Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 12:10

Hook

Founders, let’s cut to the chase. You’re building something from nothing, and that means navigating constant pressure: market demands, investor expectations, team morale, and the relentless pursuit of growth. You’re told to be decisive, to be bold, to push boundaries. But there’s a lurking tension, isn’t there? The line between aggressive pursuit and outright ethical compromise. You might feel it when a competitor’s shady tactic feels tempting, or when a corner-cutting shortcut promises a faster path to market. This isn’t about fairy tales; it’s about the core of your decision-making under duress. Are you building a company that’s just successful, or one that’s genuinely good? The Tanya here speaks directly to that internal wrestling match, the constant negotiation between your baser instincts and your higher aspirations. It defines a state of being – the benoni, or the intermediate person – not as someone who’s perfectly good, but as someone who’s fundamentally in control. This isn't about achieving sainthood before Series A; it's about establishing a baseline of integrity that prevents the "evil" from ever truly taking root and dictating your actions. For founders, this means understanding that your "inner city" – your business – needs a robust defense against the temptations that will inevitably arise. The question isn't if these temptations will come, but how you're equipped to manage them before they become defining actions.

Text Snapshot

"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. That is to say, the three “garments” of the animal soul, namely, thought, speech, and act, originating in the kelipah, do not prevail within him over the divine soul to the extent of clothing themselves in the body—in the brain, in the mouth, and in the other 248 parts—thereby causing them to sin and defiling them, G–d forbid. Only the three garments of the divine soul, they alone are implemented in the body, being the thought, speech, and act engaged in the 613 commandments of the Torah. 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. 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... 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. 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..."

Analysis

This passage offers a practical framework for ethical leadership, particularly relevant to the high-stakes, often ambiguous environment of startups. It’s not about abstract morality; it’s about the mechanics of control and the prevention of ethical drift.

Insight 1: The "Small City" as the Business Ecosystem (Fairness)

The core metaphor of the "small city" represents your business – its operations, its culture, its reputation. The benoni is defined by the fact that "evil never attains enough power to capture the 'small city,' so as to clothe itself in the body and make it sin." This is the foundational principle of fairness in your business dealings. It means establishing internal controls and ethical guardrails that prevent the "animal soul" – the baser impulses like greed, expediency, or a disregard for others – from gaining dominion. The text explicitly states that the "three 'garments' of the animal soul, namely, thought, speech, and act, originating in the kelipah, do not prevail within him over the divine soul to the extent of clothing themselves in the body." In a business context, this translates to ensuring that unethical thoughts don't morph into misleading communications (speech) or deceptive actions (act).

Decision Rule: Implement robust checks and balances that actively prevent unethical impulses from manifesting as company policy or practice. This means scrutinizing decisions not just for their potential ROI, but for their potential to "defile" the business with unethical outcomes.

Proxy KPI: Track the number of ethical concerns raised internally and the speed/thoroughness of their resolution. A low but increasing number of well-handled concerns is a sign of a healthy "small city." Conversely, a complete absence of concerns could indicate a lack of reporting channels or an environment where issues are suppressed.

Insight 2: The Power of "Potential vs. Actual" (Truth)

The distinction between desire and action is critical. The Tanya highlights that even when the "evil in the left part reawakens," and one "begins to feel a desire for the lusts of the world and its delights," the benoni is characterized by the fact that "it is unable to carry out this desire from the potential into the actual by clothing itself in the bodily limbs." This is the essence of integrity in communication and operations. It's about the difference between having a fleeting, perhaps even problematic, thought and acting upon it in a way that causes harm or deception. For a founder, this means recognizing that having a competitive thought, or even considering a risky strategy, is not inherently wrong. However, allowing that thought to become a misleading statement to investors, a false claim in marketing, or a deliberately ambiguous contract clause is where the ethical line is crossed. The text emphasizes that "evil has no power to compel the mind’s volition to entertain willingly, G–d forbid, any wicked thought rising of its own accord from the heart to the brain." Your volition, your conscious decision to act, is the pivot point.

Decision Rule: Prioritize transparency and honesty in all external communications and internal decision-making processes. Distinguish clearly between strategic considerations and implemented actions, ensuring that the latter are always grounded in truth, even when the former might be complex or less flattering.

Proxy KPI: Monitor customer complaint resolution times and the ratio of resolved complaints to total complaints. A high resolution rate and a low ratio of unresolved issues suggest that the company is addressing potential problems proactively and truthfully, rather than letting them fester or hiding them.

