This chapter is the scariest perhaps in all the Tanya. Here the Rebbe states explicitly (what Chaza"l have stated elsewhere in the Talmud) that anyone who sins, in the midst of that sin is considered a total Rasha, evildoer.
We don't like to think of ourselves as downright evil, so it definitely comes as a surprise to know that sometimes that's how he might classify us. It makes sense though, when he explains the dynamics in terms of the control of the small town (the body) whenever we sin we are essentially handing over control of the town to our yetzer hara, or making our body a dwelling place for unholiness.
Just like eating something that is contaminated with botulism or the like will make a person sick, if only temporarily, so too going against the will of God literally contaminates our body, if only temporarily.
The good news is that when we do Teshuvah from a place of honesty HaShem immediately accepts it and forgives us. Every time, no matter how often, as long as we really and truly mean it.
The important point that shouldn't be overlooked, once we see how low the bar has fallen casting seemingly everyone in the role of rasha, is that just as involvement in an aveirah makes us temporarily a total villain, involvement in a mitzwah renders us a pure tzaddik [of the moment.]
Tanya: Chapter 10
The last chapter ended with the comparison of the Yetzer Hara to the Prostitute hired by the King to tempt the Prince in order to reward the Prince for his resistance to her overtures. [Referenced in the Zohar]
This chapter ends with the comparison of a son selflessly serving his father and mother. It's interesting that the Baal HaTanya chose to end these chapters with illustrative stories, even brief ones. In both situations the person is represented by the son. In both situations the everyone else's actions are beyond reproach. The only question is how the son behaves.
This is our goal here in this world: to correct our behavior. It's easy to fall into the belief that our actions are acceptable and the actions of others are problematic. This the Baal HaTanya hints at in this perek, is a clear message that you aren't yet a Tzaddik Gamur. (a complete Tzaddik who has totally rooted out the evil in his heart) As long as you haven't become entirely pure (and this includes especially finding fault in others) you still bear evil somewhere deep in your heart.
Even though the plain meaning at the end of the perek is that the two variations on the bnei Aliyah are intrinsically related, my initial understanding was different and I believe there is room to understand it in this way:
Only once a person has completed their path to true tzidkut can they really help the world at large. First master yourself and then you will truly be able to help others. Until such time, all help you provide to others is of a limited nature. It is still a mitzwah to help others nonetheless. Just be aware that you are doing more for yourself by helping them than you are for them.
To this end we see from the Baal HaTanya here that when our hearts are truly full of love of HaShem we will naturally hate evil. The more we hate evil, the more we love HaShem. To me it seems the safer path is to focus on the side of love and let the side of hatred grow as a result of that love. The other way, to work on hating evil in order that we might grow to love HaShem is frought with too many pitfalls. I believe this is why the Rebbe here focuses on the relationship from the side of love, and mentions the hate mainly as a result or a symptom of that love.
This chapter ends with the comparison of a son selflessly serving his father and mother. It's interesting that the Baal HaTanya chose to end these chapters with illustrative stories, even brief ones. In both situations the person is represented by the son. In both situations the everyone else's actions are beyond reproach. The only question is how the son behaves.
This is our goal here in this world: to correct our behavior. It's easy to fall into the belief that our actions are acceptable and the actions of others are problematic. This the Baal HaTanya hints at in this perek, is a clear message that you aren't yet a Tzaddik Gamur. (a complete Tzaddik who has totally rooted out the evil in his heart) As long as you haven't become entirely pure (and this includes especially finding fault in others) you still bear evil somewhere deep in your heart.
Even though the plain meaning at the end of the perek is that the two variations on the bnei Aliyah are intrinsically related, my initial understanding was different and I believe there is room to understand it in this way:
ושניהם עולים בקנה אחד. כי על ידי הבירורים שמבררים מנוגה מעלים מיין נוקבין ונעשים יחודים עליונים להוריד מיין דכורין שהם הם מימי החסדים שבכל מצוה ומצוה מרמ״ח מצות עשה, שכולן הן בחינת חסדים ומיין דכורין דהיינו המשכת קדושת אלקותו יתברך מלמעלה למטה להתלבש בתחתונים, כמו שכתוב במקום אחרThe two of them are intimately connected: The Tzaddik who is not complete raises up Mayin Nukvin through his yearning to better himself and rise up to HaShem, and the Tzaddik who is complete, the Bnei Aliyah bring down the Mayin Duchrin to provide for the world's needs.
