Daily Tanya Sunday 19th Teves: Chapter 13 Part 2 – A Deeper look at the Beinoni

Post Views: 65

*The article below is an excerpt from the above Sefer

*As an Amazon Associate I earn from  qualifying purchases.

Donate
Buy in Paperback or Kindle
Buy on Apple Books
Purchase on our website
Sign up for Daily Distribution
  1. The deceiving state of a Beinoni who learns Torah all day:
  • Feels like he no longer contains evil: Even a Beinoni who spends all of his days and nights in the study of Torah for the sake of heaven, this alone is not a proof at all that his evil has been pushed away from its location in the heart.
  • In truth the evil exists subconsciously without expression: In truth, it could be that the essence of the evil has remained in its full strength in the left side of the heart, and it is just that this evil does not find expression within the three garments of the animal soul, which is thought, speech, and action. This means that evil is not expressed in one’s mind or verbalized with one’s mouth or performed with one’s hands or the other limbs of the body.
  • Why it is not expressed-Mind over heart: Now, this lack of expression of the evil is only due to the fact that G-d gave the mind control over the heart, and it is for this reason that the G-dly soul, which is in the mind, rules over the small city, which consists of all the limbs of the body. The G-dly soul maintains control over all the limbs making sure that they only be a garment and chariot for the three garments of the G-dly soul which is the thought speech and action of the 613 commands.
  • The essence of the good has no control over the essence of evil with exception to times of prayer: The above, however, is only control over the expression of the evil, however the essence of the G-dly soul has zero control over the essence of the animal soul in a Beinoni with exception to the auspicious times when one’s love for G-d is consciously revealed in his heart, such as during times of prayer and the like.
  1. The control over the evil during prayer:
  • Even during prayer, evil is not nullified but just controlled: Even during the times of prayer, the good only has control over the essence of the evil and has not destroyed or nullified it.
  • Like two kingdoms at war: This is similar to two kingdoms which battle each other, in which when one kingdom rises the other one falls, although since the other kingdom still exists, when it rises again then the other one falls.
  • How the G-dly soul takes control of the essence of evil during prayer: During the times of prayer, the G-dly soul intensifies its battle against the animal soul by getting a jolt of energy from the source of severities, which is the attribute of Binah. When the G-dly soul contemplates the greatness of the infinite G-d and arouses from this contemplation a passionate and fiery love for G-d in the right side of the heart, this causes the side of evil that is found in the left side of the heart to be taken under its control. However, this evil by a Beinoni is not completely nullified at all.
  1. The state of evil within a Tzadik:
  • It is only by Tzadikim of whom it states that “his heart is empty within him”, that evil ceases to exist, and as a result he despises evil and hates it, either with the ultimate hate and abhorrence [in a complete Tzadik], or with a limited hate and abhorrence [in an incomplete Tzadik].
  1. By a Beinoni the evil is dormant and asleep and could wake up at any moment:
  • The evil within a Beinoni [even during times of passionate love during prayer] is similar to a sleeping person which is able to return and wake up from his sleep, as in truth this evil that is within the Beinoni is simply sleeping in the left side of the heart during times of Shema and prayer when his heart is aflame with the love of G-d, although afterwards it is able to be reawakened.
  1. Even a true Tzadik can be fooled to think he is really a Beinoni:
  • The mistake of Raba to consider himself a Beinoni: Based on the above clarification, we can understand why the famous Sage Raba considered himself to be merely on the level of a Beinoni. This is despite the fact that he did not stop speaking words of Torah and studied Torah day and night, and furthermore studied this Torah with intense and passionate desire to attach to G-d with great love, just as is experienced during the Shema and prayer.
  • Even one who experiences constant passion and love for G-d may still be a Beinoni who contains evil: The reason why Raba was deceived is because he simply viewed himself similar to a Beinoni who spends his entire day in prayer [with passionate love for G-d], as the sages state “if only one would pray throughout the entire day.” [Thus, from here we see that not only can one who controls his conscious expression of evil, still contain the essence of evil within them, but furthermore even one who constantly controls the essence of evil through experiencing love for G-d on a constant basis without stop, he too may still contain evil within him, and simply be like a Beinoni who is praying throughout the day, hence having his evil be in a state of sleep, but with the potential of eventually waking up.]

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.

Leave A Comment?

You must be logged in to post a comment.