Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 12:7

Sugya Map

• Issue: The precise definition and experiential reality of the benoni (intermediate person) as described in Tanya, specifically regarding the dynamic between the divine and animal souls and their manifestations in thought, speech, and action.
• Nafka Mina:
  • The ultimate goal of spiritual attainment: Is it absolute eradication of evil inclination, or a perpetual state of management and redirection?
  • The nature of sin and repentance: Can past sins disqualify one from being a benoni? What is the role of conscious effort in maintaining the benoni state?
  • The practical implications for daily spiritual practice: How does the benoni's internal struggle manifest, and what are the mechanisms for overcoming the yetzer hara?
  • The distinction between tzaddik and benoni: Clarifying the subtle but crucial difference in their spiritual standing and the nature of their relationship with evil.
• Primary Sources:
  • Tanya, Part I, Likkutei Amarim 12:7 (Primary Text)
  • Ecclesiastes 2:13
  • Sotah 3a
  • Bava Batra 164b
  • Maimonides, Guide for the Perplexed 3:8
  • Maimonides, Hilchot Keriat Shema 1:1, 1:7
  • Zohar I:201a ff.; III:224a
  • Raaya Mehemna, Parashat Pinchas

---

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."

• Dictum: The definition hinges on the inability of the animal soul's "garments" (thought, speech, act) to prevail and clothe themselves in the body's faculties for sin. This implies a constant struggle, but one where the yetzer hara never achieves full embodiment.
• Leshon Nuance: The phrase "never attains enough power to capture" (לא ישיג כוח דיו לתפוס) is crucial. It's not about the absence of desire or temptation, but the failure of that desire to achieve full operational dominion. "Clothe itself in the body" (להתלבש בגוף) is a powerful metaphor for the complete integration of an impulse into one's physical and mental faculties, leading to action.
• Dikduk Nuance: The repetition of "thought, speech, and act" for both souls emphasizes the battleground. The divine soul's "garments" are the performance of mitzvot, while the animal soul's are transgressions. The benoni consistently activates the former and prevents the latter from manifesting physically.

---

Readings

Rambam's "Small City" Analogy and the Benoni

The Tanya's central metaphor of the "small city" (medinah ketanah) for the human body is not novel. It finds its earliest significant articulation in Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed (III:8), where he discusses the regulation of the body's faculties. Rambam writes:

"Know that the body is called a city, and its organs are its inhabitants. The faculty of reason is its king, and the faculties of imagination and memory are its ministers. The senses are its spies, and the limbs are its servants. The soul is its governor. When the king is wise and just, and the ministers are loyal and obedient, and the spies are truthful and do not betray their trust, and the servants are diligent and obedient, then that city is well-governed and prosperous. But if the king is foolish and unjust, or the ministers are disloyal and disobedient, or the spies are deceitful and betray their trust, or the servants are lazy and disobedient, then that city is disordered and ruined."¹

This analogy, while not explicitly defining a benoni, lays the groundwork for understanding the internal hierarchy and the potential for internal conflict. The "king" (reason) must govern the "inhabitants" and "servants" (limbs and faculties). The benoni is precisely the individual where the "king" (divine soul's intellect) consistently triumphs over the "disorder" of the animal soul's impulses, preventing them from "ruining the city."

Maimonides' emphasis on reason's role in governing the body resonates deeply with the Tanya's description of the divine soul's chabad (intellect) dominating the heart's desires. The benoni, in this framework, is the one who has successfully internalized this principle, ensuring that the intellect's directives are paramount, not merely at opportune moments but as a persistent state of being. The critical nuance in Tanya, however, is that this governance is not an absolute conquest but a continuous, vigilant defense against the ever-present threat of the animal soul's resurgence, particularly after periods of spiritual elevation.

The Benoni's Asceticism and the Sages' Warning

The Sages in the Talmud, particularly in discussions concerning the yetzer hara, provide the raw material for the Tanya's intricate psychological portrait. The statement in Sotah 3a, "A man does not sin unless a spirit of folly enters into him" (Ein adam choteh ela im ken ruach shtut nichnas bo), is cited in the Tanya as a foundational principle. This implies that sin is not an inherent, irresistible force but a deviation from a normative state of rational control, facilitated by a temporary lapse in mental clarity or spiritual awareness.

