, completely accepting the person’s shenanigans. Not getting angry God-forbid nor G-d-forbid taking revenge. Rather is “kind to those who are not…” as it states in the Zohar, “to take an example from how Yosef treated his brothers” (that though they were cruel to him he held no resentment and was exceptionally kind towards them.)
{In Summary:
A The Benoinie does not allow the evil of the animal soul’s desires penetrate thought, speech and action.
B. The Benoini has a great love for G-d inspired daily in prayer.
C. After prayer the foolishness of the fool – the animal soul’s desires (which are foolish as they are based on the premise “I can sin and remain just as connected to G-d”) begin to pulsate.
D. When these desires such as a lustful thought enter the Benoini’s mind he simply ceases to think about it (refocusing on something else.)
E. This also applies to the relationships the Benoini has, that as soon as he sees an negative thought about someone he ceases to think about it and furthermore will accept any suffering and will treat those who are evil with kindness as we find with Yosef’s treatment of his brothers.}