We conclude Chapter 34 and begin Chapter 35 in today’s lesson in Tanya. Our theme has discussed the elements of being happy and ultimately not falling into the trap of dullness of heart and being able to get oneself excited about serving God.
We learnt that the Forefathers were the Divine chariot and how the entire Jewish people were (are) supposed to be this way. But it’s not possible for all of us to reach such high levels of holiness. Ultimately we saw that at the giving of the Torah when the Jewish people were not able to sustain the revelation of God. God then told them to build a Mishkan – a Tabernacle in which He would reveal himself there.
Later, the Tabernacle became the first and second Temples. But when both were destroyed, God tells us that His presence has become concealed within the four cubits of Halachah (see previous lesson).
When we engage in study, we are able to connect with that same level of holiness that existed in all the above areas. However, again, not all of us are able to commit to an entire day and night of Torah study – for obvious reasons.
For those who can’t and who spend much of the day working, they should realise that they too can connect with those levels of holiness by their giving of charity. Through the fifth of their income that they give away, they ultimately raise up all the other four fifths and in truth serve God with everything they have.
This should give them great joy!
The Alter Rebbe then tells us that even though we experience this tremendous joy, we should be aware that it does not prevent those feelings of sadness from creeping in. This is not unusual because happiness stems from the soul and its connection with all things spiritual. However, sadness stems from the body and its needs.
As a result, one can often end up with feelings of sadness within oneself even though one is also filled with tremendous feelings of happiness.
This should in no way detract from one’s excitement in serving God.
We then move on to Chapter 35:
Chapter 35 requires some introduction – which we deal with in the lesson and which we will hopefully recap in our next lesson:
The theme of Chapter deals with the most essential part of the Tanya – “For this matter is very close to you in your mouth and in your heart to do it”. Here, the Alter Rebbe will focus on the the importance of practical Mitzvot. What is the reason we must engage in practical Mitzvot while in this world. What is the point of it all?
Together with this theme – and linked with it – is the theme of the Beinoni (the “Middle Man” or the “Average Man”). The Alter Rebbe directs the Beinoni on his path in life. But his path is not an easy one. Seemingly he is involved in a constant struggle between good and evil. What’s worse is that he cannot win the battle. Day in and day out – he is faced with he desire to do good with this constant drawback pulling him towards evil. And he never wins it. He never seems to just turn into a Tzaddik suddenly. What then is his purpose in this world? Is it all a wasted life with nothing to be achieved?!
In fact, the two ideas of the practical Mitzvot together with the details surrounding the mysterious life of the Beinoni are all interwoven. We will see exactly how this happens and how important it is for the Beinoni to accept and in fact be privileged to fulfill the life he is involved in.
