Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 10:1

Hello there! Welcome, welcome! I'm so excited you're here to explore some Jewish ideas with me.

Hook

Ever feel like you're trying your best to be a good person, but sometimes it feels like there's a little voice in your head, or a little tug in your gut, that pulls you in a different direction? Maybe you've been working really hard on something – a project, a relationship, a personal goal – and you’ve made some real progress. You're feeling pretty good about it, like you’ve conquered the challenges. But then, just when you think you’ve got it all figured out, a tiny bit of that old struggle pops back up. It’s not overpowering, but it’s there, making you wonder, "Am I really there yet? Or am I just almost there?" This feeling is super common, and it’s something that Jewish wisdom has thought about for a very, very long time. Today, we’re going to peek into an ancient text that talks about this exact experience. We’ll look at what it means to be on a journey of self-improvement, and how to understand those moments when we feel like we’ve won, but a tiny shadow of the past still lingers. It’s not about being perfect, it’s about understanding the path.

Context

Let's set the scene for this fascinating text. Imagine stepping back in time to understand some deep Jewish thought.

• Who wrote this? This piece comes from the Tanya, a foundational text of Chabad Chasidic philosophy, written by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi in the late 18th century. He was a brilliant scholar and mystic who wanted to make complex spiritual ideas accessible to everyone.
• When and Where? Written in Eastern Europe during a time of great intellectual and spiritual ferment, the Tanya is meant to be a guide for everyday people seeking a deeper connection to God and themselves. It’s not just for scholars in ivory towers!
• What's the Big Idea Here? The Tanya explores the inner life of a person, particularly the dynamic between our spiritual side and our more earthly desires. It’s about understanding our motivations and how we strive to live a meaningful life.
• One Key Term: The text talks about the "animal soul." This isn't a literal animal, but rather our natural, physical drives and instincts – the part of us that wants comfort, pleasure, and to satisfy immediate needs. It's the part that can sometimes lead us astray.

Text Snapshot

Here’s a little taste of what Rabbi Schneur Zalman is sharing with us. Don't worry if it feels a bit dense at first; we'll unpack it together!

"When a person fights their 'animal soul' so hard that they push away its evil, but the evil isn't totally turned into good, they are called 'incompletely righteous.' This means a part of the bad feeling is still there, but it's totally controlled by the good. They might think it's gone, but really, if it were completely gone, it would have become good. A 'completely righteous man' has gotten rid of the evil entirely, turning it into goodness. They deeply dislike worldly pleasures that come from the 'kelipah' (lower, impure forces), because they love God so much. They see these worldly things as enemies. The more you love God, the more you’ll hate and despise evil. An 'incompletely righteous' person doesn't hate evil completely, so some part of them still likes it a little. As long as that hatred isn't total, the evil hasn't fully become good, it's just hidden and ignored because it's so small."

(Based on Tanya, Part I, Likkutei Amarim 10:1)

Close Reading

Okay, let's dig into this a bit more. What can we actually do with these ideas?

Insight 1: The "Almost There" Feeling is Real and Okay

Rabbi Schneur Zalman describes two levels of "righteousness" (which, in this context, means striving to live a good, spiritual life). There's the "completely righteous" person, and the "incompletely righteous" person. The "incompletely righteous" person is the one who has fought hard, made great progress, and suppressed their negative impulses. They’ve done a fantastic job! But, the text points out, there’s still a tiny remnant of that "animal soul" – those natural, selfish desires – lurking. It’s not in charge anymore; it’s completely under the control of their good side.

This is super important for us beginners! Have you ever felt like you’ve overcome a bad habit, or learned to react better in a tough situation, but then a little flicker of the old way of thinking or acting pops up? Maybe you’re trying to be more patient, and you succeed for a whole day, but then something small happens, and you feel that old frustration rise up, even if you manage to keep it in check. This text says that’s exactly what the "incompletely righteous" person experiences. It's not a sign of failure! It's a sign that you're human and on a journey. The text suggests that if the evil were completely gone, it would have transformed into goodness. So, the fact that a tiny bit is still there, even if it’s completely powerless, means you haven't quite reached that ultimate transformation yet. And that’s perfectly fine! It means you’re engaged in the process, you’re fighting the good fight, and you’re making real progress. Don't let that tiny flicker make you feel like you’ve failed. It just means you’re still in the process of refining yourself, and that process is incredibly valuable. This insight is like a permission slip to acknowledge that progress isn't always a straight line to perfection. It's about the effort, the intention, and the ongoing engagement with our inner lives.

Insight 2: Love of God Fuels the Rejection of "Evil"

This text makes a powerful connection between our love for God and our ability to reject what it calls "evil" or the "sitra achara" (which refers to the "other side," the realm of impurity or negativity). The "completely righteous" person, the text explains, has such a profound love for God that they utterly despise and hate anything that pulls them away from that connection. They see worldly pleasures, especially those that cater only to physical appetites, as inherently negative because they originate from this "other side."

