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Tanya for Tuesday, 5 Adar, 5778 - February 20, 2018

Tanya
As Divided for a Regular Year

Tanya for 5 Adar

4 Adar, 5778 - February 19, 20186 Adar, 5778 - February 21, 2018


Chapter Thirty-One

[In chapter 29 the Alter Rebbe began to deal with the problem of timtum halev, insensitivity of the heart. He quoted the statement of the Zohar that a body impervious to the light of the soul needs to be crushed. By crushing one's spirit, one crushes the sitra achra of his animal soul, whose arrogance is the cause of timtum halev.

In chapters 29-30, the Alter Rebbe described various means of arriving at a feeling of contrition (lit., brokenheartedness); e.g., reflecting on one's spiritual failings in not waging an adequately strenuous battle against his evil impulse, and realizing that one's failure in this area places him on a level lower than that of the lowliest of his fellow Jews (as explained at length in chapter 30).

But while these methods may effectively dispel timtum halev, they would seem to have an undesirable side-effect (namely) - depression. Chapter 31 deals with this problem].

Even if dwelling long and deeply into the above-mentioned matters for an hour or two, to be lowly of spirit and contrite of heart, leads one to profound depression, let him not be perturbed.

True, atzvut [depression] derives from the realm of kelipat nogah, not of holiness.

For concerning the realm of holiness it is written: [1] "Strength and gladness are in His place;" and likewise, [2] "The Divine Presence abides... only in [man's],... and the same [joy is required] for the study of the Halachah."

[Any depression, then, comes from the realm of kelipat nogah], except that if the depression is due to spiritual matters [arising from one's realization of his spiritual failings], it stems from the good contained in kelipat nogah; [for, as mentioned in chapter 1, kelipat nogah contains both good and evil - the evil in nogah is the source of ordinary depression, and the positive element in nogah gives rise to spiritually motivated depression. Yet, even the element of good contained in nogah is, after all, kelipah].

( [3] For this reason the AriZal writes that even worry over one's sins is appropriate only during confession, but not during prayer and Torah study. These must be conducted with a joy deriving exclusively from the realm of holiness, [as opposed to frivolity and the like.)

Why then should one strive to crush the spirit of sitra achra with methods that lead to depression, which itself stems from the sitra achra of nogah]?

Yet, this is precisely the method of humbling the sitra achra - through something of its own species and kind; [i.e., the sitra achra is most effectively attacked by utilizing the good contained within it as a weapon against itself].

As our Sages expressed it: [4] "From the forest itself comes [the handle for] the ax [which fells the forest]"; and [in a similar vein], [5] "He encountered one of his own kind."

Of this [sadness resulting from contemplation of one's spiritual state] it is written, [6] "In every sadness there will be profit." The profit lies in the joy which follows the sadness, as will be explained later - [i.e., in what way the sadness itself leads to joy].

In truth, however, the state of being contrite of heart and bitter of soul [i.e., remorseful] over one's remoteness from G-d, and over the fact that one's soul is clothed in the sitra achra, - this state can by no means be described in the Holy Tongue [Hebrew] by the term "atzvut."

[The word atzvut, meaning "melancholy," stems from a root which means "constricted." In this context, it refers to a numbing depression that constricts one's heart, blocking out all feeling, as the Alter Rebbe continues]:

For "atzvut" means that one's heart is as dull as a stone, and that there is no vitality - [arousal of feeling] - in his heart.

But "bitterness" (merirut) and contrition are just the opposite, since the very fact that one is moved to be embittered is itself a sign of life, except that this vitality derives from the holy attributes of severity (gevurot) [and it therefore expresses itself as bitterness], whereas joy derives from the holy attributes of kindness (chasadim), for the heart contains both of these attributes - [kindness and severity.

At any rate, we see that the dejection accompanying one's disappointment with his spiritual situation stems from the realm of holiness, unlike atzvut, which derives from kelipat nogah]. [7]

***[Note! For clarity on this please read/study note 7 below].***
At times one must arouse the holy attributes of severity (gevurot) in order to temper [lit., "sweeten"] stern judgements, which [in this context] denote the animal soul and the evil inclination, whenever it [the evil inclination] dominates a man, G-d forbid, for stern judgements [i.e., restraints on one's spiritual wellbeing] can only be "sweetened" by means of their source.

[All evil is simply a degenerate form of the attribute of severity (gevurot) that derives from the realm of holiness. Myriad "contractions" (tzimtzumim) and descents of this attribute transform it to evil, the evil of kelipah.

Naturally, this includes also the sitra achra of one's animal soul and his evil impulse. In order to elevate or "sweeten" evil, to return evil to the realm of holiness, it is necessary to bring its source to bear on it.

