Daily "Chitas" Tanya

059b Tanya Shvat 18b ~ m067 Shvat 28   

Questions for today:

What would it take for me to think through my priorities consciously, and to choose based on where that leads me?

We are explaining the verse that tells us that it's easy for all of us to love the Creator. We are using the historical fact that through history, Jews – religious or not - were willing to give up their lives and be executed, rather than commit spiritual treason.

We are working to bring that stance and love into our day-to-day life.

Yesterday, we mentioned that there are certain types of pain in a relationship that supersede time which will always be there. There are certain types of connections that supersede time, and they will always be there.

Today, we are going to leverage that point to make our argument stronger.

This is because at the end of the day, nothing stands in the way of repentance. No matter how much spiritual treason a person commits, there is always a possibility to reconnect to the Creator.

Therefore, if a person is willing to give their life rather than the commit spiritual treason - which hypothetically they could repent for, and reconnect - how much more so it should they take a strong stance to make a spiritual connection to the Creator, which can never go away.

Tanya book 1, ch25 pt 3

If we will be willing to die rather than sever a tie which could be reconnected, wouldn’t we be willing to tie a knot that can never be untied?

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/31/2022

See today’s video:

https://youtu.be/9rGeEdZnBGI

058a Tanya Shvat 17a ~ m064 Shvat 25

Questions for today:

The Tanya committed to explain what Moses meant that to love the creator is simple. Simple how?

Today’s Tanya is a summary of the previous twenty-four chapters, and an explanation of the axiom on which the Tanya is built:

Moses tells us that it's easy and close to us, not just to do and see what God wants, but to love the Creator.

In the first Seventeen chapters, we dissect and study the human soul. If we meditate on that, we feel love.

In chapter we learned that if we have difficulty meditating, the fact that through history Jews, religious or not, were willing to be executed rather than commit spiritual treason, shows that we inherited from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob a soul that is one with the Creator.

We then explained that the Creator is not abstract, but within every part of the world. Therefore, every positive commandment is an expression of “I am G-d, Your G-d, and every negative violation is an expression of “Don't worship idols”.

This axiom is now logical. If I am willing to suffer burning at the stake rather than commit spiritual treason, then how much more so would I be willing to suffer hunger, or social awkwardness, rather than eat shellfish

Tanya book 1, ch25 pt 1

We now tie the lessons of the past seven chapters to their logical conclusion. If I would accept major pain rather than to separate from the Creator, I would certainly accept a minor discomfort.

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/27/2022

See today’s video:

https://youtu.be/a-qUf6ECKfw

057 Tanya Shvat 16 ~ m063c Shvat 24c

Questions for today:

Hell is outdated as a motivator. While Heaven is nice, is there a more compelling “why” to inspire me? Were is G-d in all of this?

We spent the last few days describing the separation that we create between us and the Creator every time we do even the tiniest sin.

This helps us to understand, that even though Heaven and Hell are an important part of Jewish belief, that's not why we do, or don't do, a sin.

In fact, our reason is not even because we separate from the Creator - but the opposite.

Today's Tanya reminds us, that even though we separate between us and the Creator when we do a sin, but that's just part of the illusion of creation. In reality, we are always one.

Imagine We are giving a tour to a little child, or to a grandparent or a great rabbi, through every part of our life.

Is it possible that there will be something in our life that we will feel awkward to show to an innocent child, a grandparent, a rabbi?

Now let’s think that G-d is not just next to us, but we are one with the Creator. Everything that we do or experience the Creator is doing and experiencing with us.

Isn't it possible that that is a reason that we should be careful about what we do, think or say?

Tanya book 1, ch24 pt 3

Now we see a real reason not to do a sin: Not (only) because we disconnect from the Creator, but rather, because we are really one - And how could we bring the Creator to such lows?

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/26/2022

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ8jCQlt0dQ&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=57

056 Tanya Shvat 15 ~ m063b Shvat 24b

Questions for today:

While we’ve analyzed the full, honest, understanding of what we do when we do wrong, we also need to include in our self-judgment the choices we make when we are properly informed. [or, consciously aware]

[Recorded at the holy site of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, in Meron.

Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai defined his life by the fact that our soul was not just attached to the Creator, or connected the Creator, but ‘one’ with the Creator.]

We spent seventeen chapters of the Tanya explaining that a person could contemplate their connection to the Creator, and through this, develop a love for the Creator.

Then we said that if a person can't contemplate this, then they should realize that the entire world is created of, and by, One Creator. We don't need to ‘connect’ with the Creator because we already are one.

If we are only humbled to that fact, then we remove any type of separation made by creation and we become one.

On the other hand, if we do even the tiniest sin, we are standing up and saying that the Creator is irrelevant, and we separate ourselves.

Therefore, it is so important to focus on today’s Tanya. Today we learn a quote from the Talmud that says that a Jew would never consciously tear themselves away from the Creator. It's just the that they don't notice that this little act they are doing, is sadly doing exactly that

Tanya book 1, ch24 pt 2

Since any sin separates us from the creator, and since no Jew wants to be cut off from the creator, this reckoning gives every Jew the ability to live, day by day, connected.

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/26/2022

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kubohHs9oME&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=56

055 Tanya Shvat 14 ~ m063 Shvat 24  

Questions for today:

Our discussion of how we can become truly one with the Creator began with us describing two perspectives. We become one with the Creator when we are humble to the Creator’s perspective. What happens when we entrench ourselves in the divided, physical perspective?

There is an age-old saying, “there is no such thing as bad publicity”. Even if you announce to the whole world how terrible of a person I am, you are telling everyone that I'm relevant.

These last few days we were learning about the ability to achieve real unity with the Creator. We achieve this by thinking thoughts of the Torah, or by participating in the Creator's mission with the commandments.

Today we're going to go the opposite extreme, and there are two different levels.

When you look around the world you see a lot of things that oppose the Creator; Things that are bad, things that go against the Creator's ideology, against greatest Commandments - but at least those things don't negate the Creator, they still tell the world of the Creator is relevant.

There is a lower level than that. When “we participate” in one of those things, when we act with hatred, or when we think against the Creator’s thoughts, or observe even the tiniest commandment against what the Creator tells us, we are standing up and telling the world the creator is irrelevant.

Our hands, our feet, our thought process, are acting on the ability to the creator gave it to step away.

Tanya book 1, ch24 pt 1

On the opposite extreme of the previous lesson about unity, we describe the ability to separate.

Beyond the physical negative entities, which are created to further G-d's mission in their unique way - our active participation in that negativity, even with the smallest sin, - represents a real separation from the Creator.

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/26/2022

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eBvtAyyAtPc&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=55

054 Tanya Shvat 13 ~ m062 Shvat 23 

Questions for today:

I can learn what I am instructed to, and I can do what I am told, but my emotions are human. How can I connect to the Creator on a personal level?

Today we learn about a remarkable gift that the Creator gives us, in relation to the relationship that we can have with the Creator.

We've been studying the unity that's possible when we participate in the creator's innermost desire, through doing G-d's commandments and delving into G-d's intellect through the Torah.

The depth of that connection also has an entirely different dimension. Our relationship with the Creator is not just through thought, speech, and action - it's also an emotional one as well.

Typically, our emotions can only get involved with things that they relate to, on their realm.

Therefore, when the Creator lends the Creator's innermost thoughts, enabling us to intertwine our intellect with the Creator's intellect and become united on that level, this gives us a framework to have an emotional relationship with the Creator on that supernal level as well. 

Tanya book 1, ch23 pt 6

By gifting us with the possibility to unite with the Creator on a supernal level, G-d creates a possibility for us to have an emotional relationship on that supernal level as well

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/25/2022

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz1j-wOtNsY&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=54

053b Tanya Shvat 12b ~ m061 Shvat 22   

Questions for today:

Can I raise above the divisions of reality, even above their very roots?

We've been  learning that it's possible for us to live and exist from the Creator’s perspective, where the divisions of the world don't exist.

Each day we're getting a little more clarity.

