Tanya with Rochel Schmukler

101

Tanya Chapter 39 part 5

May 27, 2022

45:59

The world of Atzilus is a world of oneness, and it is completely beyond the grasp of a created being. In that sublime world, the ten sefirot are completely unified with their Emanator, and so utterly and infinitely transcend the mind of a limited creature, no matter how great. A created being does indeed possess the ability to grasp chochmah bina and da’at in the lower world of Beriah and still retain existence due to the tzitzum – the constriction – in that world.

102

Tanya Chapter 39 part 4

May 13, 2022

50:10

There’s a distinction between the soul that serves and the service that it performs. Depending on the level of intention, the soul’s service of Torah and mitzvot rise to be incorporated within the ten sefirot, the Divine life force, in the higher worlds of either Beriah or Yetzirah. But ultimately, the ten sefirot of the world of Atzilus, which are one with their Emanator, the blessed Infinite One, are within the ten sefirot of every world. The soul, on the other hand, remains in abodes and chambers of the world, as a separate being who delights in the radiance of the Shechina –– which turns out to be the radiance of his or her own Divine acts of Torah and mitzvos which they generated when they served down below in this world.

103

Tanya Chapter 39 part 3

May 6, 2022

46:53

Normally, a soul who served Hashem with instinctive love and fear abides in the world of Yetzirah, as does the “ruach” of a righteous person’s soul. However, on special occasions the soul gets to rise to a world beyond its normal self, a privilege not available to angels. Why this special treatment? Because an angel doesn’t have to fight a dark side in order to implement its natural emotions. But a soul clothed in a physical body must resist evil in order to access its natural holiness, and that is tremendous!

104

Tanya Chapter 39 part 2

Apr 29, 2022

48:26

In order to “inhabit” a world, there must be a common bond between the “self” and the “world.” The world of Yetzirah is a world of holy emotion and the angels who serve Hashem with their emotional instinct abide there. Emotions are their mode and so that is their world. The world of Beriah is a world where the Divine intellect, the source of the holy emotions, radiates. Righteous people who served Hashem with intellectually generated emotions abide in this higher world, where the setting is one of deeper identification with the Divine.

105

Tanya Chapter 39: We can move beyond our natural holy instincts, but if not, angels operate by holy instinct too. part 1

Mar 31, 2022

49:42

Animals are instinctive beings of our physical world. But there are instinctive beings in the higher worlds too – these are the angels. Their powerful instincts of love or fear of Hashem are sublime and magnificent. However, it is a nature which they did not create by choice, by which they simply operate. From this we can appreciate the power of our own service, even if we cannot produce any new emotions, serving Hashem by tapping into the instincts of our soul. Our service then is at least as powerful as that of these mighty instinctive beings, the angels. Since the angels operate by instinct, their abode is in the world of Yetzirah. But the abode of the righteous who serve Hashem with intellectual love and fear, created out of free choice, is beyond that of the angels in the world of Beriah.

106

Tanya Chapter 38 part 6. You may lack the human power to generate new emotions. But that shouldn't stop you from acting on holy instinct

Mar 24, 2022

36:30

When a person lacks the capacity to generate new emotions of awe and love for Hashem, he has another path. He can awaken his instinctive love, which is embedded deep within his soul. This powerful love is innate to the Jew and includes within it an element of fear. Being mindful of his deep desire to attach to Hashem, a Jew can then use his awareness to perform a mitzvah. This intention then becomes the soul of the mitzvah, and is analogous to the soul of the animal whose love and fear are not a product of its intelligence and choice, but rather are a natural instinct.