Only once a person has completed their path to true tzidkut can they really help the world at large. First master yourself and then you will truly be able to help others. Until such time, all help you provide to others is of a limited nature. It is still a mitzwah to help others nonetheless. Just be aware that you are doing more for yourself by helping them than you are for them.
To this end we see from the Baal HaTanya here that when our hearts are truly full of love of HaShem we will naturally hate evil. The more we hate evil, the more we love HaShem. To me it seems the safer path is to focus on the side of love and let the side of hatred grow as a result of that love. The other way, to work on hating evil in order that we might grow to love HaShem is frought with too many pitfalls. I believe this is why the Rebbe here focuses on the relationship from the side of love, and mentions the hate mainly as a result or a symptom of that love.
Tanya: Chapter 9
First a technical point:
There is an apparent scientific incongruity I find in this chapter that bears explaining: the Baal HaTanya states that the left chamber of the heart contains blood whereas the right does not. Clearly this is scienifically false. Unless his definition of blood is different than our modern understanding of blood. What is different about the 'blood' in the left chamber of the heart compared to he right chamber? The blood in the left chamber is oxygenated, the blood in the right chamber is not.
Interesting coincidence perhaps, but what proof is there that the Baal HaTanya might be suggesting something like this? The Zohar discusses something conspicuously similar: From the moment a baby is exposed to the air of the world, it receives a yetzer hara, the Zohar explains.
So, while being far from conclusive, this Zohar at the very least provides reasonable support for our interpretation.
Now to the meat of the chapter:
There is an apparent scientific incongruity I find in this chapter that bears explaining: the Baal HaTanya states that the left chamber of the heart contains blood whereas the right does not. Clearly this is scienifically false. Unless his definition of blood is different than our modern understanding of blood. What is different about the 'blood' in the left chamber of the heart compared to he right chamber? The blood in the left chamber is oxygenated, the blood in the right chamber is not.
Interesting coincidence perhaps, but what proof is there that the Baal HaTanya might be suggesting something like this? The Zohar discusses something conspicuously similar: From the moment a baby is exposed to the air of the world, it receives a yetzer hara, the Zohar explains.
So, while being far from conclusive, this Zohar at the very least provides reasonable support for our interpretation.
Now to the meat of the chapter:
What comes out of this chapter, if you look at the big picture is this: The major organ from which "drives" originate is the Heart. The Yetzer Hara, or the Animal Soul (nefesh haBehami) is rooted in the heart. What this means is that when our Animal Soul wants something, we feel a drive towards that thing, be it food, money, people, anything. On the other hand, our Godly Soul or our Yetzer Tov is rooted in the intellect. When our Godly Soul wants something, we know it is the right thing to do, but we don't feel driven to do it.
This is very heady. It implies that in order to give our Godly Soul mastery over our Animal Soul, WE have to make ourselves want it, WE have to supply the drive. To me it seems there are two major reasons HaShem created us this way: 1) The Animal Soul comes with a built-in drive for self-preservation purposes. Everything the Animal Soul wants are things we need. The difference is we need to learn to moderate this need and use it for the purposes of Holiness - Kadesh et Atzmecha b'mutar Lcha - Use what is permitted as a means to sanctify yourself [not for personal gratification.] 2) Our reward and relationship with HaShem needs to be based on our voluntary participation. Without free will to choose life how can we be rewarded for choosing it? HaShem says He places both life and death before us, and then He commands us to choose life. The fact that we submit to His Will is what makes us worthy to receive life. If we don't submit, we still receive our needs, our Animal Soul still drives us to pursue (against our will) what we need, but we don't really live. It's not us in the driver's seat living life unless we choose.
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