Bh simply tanya chapter 1 lesson 5

Bh

Simply Tanya chapter 1 lesson 5

Simply Tanya

ובגמרא ספ"ט דברכות צדיקים יצ"ט שופטן כו' רשעים יצה"ר שופטן בינונים זה וזה שופטן וכוי

Simple Tanya

And in the Talmud at the end of the ninth chapter of tractate berochus we find that in the righteous people the good inclination judges etc in the wicked people the evil inclination judges in the average persons both are judges and etc

Even more  simple .

Every moment in our life we struggle with choices . we are used to to this . the daily grind of being torn apart  by the voices we here in our mind. They are the two inclinations inside of  us who give voice to their opinion . this is the struggle of the average person who pulls back from the edge of the abyss of evil every moment . while the wicked person allows himself or chooses to slip into the darkness which appeals to him .  imagine hearing only one voice , one inclination. The difference between being a Tzadik a Benoni and a Rasha is the opinions they hear . it is not only the choices they make but what  inclinations  they have and  which  "judge" , they "  hear " so to speak .

The tzadik has reached a point where he has rid or the very least nullified or in the best case scenario transformed his evil inclination to good . even the lowest level tzadik  has within  and hears only one judge. The good one.The average person hears both voices , vacillating in his desires for both but yet only in practice choosing one ; good over evil . the benoni never is in practice evil . never embraces the evil . the opposite extreme to the tzadik is  the wicked person who only hears only one voice , as well , that of evil . as the exact opposite of the tzadik he either rid himself of goodness , nullified it or even worse transformed it to evil . it not only is not heard , has no effect , but worse is in exile in him and can be used to fuel greater evil .

To the child 

Educators and parents must tell children . "You have in you good and bad . if at times one over powers the other do not believe that you are complete.  You can be good but yet not a tzadik you may have done bad but you are not a rasha.  Life is not black and white ." don't feel that all is lost or all has been gained . just continue to live ." This is important to for educators as well to know. Children can be very judgmental and unforgiving on themselves.  In there mind they bear the burden of the world . voices heard within are taken seriously emotions and dreams are as if they exist on a physical plan . a child taught to filter within and know that  voices heard within are not necessarily who that are .gd has given us more then one soul . its OK to struggle and be confused . life is a processes and its not where you are on the ladder its about whether you are going up or down .

Not so simple

Why does the Talmud speak in the plural ? Tzadikim  instead of Tzadik  ,
Reshoim instead of rasha , benonim instead of Benoni . should have it not been better to speak in the singular instead of plural .

Also the words "  Shofton " judges is plural as well.  It could have said . " shofat  " judge . especially as we are dealing with the righteous and wicked who actual only hear one judge speak ?

Perhaps we can say that there many levels of the righteous and many levels of the wicked . hence the word in plural.
And certainty the average person who in midst of the struggle hear two opinions for that is the struggle.  Choosing one over the other. This is important for one might say that after you become a tzadik the struggle of good verse evil is over.  Hence the point is that he too must struggle for there are degrees on how much the evil is nullified to good . The same with the wicked even after listening to evil that that does not mean the good has been nullified .

Another point the test of the righteous can at times be greater then others . for his choices are between on good over another . now you might say big deal.  If the tzadik is mistaken he is still doing a mitzvah . what wrong can occur if he is mistaken. Well then think of moshe hitting the rock instead of speaking to it . what wrong occurred ? Well for one he did not enter the land . Secondly he not entering the land changed the course of Jewish history that our process towards Moshiach was altered . finally the Jews missed the opportunity to learn how to serve gd on a higher level .namely if even  a rock can be affected through speech certainty should we. So the wrong choice of a tzadik who has greater responsibility has greater repercussions.  This also explains why the Alter Rebbe " etc" vchulu , at each category , because each category has many variations and levels .

PostScript

It seems the way of the righteous are easy after becoming one . it only has a good inclination that  gives its opinion . so what is the service of the righteous after having subdued evil .  here is a very important point though  hearing only good choices are still needed to be made . how so you ask , if there is only one opinion ? Because , being a tzadik does not mean the end of growth ,it means constant growth but in goodness . not growing from bad to good but from good to even better.
So the choices of the tzadik can be even more difficult because he needs to choose between two good choices and actually figure out which one is the correct one. The average person or  wicked person choice is more black and white , clear . Do I do the mitzvah which is Gd will or do I rebel and sin . do I do what is good or evil. The righteous person is choosing between do I do this good thing or that good thing , this mitzvah or that one . mistakes can happen even for a tzadik on a subtle level . its more like being perfect and not doing anything wrong but yet still  perhaps a greater perfection could have been achieved . 

another point to make is , even the average person has parts of him that are like a tzadik or rasha with regard to a specific behavior . in either of these situations the problem is not trying to change for the better . gd willing this will discussed later  . however the point is when we have reached a point within where a good or evil act has become one with us to the point of not struggling with it . we have in that matter either become a tzadik or rasha in that space of our soul .

Simply Tanya chapter 1 lesson 4

Simply Tanya

צדיק וטוב לו צדיק ורע לו  רשע וטוב לו רשע ורע לו  ובינוני. ופירשו בגמרא צדיק וטוב לו צדיק גמור צדיק ורע לו צדיק שאינו גמור

Simple Tanya

The  righteous person for whom it is good  , the  righteous person for whom it is bad. The wicked person for whom it is good , the wicked person for whom it is bad .  The average person . The Talmud explains that the righteous person for whom  it is  good is because he is completely righteous and the righteous person for whom it is bad is because he is not completely righteous .

