Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 13:1

Shalom, my friend! Ever feel like there's a little debate club happening right inside your head? One voice nudging you towards that extra cookie, hitting snooze one more time, or maybe letting a grumpy thought linger, while another voice gently reminds you of your best self, your good intentions, and that feeling of peace that comes from making a kind choice? You're definitely not alone! In fact, Jewish wisdom has a whole lot to say about this inner conversation, and today, we're going to peek into a fascinating ancient text that offers a super practical way to understand and navigate it. Get ready to meet a concept that might just change how you see your everyday spiritual journey – no halos required, just a willingness to look within.

Context

Who wrote this?

This text was written by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi (pronounced sh-NOOR ZAL-man lee-AH-dee), often called the Alter Rebbe, which means "Old Rebbe." He was a brilliant scholar and spiritual leader.

When was it written?

He wrote it over 200 years ago, around the late 1700s and early 1800s, in Eastern Europe. It was a time of great change and challenge for Jewish communities.

Where does it come from?

This passage is from his masterpiece, the Tanya (pronounced TAN-yah). The Tanya is the foundational book of Chabad Chassidism (hah-BAHD hah-SEE-dism), a movement focused on bringing G-d's light into the world through intellect and emotion. The Tanya is famous for making deep spiritual ideas accessible to everyone.

What's a key idea we need to know?

The Tanya introduces us to different spiritual "categories" of people, but one of the most important and relatable is the Benoni (beh-NOH-nee).

• Benoni: An intermediate person, always battling good and evil.
  • (Less than 12 words: An intermediate person, always battling good and evil.)

The Benoni is not someone who sometimes does good and sometimes does bad. A Benoni always chooses to act righteously. Their struggle isn't in their actions, but in their thoughts and feelings. They have an evil inclination (a natural drive for self-gratification) that still feels strong, but they never let it translate into action, thanks to their divine soul (their G-dly spark). It’s like having a loud, opinionated roommate inside your head, but you always get to decide what happens in the apartment! The Alter Rebbe wrote the Tanya largely for the Benoni, offering a roadmap for how to understand this internal dynamic and how to consistently choose good, even when it feels like a battle. He wanted to empower every person, no matter where they felt they were spiritually, to connect with G-d and live a meaningful life. His teachings emphasize that spiritual growth isn't about eradicating our natural drives, but about elevating them and using them for good. This particular chapter we're looking at today dives deep into the unique strength and constant vigilance required to be a Benoni, and why this state, far from being a compromise, is actually a profound and powerful path. It's a journey of continuous internal wrestling, but one where the good always emerges victorious in action, often with a little help from Above. So, if you've ever felt like you're trying your best, but those inner struggles just won't quit, the Tanya is here to tell you: that's exactly where the magic happens!

Text Snapshot

Let's take a look at a tiny piece of this wisdom from Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 13:1:

"The evil nature [in the benoni], however, is no more than, for example, a magistrate or judge who gives his opinion on a point of law, yet it is not necessarily a final decision to be implemented in deed, for there is another magistrate or judge who is contesting this opinion. It is, therefore, necessary to arbitrate between the two, and the final verdict rests with the arbitrator. Similarly, the evil nature states its opinion in the left part of the heart… Immediately it is challenged by the second judge, the divine soul in the brain… The final verdict comes from the arbitrator—the Holy One, blessed is He, who comes to the aid of the good nature…"

You can find the full text here: https://www.sefaria.org/Tanya%2C_Part_I%3B_Likkutei_Amarim_13%3A1

Close Reading

Wow, what a powerful image! The Alter Rebbe gives us a vivid picture of what's really going on inside us. Let's break it down into a few simple, powerful ideas that you can use in your own life.

Insight 1: Your Inner Courtroom – Two Judges, One Arbitrator

Imagine your mind and heart as a courtroom, always in session. In this courtroom, there are two "judges" constantly weighing in on your choices, thoughts, and feelings.

• Animal Soul: Our natural drives and desires.
  • (Less than 12 words: Our natural drives for survival and pleasure.)
• Divine Soul: Our G-dly spark, guiding us to good.
  • (Less than 12 words: Our G-dly spark, guiding us to good.)

The text uses the example of the "evil nature" (which the Tanya often calls the animal soul) as one judge. This judge is very good at making a case for what feels good right now: "Go ahead, hit snooze again, you deserve it!" "That chocolate cake is calling your name!" "Why bother being patient, just snap back!" This "judge" is not inherently bad; it’s just focused on self-preservation, comfort, and immediate gratification. It's like the part of you that wants to take the easy road, or the fun road, or the road that benefits you directly. It gives its "opinion."

But here's the crucial part: its opinion is not the final decision! The text explicitly says it's "not necessarily a final decision to be implemented in deed." This is incredibly empowering for a Benoni. It means that even if you have a strong urge or a negative thought, it doesn't make you "wicked" (rasha). It just means one of your inner judges has spoken up.

