Having concluded his discussion about the Tzaddik (the righteous person), the Alter Rebbe continues into chapter 11 with the theme of the Rasha (the “evil” person).
The Rasha is not exactly the type of evil person we think of in a general sense. Certainly not in terms as relates to Rosh HaShanah when God judges us based upon our Mitzvah performance. Rather, the Rasha is a person whose good inclination is subjugated to his bad inclination.
Each Rasha has his own level with the level of bad influencing him to a greater or lesser extent. We now have a situation whereby one’s city (the entire body) has a main rulership of evil influencing a person to commit various infractions against the Torah. Now, the citizens of the city (the limbs) will become chariots in order to serve the needs of the king who sets about influencing one on a path that goes away from the path that God wishes us to be on.
One is influenced through one’s thoughts, one’s speech and one’s deeds to commit aveirot (sins). One is dominated by the side of evil – even though it is that there may be some good which indeed will express itself at times too. But in general, the main influence of the Rasha is the evil animalistic soul swaying over the judgment for the particular behaviour of a person.
Nevertheless, whatever the case, forgiveness from God is always available. Through the different ways of teshuvah (repentance) one can always be forgiven from God. This is indeed what happens to the Rasha – who will go through his life with this movement of being swayed into the ways of evil, and thereafter regretting what he has done, asking God to forgive him, and then starting again.