The benoni is defined by his consistent safeguard against this "spirit of folly." He never allows it to fully "enter into him" to the point of action. This is further elaborated in Bava Batra 164b, which lists "sinful thoughts" (machshavot zarot) as one of three sins against which a person is not safeguarded daily. The Tanya addresses this directly:

"However, the impression [of prayer] on the intellect and the hidden [i.e., innate] fear and love of G–d in the right part [of the heart] enable one to prevail and triumph over this evil of passionate craving, depriving it from gaining supremacy and dominion over the “city,” and from carrying out this desire from the potential into the actual by clothing itself in the bodily organs. Moreover, even in the mind alone, insofar as sinful thoughts are concerned, 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, as discussed above. But no sooner does it reach there than he 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, even to let his thoughts play on it willingly; how much more so to entertain any idea of putting it into effect, G–d forbid, or even to put it into words."²

This passage highlights a crucial distinction: the benoni actively rejects sinful thoughts. He doesn't merely fail to act on them; he actively repels them from his conscious mind. This "thrusting out with both hands" (docheh oto bishnei yadayim) is a powerful image of spiritual agency, demonstrating that even at the level of thought, the benoni's will is engaged in actively combating the yetzer hara.

The chiddush here is the emphasis on the active nature of the benoni's resistance, even against thoughts. It's not passive non-sinning but an ongoing, conscious effort to maintain the purity of one's inner world. This elevates the benoni beyond mere avoidance of transgression to a state of active spiritual warfare within the confines of one's own consciousness. The benoni's victory lies not in the absence of temptation but in the consistent, volitional rejection of it, preventing it from taking root even in thought.

---

Friction

The Paradox of Perpetual Victory and the Dormant Evil

The text presents a profound paradox: the benoni "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." Yet, immediately following this definitive statement of moral purity, the text explains that 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 seeming contradiction – the absolute absence of sin coupled with the constant resurgence of desire – forms the crux of the benoni's spiritual challenge.

The Kushya: If the benoni is so fundamentally incapable of sinning that the name "wicked" cannot be applied to him even for a moment, how can the yetzer hara "reawaken" and "begin to feel a desire"? Doesn't this imply a latent capacity for sin, a potential that the absolute definition seems to negate? Furthermore, the text states, "the essence and being of the animal soul from the kelipah in the left part remains entirely undislodged after prayer." If its "essence and being" remain, how can it be said that it "never attains enough power to capture the 'small city'"? This suggests a constant, internal threat that, by definition, the benoni has overcome, yet the source of that threat persists.

The Terutz (First Attempt): The resolution lies in distinguishing between the potential for evil to exist and its actualization into sin. The benoni's victory is not the eradication of the yetzer hara's existence but its perpetual subjugation. The "spirit of folly" may indeed arise, and desires may stir, but the benoni's spiritual architecture is such that these impulses are intercepted before they can "clothe themselves in the body" to commit a transgression. The "essence and being" of the animal soul remain, like a dormant enemy army, but the defenses of the "small city" are always operational. The benoni actively "thrusts out with both hands" any sinful thought that arises, preventing it from gaining willful acceptance or, consequently, physical manifestation. The absolute statement ("never committed, nor ever will commit") refers to actual, embodied sin. The "reawakening" and "desire" refer to the internal stirrings of the yetzer hara, which the benoni consistently vanquishes at the level of thought and intention.

The Kushya (Second Layer): While the above terutz addresses the distinction between potential and actualization, it still leaves a lingering question. The text states, "the evil that is in the left part is subjected to, and nullified in, the goodness that is diffused in the right part..." This suggests a moment of triumph. However, it then says, "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." This implies that the victory is contingent on an external spiritual state ("state of sublimity of the Intellect of the En Sof"). If the benoni's spiritual integrity is dependent on this external factor, is he truly self-governing, or merely a passive recipient of divine influence that keeps the evil at bay? The absolute statement about never sinning seems to demand a more inherent, self-sustaining victory.

The Terutz (Second Attempt): The "state of sublimity" is not the cause of the victory but the enhancement of the benoni's natural capacity. The benoni's inherent nature is to govern. During prayer, this governance is heightened and more profound due to the heightened connection with En Sof. This allows for a more complete subjugation of the yetzer hara. When this heightened state recedes, the underlying governance mechanism of the benoni remains. The yetzer hara reawakens, but it is still subject to the benoni's will, which is inherently inclined towards holiness. The "essence and being" of the animal soul remain, but its power to capture the city is perpetually curtailed by the benoni's unyielding resolve, even in less elevated states. The key is that the benoni's will is always directed towards G–d, and this directing force is what prevents the animal soul from ever achieving full dominion, regardless of the ebb and flow of spiritual intensity. The victory is not contingent on the external state, but the degree of subjugation is enhanced by it. The benoni has internalized the principle that "wisdom surpasses folly as light surpasses darkness," and this internalized wisdom, powered by his divine soul, is his constant weapon, ensuring the yetzer hara never truly "captures" the city.

