Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 13:6

Hook

We live in a world saturated with competing desires, a constant hum of inner and outer voices vying for our attention and allegiance. This inner conflict isn't a sign of personal failure; it's a fundamental aspect of the human experience, particularly for those of us striving for a life guided by justice and compassion. The Tanya, in this profound passage, names a specific kind of struggle: the ongoing battle within the "intermediate person" (the benoni). This is the person who isn't wholly defined by their good deeds nor entirely consumed by their inclination towards evil. They are the majority, the ones caught in the daily tug-of-war between aspiration and action, between divine spark and earthly pull. The injustice lies not in this struggle itself, but in the potential for it to become a source of despair, leading us to believe we are either wholly good and thus complacent, or hopelessly flawed and thus resigned. The need this text addresses is for a nuanced understanding of our internal landscape, one that fosters persistent effort without succumbing to either self-righteousness or self-condemnation.

Text Snapshot

The Tanya describes the benoni as a "small city" with two opposing impulses, like two judges. The evil inclination offers an opinion from the left side of the heart, which ascends to the brain. This is immediately challenged by the divine soul, residing in the brain and extending to the right side of the heart, representing the good inclination. God, the ultimate arbitrator, aids the divine soul, allowing it to gain mastery. However, the evil inclination, though not in control of the body's actions, remains in its innate strength, craving worldly pleasures. This is why the benoni is cautioned to consider themselves as if wicked, not to despair, but to remain vigilant. Their divine soul may dominate the physical limbs, directing them towards good, but the fundamental strength of the evil inclination persists, like a sleeping force that can reawaken.

Halakhic Counterweight

The concept of the benoni as a constantly striving individual, never fully at rest in their spiritual achievements, finds a powerful parallel in the Jewish legal tradition surrounding teshuvah (repentance). While the Torah commands us to repent for sins, the Oral Law and subsequent rabbinic thought emphasize that teshuvah is not a one-time event but a continuous process. Maimonides, in his Mishneh Torah, Laws of Repentance, Chapter 1, states: "Teshuvah is to return to God. This consists of three things: to abandon the sin, to regret the past, and to resolve for the future. And when one comes across a sin that he has committed and knows that he has the opportunity to sin again, and he refrains from sinning because he regrets the past and resolves for the future, this is a complete teshuvah." This principle highlights that the resolve for the future is paramount. It acknowledges that the temptation may still exist, the "evil inclination" may still be present, but the commitment to actively choose the good, to "return" even when the opportunity to stray remains, is what constitutes genuine repentance. This aligns with the Tanya's depiction of the benoni: not someone who has eradicated their inclination, but someone who, despite its continued presence, actively chooses to align their actions with their divine soul, with God's help. The existence of the full opportunity to sin again, and the conscious decision not to, is the halakhic manifestation of the benoni's internal arbitration, where God's help empowers the divine soul to choose the path of righteousness, even if the latent desire for the opposite remains. This ongoing commitment to choosing good, even when the inclination for evil is potent, is the bedrock of spiritual growth within the framework of Jewish law and the Tanya's understanding of the benoni.

Strategy

The Tanya’s nuanced portrayal of the benoni calls for a strategy that embraces constant vigilance, humble self-assessment, and proactive engagement with our divine potential. It’s about cultivating a robust inner life that doesn't shy away from the inherent duality of our nature, but rather uses it as fuel for growth.

Local Move: Cultivating the "Arbitrator" in Daily Life

The text emphasizes that God "stands at the right of the destitute to deliver him from the judges of his soul." This is not a passive waiting for divine intervention, but an active partnership. Our "divine soul" is the part of us that can be illuminated, but it requires our conscious effort to engage with it.

Actionable Step: Implement a daily "Inner Arbitration" practice. This involves setting aside 5-10 minutes at a consistent time each day (e.g., before bed, upon waking) for a brief reflection. During this time, ask yourself:

1. What desires or impulses arose today from my "left side" (the animal soul)? Be specific. Was it a desire for gossip, a moment of envy, a temptation to cut corners?
2. What did my "right side" (the divine soul) prompt me to do or consider? Was it a moment of patience, a desire to help, a thought of gratitude?
3. Where did I ultimately choose to direct my actions? Be honest. Did I act on the "left side" impulse, or did I manage to align with the "right side" prompting, even if imperfectly?
4. How can I better support my "divine soul" in its arbitration tomorrow? This could be as simple as resolving to pause before speaking, or to intentionally seek out an opportunity for kindness.

Tradeoffs: This practice requires consistent effort and honesty. It can be uncomfortable to confront the impulses from our "left side." It also demands that we move beyond simple self-flagellation and towards constructive self-awareness. The reward is a deepening of self-understanding and a more intentional direction of our energies. This is not about achieving perfection overnight, but about building the muscle of self-awareness and conscious choice.

Sustainable Move: Weaving Divine Illumination into the Fabric of Community

The Tanya speaks of the "glow radiated by the Divine light, which illuminates the divine soul." This illumination is not just an individual experience; it can be amplified and sustained through communal engagement. When we are part of a community that values justice and compassion, our individual efforts are supported and strengthened.

