Daily Tanya

In the previous chapters, the Alter Rebbe defined the terms tzaddik and rasha. The tzaddik, he explained, is one in whom the good qualities of his divine soul vanquish the evil qualities of his animal soul to the extent of completely eradicating them. A rasha, conversely, is one in whom the evil qualities of his animal soul overcome the good of his divine soul, causing him to sin in thought, speech, or action.

In this, the twelfth chapter, the term beinoni—the “intermediate man’’ who is neither tzaddik nor rasha—will be defined. The beinoni, the Alter Rebbe explains, is one whose practical conduct in thought, speech, and action is dictated solely by the divine soul; it has the upper hand over the animal soul. The beinoni accomplishes this by not allowing himself to be dominated in any way by the animal soul, even for the shortest duration, never thinking, speaking, and surely not acting in a sinful manner. The garments of the divine soul alone—namely thought, speech, and action in Torah and mitzvot—are those used by the beinoni.

Nevertheless, with respect to the essence of the divine and animal souls, i.e., their respective faculties of intellect and emotion, the divine soul does not dominate the animal soul, and the latter remains powerful enough to arouse desires for physical matters. However, through constant vigilance, the beinoni keeps these desires in check, never permitting them any practical manifestation.

The Rebbe notes: ‘‘The question is well known…”; i.e., with regard to the statement that the beinoni is one who has never transgressed, the following question is commonly raised:

Is it not possible, through repentance and subsequent divine service, that one attain the rank of beinoni despite his previous sins? After repenting, one can rise even to the level of tzaddik; surely, then, the rank of beinoni is not beyond his reach!

The Rebbe answers this question in the following manner:

When the Alter Rebbe states that the beinoni has never transgressed, he does not mean that the beinoni never sinned in his life as a human being but that in his life as a beinoni, he has no history of sin. The beinoni’s present spiritual state is such that sin—in the past as well as in the future—has no place in his life. He would not sin even if he were subject to the same temptations and trials which led him to sin in the past. It is therefore true to state that from the perspective of his present state, he has never sinned.

Likewise, the Alter Rebbe’s statement that the beinoni “will never sin” is to be understood in the same vein. The intention is not that it is impossible for him to sin; he does not, after all, lose his freedom of choice. Rather, as explained above, his present state is such that it precludes his sinning in the future, despite the trials that the future may bring.

To be classified as a true beinoni, one must fulfill these conditions. For if one’s spiritual state precludes his sinning only under present conditions but he would succumb to sin were he subject to the temptations of the past or those the future may bring, then he is, in potentia, a rasha; he could and would sin, except that the prevailing circumstances are not sufficiently conducive for him to do so.

In the same vein, the Alter Rebbe concludes, “The name ‘rasha’ (referring to one who sins in thought, speech, or action) has never (again, in his state of beinoni) been applied to him, however temporarily….” For the beinoni has reached a state where sin is precluded under any circumstances, whether of the past or future.

It remains to be understood, however, why such a lofty person is considered merely a beinoni, not a tzaddik. This matter is now clarified.

(The three soul-powers of intellect and the seven emotional faculties are referred to as the “essence” of the divine soul, in contrast with the soul’s “garments” [thought, speech, and action], which serve merely as outlets and means of expression for the soul’s essential faculties.)

For, as shall be explained later, the faculties of the animal soul, too, exercise some degree of control over the body through awakening in one’s heart desires for worldly pleasures, which in turn cause forbidden thoughts to enter his mind.

The realization that only the fulfillment of Torah and mitzvot will fulfill his desire to become one with G-d channels the beinoni’s love into a desire to observe Torah and mitzvot.

Contemplating G-d’s greatness with the three intellectual faculties—wisdom, understanding, and knowledge (ChaBaD)—arouses and diffuses a love of G-d in (the right part of) the heart. This arousal of love causes the evil of the animal soul to be nullified in the good of the divine soul, now pervading the heart. During the time of prayer, therefore, when the beinoni arouses his love of G-d through meditation, his animal soul is inactive, and he feels no inclination for physical pleasures.

Thus, during prayer, the beinoni’s divine soul is his “undisputed sovereign,” as the Alter Rebbe stated above.