In terms of one's divine service, this means crushing one's evil impulse by merirut, bitter remorse, which derives its vitality from the holy attribute of severity - the source of the evil impulse].

For this reason our Sages said: [8] "One should *always* incite the good inclination to anger [against the evil inclination."

Since anger stems from the attribute of severity, it is capable of "sweetening" the evil inclination.

The word "always" ("one should always incite...") is, however, to be understood in a qualified sense.

Joy, not severity, is usually the proper setting for divine service. Thus, when our Sages state that one should *always* incite the good inclination], this means - whenever he finds it necessary for himself; [as, for example, when one sees that the arrogance of his animal soul does not permit the light of his divine soul to penetrate his heart, causing timtum halev].

However, the appropriate time for this ["anger" of the divine soul at the animal soul, meaning], the time which is opportune and fitting for most people, is when one is in any case depressed over mundane matters, or just so, without any [discernible] cause. [9]

***[Note! For clarity on this please read/study note 9 below].***
This is an opportune time for redirecting the depression [toward spiritual matters], to be among the "masters of accounts" mentioned above, [i.e., to engage in soul-searching and spiritual stocktaking], and to fulfill [the previously mentioned] teaching of our Sages, that one should always incite [his good inclination against his evil inclination, since both of these paths harness the attribute of severity].

He will thus also be rid of the depression brought on by mundane matters.

[I.e., redirecting his depression into soul-searching, and into anger at his evil inclination, will dispel the mundane depression].

   

Notes:

  1. (Back to text) Divrei HaYamim 16:27.

  2. (Back to text) Shabbat 30b.

  3. (Back to text) Parentheses are in the original text.

  4. (Back to text) Cf. Sanhedrin 39b.

  5. (Back to text) Shabbat 121b.

  6. (Back to text) Mishlei 14:23.

  7. (Back to text) Now that the Alter Rebbe has established that sadness arising from one's spiritual stocktaking is not atzvut (depression) but merirut (bitterness), several difficulties arise:

    1. Earlier, the Alter Rebbe stated that one ought not be perturbed by such sadness, even though it is in fact atzvut (which stems from the sitra achra), because "this is precisely the method for humbling the sitra achra - through something of its own kind..." Why the need to justify atzvut if this sadness is not atzvut at all, but merirut."

    2. Several lines further, the Alter Rebbe states that the opportune time for dwelling on one's failings is when one is in any case depressed over some material concern; the depression that such contemplation arouses will rid him of his materially-inspired depression. But the Alter Rebbe has just pointed out that this is not depression at all; how, then, does this dispel any other depression?

    A possible explanation:

    When one dwells on his spiritual failings, and concludes that he is indeed worse than the kal shebekalim, his first reaction will be despondency; he will feel utterly worthless and disgraced in his own eyes. In this state, there is no stirring of feeling, no vitality; it is, indeed, classic atzvut. But if this stocktaking was undertaken in its proper spirit, the despondency will last only momentarily. Immediately after sinking into depression the individual will feel the stirrings of bitterness, of anger at his having allowed himself to fall so low; he will begin to seek means of extricating himself from this sorry state. It is with regard to the momentary atzvut that the Alter Rebbe advises one not to be perturbed, since his atzvut is an effective weapon against the sitra achra. Regarding the bitterness and anger that follow it, the Alter Rebbe states that they are not atzvut at all, inasmuch as they are alive and active.

    Likewise, when the Alter Rebbe states that depression over one's spiritual failings is effective in ridding one of depression due to other causes, he again refers to the aforementioned temporary depression which immediately follows one's spiritual stocktaking.

    (- From a comment by the Rebbe Shlita.)

  8. (Back to text) Berachot 5a.

  9. (Back to text) From a superficial reading, it would appear that the Alter Rebbe advocates spiritual accounting at such a time when one is in any case depressed simply so that the depression resulting from this accounting will not hinder one from joyful service of G-d.

    However, the expression, "the time which is opportune and fitting for spiritual stocktaking..." clearly indicates that one's depressed state actually aids him in some way in this self-evaluation. For when one is in a joyful frame of mind on account of his physical well-being, it is difficult for him to shift to a reflective, introspective one, and to feel truly saddened by his spiritual failures; being in a state of depression simplifies the process.

    We find a similar correlation between one's physical circumstances and his spiritual objectives in the following statement of the Sages: "When the Temple stood, the joy `of the festivals' consisted of eating `the sacrificial' meat; now that the Temple is no longer, the joy lies in drinking wine." (Pesachim 109a)

    Although the festivals were given for our souls to rejoice in holiness ("...And Your people Israel will rejoice in You"), yet meat and wine are prescribed, so as to harmonize the moods of body and soul.


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