Daily Tanya – Chapter 14 Part 2: Understanding the swear of being a Tzadik and not a Rasha (Sunday, 22nd Teves)

Post Views: 742

*The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from  qualifying purchases.

Donate
Buy in Paperback or Kindle
Buy on Apple Books
Purchase on our website
Sign up for Daily Distribution
  1. Understanding the swear of being a Tzadik and not a Rasha:
  • Why redundancy in the oath: Based on all the above we can understand the reason for why every soul prior to its departure to this world is sworn into being a Tzadik and not being a Rasha. Seemingly, once the soul is sworn to being a Tzadik it no longer needs to be sworn to not be a Rasha.
  • Not everyone can be a Tzadik: Rather, the explanation is as follows: since not every individual merits to become a Tzadik, and a person does not have much of a freedom of choice in this matter, to receive true pleasure from G-d [in this world] and hence truly repulse evil, therefore, the souls also sworn into a second oath to at the very least not be a Rasha.
  • Everyone can abstain from being a Rasha: Every person is given the freedom of choice and power to fulfill the second part of the oath to not be a Rasha, as he is given the capability to control the lusts of his heart and to conquer his inclination, and thereby not be a Rasha for even one moment his entire life, both in the realm of avoiding evil and the realm of performing good. In this respect “good” refers to Torah study as the study of Torah corresponds to all Mitzvahs.
  1. Attempting to despise evil and abhor physical pleasures even as a Beinoni:
  • Despite the above inability for a Beinoni to truly abhor evil, nonetheless he must exert effort to achieve this on some level. Thus, he must also set aside time for coming up with advice and ideas that can help him abhor evil.
  • Abhorring one’s feeling of lust for women: For example, the sages teach us that a woman is like a barrel that is filled with feces [and her mouth is filled with blood, and hence if not due to the decree of G-d, man should truly have no lust for her]. [A person can contemplate this matter to help him diminish his lust after women and come to naturally do away with the lust.]
  • Abhorring one’s feeling of lust for tasty foods and sugary treats: Likewise, one can use the above idea of the sages to likewise diminish his lust for delicious foods and sugary treats, by telling himself that they will all become rotten feces when he is done eating them.
  • Abhorring one’s lusts for all pleasures: The above tactics can be used against all pleasures of this world to assist one in diminishing his lust after these pleasures, as the wise man sees the future that they lead to, as in the end they will become spoiled and rotten and turn into garbage [and hence what seems now as a delicious pleasure is in truth something that will become repulsive and abhorrent, and through contemplating this end result of the pleasure he can diminish his lust for this pleasure even now].
  1. Attempting to achieve a love of pleasure even as a Beinoni:
  • Not only can the Beinoni achieve a slight hatred for the physical pleasures through the above contemplations but furthermore he can actually achieve a pleasure and joy in G-d [similar to that experienced by Tzadikim] through contemplating the greatness of the infinite G-d to the best of his ability.
  • A mere fantasy that fulfills the first part of the oath to be a Tzadik: Now, although he is aware that his soul will never truly be able to reach this state of a Tzadik to truly receive pleasure from G-d in this world, and hence his pleasure love is a mere fantasy and product of his creative imagination, nonetheless he must do his part in fulfilling the first part of the vow and at least try to be a Tzadik and G-d will do as is fit in his eyes.
  1. Meriting real love, and to truly abhor evil:
  • Furthermore, in addition to the intrinsic value in trying to be like a Tzadik by trying to abhor evil and have a fantasy pleasure love for G-d, it is possible that he will indeed achieve this to some level.
  • The habit to abhor the lusts for pleasure and evil can become one’s second nature: The habit to exert control over a pleasure and lust and inclination eventually becomes a second nature for the person. Hence, when a person accustoms himself to despise evil, then he will truly despise evil at least slightly.
  • The habit to have a fantasy pleasure love for G-d can make it actually happen: Likewise, when a person accustoms himself to rejoice his soul with G-d through contemplating G-d’s greatness, then as a result of this arousal from below, the person may come an arousal from above to help him achieve this in actuality as will be explained next.
  • Being impregnated with the soul of a Tzadik to achieve true love: Perhaps G-d will send the person a high spirit from the root of a certain Tzadik which will become impregnated within him and help him achieve a service of G-d that experiences the true joy which is reserved only for Tzadikim.
  • Achieving the first part of the oath to be a Tzadik: As a result of the above, the oath that he was sworn, into becoming a Tzadik, will truly be fulfilled within him.

Section

Key Idea

Details

5. Understanding the oath of being a Tzadik and not a Rasha

Redundancy in the oath

The soul is sworn to be a Tzadik and also not a Rasha because not everyone can become a Tzadik.

 

Not everyone can be a Tzadik

Becoming a Tzadik is not fully in one’s control; hence, the second oath ensures at least avoiding being a Rasha.

 

Everyone can avoid being a Rasha

Every person has free choice to control desires and avoid evil, fulfilling the second part of the oath.

6. Attempting to despise evil and abhor physical pleasures as a Beinoni

Effort required

A Beinoni must strive to diminish lust for worldly pleasures through contemplation.

 

Example – Lust for women

Think of the sages’ analogy: a woman is like a barrel of filth, reducing desire.

 

Example – Lust for food

Contemplate that tasty food becomes waste, reducing attraction.

 

General approach

Apply similar thinking to all worldly pleasures, seeing their eventual decay.

7. Attempting to achieve love of G-d as a Beinoni

Fantasy love for G-d

Though true pleasure is reserved for Tzadikim, a Beinoni should imagine and strive for joy in G-d.

 

Purpose

This effort fulfills the first part of the oath to try to be a Tzadik.

8. Meriting real love and abhorrence of evil

Habit becomes second nature

Repeated effort to despise evil and love G-d can lead to real feelings.

 

Possible divine assistance

G-d may grant a spark from a Tzadik’s soul, enabling true joy and love.

 

Fulfillment of the oath

Through effort and divine help, the soul’s oath to be a Tzadik can be realized.

About The Author

Rabbi Yaakov Goldstein is a 6th generation descendent of the famous Chief Rabbi of Izhmir, Rav Yehoshua Avraham Krispin, who authored a number of Sefarim, and was a colleague of Rav Chaim Falagi, and father in-law of the Pesach Hadvir. He currently lives with his wife Shayna, and twelve children K”H, in Tzfas, Israel. Rabbi Goldstein received Semicha from Rabbi Schneur Zalman Labkowski of the Tomchei Temimim headquarters in 2005 and served as a chaplain in the Lotar/Kalatz and K9 unit of the IDF from years 2005-2008. He is also a certified Shochet, and has performed Hashgacha work in slaughterhouses. Rabbi Goldstein is the director of Shulchanaruchharav.com, the world’s leading web-based Halacha database, and is the director of the Home Study Semicha Program, a self-study web-based Semicha program. He is a prolific author of over 50 Sefarim studied by a wide range of readers throughout the world, which is used regularly in Semicha programs around the globe. He is a world renowned Posek, answering questions to a web-based market, and serves as a local Posek, Rav, and Lecturer, in the Tzemach Tzedek community Shul in Tzefas, Israel. His many classes can be heard both from his website, Vimeo and YouTube channel. Students can join live to classes given in the Tzemach Tzedek Shul, through the “בית חבד צפת Chabad Tsfat” YouTube channel.

Leave A Comment?

You must be logged in to post a comment.