Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 12:10

Hook

Don't let the English translation fool you: the benoni isn't just "average." This passage drops a bombshell, redefining a familiar spiritual category to set an almost impossibly high bar, challenging our very understanding of what it means to be "intermediate."

Context

The Tanya, penned by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe, is a foundational text of Chabad Chassidut, renowned for its systematic exposition of Kabbalistic concepts and their application to psychological and spiritual development. Written in the late 18th century, it emerged during a period of intense spiritual ferment, aiming to make abstract Chassidic teachings accessible and practical for a broader audience. One of its most revolutionary contributions, and the very starting point of its spiritual psychology, is its redefinition of the three primary spiritual categories: tzaddik (righteous), rasha (wicked), and benoni (intermediate).

Prior to the Tanya, and still common in much of traditional Jewish thought (e.g., in the Talmud, Rosh Hashanah 16b, or Maimonides' Hilchot Teshuva 3:5), a benoni was generally understood as someone whose merits and transgressions were balanced. A tzaddik was one whose merits significantly outweighed their sins, and a rasha was one whose sins outweighed their merits. This statistical, behavioral definition offered a relatively attainable benchmark for the "average" person striving for goodness.

The Alter Rebbe, however, found this traditional definition inadequate for the profound internal struggle he perceived as central to human spiritual life. He sought to empower every individual, not just the rare tzaddik, to understand and engage in a deep, internal battle against their lower nature. To do this, he needed a benoni category that was both aspirational and relatable, yet also demanded intense internal vigilance. The benoni he presents in Tanya is not average in the conventional sense, but rather a spiritual titan who never sins, yet constantly grapples with an active, desiring evil inclination. This redefinition isn't merely academic; it radically shifts the focus of spiritual work from external accounting to internal transformation, suggesting that true spiritual progress lies in the relentless, moment-by-moment mastery of one's inner world, even if the external actions are already flawless. It sets the stage for the entire Tanya's project: to reveal how everyone can become a benoni according to this elevated standard, thereby engaging in a constant process of drawing closer to the Divine. This radical reimagining provides the framework for understanding the internal landscape of the soul and offers practical strategies for navigating its complexities, making the pursuit of holiness an immediate and ongoing internal endeavor rather than a mere tally of good deeds.

Text Snapshot

The passage delineates the benoni as follows: "The benoni (intermediate) is he in whom evil never attains enough power to capture the 'small city,' so as to clothe itself in the body and make it sin. ... He has never committed, nor ever will commit, any transgression; neither can the name 'wicked' be applied to him even temporarily, or even for a moment, throughout his life." (Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 12:10) Yet, this ideal individual still faces internal challenges: "However, after prayer, when the state of sublimity of the Intellect of the En Sof, blessed is He, departs, the evil in the left part reawakens, and he begins to feel a desire for the lusts of the world and its delights." (Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 12:10) But critically, this desire is managed: "Yet, because the evil has not the sole authority and dominion over the 'city,' it is unable to carry out this desire from the potential into the actual by clothing itself in the bodily limbs, in deed, speech, and persistent thought... For this is how man is created from birth, that each person may, with the willpower in his brain, restrain himself and control the drive of lust that is in his heart..." (Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 12:10) https://www.sefaria.org/Tanya%2C_Part_I%3B_Likkutei_Amarim_12%3A10

Close Reading

Insight 1: The Layered Definition of the Benoni's Struggle

The passage meticulously constructs its definition of the benoni through a series of increasingly nuanced layers, moving from external action to internal experience, revealing a sophisticated psychological model. It begins with a clear, almost absolute, external criterion, then introduces an internal caveat, and finally offers the mechanism for managing that internal tension.

The initial definition of the benoni is strikingly absolute: "The benoni (intermediate) is he in whom evil never attains enough power to capture the 'small city,' so as to clothe itself in the body and make it sin." This immediately establishes a baseline of complete behavioral adherence to Torah and Mitzvot. The benoni is not someone who occasionally slips up, but rather "He has never committed, nor ever will commit, any transgression; neither can the name 'wicked' be applied to him even temporarily, or even for a moment, throughout his life." This first layer, therefore, focuses on the "three garments" of the kelipah (thought, speech, and act) never prevailing over the divine soul to manifest as sin. The benoni's outward life is spotless, entirely dedicated to the "thought, speech, and act engaged in the 613 commandments of the Torah." This is a critical departure from common understandings of an "intermediate" person, immediately elevating the benoni to a level that many might associate with a tzaddik. The benoni is defined by a complete mastery over their external expression, ensuring that no unholy thought, word, or deed ever emanates from them.

