Daily Tanya Shabbos 11th Teves: Chapter 10 Part 1 – Tzadik Vetov Lo and Tzadik Vera Lo Tzadikim

Chapter 10: Definition of Tzadik Vetov Lo and Vera Lo

1.       Definition of a Tzadik Vera Lo-Incomplete Tzadik:

• As stated in the previous chapter, the G-dly soul desires complete control over the body and banish and transform the animal soul and its evil inclination into good. Based on the level of success that the G-dly soul has in his above mission is dependent the different levels of a complete and incomplete Tzadik.
• Banishes evil from his body: When a person has his G-dly soul successfully battle and overcome his animal soul to the point that he banishes the evil that is found in his left part of the heart, then he is defined as a Tzadik.
• Does not transform evil to good: Nonetheless, if the above said individual does not transform his evil into actual good, then he is considered an incomplete Tzadik and a Tzadik who still contains some evil [i.e. Tzadik Vera Lo].
• Still contains a little bit of evil in his heart: The reason that he is considered a Tzadik who still contains some evil is because he in truth has not fully banished all of the evil from the left side of his heart, and a remnant of evil still remains there. The proof for this is the fact that not all of his evil was transformed into good, and if indeed he was successful in banishing all of the evil from his heart then it would turn into actual good.
• The evil is nullified and not expressed: Due to the small size of this remaining evil, it exists in a state of subservience and nullification towards the good that is in the heart [and hence does not find any expression within the person]. It is also for this reason that the person may feel that he has completely banished the evil from his body, being that it has no expression and is not felt by the person in any which way.

2.       Definition of a Tzadik Vetov Lo-Complete Tzadik:

• Banishes all the evil from his body and transforms all of it to good: When a person successfully has his G-dly soul battle and overcome his animal soul to the point that he banishes all the evil that is found in his left part of the heart and transforms all of his evil to good, then he is defined as a complete Tzadik, and a Tzadik who has only good [i.e. Tzadik Vetov Lo].
• Abhors evil to the fullest and despises physical pleasure: The only way to accomplish the above to banish all the evil from the body and transform all of it to good is to remove all of the filthy garments of the evil. This means that one develops an utter disgust for the pleasures of the physical world. Particularly, this means that one utterly despises using the pleasures of the physical world for the sole sake of fulfilling his physical lusts cravings and bodily urges, without any purpose of serving G-d. The reason that he despises this so much is because the physical pleasures derive and are drawn from the side of evil, and anything that comes from the side of evil the complete Tzadik hates with an absolute hatred.
• Is a result of his love for G-d: The reason that the complete Tzadik hates evil so much is due to his great and immense love that he has for G-d and for His holiness in which he experiences a great love of pleasure [i.e. Ahava Raba and Ahava Betaanugim] as explained in the previous chapter.
• One’s hatred and disgust of evil is dependent on the intensity of his love for G-d: Holiness and evil are two exact opposites. Accordingly, the intensity of one’s hatred and disgust for evil is dependent on the intensity of one’s love for G-d and the more he loves G-d the more he hates and abhors evil. The reason for this is because the emotion of hate and disgust is the exact opposite of the emotion of love.

3.       The spiritual deficiencies of the incomplete Tzadik:

• Based on the above definition of a complete Tzadik, we can now understand a little deeper the spiritual deficiencies found in the incomplete Tzadik.
• Does not completely hate or despise evil: The incomplete Tzadik does not hate the side of evil to the utmost extreme and it is for this reason that he also does not utterly abhor evil.
• Retains some desire for physical pleasure: The fact that the incomplete Tzadik does not completely hate and despise evil, serves as a sign that he still retains some love and pleasure for matters of the physical world, and he has not fully removed the filthy garments that the evil within him uses, to the fullest without leaving any remnant.
• Does not transform all of his evil to good: It is likewise for this reason that not all of the evil that is in the heart of the incomplete Tzadik is transformed to actual good, being that he still has a grasp on the filthy garments of evil.
• The evil is not felt by the Tzadik-Vera Lo: Nonetheless, as stated earlier, this evil that remains finds no expression being that it is completely nullified due to its minority state and is as if it does not exist. It is for this reason that he is called a Tzadik “Vera Lo/that the evil is his”, as the evil within him is in truth subservient and nullified to him.
• Does not love G-d to the fullest-Eino Gamur: Being that the incomplete Tzadik still retains some evil within him, it is understood that his love for G-d is also not complete and is yet to reach its fullest potential. It is for this reason that this Tzadik is referred to by the term “an incomplete Tzadik”, being that his love for G-d is not complete.