107

Tanya Chapter 38 part 5. Your Divine instinct drives you to remain connected to your Source at any cost. Let that be the soul of your mitzvah

Mar 4, 2022

50:54

A human being is characterized by his power of intellect and freedom of choice. A person with the ability to meditate upon Hashem’s greatness and to generate love and awe based on that awareness, when he uses that intention to power a mitzvah, his intention becomes like the soul of a human for the body of the mitzvah. But what if you do not have the capacity to create love through meditation? How will you infuse soul –– the intention to attach to Hashem –– into your mitzvah? All you have to do is remember your essence, the love that you have etched deep within your core. A Jew must remember that they would suffer martyrdom rather than be separated from Hashem. So then consider this: Torah study and mitzvah performance is the opportunity to attach to Hashem and be absorbed in His oneness. If you would be willing to give up your life so as not to detach from Hashem, won’t you grab the opportunity to attach to Him? You will. And that intention becomes the soul of the mitzvah on the level of the animal, who operates not by freedom of choice, but rather by instinct.

108

Tanya Chapter 38 part 4. Can you see how the mitzvah and its intention reflects the lights and vessels of the Supernal world of Atzilut?

Feb 18, 2022

45:56

The correlation between the mitzvah and its intention is sourced in the supernal world of Atzilus: the intention to cleave to Hashem is sourced in the lights of Atzilus while the act or speech of the mitzvah is sourced in the vessels. Lights are about uncontained, unlimited manifestation of the Divine. Vessels are about expressing Hashem’s infinity in defined, structured ways. The attachment of the light with Hashem is total, the attachment of the vessels with Hashem is total. But the way this total attachment is expressed is different in each of them. In the light, the attachment is apparent, while in the vessels the attachment is inapparent. The same is true with the mitzvah and its intention. Each of them constitutes attachment to the Divine. The difference lies in how apparent this attachment is.

109

Tanya Chapter 38 part 3. The soul of the mitzvah. How intention radiates Divine attachment more than action alone

Feb 11, 2022

46:52

The intention of attaching to Hashem while performing a mitzvah is like the soul of the mitzvah. It is not that the attachment that is forged by intention is greater than the attachment forged by the act or speech of the mitzvah. Both action and intention are equal in this regard, since they are both the will of Hashem. The difference between them lies in how manifestly this connection is sensed. In just a dry act of the mitzvah, there is minimal radiance of the Divine will. In the intention of the mitzvah, the radiance is profuse. It is like the superiority of the radiance of the soul above that of the body. The body is a vessel and garment for the soul, expressing the soul. The act or speech of the mitzvah is like a body to its intention, which then expresses its core identity –– attachment to Hashem.

110

Tanya Chapter 38 part 2. The physical act of the mitzvah and its intention both manifest the Divine will. But there's a difference

Feb 4, 2022

45:34

While everything of this world is equal in that all are subject to utter and total Divine concealment, the difference between one thing and another becomes vast when we consider the contraction or expansion of the Divine light which flows into each. Generally, this world is divided into four categories, each class corresponding to a different letter of the Divine name Havaya –– one below the other in terms of contraction. We can apply this idea to the speech or act of a mitzvah and its intent. The speech or the act of a mitzvah is its body, the intent is its soul. Being the exposure of Hashem’s will, they each represent total revelation of the Divine and are equal in this respect. However, when it comes to the level at which this exposure is manifest, this is where they become different.

111

Tanya Chapter 38: The power of intention. part 1

Jan 20, 2022

48:01

Drawing upon what we’ve learned until now, we can now understand the halacha –– that meditation is not valid in lieu of verbal articulation. Because the soul itself requires no perfecting; it came down here only to draw light upon the vital soul as well as the body. This is accomplished by actual articulation or action via the body. On the other hand, our Sages said that prayer or any other blessing said without kavanah is like a body without a soul. Let’s understand what this means: Both body and soul have Divine life force, and both experience equal, utter concealment of that life force. But when it comes to the amount of life force in each of them, there is a vast difference between them.

112

Tanya Chapter 37 part 8

Jan 14, 2022

32:50

Torah study is called “calling through the Torah.” To study Torah is to call G-d by His Name, turning to His very essence, asking Him to stay with us and not to leave us alone. This deep call from our inner space pulls down the very essence of Hashem over the source of our souls. Being cognizant that we draw down Hashem's essence when we study Torah allows us to experience great awe when doing so.

