The most striking idea emphasized in this chapter is the contrast between the nature of Hochmah and the Klipah. The nature (figuratively) of the Soul is to lose itself in HaShem's infinitude. The nature of the Klipah is to want its own individuality, always begging for anything it can get.
The startling thing to me is how far the Klipah strays from its goals. For example, the Neshamah, who wants nothing more than to cease to be within HaShem's all-encompassing light, lacks for nothing. Whereas the Klipah, who desires nothing more than independence is forever without, forever thirsting after something, anything.
Tanya: Chapter 18
According to the Baal HaTanya, one of the defining characteristics of a Jew is the fundamental willingness to die for the sake of Heaven.
This chapter is his introduction to this particular point, if I'm not mistaken it is his Hidush, his original idea. (A side note: The difference between a Hidush and an original idea is that a Hidush is actually based on texts that came before it, yet it clarifies those texts in a way no one has managed to do before.)
The first thing this teaches us is that while we know that everything in existence is derivative of God in one way or another, there is an inner intimacy found within the Jewish soul that is more revealed than anywhere else. Revealed, but only from within. Within the soul there is a light of Godliness that is not so revealed anywhere else, but from the outside, it is utterly hidden. It is only with this understanding that the intimacy expressed in Tehillim by David HaMelech begins to come to light.
From the first chapter we saw that if this Jewish soul is absent from non-Jews, it must be something very removed from this worldly existence because there is no scientifically observable difference between Jews and gentiles. It seems to me that here we can start to understand how subtle and intimate the Jewish soul is, such that there is no way to communicate a measurable difference in this world. Only when a Jew opts to leave this world rather than deny the existence and oneness of God, only then can you determine that there was in fact a Jewish soul in there somewhere.
[as a small aside I wonder at the special number given to this chapter, 18, חי - life. If it was placed davka here to hint at the root of a Jewish life.]
This chapter is his introduction to this particular point, if I'm not mistaken it is his Hidush, his original idea. (A side note: The difference between a Hidush and an original idea is that a Hidush is actually based on texts that came before it, yet it clarifies those texts in a way no one has managed to do before.)
The first thing this teaches us is that while we know that everything in existence is derivative of God in one way or another, there is an inner intimacy found within the Jewish soul that is more revealed than anywhere else. Revealed, but only from within. Within the soul there is a light of Godliness that is not so revealed anywhere else, but from the outside, it is utterly hidden. It is only with this understanding that the intimacy expressed in Tehillim by David HaMelech begins to come to light.
From the first chapter we saw that if this Jewish soul is absent from non-Jews, it must be something very removed from this worldly existence because there is no scientifically observable difference between Jews and gentiles. It seems to me that here we can start to understand how subtle and intimate the Jewish soul is, such that there is no way to communicate a measurable difference in this world. Only when a Jew opts to leave this world rather than deny the existence and oneness of God, only then can you determine that there was in fact a Jewish soul in there somewhere.
[as a small aside I wonder at the special number given to this chapter, 18, חי - life. If it was placed davka here to hint at the root of a Jewish life.]
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