However, the passage quickly pivots to introduce a critical internal distinction. While the benoni's external actions are flawless, their internal state is not one of effortless sanctity. The text states: "However, the essence and being of the divine soul, which are its ten faculties, do not constantly hold undisputed sovereignty and sway over the 'small city,' except at appropriate times, such as during the recital of the Shema or the Amidah..." This reveals that the benoni's inner core—their deepest desires and intellectual faculties—is not in a state of perpetual, unblemished unity with the divine. There are moments of sublime connection, particularly during prayer, where "the Supernal Intellect is in a sublime state" and "the evil that is in the left part is subjected to, and nullified in, the goodness that is diffused in the right part." This highlights a temporary, rather than permanent, spiritual high. The benoni experiences profound spiritual elevation, but it is not their constant, default state.

The third layer, and perhaps the most crucial for understanding the benoni's daily reality, describes what happens "after prayer, when the state of sublimity of the Intellect of the En Sof, blessed is He, departs." Here, the "evil in the left part reawakens, and he begins to feel a desire for the lusts of the world and its delights." This is the core of the benoni's struggle: the persistent presence of an active yetzer hara (evil inclination) that generates desires for worldly pleasures, even after intense spiritual engagement. The benoni is not free from temptation; on the contrary, temptation is a constant companion. The genius of the benoni lies not in the absence of evil desire, but in its management. The text clarifies that "because the evil has not the sole authority and dominion over the 'city,' it is unable to carry out this desire from the potential into the actual by clothing itself in the bodily limbs, in deed, speech, and persistent thought..." This means the benoni possesses an inner mechanism, a "willpower in his brain," that allows him to "restrain himself and control the drive of lust that is in his heart." The brain's inherent ability to "rule over the heart" (as explained in Raaya Mehemna, Parashat Pinchas, and echoed by Maimonides, Guide 3:8, as footnoted) is the benoni's ultimate weapon. This intellectual control ensures that even when desires arise, they are never translated into action, word, or even persistent, willing thought. The benoni actively "thrusts it out with both hands and averts his mind from it the instant he reminds himself that it is an evil thought, refusing to accept it willingly." This layered structure moves from outward perfection to intermittent inner elevation, and finally to a constant, intellectual battle against an ever-present, yet always suppressed, internal foe.

Insight 2: The "Small City" as the Arena of Internal Conflict

The metaphor of the "small city" (עיר קטנה) is central to the Tanya's psychological map, serving as the primary arena where the battle between the divine soul and the animal soul unfolds. Understanding this metaphor is key to grasping the benoni's unique spiritual state.

The "small city" refers to the individual human being—the body and its faculties. Just as a city has gates, defenses, and inhabitants, so too does the human microcosm. The divine soul and the animal soul (and their respective "garments" of thought, speech, and action) vie for control over this city. The passage begins by defining the benoni as one "in whom evil never attains enough power to capture the 'small city,' so as to clothe itself in the body and make it sin." This immediately establishes the benoni's defining characteristic: the evil inclination (the kelipah) never achieves complete dominion or even temporary control over the bodily organs and faculties. The "brain, in the mouth, and in the other 248 parts" (referencing the 248 positive commandments, or limbs, and hinting at the physical manifestations of action) remain exclusively under the sway of the divine soul's "three garments," dedicated to the 613 commandments.

Crucially, the benoni prevents the kelipah's garments from "clothing themselves in the body." This "clothing" metaphor is significant. It implies a complete integration and expression of the soul's will through the physical faculties. For the benoni, only the divine soul's will is clothed in the body; the animal soul's desires remain disembodied, unactualized. They may exist as raw urges, but they never gain physical form. The city's gates remain closed to the kelipah's active occupation. This doesn't mean the kelipah isn't present within the city's walls; rather, it means it is never allowed to seize the levers of power—the faculties of thought, speech, and action—to direct the city's resources for its own ends.