Actionable Step: Identify and actively participate in a local initiative that directly addresses an injustice or need, with a specific focus on its long-term impact and the cultivation of compassion within its participants. This could be:

• Volunteering with an organization that provides direct aid to vulnerable populations, but with an added emphasis on building relationships and fostering empathy. For instance, a soup kitchen that also organizes storytelling sessions, or a tutoring program that pairs students with mentors who engage in deep conversation about their aspirations.
• Engaging in advocacy work for systemic change, but grounding it in the principles of justice with compassion. This means not just demanding policy changes, but also seeking to understand the human stories behind the issues and advocating for solutions that uplift all individuals involved.
• Joining or forming a study group focused on texts that explore ethical living and spiritual development, with a commitment to translating insights into tangible acts of service. This could be a group studying Jewish texts on justice, or interfaith groups exploring shared values of compassion.

Tradeoffs: This requires a commitment of time and energy beyond the individual "Inner Arbitration" practice. It may also involve encountering complex social issues and navigating differing perspectives within a community. The trade-off is that by embedding our spiritual practice within a larger framework of shared action, we gain resilience, inspiration, and a more profound sense of purpose. We learn to see the "divine light" reflected in the actions of others and to contribute to its diffusion in the world. This moves us from merely observing our internal arbitration to actively participating in a collective effort towards justice and compassion, transforming the abstract into the tangible and the individual struggle into a shared journey.

Measure

To gauge the effectiveness of our efforts, we need a metric that reflects the sustained growth in our ability to align our actions with our divine aspirations, even in the face of persistent inclinations. The Tanya’s emphasis on the benoni considering themselves as if wicked, not as actually wicked, points us toward a measure of "Intentional Alignment Growth."

Intentional Alignment Growth

This metric focuses on the increase in the intentional alignment of our actions with our divine soul's promptings, despite the presence of the animal soul's desires. It is not about the absence of temptation, but about the growing strength and frequency of our conscious choice to act in accordance with our higher aspirations.

What "Done" Looks Like: Over a defined period (e.g., six months), you will observe a demonstrable increase in the following indicators:

### Indicator 1: Reduced Reactive Behavior & Increased Proactive Compassion

• Observation: You notice a consistent reduction in instances where you react impulsively based on selfish desires or negative emotions (e.g., anger, envy, laziness). This is evidenced by fewer instances where you later regret acting without thinking.
• Observable Action: Simultaneously, you observe a marked increase in proactively seeking opportunities to exercise compassion, offer support, or act justly, even when it requires extra effort or is not immediately reciprocated. This might be evidenced by a journal entry noting instances where you initiated an act of kindness or intervened constructively in a challenging situation.

### Indicator 2: Depth of Self-Reflection and Actionable Insight

• Observation: Your daily "Inner Arbitration" practice becomes more profound. You are able to identify the subtle workings of both your divine and animal souls with greater clarity.
• Observable Action: Crucially, these insights are not just observed; they translate into concrete, actionable adjustments in your behavior. For example, if you consistently identify a tendency towards impatience during your "Inner Arbitration," you will begin to see evidence of you consciously practicing patience in real-time situations. This could be documented by noting specific instances in your journal where you applied a strategy learned from your reflection, such as taking a deep breath before responding.

### Indicator 3: Sustained Engagement in Community Action

• Observation: Your commitment to the chosen local and sustainable initiative remains consistent and deepens over time. You are not just passively participating, but actively contributing to its goals and embodying its values.
• Observable Action: This is evidenced by your continued involvement, taking on greater responsibility, or contributing to the initiative in ways that foster compassion and justice within the community. For example, if you are volunteering at a shelter, you might start initiating conversations with residents to understand their needs more deeply, or organizing a small event to foster camaraderie among volunteers.

Measurement Process: Maintain a journal for at least six months, dedicating a section to tracking these indicators. At the end of each week, review your experiences and note specific instances that demonstrate progress or regression in each of the three areas. The goal is not to achieve a perfect score, but to observe a clear upward trend in your intentional alignment growth. This means recognizing that the "evil inclination" will still be present, but that your capacity to choose the path illuminated by your divine soul, with God's help, is strengthening and becoming more consistent. The "wickedness" you acknowledge in yourself is the potential for misstep, but the "growth" is in your increasing ability to navigate that potential with intention and grace.

Takeaway

The Tanya's teaching on the benoni offers a profound and liberating perspective on the spiritual journey. It liberates us from the pressure of believing we must be perfect to be worthy, and from the despair of feeling irrevocably flawed. The wisdom here is that the struggle itself, when met with conscious intention and God’s assistance, is the very engine of our spiritual growth. We are not defined by the presence of our inclinations, but by our persistent, albeit imperfect, commitment to aligning our actions with our divine spark. Our task is not to eradicate the "judges of our soul," but to cultivate the inner arbitrator, the divine soul empowered by God's light, to guide our choices with justice and compassion, day by day. This journey is ongoing, marked not by arrival, but by the persistent, courageous, and humble act of turning towards the good, again and again.