Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 1:1

Hook

Ever feel like you’re walking a tightrope between being a good person and… well, not so good? Like, you try your best, but sometimes your inner critic is way louder than your inner cheerleader? Or maybe you’ve heard people talk about being "righteous" or "wicked" and wondered, "Where do I fit in all of this?" It’s a super common feeling, and honestly, it can be a little confusing! We’re bombarded with messages about success, failure, and who we “should” be. Sometimes it feels like there’s a secret handbook to being a good person, and we just didn’t get the memo. But what if I told you that Judaism has been thinking about this for thousands of years, and the answer isn’t as complicated as you might think? What if there’s a way to understand ourselves better, not by striving for some impossible perfection, but by understanding the different parts of ourselves? Today, we’re going to peek into a foundational Jewish text that tackles this very question head-on. It’s going to help us make sense of those internal tugs-of-war and offer a more nuanced, and dare I say, kinder way of looking at our own spiritual journey. Get ready to explore a concept that might just change how you see yourself and everyone around you!

Context

This ancient text comes from a really important Jewish book called Tanya. Let’s break down what that means and where we are:

• Who wrote it? The Tanya was written by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, a deeply wise and influential rabbi who lived in Eastern Europe in the late 1700s and early 1800s. He wanted to make complex spiritual ideas accessible to everyone.
• When and Where? This was written during a time when Jewish communities were navigating significant social and intellectual changes. Rabbi Schneur Zalman’s goal was to provide a spiritual compass for ordinary people, not just scholars.
• Where does this specific piece come from? This is the very beginning of the Tanya, the first chapter. Think of it as the introduction, setting the stage for everything that follows. It’s like the first sentence of a really good story that makes you immediately want to know more.
• One Key Term: The text introduces a concept called Benoni (pronounced beh-NON-ee). In plain English, this means an "intermediate" or "in-between" person. It’s someone who isn't perfectly righteous or completely wicked, but somewhere in the middle. This is a really important idea for understanding ourselves!

Text Snapshot

Here’s a peek at what the text says, in simple terms:

"It’s been said that before we’re even born, we’re given a kind of warning, like an oath: 'Try your best to be good, and don't be bad. Even if everyone tells you you're great, in your own heart, think of yourself as still needing to improve.'

This sounds a bit confusing, right? Because another teaching says, 'Don't think of yourself as bad!' And if you think you're bad, you might get sad and not be able to serve God with joy. But if you don't worry about it, you might become careless.

The text then explains there are different kinds of people: the truly righteous who are doing great, the righteous who still struggle, the wicked who seem to be doing well, the wicked who struggle, and then there’s this ‘Benoni,’ the in-between person.

It gets really interesting because the text discusses how these different people are judged, and even a great sage like Rabbah once said, 'I think I’m a Benoni.' His student was shocked, saying that if even Rabbah is just ‘in-between,’ then nobody else can be considered truly righteous!

The main idea here is that understanding these different levels, especially the 'Benoni,' is key to understanding ourselves and our relationship with God. It’s not as simple as just counting good deeds versus bad deeds."

Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 1:1

Close Reading

Okay, let’s dive a little deeper into this amazing opening of the Tanya. It’s packed with ideas, but we’re going to pull out a few gems that are super practical for us as beginners.

### Insight 1: The "Oath" – A Call for Humility, Not Self-Condemnation

The text starts with a fascinating idea: a kind of "oath" given to us before birth. It says, "Be righteous and be not wicked; and even if the whole world tells you that you are righteous, in your own eyes regard yourself as if you were wicked."

Now, at first glance, this sounds harsh, right? Like, "Oh great, I have to always think I'm terrible, even when I'm doing well?" This is where the text immediately addresses a potential misunderstanding. It contrasts this with another teaching: "And be not wicked in your own estimation." So, we have two seemingly opposite ideas!

What’s going on here? The key is in the purpose of these teachings. The "oath" to regard yourself as if "wicked" isn't about self-flagellation or feeling like a failure. It's a profound call for humility and continuous striving. Think about it: if you achieve something good, and you truly believe you're already perfect, what motivation do you have to keep growing? You might get complacent. This teaching is saying, "Hey, there’s always room to get better, to learn more, to be more compassionate, to connect more deeply." It’s about maintaining a healthy sense of self-awareness and recognizing that our journey is ongoing. It’s like a coach telling an athlete who just won a championship, "Great job, but let's focus on what we can do better for the next game." It's not diminishing the win; it's about future growth.

The text also points out a danger: if we only focus on this "always improve" idea without balancing it, we might get depressed. And yes, feeling perpetually down makes it hard to do anything, let alone connect with the Divine. So, the "regard yourself as if wicked" is a specific type of internal checking mechanism, not a general state of self-loathing. It’s about looking at your actions and motivations with a critical, yet hopeful, eye, always seeking to align them more closely with what’s good and right. It’s a spiritual “tune-up,” not a “car is totaled” assessment. It encourages us to be honest about our shortcomings without letting them define us. It’s a nudge, not a shove, towards constant, positive evolution.

### Insight 2: Introducing the "Benoni" – You're Probably Not Alone!

This is where things get really interesting for us as beginners. The text introduces categories of people: the righteous and the wicked, and then, crucially, the Benoni. The word Benoni itself means "intermediate" or "in-between."

Why is this so important? Because the text goes on to explain that even great spiritual leaders, like the sage Rabbah, identified themselves as Benoni. His student’s reaction (“Master, you do not make it possible for anyone to live!”) highlights just how high the bar for being a "perfect tzaddik" (righteous person) is perceived to be. If even Rabbah, who was incredibly dedicated to learning Torah, considered himself Benoni, it suggests that the category of tzaddik is exceptionally rare and perhaps not what we typically imagine.