How are those divisions created? The Creator hides the Creator’s unity.

If I get above that darkness, I can connect to the Creator’s very self.

How do I find the Creator self? Well, how do I find myself?

Money is not me. Money a means to get what I want. A job is a ‘means to a means’ to get what I want.

My inner desire, that's me.

When I do a mitzvah, I'm connecting to the creator's inner desire, I'm connecting to the creator's very self.

However, because I'm doing an ‘act’ to connect to the creator, the act is kind of like a cloak.

However, the Torah itself is the Creator's inner desire. When my mind is thinking the thoughts of the Torah, there is no cloak, there is no darkness.

I'm not ‘connecting’ to the Creator - I'm one with the Creator.

Tanya book 1, ch23 pt 5

The world’s divided reality is created by darkness.

Our connection to the Creator’s transparent very self, lifts us above that.

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/24/2022

See today’s video:

https://youtu.be/xA7l-ygykn8

052c Tanya Shvat 11c ~ m059 Shvat 20  

Questions for today:

To perform a Mitzvah is to be as one and as in sync with the Creator as my fingers are with me. …but when I want to walk, my dream is not about my feet… it’s about ‘me’ walking.
Is there a way for me to be -not G-d’s limb- but one with G-d’s very self?

We've been speaking about how when a person supersedes their own identity and their own agenda, and they say “I want to be humble to the Creator's innermost desire - I want to do a mitzvah” they become one with the Creator.

We learned that this unity is like a car, which becomes an extension of the driver, or even more, like the way our hands and feet are one with our Soul.

However, even though the file the car follows every single instruction without any questions, and the hands and feet don't even need instructions: when we think we want to move, they move - nevertheless the limbs’ movement, and the soul’s thoughts are on two different planes.

Today we learn about a higher type of unity.

When we occupy our intellect with the thought and ideology of the Torah, eg. when we contemplate how G-d says “love your neighbor like yourself” or we analyze the prohibition against theft, or murder, those ideas are not a ‘message’ from the Creator - those are the creator's own thoughts.

Therefore, as we engross our intellect, our thoughts, in the thoughts and the intellect of the Creator, us and the Creator are not just unifying – we are absolutely one.

Tanya book 1, ch23 pt 4

Taking our unity with G-d up a notch:

By uniting intellectually with the Creator, we become truly one.

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/23/2022

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRrcqm9A9Jw&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=53

052c Tanya Shvat 11c ~ m059 Shvat 20   

Questions for today:

I understand that I can think G-dly things, but how special is my ability to “do” things?

We are learning how we could be humble to, and be one with, the Creator. Through this, we can live and experience the world from the Creator’s perspective - where there is no division.

Our Soul has ten components including kindness and strictness, etc. Our Soul also had three clothing;

The ability to think, is an internal processing ability. The clothing of speech is in the middle, it's an internal process, but it relates to the outside world.

The ability to act is a clothing of the soul that it can interact with things completely outside of ourselves.

When this clothing, our ability to act, is involved in a mitzvah, it's like the creator's limbs: It's completely in sync with, and it actually reveals, the creator's innermost desire.

Our hands and feet that are fulfilling the soul’s clothing and ability to act, are also revealing and expressing the creator's desire.

But they are like a chariot. A chariot does what the rider wants, but it doesn't fit like a glove.

Tanya book 1, ch23 pt 3

The third clothing of our Soul, our ability to interact with the outside world, can be the Creator’s very limbs.

-       And our limbs, can be the Creator’s chariot.

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/22/2022

See today’s video:

https://youtube.com/shorts/PSGJBQerriU?feature=share

Additional thoughts:

We generally described our Body as being an expression of the soul. However, that’s not entirely accurate.

Our external organs – our hands and feet – act entirely based on our will. Our internal organs do not.

We don’t control our digestive system, or our hard for that matter based on what we would like.

Similarly, it’s our external ability to act that truly expresses G-d’s inner most desire

052 Tanya Shvat 11 ~ m057 Shvat 18  

Questions for today:

We learned that our world is divided, and the same world, from the Creator’s perspective is truly one. Is there a way that we can enact that part of reality, in our lives?

