Daily Tanya Monday 13th Teves: Middle of Chapter 9-The G-dly soul’s desire to control the body

10^th Teves/(LY) 13^th Teves

3.       The Battle of the two souls:

• Scripture states that the Jewish and Gentile nations will be in battle with each other. Allegorically, this refers to the G-dly soul and animal soul found in the body of the Jew which are in a constant state of battle for control of the body.
• The Mashal of a city being battled for control: The body is similar to a small city which has two kings [or political parties] which are fighting for control of the city. Each king [or political leader] desires to win control of the city and run it according to his wishes and have all of its citizens obey his rule and decrees.
• Each soul wants complete control: The same applies regarding the body of a Jew and the animal and G-dly soul. Both souls desire control over the body and all of its limbs, and hence battle each other over this control.

4.       The G-dly soul’s desire to control the body:

• The G-dly soul desires to be the sole entity controlling and directing the limbs of the body. It desires that the body follow all of its desires and instructions and be completely surrendered to it and be a chariot for the expression of its 10 soul faculties and three soul garments. It desires that the body be a chariot only for the above and that no foreign entities be given expression through the body.
• Control of the mind: Specifically, it desires that the three parts of the brain be filled only with the Chabad of the G-dly soul, and be used to contemplate the greatness of G-d in order to birth from this contemplation the emotions of fear, awe, and love of G-d.
• Control of the heart-Loving G-d with both inclinations: Through the contemplation, it desires to arouse within the heart such a fiery and passionate desire to cleave to G-d, that it reaches the point of expiry of the soul and spills from the right side of the heart where the G-dly soul is found into the left side of the heart which is the place of abode of the animal soul. As a result of this love for G-d spilling over into the animal soul’s territory, it is able to then gain control over the evil emotions of the animal soul and prevent evil lusts from the element of water which derives from Kelipas Noga. Not only does this spillover of emotion from the G-dly soul prevent these evil lusts from becoming expressed in the body, but furthermore it transforms the lust of the animal soul for physical pleasures to a lust for G-d, that even the animal soul gains a love for G-d. On this it states in scripture that we are to love G-d with both of our hearts, with both of our inclinations.