Tanya, Part I; Likkutei Amarim 6:7

Hook

Founders, let’s cut through the noise. You’re building something new, something that matters. But the market is a battlefield, and you’re constantly facing a stark choice: do you play by the rules of the game, even if they feel rigged, or do you strive for an integrity that might seem… inefficient? This isn't just about a moral compass; it's about the very engine of your company. The text we're examining, from Tanya, Part I, Likkutei Amarim 6:7, grapples with a fundamental dynamic: the existence of "the other side," the force that opposes holiness and good. In business terms, this translates to the ever-present pull of compromise, of cutting corners, of prioritizing short-term wins over long-term, principled growth. Are your company's actions and decisions drawing their vitality from a source of genuine value creation, or are they merely sustained by a hollow echo, a "vanity and striving after the wind"? The dilemma is whether your success is built on solid ground, aligned with a higher purpose, or precariously perched on a foundation of expediency that, while appearing functional, is ultimately unsustainable. This is the founder’s existential calculus: is your enterprise a conduit for true progress, or a temporary construct sustained by the "other side"?

Text Snapshot

“G–d has made one thing opposite the other.” Just as the divine soul consists of ten holy sefirot and is clothed in three holy garments, so does the soul which is derived from the sitra achara of the kelipat nogah… consist of ten “crowns of impurity.” These are the seven evil middot… and the intellect begetting them… For the middot are according to the quality of the intellect. Hence a child desires and loves petty things of inferior worth, for his intellect is too immature and deficient to appreciate things that are much more precious. Likewise is he provoked to anger and vexation over trivial things; so, too, with boasting and other middot. Now these ten unclean categories, when a person meditates in them or speaks them or acts by them, his thought—which is in his brain; and his speech—which is in his mouth; and the power of action—which is in his hands, together with his other limbs—all these are called the “impure garments” of these ten unclean categories… So, too, are all utterances and thoughts which are not directed toward G–d and His will and service. For this is the meaning of sitra achara—“the other side,” i.e., not the side of holiness.

Analysis

This passage offers a powerful framework for evaluating the ethical underpinnings of your business, not as an abstract moral exercise, but as a direct driver of long-term viability and impact. The core insight is that everything derives its vitality from a source. For the "holy side," this source is divine, absolute, and ultimately sustaining. For "the other side," the vitality is diminished, derived indirectly, and ultimately leads to a form of "ruination of the spirit." Applying this to your startup, we can derive three crucial decision rules:

Insight 1: Fairness - The Source of Your Value Creation

Decision Rule: Does your company’s value proposition and operational model draw from a source that inherently benefits all stakeholders, or does it extract value at the expense of others?

The text speaks of "G–d has made one thing opposite the other," and contrasts the "ten holy sefirot" with ten "crowns of impurity." This isn't just theological; it's a fundamental principle of systems. A system that draws its energy and sustenance from "the other side" is inherently unsustainable. In business, this translates directly to how you create and distribute value. If your pricing strategy exploits information asymmetry, if your labor practices push the boundaries of exploitation, or if your product's success relies on creating externalized costs (environmental damage, social disruption), you are drawing from "the other side."

The text highlights how the middot (character traits) are "according to the quality of the intellect." A child's immature intellect leads to desires for "petty things of inferior worth." Similarly, a business with a short-sighted intellect will pursue "petty" gains by compromising fairness. The "impure garments" of thought, speech, and action are the manifestation of these flawed intellects.

Tie to Text: "for his intellect is too immature and deficient to appreciate things that are much more precious." This applies to a company that, in its pursuit of "petty" profits, fails to appreciate the "more precious" value of long-term trust, genuine customer loyalty, and a positive societal impact.

Metric Proxy: Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) to Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC) Ratio. A healthy, high CLV:CAC ratio suggests that customers are retained and continue to derive value from your product/service over time, indicating a sustainable, fair exchange. A declining ratio or one heavily skewed towards CAC suggests customers churn, indicating they may not be experiencing genuine, lasting value, or are being acquired through aggressive, potentially unfair, tactics.

Insight 2: Truth - The Substance of Your Claims

Decision Rule: Are your company's communications and product claims rooted in verifiable reality and intended to serve a genuine purpose, or do they obscure truth for immediate gain?

The passage states, "So, too, are all utterances and thoughts which are not directed toward G–d and His will and service." In a business context, "G–d and His will and service" can be interpreted as the true, underlying purpose and benefit of your enterprise. If your marketing messages exaggerate benefits, if your product roadmap is designed to create artificial scarcity, or if your financial reporting is opaque, you are operating on "the other side."