We've been discussing how a world created by one Creator could overcome differences.

There are things that G-d doesn't “love” and G-d’s Heart and inspiration, so to speak, are not into it. Reciprocally, those things don't feel appreciative or humbled to the Creator, and therefore they feel separate.

Now let’s look at the opposite extreme.

Imagine a person that says I don't care about my identity, I don't care about my agendas. All I want to do is the innermost desire of the Creator. I wanted to do Mitzvos.

That person has the capacity to reveal the inner, true, unity and oneness with the Creator.

A person doing G-d’s desire is like a car that follows the instructions of the rider without any questions - It becomes an extension of the driver.

Or, think even more so, of our hands and feet – they don't even need instructions. If we think we want to move they move automatically, because they are really one with us.

These are an example of the capability of a creation to truly unite with the Creator, simply by being humble to the innermost desire of the Creator.

Tanya book 1, ch23 pt 1

We can truly unite with the Creator by participating in the Creators commandments.

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/20/2022

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rSpuL03up8&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKIBRnjBvHe&index=52

051 Tanya Shvat 10 ~ m056b Shvat 17b

Questions for today:

How can an Idol exist in a created world? Or, more poignantly – why don’t I humbly appreciate G-d’s hand in every part of my life?

We've learned about G-d's power of concealment, and of how it creates on the one hand a very real, on the other hand an illusion, of a divided physical world.

Today we're going to learn about the most powerful component of it: How in the world, created of and by G-d, an idol can exist.

It works as a two-way street.

We've learned how G-d creates idolatry in a ‘backhanded’ way. We know that when we do something that we don't love, our heart isn't in it - You can’t see our ‘life’ in the project.

On the flip side, imagine if a child is riding a bicycle and they don't feel the ‘life’ – the care and the hovering of the parent so that they don't fall - They feel they have nobody to thank.

This is the root and the core of idolatry.

Who were Stalin and Chairman Mao's ‘divine’ inspiration giving them a mandate to kill millions of people?

It was ‘Me’

(Not me, G-d forbid), it was their unmitigated, un-differing ‘me’ that gave them the ideology and the belief that there is no one above them, that they themselves, were God.

Tanya book 1, ch22 pt 2

Where G-d doesn't love, Gd's presence is not felt.

When we don't feel Gd's presence we can believe that I am God

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/19/2022

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxo4s2HXsQA&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=51

050 Tanya Shvat 9 ~ m056 Shvat 17  

Questions for today:

We learned that we remain one with the Creator even while we are created. Nevertheless, the term “speech” which is used to describe our creation reminds us that, at least from our perspective, the world can really feel apart from G-d.

We've been learning about how G-d's speech, unlike ours, never leaves G-d's head. Therefore, everything that is created by G-d's speech remains one.

If that is the case, then why is it described using the same word as our speech?

Yesterday we give the example of an illusionist that isn’t fooled by their own trick.

That is true for the magician - but we are in the audience.

G-d's power of concealment is so strong and so multifaceted that it creates a world that isn’t just diverse, but so real that there are things that are created that are called “other G-ds”.

They are called “other G-ds” for two reasons, today we will learn one.

There Hebrew word for ‘other’, “Acherim”, doesn't only mean other, it also means “behind”. G-d creates those things in a ‘backhanded’ way.

There are things created not because of their own sake, but rather, they are created for the thrill of victory that comes when we avoid them.

Tanya book 1, ch22 pt 1

Although G-d is not impressed by the illusion of separation that gives this world its diverse reality, we are.

In fact, Gd's power of concealment is so strong it facilitates idolatry

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/19/2022

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8wbxOqvPfw&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=50

049 Tanya Shvat 8 ~ m55 Shvat 16

Questions for today:

How can my acts of unity be real and heroic, when to G-d, all of existence is truly one?

We've been learning that our creation of and by one Creator, through speech, all happening in the creator's own head, all means that we're all really one.

