Daily Tanya Friday 24th Teves: Begining Chapter 13-A Deeper look at the Beinoni

Chapter 13: A Deeper look at the Beinoni

(LY) 24^th Teves

1. The evil may judge but cannot rule in the Beinoni:

• Based on the teachings of the previous chapter we can better understand the teaching of our sages that the Beinoni is judged by both his good and evil inclination. In this teaching, the sages use the word judge [and state that the two inclinations judge the body] as opposed to the word control and they do not say that the two inclinations have control over the body.
• Not a Rasha for even a moment: The reason for why in a Beinoni the evil inclination can only judge, and cannot control, is because if the evil inclination takes even slight control of the small city for even one moment, then the person is already called a Rasha for that moment.

2. The “court case battle” that exists within the body of the Beinoni:

• Is like a single judge within the tribunal of judges who give a verdict contrary to his opinion: The evil inclination is likened to a single judge within a tribunal of judges who states his opinion regarding what should be the verdict in the case. Nonetheless, despite the opinion that he voices, the final verdict may not be like his opinion being that there is another judge who argues against his opinion, and a third opinion is necessary to arbitrate between them and give the final verdict, and in such a case the final verdict will follow the opinion of the third arbitrating judge.
• The opinion of Judge number one-the evil inclination: The same applies regarding the evil inclination. The evil inclination retains the right to voice his opinion within the left side of the heart. Furthermore, he has the ability to send this opinion from his heart to the mind of the Beinoni to challenge him to think about it.
• The opinion of judge number two-the G-dly soul: As soon the opinion of the evil inclination enters the mind of the Beinoni, the second judge, immediately argues against it. This second judge is the G-dly soul found in the brain and which also extends to the right part of the heart which is where the good inclination dwells.
• The third judge, which is G-d, arbitrates: The final ruling in the above debate between the two judges follows the opinion of the third judge. The third judge is G-d who gives assistance to the good inclination, as the sages state that if not for the assistance G-d gives the good inclination, a person would not be able to overcome his evil passions.

3. Understanding the advantage of the second judge over the first:

• A G-dly revelation to create the advantage of light over darkness: In greater detail, the exact assistance that G-d gives the second judge which is the G-dly soul, is that He shines His Divine light on the G-dly soul. This Divine revelation gives the G-dly soul the advantage and upper hand over the foolishness of the evil inclination and gives it the power of light over darkness.