Even more  simply

Here the Alter Rebbe is introducing who are the " five groups " mentioned early . They are really three that divide into five.
More so , he informs us that there can be various types of righteous and wicked people . He also takes the time to point out the reason for why the righteous suffer and the wicked prosper .

To the child

Even while still  a child , know righteous person can have levels of righteousness and degrees .  The righteous person might have areas that still need improvement .  also though the wicked person might  be completely wicked he yet may still  have some good in him . Life as a whole  is many times a mixture of good and bad . thus don't be discouraged if things don't seem to be working out to your liking . As a child you might wish to view the world as black and white , good or bad , that is true but not  always is it identifiable as such . more importantly know that  every good you do has value even if you feel the majority is bad ,  conversely every bad you do diminishes something,  even if the majority is still good. Hence you must constantly strive regardless of what level you currently are at .

Not so simple

Why does the Alter Rebbe use this Talmudic source to introduce the Tzadik , Rasha and Benoni ?

Are there not other place ?

Why does he not explain the wicked person who prospers and the wicked person who suffers ?

Why does he not explain the Benoni ?

If he is prosperous or suffering ?

Also why the need to bring the complete quote of the  Talmud explaining the the reason why a righteous person suffers .

Just showing how there are five various levels of people ,  should be sufficient ?

Also why does he not say where in the Talmud he is quoting , as he does sometimes in other places .

You cannot say its because he is quoting the Talmud hence he needs to quote  it in its entirety . remember everything in the Tanya is exact , every letter the Alter Rebbe had a reason for it . also the Tanya being like Chumash can be taught to the five year old as well as to the scholar . The beginner and the advanced . The five year old student level knows chumash but not Talmud .

Is there something to be gained by quoting the  complete text ?

Later he will quote the Zohar , why not conclude all text of the Talmud on the subject and then quote Zohar .

I think perhaps we can say that , first the Alter Rebbe is teaching via the Talmud that we may question Gd , not to discard our faith but to understand Him better . Hence , why do righteous suffer and the wicked prosper ?  The Alter Rebbe then must explain  that it is because they are not complete in what they are . the suffering or prosperity will complete them .
However once the Alter Rebbe does bring this up he needs to explain that incomplete righteous does not mean someone who simply is  committing a sin Gd forbid in fact the evil is nullified to the good , the problem is that nullification of something implies there is a residue of it there . Thus the need for quoting the Zohar / rahya mhemna right away to make that idea clear . The incomplete Righteous person is free from sin only inside he has a nullified piece of evil . plus this is the entire  basis of the alter Rebbe tanya , that the righteous and wicked we are dealing with is the state of nullification of evil and self nullification of the soul to Gd , not good and evil of thought speech or action but of the soul itself in its struggle of transformation .

Postscript

There are many levels to a person . many a time a person can be a mixture of good and evil. Be careful how you judge another for you do not who is completely righteous nor who is completely wicked . some one might suffer because they not righteous enough or for other reasons while another might prosper because it is to punish them . Hence judgment is left better to Gd . looking at yourself you also cannot be sure all the time who you are hence do not be arrogant or overly confident in your self on the hand . on the other , it might be best not to dwell to much on your inner self , to much soul search will leave you lost , and not give you the clarity you seek .

Simply tanya chapter 1 lesson 3

Bh
Simply Tanya

אך הענין כי הנה מצינו בגמרא ה' חלוקות

" However the idea is that we find in the Talmud five differences "

Simple Tanya

The Alter Rebbe in his explanation how the oath encourages one to be righteous first points out that various levels exist .

Even more simple

The Alter Rebbe is addressing himself to the spiritual seeker . telling  him , " keep this in mind as you begin your  journey of your  soul on earth . there are various levels of achievement , you do not need to be on the top rung nor the bottom one in. Growth is measured in many ways . what you need to do is will find the level that is appropriate for you .

To the child

Gd created difference in each of us . it does not mean we are better or worse then another . each person is unique . as a child and adult respect each person ,  do not judge or treat a person different just because they are different . don't try to be some one else , try to find out who you are and be yourself .

Not so simple

Why did the Alter Rebbe use the word in חלוקות  to describe differences , he could have used the word מדריגות  levels ?

The world חלק means , " part  " as part of something else but also means  "apart " and separate . possibly the Alter Rebbe is telling us that each one is not just a different level but one is completely apart from the other . 
On the other hand though each is apart and one should not confuse one with the other , each does have a certain element and blend of each and with work and divine assistance one can become a level that was initially separate from him .

Postscript

I find this sentence in the Tanya so amazing. This is  Alter Rebbe first time in Tanya where he says , "  אך הענין " - "However the idea is " . and with it he begins to explain all the questions he asked early . until  now he quoted the oath  and asked questions on it and now he is beginning to explain . How does he begin not by immediately  explaining the oath but by introducing the concept that their are various types of people . this in and of itself gives the spiritual seeker a breath of fresh air that he know he will eventually find his place . The alter Rebbe in his love for his fellow Yid is saying , even before he tells us about righteous people , wicked people , average people he is first informing us " don't worry what type of person you are and if and how much you can achieve , that is the next step . the first step is to know Gd had made differences is man and your job is to work with what you have !