The dynamic nature of this struggle within the "small city" is further elucidated when the text describes the post-prayer reawakening of evil: "the evil in the left part reawakens, and he begins to feel a desire for the lusts of the world and its delights. Yet, because the evil has not the sole authority and dominion over the 'city,' it is unable to carry out this desire from the potential into the actual by clothing itself in the bodily limbs..." This clarifies that the evil inclination resides within the city, specifically in the "left part" of the heart. It's a persistent, internal resident, not an external besieger. The benoni's achievement is that this resident, though active and desiring, "has not the sole authority and dominion." The brain, acting as the city's ruler ("the brain rules over the heart"), maintains sovereignty. This implies a constant vigilance, a continuous exercise of executive function by the intellect to ensure that the city's resources—its thought, speech, and action—are never commandeered by the lower desires. The benoni is the vigilant ruler of their "small city," constantly ensuring that the internal "rebellion" of the animal soul is suppressed and never allowed to materialize into actual transgression, even in thought. The city is protected, not because the enemy is absent, but because the internal defenses are perpetually maintained and reinforced by the intellect.

Insight 3: The Enduring Tension Between Perfect Action and Imperfect Inner State

The most profound tension in the definition of the benoni lies in the paradoxical coexistence of flawless external conduct with a perpetual, reawakening internal struggle. The benoni "has never committed, nor ever will commit, any transgression," yet their inner world is far from serene; it's a constant battlefield. This tension is precisely what distinguishes the benoni from the tzaddik in the Tanya's schema.

The passage asserts the benoni's absolute behavioral purity: "He has never committed, nor ever will commit, any transgression; neither can the name 'wicked' be applied to him even temporarily, or even for a moment, throughout his life." This is an incredibly high standard, meaning the benoni's thought, speech, and action are always aligned with the 613 commandments. There's no room for error, no minor slip-ups, no even momentary deviation into sin. This external perfection is maintained through the consistent application of the divine soul's garments. In this respect, the benoni appears indistinguishable from what many might call a tzaddik.

However, the passage immediately introduces the counterpoint, revealing the internal imperfection: "However, the essence and being of the divine soul... do not constantly hold undisputed sovereignty and sway over the 'small city,' except at appropriate times, such as during the recital of the Shema or the Amidah..." And even more starkly: "after prayer... the evil in the left part reawakens, and he begins to feel a desire for the lusts of the world and its delights." This is the core of the tension: the benoni experiences genuine, strong desires for "lusts of the world," which are generated by the un-sublimated "essence and being of the animal soul from the kelipah in the left part [which] remains entirely undislodged after prayer." The benoni's problem isn't a lack of knowledge or willpower to act correctly; it's the persistent presence of an internal adversary that continues to generate undesirable thoughts and cravings.

The benoni's mastery lies in preventing these desires from translating into action, speech, or willing, persistent thought. The "brain rules over the heart," ensuring that even when "sinful thoughts... rise openly in the left part of his heart, creating a lust for all material things of this world," they are "thrust out with both hands" and never "entertain[ed] willingly." The benoni is thus in a constant state of suppression, a continuous internal war. The light of the divine soul "possesses over the darkness and foolishness of the kelipah... only in the aforementioned three garments, but does not extend to its very essence and being in relation to those of the kelipah." This sentence is crucial. It states that the divine soul's power in the benoni is sufficient to control the expression (the garments), but not to transform or sublimate the essence of the animal soul. The animal soul's desires are repressed, not refined or eliminated.

This tension implies that the benoni's spiritual service is characterized by yirah ta’ataah (lower fear) and ahavah mesuteret (hidden love) rather than the revealed, burning love that defines the tzaddik. The benoni relies on innate fear and love (the "hidden love that is the natural adoration in the divine soul") and the intellect's supremacy to continuously overcome the reawakening evil. This is why, despite their flawless record, they are not called a tzaddik: the tzaddik has transformed their animal soul to the point where they genuinely desire only good, where evil desires have been sublimated or eradicated. The benoni, by contrast, is a person whose entire spiritual life is a testament to the power of intellect and willpower to perpetually restrain a vigorous, untransformed evil inclination. Their internal landscape is one of dynamic equilibrium, not of peaceful transcendence.

Two Angles

The Tanya's definition of the benoni is famously revolutionary, standing in stark contrast to earlier, more traditional understandings found in classical Jewish literature. This redefinition is not merely academic; it fundamentally alters the spiritual aspiration and the path to achieving it.