---

Intertext

The Tzaddik Who Flees Sin vs. The Benoni Who Thwarts It

The Tanya's definition of the benoni stands in stark contrast to the traditional understanding of the tzaddik. While the tzaddik is often described as one who is completely devoid of the yetzer hara, or whose yetzer hatov so overwhelms his yetzer hara that sin is practically unthinkable, the benoni is defined by his active engagement in preventing sin.

This distinction can be illuminated by a common Talmudic categorization of the tzaddik:

"There are three types of righteous people: A righteous person whose yetzer hatov overcomes his yetzer hara, and he is therefore called 'righteous'. A righteous person whose yetzer hara overcomes his yetzer hatov, and he is therefore called 'wicked'. A righteous person whose yetzer hara is nullified before him, and he is therefore called 'utterly righteous' (tzaddik gamur)."¹

The benoni, as described in Tanya, is not a tzaddik gamur. He is a tzaddik in the sense that his yetzer hatov prevents the yetzer hara from actualizing sin. However, the yetzer hara's existence and its stirrings are acknowledged, and the victory is not through its nullification but through its constant suppression.

The benoni's struggle is more akin to the active defense described in the latter part of the Tanya passage: "he thrusts it out with both hands and averts his mind from it the instant he reminds himself that it is an evil thought." This is not the state of the tzaddik gamur where the evil inclination is "nullified." Instead, it's a state of constant vigilance and active rejection.

The Benoni's Internal Governance and Maimonides' Ethics

The benoni's internal governance system, where the intellect (divine soul) actively restrains the heart's desires (animal soul), finds a parallel in Maimonides' ethical framework, particularly in his discussion of character traits (middot). Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, Hilchot De'ot, emphasizes the importance of cultivating a balanced character by avoiding extremes.

He states:

"A person should always incline himself to the side of strictness and severity in his dealings, even when he is lenient towards himself. But in matters of pleasure and enjoyment, he should act leniently. And when he is lenient towards himself, he should incline himself towards severity. This is the path of wisdom. And the path of the foolish is the opposite."²

While Maimonides doesn't use the term benoni, this principle of conscious self-regulation and the intentional channeling of one's inclinations is the very essence of the benoni's struggle. The benoni consciously "diverts his attention altogether from the craving of his heart toward the completely opposite direction, particularly in the direction of holiness." This is the practical application of Maimonides' ethical ideal of finding the mean and actively steering oneself towards it. The benoni is the embodiment of this active, intellectual control over one's emotional and physical impulses, ensuring that the body's actions, speech, and thoughts are aligned with the divine will, not the animal soul's fleeting desires.

---

Psak/Practice

The benoni model, as elucidated in Tanya, provides a meta-heuristic for spiritual practice. It suggests that the pursuit of perfection is not necessarily about achieving a state of sinlessness where temptation ceases to exist, but about developing an unshakeable internal mechanism for managing and redirecting temptation.

1. Active Rejection of Sinful Thoughts: The benoni's practice of "thrusting out with both hands" sinful thoughts is a crucial directive. This means that even when a forbidden thought arises, one must not passively entertain it. The practice involves an immediate, conscious act of mental rejection and redirection, focusing on holiness. This is not about suppressing thoughts entirely but about refusing to willfully engage with them.
2. The Primacy of Intellect in Self-Governance: The emphasis on the brain's rule over the heart underscores the importance of intellectual engagement with G–d and Torah. The benoni's ability to control his impulses stems from his connection to divine wisdom. Therefore, consistent study, contemplation (hitbonenut), and prayer are not merely acts of worship but are tools for strengthening the intellect's dominion over the heart.
3. The Benoni as the Normative Ideal: While the tzaddik is an ideal, the benoni represents the attainable standard for the vast majority of individuals. The text implies that the constant struggle, the resurgence of desire, and the active rejection of sin are the normative experience of spiritual life. This perspective can be profoundly liberating, preventing despair when one experiences spiritual lows or temptations. The goal is not to eliminate the struggle but to master it.

---

Takeaway

The benoni is not defined by the absence of temptation, but by the unwavering victory of his divine soul's intellect in preventing the animal soul from ever actualizing sin. This victory is an active, perpetual process of conscious rejection and redirection, making the benoni a model of attainable, daily spiritual warfare.