Daily Tanya Monday 13th Teves: Chapter 11 – The Rasha Vetov Lo and Rasha Vera Lo

(LY) 18^th Teves

1.      The definition of a Rasha Vetov Lo:

• The same way there exists a Tzadik Vera Lo so too there exists a Rasha Vetov Lo, as G-d created one corresponding to the other.
• His good is nullified to his bad: The good that is found in the G-dly soul of the Rasha Vetov Lo, within his mind and right part of his heart, is subservient and nullified towards the evil that is found within the left part of his heart.
• Different levels of a Rasha: There are a myriad of levels of this type of Rasha, just as we explain regarding the Tzadik Vera Lo, which is dependent on the quantity and quality of nullification of the good towards the bad.
• A Rasha who only sins on rare occasions, with non-severe sins, in only one Levush: In one type of Rasha, his good is only slightly nullified to his bad. Furthermore, his good is not constantly in a state of nullification to his bad, and rather it is only on rare occasions that the evil within him actually overcomes his good and conquers the small city which is his body. Furthermore, even then evil does not fully conquer the body but rather only a part of it, that only some of the limbs of the body come under his control and become a chariot and garment of expression for one of the garments of evil.
• Examples of sins of this type of Rasha: For example, he sins only in action through performing light sins although not severe sins G-d forbid. Or he sins only in speech, such as to speak a light form of gossip or mockery and the like. Or he only sins in his thoughts such as through contemplating the performance of a sin which in some respect is even worse than the sin itself.
• Sexual thoughts: Even if the person does not contemplate personally performing a sin but simply contemplates sexual relations between a male and female from the world, he transgresses the warning of the Torah which obligates one to guard himself from evil [and is thus considered a Rasha].
• Bittul Torah: Even if the person does not think any forbidden thoughts but is thinking of trivial matters at a time that is auspicious for him to study Torah, it is considered a sin.
• A temporary Rasha: A person who transgresses any of the above is considered a Rasha during that time of sin, as the evil within his soul overtakes him and invests itself in his body and causes it to sin and become impure.
• Regret and Teshuvah: However, after the sin, the good within his G-dly soul retakes control of the body, and he expresses regret for his transgression and asks for forgiveness from G-d, and indeed Hashem will forgive him if he properly repents, as ordained by the sages.

2.      The Rasha who sins often:

• Sins severely and often and in all three Levushim: There is another type of Rasha whose evil overcomes him much more often than the previous type of Rasha. All three garments of evil become expressed through his body, and he transgresses more severe sins, and transgresses them more often, than the previous Rasha.
• Remorse without ability to stop sinning: Despite his frequent sinning of severe sins, even this type of Rasha feels remorse for his sins and has thoughts of regret, in between his sessions of sinning. This regret and remorse come from the good in his soul which temporarily takes control of the body in between the sessions of sinning. However, this good in his soul is not strong enough to overcome the evil, and causes him to completely separate from his sins, to confess to them and stop performing them. It was regarding this type of Rasha that the sages state that Reshaim are filled with regrets.
• The vast majority of Reshaim: This type of Rasha is the level of the vast majority of Reshaim that exist, which still contain some level of good within their soul which causes them to feel remorse and regret for their sins despite not being able to stop sinning.

3.      The remorseless Rasha-The definition of a Rasha Vera Lo:

• No remorse: [The Complete Rasha, known as] the Rasha Vera Lo is an individual who not only frequently sins severe sins as does the previous Rasha, but furthermore does not ever feel any remorse for his sins, and no thoughts of repentance ever enter into his thought process.
• No more good: The reason for why this Rasha does not feel any remorse is because the evil of his soul is the only aspect that now exists within him, as his evil has overcome his good to such an extent that it has banished the good from his body.
• Encompassing good: Nonetheless, the good that was within him does not leave him completely, but rather remains in an encompassing state over him.
• Even this Rasha draws down the Shechinah: It is for this reason that the sages state that the Divine presence resides on every forum of 10 Jews.