Then comes the "second judge"—your divine soul. This is your G-dly spark, the part of you that yearns for kindness, truth, connection, and goodness. This judge speaks from a place of wisdom and higher purpose. It might counter with: "Remember your commitment to getting up early," "You'll feel better with a healthier choice," or "A kind word is always better than a harsh one." This divine soul isn't just about abstract spirituality; it's about your deepest sense of right and wrong, your capacity for empathy, and your desire to be a good person.

So, you have these two powerful forces within you, constantly presenting their cases. It can feel like a tug-of-war, right? But the Alter Rebbe offers a huge relief: the final verdict doesn't rest solely with you trying to pick a side. There's an "arbitrator"—"the Holy One, blessed is He, who comes to the aid of the good nature."

• G-d's help: Divine assistance for choosing good.
  • (Less than 12 words: Divine assistance for choosing good.)

This is a game-changer! It means you're not fighting this battle alone. When you choose to lean towards your divine soul, when you strive for good, G-d is right there, "standing at the right of the destitute," helping your good nature win. This help isn't about G-d magically making the bad thoughts disappear. It's about G-d strengthening your divine soul, giving it the "upper hand and mastery over the folly of the fool and evil nature." It's like having the ultimate tie-breaker on your side, ensuring that even if the animal soul makes a very convincing argument, the divine soul, with G-d's backing, always wins the action. The Benoni is someone who, no matter how strong the internal pull of the animal soul, consistently allows the divine soul, empowered by G-d, to dictate their actions. This means that while the inner conflict is real and ongoing, the Benoni's outward behavior is always aligned with goodness.

Insight 2: Embracing the "As If" – Why the Struggle is Actually Your Strength

This concept is one of the most liberating and humbling ideas in the Tanya. The text quotes our Sages, saying, "Even if the whole world tells you that you are righteous, in your own eyes regard yourself as if you were wicked"—not as actually wicked. This is a profound distinction, and it's key to understanding the Benoni's path.

• Tzaddik: A righteous person whose evil is truly nullified.
  • (Less than 12 words: A righteous person whose evil is nullified.)
• Rasha: A wicked person who acts wickedly.
  • (Less than 12 words: A wicked person who acts wickedly.)

Most of us, when we hear "wicked," think of someone who consciously chooses to do evil. But the Tanya is talking about a different kind of "wickedness" here, specifically for the purpose of self-evaluation. A Benoni never acts wickedly. In their actions, they are completely righteous. The text states that if the "evil nature gains any control and dominion over the 'small city' [the body], even though but temporarily, one is at such times deemed 'wicked.'" The Benoni ensures this never happens. Their "garments"—their thoughts, speech, and action—are always invested in the 613 commandments and good deeds.

So why should a Benoni "regard himself as if he were wicked"? Because the evil nature, the animal soul, is still "in its innate strength, craving after all the pleasures of this world." It hasn't been abolished or nullified, like it is for a Tzaddik (a truly righteous person whose evil inclination has been transformed). For the Benoni, the evil is "dormant, as it were, in the left part, during the recital of the Shema and the Prayer [Amidah], when his heart is aglow with the love of G-d, but later it can wake up again." It's like a sleeping giant—it's not actively causing trouble, but it's still there, capable of waking up.

This isn't about self-deprecation or feeling bad about yourself. It's about radical honesty and preventing complacency. If you constantly tell yourself, "Oh, I'm so good, I've got this," you might lower your guard. But if you maintain the perspective that, "Yes, I'm doing good, but that inner urge for self-gratification is still powerful," then you stay vigilant. You stay humble. You stay engaged in the spiritual battle, which is the very essence of the Benoni's service.

Think of it like a highly disciplined athlete. They might be incredibly fit and skilled, but they don't stop training because they know their muscles could weaken, and their competitors are always striving. Similarly, the Benoni knows that while their divine soul is winning the daily "game," the animal soul is still a formidable opponent, ready to resurface if vigilance lapses. This attitude ensures that the Benoni never rests on their laurels, always strives for more, and never takes their spiritual achievements for granted. It means the internal struggle itself becomes a source of strength, keeping us alert and connected to G-d, rather than a sign of failure.

Insight 3: The Power of Your "Truth" and G-d's Enduring Support

The Tanya concludes this section by emphasizing the profound value of the Benoni's service, even with its inherent struggles. It addresses the idea that the Benoni's love for G-d, often intense during prayer, might "pass and disappear after prayer." This could lead one to think it's not "true service."

However, the Tanya counters this powerfully: "Nevertheless, in relation to the rank of the benonim, it is regarded as a truly perfect service in terms of their [level of] truth, in each man relative to his standing in the ranks of the benonim." This is a huge validation!

