Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 10:1

The Big Question

Welcome to our exploration of Judaism 101, where we delve into the foundational ideas that shape Jewish thought and practice. Today, we're embarking on a fascinating journey into the heart of spiritual development, guided by a profound text from the Tanya, specifically Likkutei Amarim, Part I, Chapter 10. This chapter grapples with a question that has resonated through the ages: How do we truly become "good"? Is it enough to simply suppress our negative impulses, or is there a deeper transformation required?

Think about your own life. We all encounter moments where we know we should do one thing, but another, less noble inclination pulls us in a different direction. Perhaps it's resisting the urge to gossip, or pushing past the desire for instant gratification to focus on a long-term goal. We all strive to be better people, to act with integrity and kindness. But what does that truly mean in the context of our inner lives?

The Tanya, a foundational work of Chassidic philosophy, offers a nuanced perspective. It doesn't just tell us to be good; it explores the very nature of goodness and the stages one might go through in achieving it. It introduces us to different levels of spiritual attainment, distinguishing between those who manage to control their negative impulses and those who undergo a more profound inner change. This distinction is crucial because it speaks to the depth of our commitment to living a life aligned with divine values.

This chapter poses a fundamental question that lies at the core of ethical and spiritual growth: What is the difference between merely controlling our less desirable traits and truly transforming them? And what does this difference mean for our relationship with ourselves, with others, and with the Divine? As we delve into this text, we'll discover that true righteousness, according to the Tanya, is not just about outward behavior, but about an inner alchemy that converts the very essence of what might seem base into something holy. This journey of understanding can illuminate our own paths toward a more meaningful and purposeful life.

One Core Concept

The central concept we will explore today is the transformation of evil into good. The Tanya distinguishes between two primary states of spiritual development: the "incompletely righteous" (tzadik v'ra lo), who have suppressed their evil inclination but not eradicated it, and the "completely righteous" (tzadik v'tov lo), who have not only suppressed but also converted their evil inclination into goodness. This conversion is not merely behavioral change but a deep inner metamorphosis.

Breaking It Down

The Tanya's exploration of righteousness in this chapter is intricate and deeply psychological, drawing on Kabbalistic concepts to describe the inner landscape of the human soul. It presents a tiered understanding of spiritual achievement, moving from a state of basic ethical control to a profound inner transformation. Let's break down these concepts and their implications.

The Nature of the Soul: Divine and Animal

At the heart of the Tanya's philosophy is the concept of the dual nature of the human soul. We are understood to possess two primary soul-“animals”:

### The Divine Soul (Elokah)

This is the spark of divinity within us, the part that yearns for holiness, for connection with the Divine, and for selfless action. It is inherently good and inclined towards spiritual pursuits.

### The Animal Soul (Behemah)

This is the life force that animates our physical body. It is the source of our basic drives, desires, and instincts – hunger, thirst, procreation, self-preservation, and also the inclination towards ego, pride, anger, and lust. The animal soul itself is not inherently evil, but it can be a vessel for evil inclinations (yetzer hara) if not properly directed and refined. The text refers to the "left part" of the soul as the domain of the animal soul, which is where the "evil" resides.

The Struggle: Fortifying and Waging War

The journey of spiritual growth, as described in the Tanya, is fundamentally a battle. We are called to "fortify our divine soul" and "wage war against our animal soul." This isn't a passive process; it requires active effort, discipline, and a conscious commitment to align our actions with our higher spiritual aspirations.

### The "Incompletely Righteous" (Tzadik V'ra Lo)

This is the first level of spiritual success described in the text. It refers to a person who has engaged in this spiritual warfare and has managed to subdue their animal soul to a significant degree.

