Daily Tanya – Chapter 12 Part 3: The essence of evil in a Beinoni (Monday 16th Teves)

16^th Teves/ (LY) 22^nd Teves

3.      The essence of the Kelipa in a Beinoni remains intact:

• Not a Tzadik at all: Despite all the above advantages and control that the G-dly soul has over the animal soul in the body of the Beinoni, nevertheless, the person is not considered a Tzadik at all.
• No control over the essence of one’s evil: The reason for this is because the advantage and control that the light of the G-dly soul has over the darkness and foolishness of Kelipa, is only with regards to the three garments of expression of thought speech and action, however, the essence of the G-dly soul does not have control over the essence of the Kelipa.
• After Davening no conscious love to banish the essence of evil: The reason for this lack of control over the essence of one’s evil is because after one is finished praying, there is no longer an emotion of passionate love for G-d conscious within the right part of the heart, and hence the force which is necessary to consequently banish the essence of the animal soul that is found in the left part of the heart, is now missing.
• A subconscious love remains: Despite the above lack of a conscious love after prayer, a subconscious and hidden love still remains in the heart, which is the natural love contained within the G-dly soul.
• The after-Davening experience of lusts for physical pleasures: Accordingly, due to the lack of conscious love for G-d after one is done praying, the foolishness of evil is able to consciously express itself within the left part of the heart, and begin lusting after all the various physical pleasures of this world, whether these pleasures are permitted or forbidden according to Jewish law.
• As if he is not prayed at all: In this regard, it is as if one has not prayed at all [as the prayer has zero lasting effect on one’s feelings of passion and desire for physical pleasures].
• Does not contemplate actually sinning: Nonetheless, due to his status as a Beinoni, he never contemplates actually transgressing a prohibition heaven forbid.
• Suffers from thoughts of sin which disturb his service of G-d: Nonetheless, despite his status as a Beinoni, he suffers from thoughts of sin that enter into his head. These thoughts of sin are even worse than actual sins in a certain regard. These thoughts are able to enter into his head and disturb his Torah study and service of G-d. This follows through with the teaching of the sages that there exist three sins from which no man is safe and suffers from daily, and one of them is sinful thoughts as well as a sinful form of prayer [which is prayer without proper concentration].