• True service: Spiritual work that is authentic to one's level.
  • (Less than 12 words: Spiritual work that is authentic to one's level.)

It means that your efforts, your struggles, your moments of connection, even if they feel temporary or imperfect, are absolutely "true" and perfect for your level. G-d doesn't expect you to be a Tzaddik if you're a Benoni. G-d expects you to be the best Benoni you can be!

The text links this to the verse, "The lip of truth shall be established forever." Even if the intensity of love or spiritual feeling ebbs and flows, the Benoni's divine soul has "the power to reawaken this kind of love constantly, during its preponderance in time of prayer day after day, by means of an appropriate [mental] preparation." This means the potential for that love and connection is always there, and with effort, it can be rekindled. The truth of the Benoni's service lies in this consistent effort, this daily re-engagement, this persistent striving.

The Tanya also brings in the idea of Jacob, who is called "the middle bolt which secures [everything] from end to end." Jacob represents truth, and truth is what connects all levels of existence. Even at the "lowest" spiritual level, there is a point of truth that connects us to the highest. Your individual truth, your honest effort and desire to connect with G-d and do good, is a "middle bolt" that secures your connection, no matter your inner landscape.

This insight reminds us that G-d's help isn't a one-time thing. It's a constant, flowing support system. When you feel that spark of desire to do good, to choose kindness, to think positively—that's G-d's light illuminating your divine soul, giving you the strength to overcome. The struggle itself, the constant need to choose, to arbitrate, is the Benoni's unique way of connecting to G-d. It's a dynamic, active relationship, built on the foundation of G-d's unwavering assistance. So, don't ever discount your efforts because they don't feel "perfect" or because the struggle persists. That very struggle, empowered by G-d's help, is your unique and powerful path to truth and connection.

Apply It

Okay, so we've learned a ton about this inner courtroom and the Benoni. How can we bring this amazing wisdom into our everyday lives in a super simple, doable way? Here's one tiny practice for this week, something that will take you less than 60 seconds a day, but can make a huge difference:

The "Inner Pause & Acknowledge" Moment.

The next time you feel that little tug-of-war inside – maybe you're about to say something snarky, or grab an unhealthy snack, or you feel a wave of impatience, or even just that urge to procrastinate – take a tiny, internal pause. Don't fight the feeling or beat yourself up. Just acknowledge it.

1. Recognize the "Judge": Silently say to yourself, "Ah, there's my animal soul, making its case for [snarky comment/snack/impatience/procrastination]." Just label it, without judgment. This acknowledges its presence, just like the text says it "states its opinion."
2. Invite the "Second Judge": Then, immediately (this takes literally a second!), shift your focus to your divine soul. Silently think, "And my divine soul knows that [kindness/healthier choice/patience/getting things done] is the better path, the one that aligns with my true self and G-d's will."
3. Lean on the "Arbitrator": Finally, and this is the most crucial part for a Benoni, silently add, "G-d, please help me choose the good." This isn't a long prayer, just a quick internal thought, a simple leaning on the "Arbitrator" to strengthen your good inclination.

That's it! It’s not about making the bad thought disappear instantly. It's about consciously engaging in the internal arbitration process that the Tanya describes. You're acknowledging the two "judges" and, most importantly, inviting the "Arbitrator" (G-d) to empower your divine soul.

You might not always "win" in terms of feeling perfectly calm or pure, but you will have performed the service of a Benoni: you acknowledged the struggle, you brought your divine soul into the conversation, and you leaned on G-d for help. Even if you still choose the cookie, you've engaged in the process. Over time, this tiny practice trains your brain to recognize the internal dynamic, to consistently align with your higher self, and to rely on G-d's constant support. It transforms an unconscious struggle into a conscious, spiritual act. Give it a try this week, and see how this little internal pause can shift your perspective and empower your choices!

Chevruta Mini

A chevruta (pronounced hev-ROO-tah) is a traditional Jewish learning partnership, where two people study a text together, discuss ideas, and learn from each each other's insights. No pressure, just a friendly chat! Find a friend, a family member, or even just ponder these questions yourself.

1. The Tanya teaches that the Benoni's evil nature is like a "magistrate or judge" who gives an opinion, but not a final decision. How does this understanding change how you view your own challenging thoughts or urges? Does it make them feel less scary or less defining of who you are?
2. The text says the "final verdict comes from the arbitrator—the Holy One, blessed is He, who comes to the aid of the good nature." How might actively inviting G-d's help (even with a quick, silent thought) empower you when you're facing a difficult choice or an internal battle? What does it mean to you that you don't have to fight these battles alone?

Takeaway

Remember this: The Benoni path teaches that your ongoing inner struggle, when met with conscious choice and reliance on G-d’s help, is not a flaw but your unique and powerful way of connecting to truth and doing good.