113

Tanya Chapter 37 part 7

Dec 30, 2021

49:59

114

Tanya Chapter 37 part 6

Dec 24, 2021

48:35

So much of your vital soul, and often its totality, is invested in earning a livelihood. Thus, when hard-earned money is given to charity, this one act brings the entire vital soul up to Hashem. That is why the Sages of the Land of Israel called charity simply “the mitzvah.” Because it embodies what a mitzvah is all about and is outstanding in this respect –– elevating the vital soul to holiness. So why did the Sages say that “Torah study outweighs them all?” Because there is something unique to Torah study, influencing and transforming the vital soul in a way that no other mitzvah can.

115

Tanya Chapter 37 part 5

Dec 16, 2021

42:47

The soul is perfect, requiring no rectification. What the soul had above in terms of love and fear of Hashem was way beyond anything it could achieve in this world. Even if the soul will reach the highest levels humanly possible –– that of a complete tzadik who loves Hashem with pleasurable love –– it will not experience anything remotely similar to what it experienced while above. The whole purpose of its descent is only to elevate the vital soul, the body, the world. We cannot understand this –– it is a mystery paralleling the mystery of the exile of the Shechina. It too is exiled, coming down to elevate holy sparks.

116

Tanya Chapter 37 part 4

Dec 10, 2021

46:14

When the vital soul of all of Israel is elevated to holiness, it will become a chariot for Hashem. This in turn causes the kelipat nogah life energy of the whole world to become elevated, a chariot to Hashem as well. Once the intermediate kelipah –– kelipat nogah –– ascends to holiness, all impurity and negativity will be totally obliterated, no longer having access to life energy. How does the refinement of our own vital soul bring elevation to the whole world? Because the Jewish soul is the source of vitality of the world, and each part of the world is connected to and dependent upon a particular soul. In fulfilling our mission in Torah and mitzvos, we elevate that part of the world which was created solely to support our Divine mission.

117

Tanya Chapter 37 part 3

Nov 25, 2021

44:58

The totality of this world’s life energy is elevated to holiness when we keep all of the mitzvot. The prohibitive commands serve to prevent our animal soul’s blood vessels from attaching and drawing nurture from the totally impure kelipot. And the positive commands serve to elevate our animal soul to Hashem, uniting the life-energy of each of our limbs with the light of the Ein Sof BH. Indeed, our limbs become a chariot to the Divine in this way.

118

Tanya Chapter 37 part 2

Nov 18, 2021

38:22

The more energy we invest in a speech-mitzvah, the more of the animal soul ascends to holiness. When the animal soul is absorbed in holiness, forgetfulness is alleviated and our Torah study is preserved. In our ambitions to elevate the entirety of this world, our mitzvah makes a huge impact. Because it is not just the things we use or the powers we invest, but everything that supports the process all the way back. Indeed, it takes the world –– and thus elevates the world.

119

Tanya Chapter 37: We are creating the future right now. part 1

Nov 12, 2021

46:50

The coming future will see “a home for Hashem” in this physical world –– total Divine revelation. This destiny is not detached from our present reality, a sudden transformation imposed from above. In fact, it is a direct product of our present reality, because the mitzvot we perform today actually generate Divine revelation. Each time we engage the physical world in the act of a mitzvah, we draw down Infinite Divine energy into the physicality of this world and elevate it to holiness.

120

Tanya Chapter 36 part 4

Nov 4, 2021

44:13

The Revelation at Mount Sinai broke all barriers, and we beheld the Divine. That condition was only temporary -- the sin of the golden calf brought denseness back to the world. Still, with the profound revelation of the Torah, we received the strength to transform the darkness into light, and this time for good. A time is coming when the fleshly eye will perceive the Divine and every creature on this earth will perceive and know G-d.

121

Tanya Chapter 36 part 3

Oct 29, 2021

42:22

It should be utterly impossible to remain in existence when G-d is totally and essentially manifest. And it is. No being, earthly or heavenly, can withstand total Divine exposure. Yet, there is one way to remain vested in the body and yet bear that profound revelation that is coming at the End of Days. That is the "technology" of the Torah -- the Torah is "strength."

