Daily Tanya – Chapter 9 Part 1: The Battle between the G-dly and animal soul (Monday, 9th Teves)

Chapter 9: The Battle between the G-dly and animal soul

1.       The location of the animal soul in the body:

• The animal soul resides in the left chamber of the heart: The animal soul of every Jew which derives from Kelipas Nogah dwells in the left ventricle of the heart, which is filled with blood.
• The negative emotions found in the heart: Now, all lusts and boasting and anger and similar emotions are based in the heart.
• Emotions spread to the body and rise to the head: From the heart the emotions spread throughout the entire body. The emotions rise from the heart to the brain so one contemplates and meditates on them and come up with ideas of how to quench the desire of the emotion. This is similar to the general flow of blood from the heart into all the limbs of the body, including the head.

2.       The location of the G-dly soul in the body:

• The G-dly soul resides in the mind and right chamber of the heart: The G-dly soul resides in the brain, and from there, it extends to all the limbs of the body. Likewise, it resides in the right ventricle of the heart where there is no blood.
• The love for G-d found in the right chamber of the heart: From inside of the right chamber of the heart derives the emotion of passionate and fiery love for G-d.
• Aroused through contemplation in the brain: This love for G-d is aroused through contemplating those matters that arouse this emotion of love [and hence we see that there is a relationship between the G-dly soul that is found in the brain and the part of it that extends into the heart].
• Arousing Simcha in the heart through contemplation in the brain: Another emotion that is aroused in the heart through the contemplation in the brain is happiness and rejoicing in recognition of the beauty of G-d. This emotion of happiness and rejoicing is aroused through contemplation which leads to recognition of the glory of G-d and His greatness and infinity.
• Other emotions found in the heart as a result of the brain: Similarly, all the other holy emotions that are found in the heart originate from the ChaBaD in the brain.