This leads to a deep religious quandary: If we are truly one, then how does one person, give a separate person, charity? is it all pretend?

On the flip side, if G-d creates a divided reality where good and bad, right and wrong, could exist - doesn't that mean that we are actually divided?

They say that a magician should never teach their secrets. This is because an illusion, no matter how impressive or how skillful, as soon as you know the secret, the excitement doesn't just get diminished - it completely disappears.

This is the crux of Creation: The Creator, with a specific Divine capacity, can conceal Himself to create a framework for reality. However, this ‘illusion’ of a divided reality, to the Creator - like a magician that knows the secret - is not just not impressive, but entirely non-existent.

Tanya book 1, ch21 pt 3

If we are truly one, how can good and bad, or charity exist? If we are separated for life's values, doesn't that divide us?

Like an optical illusion that, once seen, can't be appreciated, the concealment of creation, is real - but only to us, from whom its secret is hidden

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/18/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qRZnQauLzuE&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKIBRnjBvHe&index=49

Additional Thoughts:

There is an important confession/disclosure that I need to make. When teaching Chassidus, the inner part of the Torah, there are certain rules.

One of them is the importance of accuracy with examples and parables.

A Central tool of Chassidus is the use of examples and parables from this physical world, to understand the Creator.

With this in mind, the examples in Chassidus have the same criteria as any other Torah teaching with lessons learned from tiny details.

Case in point, in many of the lessons over these few days we are deriving all types of lessons from the various details regarding speech.

Since speech is the example that the Torah uses, therefore every aspect of speech could be analyzed and used to understand the creator.

In researching towards this project, I asked about using other examples that I found illustrative  when teaching these lessons. I was told that it’s OK to use personal examples, as long as it’s clear that these are my examples being used as a tool to explain some thing, and not a part of the Chassidic lesson.

Today’s lesson is a prime example. Neither the Tanya nor the Torah source that it is explaining, use the example of a magician.

The example that is used is of a teacher explaining something to a student, which is entirely beyond the students understanding.

Rabbi Faitel Levin in his phenomenal work, heaven on earth, spells it out as a teacher teaching a preschooler math, using blocks.

[If we were to think of the ‘math lesson’ rather than the blocks as our subject] we can see the above lesson play out clearly.

The teacher lays out two blocks, and two blocks, and now there are four blocks out. We now have two separate views simultaneously; The teacher sees math. The fact that there are block shapes depicting the numbers doesn’t ‘hide’ the lesson from the teacher. The teacher sees a formula, 2+2=4.

The student however, didn’t absorb the math yet. It is ‘hidden’ from the child. All the child sees is blocks. There are groups of blocks, and they make up a sum, but the child doesn’t ‘see’ that now.

This is the example given by Chassidus for today’s lesson: G-d is creating a ‘lesson’ for us, a Divine world. We see the ‘blocks’. To G-d that ‘knows’ the lesson, the ‘blocks’, the divisions and distinctions of the world, don’t ‘fool’ the Creator, there is no divide.

Therefore, when we perform a mitzvah, it is real. In our perspective there really is a division. At the same time to the Creator, this division does not fragment reality.

048b Tanya Shvat 7b ~ m54 Shvat 15  

Questions for today:

If we never separate away from the Creator, how is our existence sufficiently distinct to be called “speech”?

We are discussing this topic at length, because it's at the crux of existence.

Science grapples with how zero plus zero could create a world. We don't start with zero, we start with a beyond-infinite Creator, but we have the same question: How could something undefined and without change, create the world we see?

The example that we give is speech, which puts words to our undefined thoughts.

However, now we have another question. We just explained that even after creation, existence is still one with the Creator. If that is the case, how is that a parable to ‘words’ which come ‘out’ of me?

Today's Tanya teaches another impact that words have. Words reveal what's inside.

Whereas my thoughts are only thoughts after they ‘leave’ the emotions that cause them, and my words are only hearable after they ‘leave’ me, the Creator’s ten utterances which bring about existence - and me and you - are hearable and visible even while they are within the Oneness of the creator.