122

Tanya Chapter 36 part 2

Oct 22, 2021

46:03

In understanding the Divine desire, we come to examine the Kabbalistic idea of the chain-like order of worlds. And in so doing, we come to realize something utterly striking: that in our world of darkness lies the ultimate purpose of creation.

123

Tanya Chapter 36: Why was it all created? There's a purpose. part 1

Oct 17, 2021

45:44

Hashem has a desire to dwell in these lowest realms. In order to understand the scope of this desire, we must first define "lower" and "higher" from a new frame of reference. With our new realization, we can come to the astounding realization that Hashem is equally present in all of the worlds, from the most lofty and spiritual to this most physical.

124

Tanya Chapter 35 part 5

May 28, 2021

41:35

Yes, the animal soul at its core remains the same even during a mitzvah. But because its power is subjugated to holiness during a mitzvah –– indeed! It even powers the mitzvah –– and its essential self is rendered voiceless although unchanged, it does not prevent the Divine presence from manifesting upon the totality of the animal soul and upon the entire body. The act of a mitzvah manifests the Divine presence to varying degrees. The Divine soul and its garments, along with the power of the animal soul that impels the mitzvah, are totally absorbed within the Divine light. And as a result, a ray of light is drawn over the totality of the animal soul and above the entire body in an encompassing way. But none of these differences contradict the ultimate truth –– that Hashem is One without any differentiation or multiplicity ch’v.

125

Tanya Chapter 35 part 4

May 21, 2021

46:29

Even in the highest of all worlds, fusion with the Divine is only by first enmeshing within Chochmah –– the power of nothingness. This underscores the idea that only something that is utterly surrendered to the Divine has the power to manifest the Divine. What has no identity other than being pure expression of the Divine will? These are the Torah and the mitzvot. And between the two of them, the effect of the practical mitzvah, in which even the power of the animal soul is subsumed within the Divine, is farthest reaching –– bringing Divine manifestation even upon the lowest elements of the worlds and ourselves.

126

Tanya Chapter 35 part 3

May 7, 2021

46:04

A mitzvah is different from everything else in our experience. In a world of concealment, the mitzvah represents the total manifestation of the Divine will. In contrast to rapturous feelings of love, or deep feelings of awe for Hashem, a mitzvah is not an outgrowth of the human experience. It is rather pure revelation of the Divine will. The only thing that can manifest the Divine presence is something that is completely dissolved in the Divine light. And that means anything with an identity and consciousness of its own, even if it be a holy soul burning with passion for Hashem, cannot manifest the Shechina –– except through the act of the mitzvah which has no identity other than being the Divine will.

127

Tanya Chapter 35 part 2

Apr 29, 2021

47:58

King Solomon taught, “a wise man’s eyes are in his head.” But isn’t that where every person’s eyes are? The wise man stands out in that his eyes are focused on the Shechina that rests upon his head, mindful to supply oil for the light. Just as physically, there needs to be oil to fuel a wick and sustain a fire, so too spiritually: The body is only the wick, and to fuel the light of the Shechina, there needs to be oil, which are mitzvos and good deeds. Why can’t the Divine soul serve as the oil for the Shechina? Because even the soul of the loftiest tzadik has a separate consciousness, an identity of its own, lacking the utter nullification necessary to be totally absorbed with the flame, the light of the Shechina.

128

Tanya Chapter 35: Why action is of primary importance. part 1

Apr 22, 2021

45:36

Isn’t our life’s journey about refining ourselves spiritually, so that we reach ever higher in our relationship with the Divine? And consider this: The beinoni –– the average person –– can never transform their animal soul, being unable to banish the evil from within it. So then why did their soul come down to be clothed within an animal soul that it can never completely vanquish? The Alter Rebbe offers comfort to the ever-struggling person.

