Daily Tanya – Chapter 25 Part 2: Asei Tov-Using one’s willingness of Mesirus Nefesh as a catalyst to serve G-d with Asei Tov (Thursday, 18th Shevat)

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  1. Asei Tov-Actively serving G-d through fulfilling the commands as a result of the inner love:
  • Above we stated that certainly if one is even able to give up his life for G-d then one is able to control his lusts, to conquer his inclination in the aspect of not doing evil. Below we will explain how this likewise applies towards the performance of positive commands and how likewise this is very easily attainable for a person to fulfill.
  • Overcoming laziness: One can use the above hidden love to help him strengthen himself like a lion with bravery and courage to fight the evil inclination which weighs itself down on the body and impresses laziness upon it. This laziness derives from the element of earth that is found in the animal soul.
  • Laziness in Torah study: The laziness prevents the body from placing effort and energy in the various toils involved in the service of G-d, such as the assiduous study of Torah and studying it in its proper depth, and verbalizing it in one’s mouth constantly so that his mouth does not stop for one moment from learning. Regarding Torah study the sages state that a person should always dedicate himself to Torah study similar to an ox who has a yoke on his neck and a donkey who is carrying a load on its back. [Hence, we see that proper Torah study involves much toil and effort of the mind and body, and the laziness of the body attempts to prevent one from doing so.]
  • Laziness in prayer: The same applies regarding prayer, that the laziness of the body attempts to prevent the person from praying with proper concentration and with literally all of his energy.
  • Stinginess in charity: Likewise, those matters of service of G-d involving money, such as the giving of charity, the laziness of the body tries to prevent the person from doing so on a level that is much more than his natural tendency of giving.
  • In addition, the evil inclination comes up with various battles and arguments to cool a person from performing a Mitzvah, such as not to give up too much of his money for charity or for the performance of another Mitzvah.
  • Health arguments: Likewise, the inclination tells the person not to exert too much energy in Mitzvahs and service of G-d in order not to ruin his health.
  • It is very easily attainable to overcome these arguments: Regarding all of these various arguments of the evil inclination which prevent a person from serving G-d properly, it is very easily attainable for a person to overcome them through contemplating the fact that to overcome the inclination in this matter, and in even more difficult matters, and to do their exact opposite, is much lighter of a suffering than the suffering of death, may G-d save us. Now, a Jew is happily willing to suffer the pains of death, may G-d save us, in order not to be separated from the unity of G-d for even one moment, such as to prostrate oneself to idolatry, heaven forbid. Certainly then a Jew should willingly accept with love the overcoming of his inclination for laziness, in order to push himself to serve G-d with all his might, in order to eternally attach to G-d.
  • Serving G-d, attaches one to Him: When a person performs the will of G-d through his Divine service, the inner and supernal will of G-d becomes revealed within him in an internal and conscious manner without any concealment at all. Now, when there is no concealment on the supernal will of G-d, then there is nothing that is separate from G-d at all, to be considered a separate entity. Accordingly, this revelation of the inner will of G-d causes the G-dly soul and animal soul and all of its garments to become completely united in the ultimate unity with the supernal will and infinite light of G-d [and there is hence no longer anything separating at all between the person and G-d, and he is no longer considered a separate entity from G-d, and has hence reached the ultimate unity with Hashem].

 

  1. The unity with G-d is eternal:
  • Although a Jew is only temporarily involved in the performance of a command, above in heaven the unity that is affected is eternal, as G-d and His supernal will is above the concept of time.
  • Likewise, the revelation of G-d’s will within His speech, which is His Torah, is also eternal. [Hence when a Jew studies Torah or does a Mitzvah he creates an eternal conscious unity with G-d. Accordingly, if one is willing to give up his life for the sake of not separating from G-d for even a moment, then certainly he should be willing to overcome his inclination in order to serve G-d and become eternally connected to Him.]

Topic

Description

Asei Tov

Actively serving G-d through fulfilling the commands as a result of the inner love

Controlling lusts

If one is able to give up life for G-d, one can conquer inclination and not do evil

Performance of positive commands

Likewise, easily attainable for a person to fulfill

Overcoming laziness

Hidden love strengthens oneself like a lion with bravery and courage to fight evil inclination and laziness

Source of laziness

Derives from the element of earth in the animal soul

Laziness in Torah study

Prevents effort in service of G-d, assiduous study, verbalizing Torah constantly

Sages’ statement

Dedicate to Torah study like an ox with a yoke and a donkey with a load

Laziness in prayer

Prevents praying with proper concentration and energy

Stinginess in charity

Laziness tries to prevent giving charity beyond natural tendency

Evil inclination arguments

Battles and arguments to cool person from performing Mitzvahs, not to give up too much money

Health arguments

Inclination tells not to exert too much energy in Mitzvahs to avoid ruining health

Overcoming arguments

Contemplate that overcoming inclination is lighter suffering than death, Jew willing to suffer death not to be separated from G-d

Serving G-d

Attaches one to Him, reveals inner and supernal will of G-d within person

Unity with G-d

G-dly soul and animal soul united with supernal will and infinite light of G-d

Eternal unity

Unity affected in heaven is eternal, G-d and His supernal will is above time

Torah and Mitzvahs

Revelation of G-d’s will within Torah is eternal, creates eternal conscious unity with G-d

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.

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