Think about it this way: if you absolutely adore someone, you’re going to naturally shy away from things or people that try to pull you away from them, right? You wouldn't want to spend time with something that makes you forget about the person you love. In this Jewish spiritual framework, the love for God is so immense and pure that it creates a natural aversion to anything that is considered impure or disconnected from the Divine. The text even uses strong language like "utmost hatred" and "utter contempt." This isn't about being angry or mean-spirited; it's about a deep, fundamental rejection of anything that hinders spiritual growth and connection.

For us, this means understanding that our spiritual journey isn't just about adding good things, but also about actively disengaging from things that detract from our connection to what we hold sacred. It’s about recognizing that sometimes, the greatest act of devotion is choosing not to engage with certain desires or distractions that pull us away from our core values and our love for the Divine. The intensity of this rejection is directly proportional to the intensity of our love. So, if you find yourself struggling to let go of something, it might be a sign to cultivate that love for what you consider sacred even more deeply. It’s not about self-punishment, but about a natural outflow of love: when you love something deeply, you naturally move away from things that are antithetical to it.

Insight 3: The Nuance of "Incompletely Righteous" – It’s All About Proportion

The text really gets into the nitty-gritty of what it means to be "incompletely righteous." It explains that the difference between the "completely righteous" and the "incompletely righteous" lies in the extent to which the "evil" has been converted into "good." For the "incompletely righteous," there's a tiny fragment of the "evil" left, but it's so small that it's rendered insignificant. The text even uses a legal analogy from Jewish law about the proportion of a non-kosher ingredient that would make food not kosher (like 1/60th).

This is a beautiful way to understand the vast spectrum of human spiritual development. It’s not a black-and-white situation where you're either perfect or you're not. There are countless shades of gray, or rather, countless shades of progress! The text says this "grade" of incompletely righteous people is "subdivided into myriads of degrees." This means there are so many ways to be "almost there," and each of those positions is still incredibly valuable.

What does this mean for us beginners? It means we shouldn't get discouraged by the presence of any lingering negative thoughts or impulses. The fact that we are even aware of them and trying to manage them is a huge step! The text suggests that this "minute evil" is accounted as "nothing" because it’s so thoroughly subjugated. This is a powerful concept: even if a tiny seed of something less desirable is still present, if it has no power, no influence, and is completely overshadowed by the good, then for all practical purposes, it's as if it's not there. This encourages us to focus on the power we give to our thoughts and impulses, rather than solely on their mere existence. If we are actively working on strengthening our "good soul," then even the faintest whisper of the "animal soul" will be drowned out. It’s a message of hope and a reminder that progress is often gradual and nuanced, with many different levels of achievement along the way.

Apply It

Here’s a tiny practice you can try this week to connect with these ideas. It won't take long, but it might offer a little insight.

Daily "Gratitude Snapshot" Practice

Goal: To cultivate a deeper appreciation for the "good" in your life and notice how it overshadows any lingering "less good."

How to do it (≤ 60 seconds per day):

1. Find a quiet moment: This could be when you first wake up, before you go to sleep, or even during a short break.
2. Think of ONE specific good thing: It doesn't have to be huge. It could be the taste of your morning coffee, a funny text message from a friend, a moment of peace, or the fact that you remembered to do this practice!
3. Briefly acknowledge the "animal soul" element (optional, if it comes up naturally): Did you almost forget? Did you feel a bit rushed? Did you initially think of something else? If these tiny bits of "incompleteness" pop up, just notice them without judgment.
4. Focus on how the good overshadows it: Now, consciously bring your attention back to the good thing. Feel the warmth, the pleasure, the peace it brings. Even if there was a tiny bit of struggle or distraction, notice how the good thing feels much more significant and powerful. It's like that tiny speck of dust on a beautiful, vast canvas – you notice it for a second, but the beauty of the canvas is overwhelming.
5. Take a deep breath and let it go: Simply appreciate the good moment.

Why this helps: This practice is designed to highlight the insights we discussed. By focusing on one good thing and noticing how it feels, you’re actively strengthening your "good soul." If any tiny "animal soul" impulses or distractions pop up (like "I'm too busy" or "This is silly"), you're practicing the "incompletely righteous" skill of acknowledging them but letting the good overshadow them, making them "accounted as nothing." It’s a micro-practice in spiritual focus and appreciation.

Chevruta Mini

Grab a friend, or just ponder these questions yourself!

Discussion Question 1

The text talks about how the "incompletely righteous" person might think they've gotten rid of the evil, but it's still there, just very small and controlled. Have you ever had a moment where you felt you’d conquered something, only to realize a tiny bit of the old habit or feeling was still lurking? How did that make you feel, and how does understanding it as a sign of being "incompletely righteous" (making progress!) change your perspective?

Discussion Question 2

The text links intense love for God with a strong rejection of worldly pleasures that pull us away. Can you think of a time when your love for something (a person, a hobby, a value) naturally made you less interested in something else that conflicted with it? How does this idea of "love fueling rejection" apply to your spiritual journey or your desire to live a more meaningful life?

Takeaway

Remember this: Progress in living a meaningful life is often about the powerful good aspects overshadowing any tiny remnants of the past, not necessarily about their complete, instantaneous disappearance.