129

Tanya Chapter 34 part 2

Apr 15, 2021

52:29

We are privileged to host the Al-mighty whenever we study His will and wisdom –– the Torah. But much of the time we cannot study Torah, being occupied with worldly matters. Here we explore different ways to bring the experience of manifesting the Divine unity into the rest of our day. We can do this by resolving to study more if we will have more time, and by emulating the Divine attribute of kindness, and by using the energy and health we gain through our material resources to serve Hashem. In culmination of the chapter, we learn the great paradox –– that our tremendous joy does not prevent us from feeling low and of a humble spirit. Because these two quite contrasting emotions stem from two very different causes.

130

Tanya Chapter 34: You can be a Sanctuary for the Divine. Here's how. part 1

Mar 4, 2021

51:04

The Patriarchs were the Divine chariot, never breaking focus from the Divine unity. And this was true to varying degrees about each of the prophets, most notably our teacher Moses. As a whole, the Jewish people experienced something of this Divine revelation at the giving of the Torah, but they did not have the mental and soul capacity to bear it; their souls left them. Instead, Hashem told them to build a physical space in this world where the Divine would be totally manifest –– the Sanctuary. Ever since the Temple was destroyed, the Divine will and wisdom is revealed within the four cubits of Halacha. And when we establish fixed times for Torah study, this Divine manifestation comes through us, and each of us becomes a Sanctuary, a host for the Al-mighty Himself.

131

Tanya Chapter 33 part 3

Feb 18, 2021

58:49

When we attain awareness of the Divine unity, aside from the joy that we feel in the intimate closeness to Hashem, we become an abode for Him. And that is actually our purpose! This faith in G-d's unity is so transformational that it breathes new reviving life into us, taking us high above all obstacles. The joy is doubled and redoubled when we consider that our awareness of the Divine intimate presence brings joy to the Creator Himself! So we rejoice together with Him, as He rejoices in the abode we’ve created for Him down below.

132

Embracing Womanhood

Feb 8, 2021

11:37

133

Tanya Chapter 33 part 2

Feb 4, 2021

46:43

When we bring the idea of Hashem’s true unity home until it pervades our mind and heart, the joy is enormous! This actually constitutes an experience of the closeness of Hashem. Our realization brings us greater joy than that of the commoner with whom the king shows extra closeness, and in whose home he even comes to dwell. This immense fortune is not something that we worked to acquire, it is an inheritance. It is our secret and our treasure, to directly experience the Divine most deeply and genuinely and to know that there is nothing else besides Him.

134

Tanya Chapter 33: Prescription for pure joy! part 1

Jan 29, 2021

50:01

If you are feeling weary and need extra joy, think about this: the idea of Hashem's true unity. Hashem fills all worlds, spiritual and physical. Indeed, this entire world is filled with His glory, and everything has no value at all relative to Him. Let us picture how letters have no existence of their own within the essence of the soul, and how light has no existence at all while still within the sun. With this, we can understand how the world and everything in it, being contained with the Infinite One, has no existence of its own, and all there is is Hashem.

135

Tanya Chapter 32 part 4

Jan 21, 2021

45:07

It sounds good to love and hate the same person. But how to act towards this individual, practically speaking? This is the time to employ compassion, which banishes hatred and arouses love. But what about King David's “consummate hatred” towards certain sinners, to those who are aware of the Creator and choose to deny Him? Don’t they have a soul too? Goodness to be loved, no matter their sins? Yes, but their Divine spark is hidden into obscurity, so that not even a glimmer of soul is revealed. With a lost signal, love might be quite elusive.

136

Tanya Chapter 32 part 3

Jan 14, 2021

47:41

The mitzvah of love applies to each and every Jewish person -- from great to small. But is this so? Isn't there a Talmudic statement urging us to hate certain fellow Jews? Examining the statement, we come to realize that there is a specific set of very narrow criteria to be met in which one would be qualified to be hated. But everyone else -- no matter how small, no matter how low, must be loved. And what about the person who must be hated? He too, must be loved.

137

Tanya Chapter 32 part 2

Jan 7, 2021

47:54

Hillel meant it quite literally –– love for our fellow really is the entirety of the Torah. Let’s examine the two-fold spiritual dynamic of the Torah. One aspect is about transcending the body and identifying with the soul. And another aspect is about drawing down the infinite light of the Divine, bringing it to be manifestly expressed within the world. Looking at the mitzvah of love, we can see that these two dynamics are most perfectly expressed right here in this mitzvah. In order to truly love another, we need to transcend our ego and identify with the soul. And –– by actually loving another, bonding through love, we draw down the infinite light of the Divine into all of the worlds. This is the entire Torah.