• Expelling and Eradicating Evil: The text states that such a person "fortifies his divine soul and wages war against his animal soul to such an extent that he expels and eradicates its evil from the left part." This means they have actively fought against their negative impulses and have successfully pushed them out of their conscious awareness and control.
• Subjugation, Not Conversion: However, the crucial distinction is that "the evil is not actually converted to goodness." While the negative impulses are no longer in control, a remnant, a "fragment of wickedness," still lingers in the "left part" of the soul.
• The Illusion of Complete Victory: This person might "imagine that he has driven it out and it has quite disappeared." Because the evil is no longer actively influencing their behavior, it can feel like it's gone entirely.
• "A Righteous Man Who Suffers": The term "tzadik v'ra lo" is translated as "a righteous man who suffers." This suffering doesn't necessarily imply overt hardship, but rather an internal struggle or a sense that something is still not fully whole. It can also refer to the fact that even in their righteousness, they are still aware of the potential for evil and the ongoing need for vigilance.
• The Nature of Subjugated Evil: The remaining evil is "subjugated and nullified by the good, because of the former’s minuteness." It's like a tiny speck of dirt that has been washed away by a flood of clean water. It's present, but its influence is negligible.
• The "Filthy Garments": The text uses the powerful metaphor of "filthy garments" to represent the evil inclinations and the pleasures derived from them. The incompletely righteous have shed most of these garments, but a few threads might still cling.

### The "Completely Righteous" (Tzadik V'tov Lo)

This represents a higher level of spiritual attainment, where the internal transformation is far more profound.

• Conversion of Evil to Goodness: The hallmark of the completely righteous is that "had all the evil in him entirely departed and disappeared, it would have been converted into actual goodness." This is the key difference: the negative is not just removed; it is transformed.
• "A Righteous Man Who Prospers": This individual is called "tzadik v'tov lo," a "righteous man who prospers" or "possessing (only) good." This prosperity stems from the complete integration of their being into goodness.
• Utter Contempt for Evil: The completely righteous person "utterly despises the pleasures of this world" that are derived from the "filthy garments of evil." This contempt is not a cultivated emotion but a natural consequence of their deep love for God.
• The Source of Evil: Kelipah and Sitra Achara: The text identifies the origin of these worldly pleasures as coming from the "kelipah" (husks or shells, representing forces of impurity and separation from God) and the "sitra achara" (the "other side," the realm of impurity and evil). The completely righteous man hates these with an "absolute hatred."
• Love of God as the Driving Force: This absolute hatred of evil is directly proportional to the "great love of G–d and of His holiness with profuse affection and delight and superlative devotion." The more one loves God, the more abhorrent the forces that separate them from God become.
• Antithetical Relationship: The text emphasizes that the forces of evil and the forces of holiness are "antithetical one to the other." There can be no compromise or partial embrace of evil if one is truly devoted to God.
• The Psalmist's Plea: The quote from Psalms 139:22-23, "I hate them with the utmost hatred; I regard them as my own enemies. Search me, [L–rd,] and know my heart…," beautifully illustrates this absolute hatred and the desire for complete purification.

The Mechanism of Conversion: Love and Hatred as Catalysts

The Tanya explains that the process of converting evil to good is driven by the interplay of love for God and hatred of evil.

• Abundance of Love, Abundance of Hatred: "According to the abundance of the love toward G–d, so is the extent of the hatred toward the sitra achara and the utter contempt of evil." This highlights the dynamic relationship between these two forces.
• Contempt as the Opposite of Love: The text further clarifies that "contempt is as much the opposite of real love as is hatred." This suggests that a complete rejection of evil is a vital component of genuine love for God.
• The Incompletely Righteous and Imperfect Love: Because the incompletely righteous "does not hate the sitra achara with an absolute hatred," they do not "absolutely abhor evil." Consequently, "there must remain some vestige of love and pleasure in it." The "fouled garments have not entirely and absolutely been shed."
• Evil Remains, Though Nullified: This means that while the evil is not actively influencing their behavior, it hasn't been entirely transmuted. It still has "some hold in the filthy garments," but it is "nullified because of its minute quantity and is accounted as nothing."
• Imperfect Love of God: As a result, their "love of G–d is also not perfect, with the result that he is called 'incompletely righteous.'" Their love, while genuine, is not yet absolute.

Gradations and Degrees of Righteousness

The Tanya acknowledges that spiritual attainment is not a binary state but exists on a spectrum with countless variations.