Insight 3: The "Two Opposing Forces" in Competition (Competition)

The text describes the internal struggle as a battle between "goodness that is diffused in the right part" and "evil that is in the left part." This duality is mirrored in the competitive landscape. You’re constantly battling against rivals, and often, the temptation is to adopt their less-than-ethical tactics to keep pace. The Tanya warns against this by stating, "Thus it is written, 'Then I saw that wisdom surpasses folly as light surpasses darkness.' This means that just as light has a superiority, power, and dominion over darkness... so is much foolishness of the kelipah and sitra achara... inevitably driven away by the wisdom that is in the divine soul." In business, "wisdom" here translates to a superior strategy, a more innovative product, or a better customer experience, all pursued with integrity. "Folly" is the shortcut, the unethical maneuver that might offer temporary gains but ultimately undermines the long-term strength and reputation of the "city." The text also acknowledges that "the essence and being of the animal soul from the kelipah in the left part remains entirely undislodged." This means the temptation to compete unfairly will always exist. The key is not to eliminate the temptation, but to build a business culture that consistently chooses the "wisdom" of ethical competition over the "folly" of shortcuts.

Decision Rule: Develop and adhere to a clear code of conduct for competitive practices, explicitly prohibiting tactics that rely on deception, misrepresentation, or unfair advantage. Focus on outperforming competitors through innovation and value, rather than through ethical compromise.

Proxy KPI: Track competitor lawsuit frequency or ethical violation fines. A low incidence of such issues relative to industry norms suggests adherence to ethical competitive practices. Alternatively, track positive mentions of your company's ethical practices in industry reviews or awards.

Policy Move

Implement a "Red Team/Blue Team" Ethical Review Process for Major Strategic Decisions.

Inspired by the Tanya's emphasis on the dynamic between the "good" and "evil" impulses, and the need for active "willpower in his brain" to "restrain himself," we will establish a formal process for evaluating significant strategic initiatives through an ethical lens.

Process:

1. Initiation: When a new major strategic initiative is proposed (e.g., a new product launch with potential privacy implications, an aggressive market entry strategy, a significant partnership), it will be flagged for ethical review.
2. Blue Team (Ethical Defense): A designated internal team (e.g., legal, compliance, a cross-functional ethics committee) will act as the "Blue Team." Their mandate is to rigorously identify potential ethical risks, unintended consequences, and areas where the initiative might deviate from our stated values or legal/regulatory obligations. They will probe for how the "evil" impulse might manifest, drawing parallels to the Tanya's description of desires for "lusts of the world."
3. Red Team (Strategic Offense): The original proponents of the strategy will act as the "Red Team." Their role is to articulate the strategic rationale, potential benefits, and how the initiative aims to achieve its goals, akin to the "wisdom" and "divine soul" driving positive action.
4. Divergence and Convergence: The Blue Team will present its findings, highlighting potential ethical pitfalls. The Red Team will then be required to address these concerns, modify the strategy, or provide compelling justifications for why the risks are acceptable and mitigated. This mirrors the benoni's effort to "divert his attention altogether from the craving of his heart toward the completely opposite direction, particularly in the direction of holiness."
5. Decision and Documentation: A final decision will be made by leadership based on the input from both teams. All ethical considerations, challenges, and resolutions will be documented, creating a clear record of the decision-making process.

This policy directly addresses the Tanya's insight that "evil has no power to compel the mind’s volition to entertain willingly... any wicked thought rising of its own accord." By proactively dedicating resources to identify and address these thoughts before they become actions, we are strengthening the "willpower in his brain" and ensuring our strategies are not just effective, but ethically sound. It provides a structured way to prevent the "evil in the left part" from "reawakening" and potentially "carrying out this desire from the potential into the actual."

Board-Level Question

Given the Tanya's depiction of the benoni as an individual who actively prevents the "evil in the left part" from "clothing itself in the body" and causing sin, how robust are our internal mechanisms and cultural norms to ensure that potential ethical compromises, even if they arise from a place of perceived strategic necessity or competitive pressure, are rigorously challenged and prevented from becoming actual company actions or policies? Are we confident that our "small city" is structured to consistently subordinate short-term gains to long-term integrity, and what specific metrics demonstrate this ongoing vigilance, beyond the absence of major public scandals?

Takeaway

The Tanya isn't abstract philosophy; it's a blueprint for operational integrity. The benoni is the founder who builds a business that, like the intermediate person, doesn't just avoid sin, but actively prevents the impulses toward sin from ever taking root and dictating action. This requires constant vigilance, robust internal controls, and a culture that prioritizes ethical decision-making at every level. Your company's "small city" needs its defenses. Build them wisely.