138

Tanya Chapter 32: Can you really love another person as you do yourself? part 1

Jan 1, 2021

48:26

Following the advice of the previous chapters to consider our soul of primary importance and our body of secondary importance, we effectively re-focus the center of our being. We escape the grasp of our ego and instead center ourselves within the essence of our soul. From this space, we have an entirely different system in the way we value others and a unique advantage in coming to love our fellow as we love our own self, which is seemingly impossible. It now becomes all about the soul. And if love is all about the soul, it is impossible to truly know the greatness of another's soul. Know this: Each soul is uniquely great. Furthermore, all souls are equal. And at the root of roots, we are truly all one.

139

Tanya Chapter 31 part 4

Dec 4, 2020

42:42

Dedicating life to reuniting the soul with Hashem is a source of incredible happiness. And the joy grows greater still! Aside from the soul being restored to its former unity with Hashem through Torah and Mitzvos, there is something original in this life's journey that the soul didn't experience before. It is the unique opportunity to satisfy the Divine purpose in creation. When we realize what we accomplish in bringing our body and animal soul along in our holy pursuits, our lifelong teshuva gains even greater depth and intensified joy.

140

Tanya Chapter 31 part 3

Nov 26, 2020

52:53

Once we truly realize the enormity of the Divine soul's exile, we are prompted to action. Our agenda now becomes to free the soul from captivity and restore her to being totally united and absorbed within the Divine reality. This is achieved through an incredible space where no darkness exists, where the Divine is totally manifest, where the truth of reality is completely exposed. Torah and Mitzvot. This type of mindset, of focused intention to free the soul from captivity, is one of "teshuva" -- return and restoration. It is not a single act of repentance, but rather a lifestyle of constant escape to the Divine, and one who lives in this way is in a place of constant joy. Is there any joy greater than release from captivity, from a deep dark dungeon to the splendid place of the King? The method here then is one of escape, of freeing the soul without reckoning with its dark surroundings, and it has precedence in the method of the Exodus from Egypt.

141

Tanya Chapter 31 part 2

Nov 19, 2020

54:38

The best time to stir up holy bitterness is when you are anyway sad because of mundane problems. Or, when you are sad for no apparent reason. Grab that moment of sadness and redirect it to become the holy emotion of bitterness. This will alleviate your worldly sadness, and unbelievably enough, transition to into joy! It is not about brushing the issues under the rug and making light of them. It is about continuing to honestly recognizing the dark space of our body and animal soul. But bringing something else into the picture -- that infinite reality that we hold within us: our Divine soul. Can you sit with that thought? The pity of this most precious soul within a deep and dark exile? This will motivate you to do something about it! And ultimately, as we will explore next class G-d willing, will bring you to great joy.

142

Tanya Chapter 31: Transition from bitterness to joy. part 1

Nov 12, 2020

51:51

Taking the ideas presented in the previous chapters to heart seems to put us in a very compromised position. Sadness! Isn't sadness to be avoided at all costs? After all, every sadness, even that which is induced by spiritual concerns, belongs to the realm of the kelipah. The Alter Rebbe tells us: Don't worry! This is the method -- to subdue the darkness with its very own kind. And furthermore, the main feeling that follows these humbling meditations is a holy one, that of bitterness, which comes from the energy of the holy gevurot (severity). By stirring up the holy gevurot within our own Divine soul, we call forth a response from the holy gevurot above. And that manifestation bears down upon the animal soul, which is actually sourced in the holy gevurot, only to have degenerated in its descent down below. Exposing its holy source sweetens the animal soul, even as it is down here.

