Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 10:5

Sugya Map

• Issue: The distinction between a "completely righteous" (צדיק גמור) and an "incompletely righteous" (צדיק ורע לו) person, and the underlying mechanism of spiritual transformation.
• Nafka Mina(s):
  • The level of spiritual attainment and the nature of one's relationship with the sitra achara.
  • The ultimate destination of one's spiritual energy – conversion into holiness or residual subjugation.
  • The motivation and depth of avodat Hashem.
• Primary Sources: Tanya, Part I, Likkutei Amarim 10:5; Deuteronomy 21:21; Psalms 139:22-23; Sukkah 45b; Sanhedrin 97b; Zohar I:4a; Tikkunei Zohar Introduction 1b; Zohar III:281a; Chullin 97b ff.

Text Snapshot

Behold, when 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—as is written, “And you shall root out the evil from within you”—yet the evil is not actually converted to goodness, he is called “incompletely righteous” or “a righteous man who suffers.”... In truth, however, had all the evil in him entirely departed and disappeared, it would have been converted into actual goodness. The explanation of the matter is that “a completely righteous man,” in whom the evil has been converted to goodness and who is consequently called “a righteous man who prospers,” has completely divested himself of the filthy garments of evil. That is to say, he utterly despises the pleasures of this world, finding no enjoyment in human pleasures of merely gratifying the physical appetites instead of [seeking] the service of G–d, inasmuch as they are derived from and originate in the kelipah and sitra achara, for whatever is of the sitra achara is hated by the perfectly righteous man with an absolute hatred, by reason of his great love of G–d and of His holiness with profuse affection and delight and superlative devotion, as is stated above. For they are antithetical one to the other. Thus it is written, “I hate them with the utmost hatred; I regard them as my own enemies. Search me, [L–rd,] and know my heart….” Hence, 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, for contempt is as much the opposite of real love as is hatred.

Dikduk/Leshon Nuance:

• "expels and eradicates" (מגרש ומבטל): The phrase suggests a forceful removal and nullification. The subsequent distinction hinges on whether this eradication leads to a qualitative transformation or mere subjugation.
• "not actually converted to goodness" (שלא נתבטל אל הטוב): This is the crux. The absence of conversion implies a residual separateness of the evil, even if suppressed.
• "filthy garments" (בגדי צואה): A vivid metaphor for the material desires and inclinations rooted in the kelipot. Shedding these garments signifies a complete detachment from their allure.
• "antithetical one to the other" (שהם הפכים גמורים זה לזה): Emphasizes the absolute nature of the opposition between divine love and attachment to sitra achara. This is not a matter of degree but of fundamental opposition.
• "contempt is as much the opposite of real love as is hatred" (שהשפלות הוא הפך האהבה כשאר השנאה): A key insight. The "incompletely righteous" may hate, but they lack the profound contempt born of true love for G-d, which implies a devaluation of the sitra achara itself, not just its actions.

Readings

The Tanya's categorization of Tzaddikim is a foundational concept within its Chassidic framework, drawing heavily on Kabbalistic ideas of spiritual transformation and the nature of evil.

Rabbi Menachem Mendel of Vitebsk (Maggid of Kozhnitz's student, predecessor to Schneur Zalman of Liadi in leadership) - Tzava'at Rivash (Testament of Rabbi Yisrael Baal Shem Tov, compiled by his disciples)

While not a direct commentary on the Tanya's specific phrasing, the Tzava'at Rivash presents a similar spiritual trajectory. It speaks of the need to overcome the yetzer hara through constant effort and prayer. The essence of the teaching is the internal struggle.

"One must be vigilant every day, and every hour, and every moment, to wage war against his yetzer hara and to uproot it from his heart. And if he succeeds in vanquishing it, it is as if he has conquered all the enemies of Israel."¹

The Nafka Mina here is the emphasis on the process of vanquishing. The Tanya elaborates on the outcome of this vanquishing: is it mere subjugation (צדיק ורע לו) or true transformation (צדיק גמור)? The Tzava'at Rivash implies that the battle itself is the primary focus, and the subsequent state is a result of that sustained effort. The concept of "rooting out" (מגרש ומבטל) in the Tanya echoes the Tzava'at Rivash's emphasis on "uprooting" (לאקור). However, the Tanya's crucial addition is the distinction between simply removing the evil and converting it into good.

Rabbi Dov Ber, the Maggid of Mezritch - Magid Mei Rishon (a collection of his teachings, often published with Tanya)

The Maggid of Mezritch, the primary teacher of Rabbi Schneur Zalman, often articulated the underlying Kabbalistic principles that inform the Tanya. His teachings frequently discuss the concept of bittul (nullification) and the elevation of the physical.

"A person must nullify his ego and his desires before the will of the Creator. And when his will is unified with the Divine Will, then all his actions become sanctified."²

The Maggid's emphasis on bittul aligns with the Tanya's description of the "completely righteous" who "utterly despises the pleasures of this world." This despise is a form of bittul – the nullification of the self's desire for earthly gratification. The Tanya extends this by explaining how this bittul leads to the conversion of evil. The Maggid's teaching provides the conceptual backdrop for the Tanya's more detailed psychological and spiritual analysis. The "conversion of darkness into light" spoken of in the Zohar, cited by the Tanya, is a direct manifestation of this bittul. The Maggid would likely see the "incompletely righteous" as those whose bittul is not yet absolute, leaving residual elements of self-will and desire, which, while subjugated, have not undergone the full alchemical transformation.

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¹ Tzava'at Rivash (Jerusalem, 1984), 13a. ² Magid Mei Rishon (Jerusalem, 2007), 45a.

Friction

The core tension lies in the precise mechanism of "conversion of evil to goodness" and its relationship to the mitzvah of "rooting out evil." If one eradicates evil, has not the "root" been removed? Why then is the conversion necessary for the highest level of righteousness, and what does "residual fragment" truly signify?