• Subdivisions of the Incompletely Righteous: The "incompletely righteous" grade is "subdivided into myriads of degrees." These degrees depend on:
  • The Quality of Remaining Evil: The specific nature of the residual evil and its "four evil elements" (referring to deeper Kabbalistic classifications).
  • Proportionate Abnegation: The degree to which the remaining evil is suppressed or negated due to its smallness.
• Numerical Analogies: The text uses the analogy of halachic (Jewish legal) principles regarding mixtures. Just as a non-kosher ingredient might be considered insignificant if it's less than a certain proportion (e.g., 1/60th), so too is the remaining evil in the incompletely righteous "accounted as nothing" when it's minuscule.
• The Abundance of Righteous Men: This explains why there are "numerous righteous men who are to be found in every generation." The Gemara mentions "Eighteen thousand righteous men stand before the Holy One, blessed is He," a symbolic number representing a vast multitude, each at their own level of attainment within the "incompletely righteous" category.

The "Superior Men" (Beneh Aliyah)

The Tanya then introduces an even higher echelon, the "superior men," or "beneh aliyah" (literally, "men of ascent").

• Few in Number: Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, a towering figure in Jewish mysticism, observed, "I have seen superior men (benei aliyah), and their numbers are few…." This signifies a rare level of spiritual achievement.
• Converting Darkness to Light: Their title signifies their ability to "convert evil and make it ascend to holiness." They don't just suppress evil; they actively transform it.
• The Zohar's Description: The Zohar describes this process with a powerful image: a voice asks those wishing to ascend to a heavenly shrine, "Which of you, before coming here, has converted darkness into light and bitter taste into sweetness?" This highlights the transformative nature of their service.
• Altruistic Service for the Sake of Above: A further explanation of "superior men" is that their service of God is not motivated by personal spiritual need ("quenching the thirst of their [own] soul") but is "for the sake of the Above." Their primary aim is to elevate the Divine presence in the world.
• Uniting the Divine Presence: This altruistic service is described as "conducting oneself with benevolence toward his Creator—toward His nest, uniting the Holy One, blessed is He, and His Shechinah within those who dwell in the nethermost worlds." Their actions aim to bring divine unity and presence into the lowest realms.
• Sacrifice and Redemption: The Raaya Mehemna compares their devotion to "a son who ingratiates himself with his father and mother, whom he loves more than his own body and soul…and is prepared to sacrifice his own life for them, to redeem them…." This illustrates the depth of their selfless love and commitment.
• Refinement of Nogah: The text explains that this elevation is achieved through "acts of refinement of the good out of the nogah." Nogah is a Kabbalistic term for a spectrum of spiritual energy that is neither purely holy nor purely impure, but has the potential to be elevated. By refining the good within nogah, they elevate the "feminine waters" (acts of kindness and benevolence rising from man to God).
• Supernal Unions and Masculine Waters: This, in turn, causes "supernal unions" that bring down the "masculine waters" (Divine influence and grace flowing from God to man). These waters are the "flow of holiness of His G–dliness" that is distributed through the commandments.

In essence, the Tanya presents a dynamic model of spiritual growth. It acknowledges the struggle against our lower inclinations and celebrates the achievement of suppressing them. But it elevates the ideal to a level of profound inner transformation, where even the remnants of negativity are transmuted into holiness, driven by an absolute love for God and a desire to elevate the Divine presence in the world.

How We Live This

Understanding these profound concepts from the Tanya can feel abstract, but they offer a rich framework for how we can approach our own spiritual and ethical lives. This isn't about achieving an unattainable ideal overnight, but about understanding the direction of our efforts and the nuances of our inner journey.

### Embracing the Struggle: The Everyday Battle

The first step is to recognize that the "warfare" between our divine and animal souls is a constant, ongoing process.

• Mindfulness of Our Inclinations: We don't need to be Kabbalists to recognize when our "animal soul" is urging us towards something that compromises our values. It could be the urge to procrastinate on an important task, to say something hurtful in anger, or to indulge in excess.
• Conscious Choice: The Tanya's concept of "fortifying the divine soul" means actively choosing to listen to our better angels, to our higher aspirations. This involves making conscious decisions to act in accordance with our values, even when it's difficult.
• Small Victories: For most of us, we are likely in the category of the "incompletely righteous." This means celebrating the moments when we successfully resist an impulse, when we choose kindness over anger, or when we prioritize responsibility over immediate gratification. These are not insignificant victories; they are the building blocks of a righteous life.