The Tanya's Benoni: The Unblemished Internal Warrior

For the Alter Rebbe, the benoni is an individual of profound spiritual discipline and unyielding internal struggle, a figure far removed from the "average" or "mediocre" connotation often associated with the term. As illuminated in this chapter, the benoni is a person who "has never committed, nor ever will commit, any transgression; neither can the name 'wicked' be applied to him even temporarily, or even for a moment, throughout his life." This is an absolute standard of external behavior—their "thought, speech, and act engaged in the 613 commandments of the Torah" are flawless. They are entirely free of sin, even in the realm of persistent, willing thought.

However, the defining characteristic of the Tanya's benoni is not the absence of evil inclination (yetzer hara), but its perpetual and successful suppression. The text explicitly states that "the evil in the left part reawakens, and he begins to feel a desire for the lusts of the world and its delights." This means the benoni constantly experiences temptations and undesirable thoughts stemming from their animal soul. Their greatness lies in the consistent application of their intellect ("the brain rules over the heart") and willpower to "restrain himself and control the drive of lust that is in his heart," preventing these desires from ever translating into deed, speech, or even willing contemplation. The benoni's battle is internal, moment-to-moment, a continuous victory of the divine soul's garments (thought, speech, action dedicated to Torah) over the animal soul's desires. The essence of the animal soul is not transformed or sublimated, but rather eternally subdued. As the text summarizes, "the essence and being of the animal soul from the kelipah in the left part remains entirely undislodged after prayer." This model offers every individual a path to aspire to this level, emphasizing the constant effort of controlling one's inner world as the primary spiritual work, rather than waiting for an eventual, effortless spiritual transcendence. The benoni is a testament to the power of human choice and intellectual mastery over inherent passions.

The Classical Benoni: The Balanced Soul

In contrast to the Tanya's stringent internal definition, classical Jewish thought, particularly as expressed in the Talmud and by Rishonim like Maimonides, presents a benoni whose definition is primarily behavioral and quantitative. This view is summarized in Rosh Hashanah 16b, which discusses the judgment of humanity on Rosh Hashanah: "Three books are opened on Rosh Hashana: one for the completely righteous (tzaddikim gemurim), one for the completely wicked (resha'im gemurim), and one for those in between (beinonim)." The Talmud then elaborates, "the completely righteous are immediately inscribed and sealed for life, the completely wicked are immediately inscribed and sealed for death, and the beinonim are suspended from Rosh Hashanah until Yom Kippur. If they repent, they are inscribed for life; if not, they are inscribed for death."

Maimonides, building on this, offers a clear halakhic definition in Hilchot Teshuva 3:5: "Every single human being has merits and sins. A person whose merits exceed his sins is a tzaddik; one whose sins exceed his merits is a rasha; and one whose merits and sins are equal is a benoni." This traditional understanding focuses on the balance of one's actions over a period of time, not on the complete absence of sin or the constant internal struggle. A classical benoni is someone who likely commits sins, but also performs good deeds, and the overall tally places them in an intermediate category. Their spiritual work is often understood as striving to increase their merits and decrease their sins, with repentance (teshuva) being the primary mechanism for shifting from a rasha to a benoni or tzaddik. The internal struggle is acknowledged, but the definition of the benoni hinges on the outcome of that struggle in terms of actions. The Tanya itself explicitly references this distinction in footnote 2, stating, "the rank of benoni, as defined in the Tanya, is far superior to the rank of tzaddik as defined generally when it is applied to one whose good deeds exceed the bad. Cf. above, ch. 1." This highlights the deliberate re-calibration by the Alter Rebbe, who sought to inspire a deeper, more constant engagement with the inner self than the older, more lenient definitions might have encouraged. The classical benoni is a person of mixed record, striving for improvement, whereas the Tanya's benoni has already achieved behavioral perfection but continues an unrelenting internal war.

Practice Implication

The Tanya's rigorous definition of the benoni profoundly reshapes daily practice and decision-making, shifting the focus from merely avoiding external transgression to cultivating an unyielding mastery over one's internal landscape. If the benoni never sins in deed, speech, or even willing thought, yet constantly battles reawakening desires, then our spiritual work is redefined not by the occasional slip-up, but by the relentless vigilance over our minds and hearts.