The Kushya: The Nature of "Eradication"

The Tanya states: "he expels and eradicates its evil from the left part—as is written, “And you shall root out the evil from within you”—yet the evil is not actually converted to goodness, he is called 'incompletely righteous'."

This presents a conceptual hurdle. If one has truly "eradicated" (מבטל) the evil, the root should be gone. How can a vanquished enemy still possess a "fragment" or "vestige" (שייר)? The juxtaposition of "eradicate" with the idea of a lingering element seems contradictory. One might infer that "eradicate" in the halachic sense (like chullin 97b regarding mixtures) means rendering something null and void in its effect, but not necessarily its absolute physical or spiritual absence. However, the Tanya implies a more profound spiritual transformation.

The Terutz: Transformation vs. Subjugation

The resolution lies in differentiating between bittul (nullification) and tafuch (transformation/conversion).

• "Eradication" for the Tzadik v'Ra Lo: This level of eradication refers to the complete subjugation of the yetzer hara. The individual's divine soul has gained absolute dominion. The evil inclination no longer dictates actions, and its impulses are recognized and rejected. This is akin to a defeated army that is disarmed and imprisoned, but still exists as a force that could potentially rise again if the guards (the divine soul's vigilance) falter. The "fragment" is the latent potential of the evil inclination, the raw material from which it was formed, which has not been positively transmuted. It is like a bitter herb that has been removed from the pot, but its essence still exists in the discarded leaves.
• "Conversion" for the Tzadik Gamur: This level goes beyond subjugation. The "filthy garments" are not merely removed; they are rewoven into the tapestry of holiness. The negative energy, the desires and inclinations that fueled the sitra achara, are actively rechanneled and purified. This is the transformation of bitterness into sweetness, darkness into light. The residual fragment is not merely nullified; it is absorbed and elevated. The bitter herb is not discarded but is processed and its properties are integrated into a healing tonic. The "absolute hatred" and "utter contempt" mentioned in the Tanya are the active forces that drive this conversion. They are not just rejections of evil, but a profound re-evaluation and transmutation of its very essence through the overwhelming love of G-d.

This distinction between subjugation and transformation explains why the "incompletely righteous" still has a "fragment." The evil is "accounted as nothing" (נעשה כאין), but it has not been "converted to goodness" (נתבטל אל הטוב). The former is a state of being rendered insignificant; the latter is an active process of becoming something else entirely.

Intertext

The Tanya's schema resonates deeply with the broader discourse on spiritual purification and the nature of evil in Jewish thought.

Maimonides, Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De'ot 1:1-2

Maimonides, in his foundational work on ethics, outlines a similar path of spiritual development, emphasizing the need for moderation and the control of desires.

"A person should accustom himself to good traits and distance himself from evil traits... One who is moderate in all his actions and avoids extremes, is wise and possesses understanding."¹

While Maimonides focuses on the practical acquisition of good character traits through habit and discipline, the Tanya delves into the underlying metaphysical structure of these traits. Maimonides' "avoiding extremes" can be seen as a precursor to the Tanya's "incompletely righteous" who have not achieved the absolute love and hatred of the Tzadik Gamur. The Maimonidean ideal of moderation, while commendable, might fall short of the Tanya's ultimate goal of converting the very substance of negative inclinations into positive spiritual energy. The Tanya's "incompletely righteous" are perhaps those who have achieved Maimonides' ideal of moderation, but have not yet reached the transcendent level of actively transforming the "left part."

Talmud Yerushalmi, Berachot 1:2 (2a)

The Yerushalmi offers a fascinating parallel regarding the rectification of the yetzer hara.

"Rabbi Yonah said: If a person has a strong inclination towards sin, he should occupy himself with Torah study. As it is written, 'When the Torah is abundant, sin is scarce' (Isaiah 26:3)."²

This teaching, much like the Tanya's initial point about "fortifying his divine soul and waging war," points to a strategy for combating the evil inclination. However, the Tanya's innovation is to differentiate between the effectiveness of this strategy in achieving mere suppression versus true transformation. The Yerushalmi suggests that Torah study diminishes the power of sin ("sin is scarce"), which aligns with the subjugation described for the "incompletely righteous." The Tanya pushes further by asking: what happens to the essence of that which caused the inclination? Does it simply cease to be influential, or is it fundamentally altered? The Tanya posits that for the highest echelon of righteousness, it is the latter.

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¹ Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De'ot 1:1-2. ² Yerushalmi Berachot 1:2 (2a).

Psak/Practice

The Tanya's nuanced distinction has profound implications for our understanding of spiritual progress and self-assessment.

The Heuristic of Self-Assessment

The primary psak derived from this passage is a caution against spiritual complacency. The Tanya warns that a feeling of having "driven it out and it has quite disappeared" can be a sign of self-deception, particularly if the evil has not been converted. This implies a need for constant introspection, not just on the absence of sin, but on the quality of one's relationship with the remnants of the yetzer hara.

Meta-Heuristic: The Goal of Transformation

The meta-heuristic is that true spiritual attainment is not merely about avoiding evil, but about actively transforming its very nature. This requires an intense love of G-d that generates an equally intense hatred and contempt for the sitra achara, leading to the elevation of that which was once negative. This is not a passive process but an active, arduous endeavor. The Tanya's emphasis on the "absolute hatred" and "utter contempt" suggests that simple avoidance or mere intellectual recognition of evil's wrongness is insufficient. It demands an existential reorientation.

Takeaway

True spiritual victory lies not in merely banishing the shadow, but in transforming its substance into light. The measure of a soul's ascent is in its capacity to reweave the discarded threads of evil into the holy garment of divine service.