The concept of "impure garments" of thought, speech, and deed is critical here. When these are clothed in "ten unclean categories," the resulting actions, words, and thoughts are not directed towards a higher purpose; they are self-serving and ultimately hollow. The text states that such actions are "vanity and striving after the wind." This describes a company whose growth is superficial, built on perception rather than substance.

Tie to Text: "all utterances and thoughts which are not directed toward G–d and His will and service." This directly translates to marketing claims that are not aimed at genuinely informing or serving the customer's true needs, but rather at manipulating them for a sale.

Metric Proxy: Net Promoter Score (NPS) trend and qualitative feedback analysis. A consistently high and improving NPS, coupled with positive qualitative feedback that aligns with your product’s actual capabilities, suggests your communications are truthful and resonate. A declining NPS or a significant disconnect between marketing promises and customer experience points to a problem with the truthfulness of your messaging.

Insight 3: Competition - The Nature of Your Market Engagement

Decision Rule: Does your competitive strategy aim to elevate the market and innovate, or does it focus on undermining rivals through ethically questionable means?

The core idea of "the other side" as something that "does not surrender itself to G–d, but is a separate thing by itself" and derives vitality "from behind its back" speaks to a mode of existence that is reactive, self-contained, and ultimately parasitic. In a competitive landscape, this manifests as strategies that are not about creating superior value but about hindering others, spreading misinformation, or engaging in predatory pricing that seeks to destroy competitors rather than out-innovate them.

The text describes how this separated existence descends "degree by degree, through myriads of degrees." This is akin to a race to the bottom in competition, where each ethically dubious move lowers the standard for everyone, including your own company in the long run. The "three kelipot which are altogether unclean and evil, containing no good whatsoever" represent the most destructive forms of competition, which offer no genuine benefit to the market.

Tie to Text: "However, the kelipot are subdivided into two grades, one lower than the other. The lower grade consists of the three kelipot which are altogether unclean and evil, containing no good whatsoever." This describes a competitive approach that is purely destructive, seeking to eliminate rivals without offering any superior product or service.

Metric Proxy: Market Share Growth vs. Innovation Index (e.g., number of new patents filed, R&D investment as a percentage of revenue). Sustainable market share growth achieved through innovation signifies a healthy, value-driven competitive approach. If market share is increasing solely through aggressive, potentially unethical tactics, while innovation stagnates, it suggests a reliance on "the other side."

Policy Move

Policy: Implement a "Source of Value" Review for all New Product Launches and Major Marketing Campaigns.

Process: Before any new product is launched or a significant marketing campaign is initiated, a cross-functional team (including representatives from Product, Marketing, Sales, and Legal/Compliance) will conduct a brief "Source of Value" review. This review will explicitly address the three decision rules derived from the Tanya passage:

1. Fairness: How does this initiative create value for all key stakeholders (customers, employees, partners, society)? Are there any potential externalities or trade-offs that disproportionately burden one group?
2. Truth: Are all claims and representations accurate, verifiable, and aligned with the actual offering? Is the intent of the communication to inform and serve, or to obscure and manipulate?
3. Competition: How does this initiative position us relative to competitors? Does it aim to win by out-innovating and out-serving, or by engaging in tactics that could be construed as destructive or unfair to others in the ecosystem?

The output of this review will be a simple checklist and a short summary document that must be signed off by the relevant department heads. This process is designed to be lean and on-ramp-friendly, not a bureaucratic hurdle, but a structured moment for critical thinking aligned with ethical ROI. The goal is to bake ethical considerations into the DNA of our growth strategies from the outset.

Board-Level Question

"Our growth has been strong, but the text from Tanya reminds us that all vitality stems from a source, and 'the other side' offers a deceptive, ultimately unsustainable vitality. As we continue to scale and face increasing competitive pressures, how can we ensure that our company's engine of growth is drawing from a source of genuine, long-term value creation – one that aligns with our stated mission and fosters sustainable, ethical success – rather than from the transient, potentially corrosive energy of 'the other side'?"

Takeaway

Your company’s success is not an accident; it’s a reflection of the principles that fuel it. The Tanya, Part I, Likkutei Amarim 6:7 teaches us that there is a fundamental difference between vitality derived from holiness and that drawn from "the other side." In business, this means that true, lasting ROI is not just about profit margins; it's about the integrity of your value creation, the truthfulness of your communication, and the ethical nature of your competitive engagement. Prioritize fairness, truth, and constructive competition, and your company will be built on a foundation that can withstand any storm, drawing from a source that is inexhaustible.