143

Tanya Chapter 30 part 3

Nov 5, 2020

54:36

In this exercise of humility, the thinking person considers his own struggles and compares them to those of the sinful person. The struggle that we expect of the impassioned man is the struggle that we must demand of ourselves. And we fall short, unfortunately. This is true not only in the realm of "do good," in optimal performance of mitzvos. But this is true even in the realm of "turn away from evil," completely and totally refraining from all misdeed. This being so, not only is the morally upright person EQUAL to the sinful person in his level of devotion to Hashem, but he is in fact more culpable. Because the sinful person has no understanding of the gravity of his actions, while the wise and knowing person, when he falls short -- his is a grave offense indeed.

144

Tanya Chapter 30 part 2

Oct 29, 2020

52:41

It's easy to feel smug when you measure yourself up against someone who seems to fail miserably. But let's look at things beyond the superficial level, by a deeper set of criteria. The person who sins repeatedly doesn't fight to overcome his burning desires. To do so would require a valiant struggle. We may not face his formidable tests just to "turn away from evil." But we face our own tests in the realm of "doing good." Do we fight as fiercely as we expect him to fight? At the core of it, it all boils down to the one issue: the will of the King.

145

Tanya Chapter 30: True humility for every person, no matter who. part 1

Oct 22, 2020

56:22

Our Sages instructed us to be truly humble before every other human being. And that means having humility even towards someone who is on the lowest spiritual level. Can a great person be truly humble before an evildoer? Yes: By taking the Sages' advice not to judge another until you have come to his place. A person must consider the physical place of the evildoer, as well as his spiritual "place," his incessant, burning passions. And while you can not judge the sinful person, in no way does this justify his behavior. He should have used his mind to control his passions for fear of Hashem. And here's another thing to consider: If you look deeply, you will come to realize that you have a lot in common with the careless person.

146

Chapter 29 part 6

Oct 15, 2020

49:17

Breaking out of the illusion created by our dark side is simply about crushing it. Amazing! Is humility all it takes to fight this complex illusion? Yes. After all, the sitra achra, the "other side," is essentially substanceless -- like darkness, which is simply the absence of light. Light appears, and darkness vanishes. This idea is played out in the Biblical story of the spies. The Jewish people made a leap from no faith to total faith, without any sign or wonder. This was accomplished by humbling their hearts and allowing their essence to shine. Essentially, every Jew is a believer.

147

Who Am I?

Sep 16, 2020

18:51

Doesn't everyone ask themselves this question? It is an important part of growing up. Get in touch with your truest, deepest essence. Your soul is calling and it won't be satisfied with anything but the real thing.

148

Tanya Chapter 29 part 5

Aug 27, 2020

53:42

To access our deepest, truest space, the superficial self must be broken. That was position one -- the place from where we identify with our external self. Now, moving further into the chapter, we go into second person position. Now is the time to take the standpoint of the Divine soul and from that place, to rage against the animal soul. How dare it obscure the truth of Hashem's oneness! This is something that is plainly visible to the eye, and yet the evil inclination dares to cover the eyes of the Divine soul, brazenly hiding this truth!

149

Tanya Chapter 29 part 4

Aug 14, 2020

54:06

Walking down the path to humility, we are enjoined to examine our thoughts, utterances and deeds. Were all of them an expression of holiness, allowing us to be a vehicle of the holy chambers? Or did some of our behaviors cause us to act as a chariot for the chambers of impurity? This is a most humbling thought. And further, let us consider our dreams: Did we experience mundane dreams, or even tormenting ones? This would point to the fact that those originating from the evil side come and attach themselves to the person. These humbling thoughts shatter the darkness that numbs our heart and obscures the Divine light from affecting our heart.

150

Tanya Chapter 29 part 3

Aug 6, 2020

49:00

To relieve the heart of numbness, the shell of the sitra achra -- the dark side -- must be shattered. In this exercise, a person is called upon to look at the misdeeds of their youth from their current standing. True, you've moved on. But there is a place deeper still that must be reached. And from this deeper space, you can bring yourself to a state of true humility, thereby allowing the light of the Divine soul to shine within your body and move your heart.

Tanya with Rochel Schmukler

תניא - עם רחל שמוקלר