One key implication is the emphasis on the supremacy of intellect over emotion and desire. The text asserts, "the brain rules over the heart... that each person may, with the willpower in his brain, restrain himself and control the drive of lust that is in his heart." This isn't just a theoretical statement; it's a practical directive. In daily life, this means consciously engaging our intellectual faculties—Chabad (Chochmah, Binah, Da'at, or wisdom, understanding, and knowledge)—to analyze, contextualize, and ultimately dismiss undesirable thoughts and feelings. When a "lust for all material things of this world" or "animosity or hatred... or jealousy or anger" arises, the benoni's practice is not to passively observe it, but to actively "thrust it out with both hands and averts his mind from it the instant he reminds himself that it is an evil thought, refusing to accept it willingly, even to let his thoughts play on it willingly."

This calls for a proactive rather than reactive spiritual discipline. It's not enough to simply refrain from acting on a negative impulse; one must actively prevent it from taking root even in the mind. This translates into concrete practices such as:

1. Mindfulness and Awareness: Constantly monitoring one's thoughts and emotional states. The moment a negative thought or desire arises, one must immediately identify it as originating from the kelipah (the animal soul) and refuse it entry. This requires a heightened state of self-awareness throughout the day, not just during designated prayer times.
2. Intellectual Counter-Thought: Instead of merely dismissing a negative thought, the benoni actively "divert[s] his attention altogether from the craving of his heart toward the completely opposite direction, particularly in the direction of holiness." This could involve immediately thinking about a Torah concept, a Mitzvah, or the greatness of G-d. It's a conscious redirection of mental energy. For example, if a thought of anger arises towards a neighbor, instead of dwelling on it, one immediately recalls the Zohar's teaching to "repay the offenders with favors, as taught in the Zohar... that one should learn from the example of Joseph toward his brothers," and actively plans a kindness.
3. The Power of Prayer and Study: The text notes that during Shema and Amidah, "the Supernal Intellect is in a sublime state" and evil is "subjected to, and nullified in, the goodness." While this state departs, the impression of prayer and "hidden [i.e., innate] fear and love of G-d" enables one to "prevail and triumph over this evil." This reinforces the daily necessity of intense, focused prayer and Torah study not just as rituals, but as training grounds for strengthening the divine soul's sovereignty over the "small city." These moments of connection bolster the intellect's ability to rule the heart even in the mundane.

In essence, the benoni model pushes us beyond mere external compliance to an internal battle for every thought and feeling. It means taking absolute responsibility for our inner world, recognizing that even an unacted-upon negative thought, if willingly entertained, is a spiritual failing. This transforms every moment into an opportunity for spiritual work, making the pursuit of holiness an immediate and constant internal endeavor.

Chevruta Mini

Here are two questions to wrestle with, surfacing some of the tradeoffs inherent in this profound definition of the benoni:

Question 1: Internal Purity vs. External Impact

The benoni is defined by an absolute internal control that prevents any sin in thought, speech, or deed, but this comes with a perpetual internal struggle against un-sublimated desires. Is it more spiritually fruitful to strive for this constant, exhausting suppression of desire, or to focus primarily on actualizing good deeds and positive impact in the world, even if one occasionally grapples with or even momentarily succumbs to minor, unactualized negative thoughts? What are the potential pitfalls of an exclusive focus on internal purity if it leads to introspection that distracts from active communal service, and conversely, what are the dangers of an exclusive focus on external action if one's inner world remains untamed?

Question 2: Intellect's Dominion and Emotional Authenticity

The text strongly emphasizes that "the brain rules over the heart" and that the benoni actively "thrusts out" and refuses to "entertain willingly" any negative thoughts or emotions like animosity, anger, or jealousy. While this is crucial for preventing sin, in what situations might an over-reliance on intellectual control risk emotional suppression, a lack of self-compassion, or a disconnection from genuine, spontaneous spiritual passion that often arises from the heart? How can one balance the imperative to control the heart's drives with the need for emotional authenticity and the development of natural, revealed love for G-d, which is often seen as a higher spiritual state?

Takeaway

The benoni is not merely "average" but an individual engaged in a ceaseless, intellectual battle to perfectly suppress an active evil inclination, ensuring flawless conduct in thought, speech, and deed, though the internal struggle itself is never fully resolved.