This introduces a much more realistic and accessible framework for understanding ourselves. Instead of a binary of "good" or "bad," we have this middle ground. What does being a Benoni mean practically? The text grapples with this. It dismisses the idea that it’s simply about having an equal number of good and bad deeds. That's too simplistic and doesn't account for the depth of our spiritual lives or the complexities of human action.

The deeper meaning, as the text elaborates, points to the internal struggle. A Benoni is someone who has not yet eradicated their evil inclination entirely. They still grapple with desires and impulses that pull them away from their highest good. However, crucially, they are not defined by these inclinations. They are actively engaged in the struggle, and their good inclination is not completely subservient to the evil one.

This concept is incredibly liberating for beginners. It means that if you sometimes struggle with procrastination, or a quick temper, or a desire for gossip, you are not automatically "wicked." You are likely in the vast and normal category of Benoni. The text encourages us to understand this internal dynamic, not as a sign of failure, but as the very arena where our spiritual growth happens. It's in this space of Benoni that we have the opportunity to learn, to choose, and to grow. It shifts the focus from achieving a static state of perfection to engaging in the dynamic process of becoming. It validates the reality of human imperfection and offers a path forward.

### Insight 3: The Two Souls – Understanding Our Inner World

This is perhaps the most profound insight in this opening section, and it’s a game-changer for understanding ourselves. The text explains that within every Jew, there are actually two souls. Yes, you read that right! It’s a concept that helps explain the inner conflicts we all experience.

• Soul 1: The "Animal" Soul (from Kelipah): This soul is connected to our physical body and our instincts. It’s the source of our drives, our desires, our emotions – both the positive ones like love and compassion, and the challenging ones like anger, pride, and jealousy. The text explains this soul comes from a spiritual realm called kelipah, which can be translated as "shell" or "husk." It’s the part of us that connects us to the physical world and its impulses. Importantly, for those of us who are Jewish, this soul comes from a specific type of kelipah called kelipat nogah, which also contains sparks of good. This is why even our "selfish" desires can sometimes lead to actions that have positive outcomes, or why we can feel empathy and love. It’s the "tree of knowledge of good and evil" within us.

• Soul 2: The "Divine" Soul (from Neshamah): This is the higher, spiritual soul that connects us to God. It’s the source of our higher aspirations, our desire for holiness, our capacity for selfless love, and our intuition for what is truly good and right. This soul is a "spark of God," as it’s often described. It’s what yearns for connection, for meaning, and for spiritual growth.

The text emphasizes that the struggle between these two souls is fundamental to the human experience. The "animal" soul, with its drives and instincts, is essential for our survival and for experiencing the physical world. But it’s the Divine soul that gives us our unique spiritual purpose.

This understanding of two souls is incredibly helpful because it externalizes, in a way, the internal conflict. Instead of thinking, "I am a bad person because I felt angry," we can reframe it as, "My animal soul had an impulse for anger, but my Divine soul wants me to respond with patience." This doesn't excuse the anger, but it helps us understand its source and empowers us to choose a different response. It means that the "wickedness" or the "struggle" we feel isn't necessarily our core identity; it's a battleground. The Benoni is the person actively engaged in this battle, not letting the animal soul completely dominate, but also not yet having fully transcended its influence. This insight offers a framework for self-compassion and strategic spiritual effort. We’re not fighting against ourselves; we’re learning to navigate the different parts of our inner world.

Apply It

Here’s a super simple practice you can try this week, inspired by the idea of understanding our inner selves and striving to be better. It takes less than a minute a day!

Your "Inner Dialogue Check-in" Practice:

1. Choose a specific moment each day: This could be when you wake up, before you go to sleep, or during a quiet moment like drinking your morning coffee or tea.
2. Take one deep breath.
3. Ask yourself (silently or out loud): "What's one small thing I can do today (or did today) that aligns with my better self, my Divine soul?"
   • This could be as simple as offering a genuine smile to someone, holding back a critical thought, listening attentively to a friend, or taking a moment to appreciate something beautiful.
   • Or, if you're reflecting on the day, "What was one moment I felt that inner pull towards something good?"
4. Acknowledge it: Silently nod or mentally say "thank you" for that moment or intention.

Why this works: This practice is inspired by the idea of the Benoni and the two souls. It’s not about judging yourself or striving for perfection. It's about gently noticing the positive inclinations within you, the whispers of your Divine soul. By consciously acknowledging these moments, you’re strengthening them. You’re training your awareness to see the good that’s already present, even amidst struggles. It’s like watering a tiny sprout of goodness each day, helping it grow. It’s a tiny act of self-awareness that builds over time, encouraging you to live more intentionally and with greater self-compassion. You're not trying to be a perfect tzaddik overnight, but gently cultivating the goodness that’s already within you, acknowledging the Benoni reality with kindness.

Chevruta Mini

Let’s imagine you’re discussing this with a friend (your chevruta!). Here are a couple of friendly questions to get your conversation going:

1. The text talks about the idea of always thinking of yourself as needing to improve, even when you're doing well. What are your initial thoughts on that? Does it feel motivating, or does it feel a bit overwhelming? How might you balance that idea with not getting depressed?
2. We learned about the "Benoni" – the in-between person. If you had to describe what being a Benoni feels like in your own life, what would you say? Are there times you recognize that inner struggle between different desires or impulses?

Takeaway

Remember this: Understanding the different parts of ourselves, especially the ongoing journey of the "Benoni," offers a path of compassion and continuous growth.