### The Danger of Complacency: Beyond Mere Suppression

The Tanya's warning about the "incompletely righteous" is a crucial one. It's easy to feel like we've "won" the battle when we've merely suppressed a negative tendency.

• Self-Deception: We might convince ourselves that a particular desire or trait is gone when it's merely dormant. The text cautions us against imagining that we've "driven it out and it has quite disappeared" when it's still a "fragment" lurking beneath the surface.
• The Importance of Self-Reflection: This calls for ongoing self-reflection. Are we truly free from a negative tendency, or are we just managing it? True freedom comes from transformation, not just suppression.
• The Nuance of "Suffering": The "suffering" of the incompletely righteous can be a reminder of this internal work. It's the subtle awareness that the battle isn't entirely over, that vigilance is still required.

### The Ideal of Transformation: Aiming for Inner Alchemy

The concept of the "completely righteous" and the conversion of evil to good offers a profound ideal to aspire to.

• Reframing Negative Experiences: This doesn't mean we seek out hardship, but that we can learn to view even challenging experiences as opportunities for growth and transformation. Can we find the lesson in a mistake? Can we extract strength from a setback?
• Cultivating Love for God: The Tanya emphasizes that the transformation of evil is fueled by an abundance of love for God. How can we deepen our connection and love for the Divine in our daily lives? This can be through prayer, study, acts of kindness, or simply by appreciating the wonder of creation.
• Detachment from Base Pleasures: The "utter contempt" for pleasures derived from impure sources is a call to a more focused and elevated life. It's about discerning which pleasures truly nourish our souls and which are ultimately fleeting and potentially harmful. This involves cultivating gratitude for what we have and finding joy in spiritual pursuits rather than solely in material gratification.
• Acts of Kindness as Transformation: When we perform acts of kindness (chesed), especially when they are selfless and driven by a desire to bring good into the world, we are actively participating in this process of transforming the mundane into the holy. We are, in essence, bringing "supernal unions" into being.

### The Path of "Beneh Aliyah": Service for the Sake of Above

The highest level, the "superior men," offers a vision of service that transcends personal spiritual gain.

• Altruism in Action: This encourages us to consider how our actions, our work, and our contributions can serve a purpose beyond ourselves. How can we use our talents to uplift others and to bring a greater sense of holiness into the world?
• Uniting the Divine and the World: The goal of "uniting the Holy One, blessed is He, and His Shechinah within those who dwell in the nethermost worlds" is a call to action for all of us. It means working to bring divine presence and goodness into every aspect of our lives and into the world around us. This can be through creating a welcoming home, engaging in ethical business practices, or advocating for justice.
• The Significance of Small Actions: Even seemingly small acts of kindness and integrity, when performed with the right intention, can contribute to this grander purpose. We are all capable of participating in this elevation.

Practical Applications:

1. Daily Reflection: Take a few minutes each day to reflect on your internal state. Identify instances where you consciously chose a higher path over a lower inclination. Acknowledge these successes.
2. Examine Your Desires: When you feel a strong pull towards a certain pleasure or action, pause and consider its source. Is it aligned with your values, or does it stem from a more primitive, self-serving impulse?
3. Cultivate Gratitude and Love: Make a conscious effort to express gratitude for the good in your life and to cultivate a deeper sense of connection with the Divine, however you understand it. This could be through prayer, meditation, or simply by marveling at nature.
4. Acts of Kindness: Intentionally seek out opportunities to perform acts of kindness, big or small. Focus on the act itself and the good it brings, rather than on what you might gain from it.
5. Service Beyond Yourself: Consider how your work and your daily activities can be a form of service that contributes to the well-being of others and the elevation of the world.

By internalizing these teachings, we move beyond a superficial understanding of goodness. We begin to see our spiritual journey as a dynamic process of transformation, where even the challenges we face can become fuel for our growth, leading us closer to a life of authentic righteousness and profound connection.

One Thing to Remember

The core takeaway from this passage is that true spiritual growth involves not just suppressing our negative impulses, but actively transforming them into goodness. This transformation is driven by an ever-deepening love for God, which naturally leads to an absolute rejection of anything that distances us from Him, ultimately elevating our entire being towards holiness.