Tanya book 1, ch21 pt 2

The Torah uses the parable of speech to describe creation, not because creation is ‘outside’ of the Creator, as is our speech, but because creation, like our words, is a revelation.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/17/2022    

See today’s video:

https://youtu.be/9OzLnB61zz0

048 Tanya Shvat 7 ~ m53 Shvat 14

Questions for today:

If the example used for our creation is speech, why do we measure ourselves by the unity from where speech comes within the head and psyche?

We spoke the last couple days about how our creation, of and by one Creator, unites all of us, and the fact that we were specified into our individual existence by speech means that we are still one.

However, when I speak, the words come out of me and they have a life of their own. Isn't it possible then, that when we were created, we were divided from each other?

Think of a donut.

Where was that donut before you thought of it? Did it “not exist”? Or, did it coexist with everything else in our subconscious mind?

When we say that G-d “speaks” us into existence, this is within the Creator's realm. A reality where there is no time or space that divide it.

There is no up or down, no inside or outside. When G-d ‘speaks’ us into existence, those words don't exit the Creator. They stay within the Creator, and we remain identified, but together with everything else in existence - singular and undivided.                                 

Tanya book 1, ch21 pt 1

Our speech exits us, and separates.

G-d's speech has nowhere "out" to go. We remain, as in our source, singular and undivided.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/16/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_5MbKmIBDQ&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=48

047b Tanya Shvat 6b ~ m52 Shvat 13

Questions for today:

I see myself completely distinct from you, but how far apart are we? What value do my distinctive element have when viewed within their source?

Yesterday we learned that our Soul has an innate connection to the Creator.

We realized that that's why people, who may not have lived a religious life, would still rather give up their life than to disconnect from the Creator or Judaism.

Yesterday we learned that since the creator is constantly bringing the world into existence, that means every part of the world represents an opportunity to either connect, or disconnect, from the Creator.

Today we are going to learn the same things from a different angle.

Let's look at all of the variability of the world like we learn, that it represents G-d’s spoken word.

When we say words, those different words don't actually represent meaningful fractions of our thoughts.

Going higher, those thoughts aren't little parts, or fractions of. the emotions that they come from.

The emotions also don’t represent actual fractions of the intellectual connection they come from, and the Intellectual connections are not fractions, or parts, of our soul.

Above each level, in their source, they are truly one.

So if we look at all the divided parts of the world and we open our eyes, will realize it's really, truly, one.

Tanya book 1, ch20 pt 3           

Our oneness is apparent not just in the humility to the Creator’s constantly bringing us into existence, but even analyzing the process of our formation, we see the divisions don’t truly separate us.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/15/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQWcTYTa0yM

047 Tanya Shvat 6 ~ m51 Shvat 12        

Questions for today:     

I would give my life rather than divorce the Creator and my Jewish Heritage. But which part of my life is related to the bond between me and the Creator? Is there any part of my life, or existence, that is simply ‘nutral’?

Yesterday we learned that our being created of, and by, one Creator unites everyone and everything, making everything related to our connection to G-d.

Today we're going to put that thought on steroids.

We've learned that a friendship that goes away in times of trouble never was a true friendship. The same thing is true with existence. Something disappears when the energy goes away, never truly existed.

We learn that G-d created the world through speech. This tells us that when G-d stops speaking, the world disappears, like a video when you pull the plug out of the projector.

This means that we're not just one because once upon a time we were Created by one Creator - even now as we exist, we're vulnerable to, and within, one source.

Not only that, but the reason why you are you, and I am me, is not because you were created by a hand, and I was created by a foot. Instead, G-d specified us all into existence through speech.

We see with speech that when we speak, those words don't divide or fragment us. In fact, they have no impact on the speaker.

This means even now, as we separately exist, we remain as we are in our source, truly singular and undivided.

Tanya book 1, ch20 pt 2           

Our oneness is not because of a historical singular source, it’s a constant -  An extension of our perpetual expression from a singular source, while never truly being fragmented.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/14/2022   

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kFU6I_0mGiY&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=47

046 Tanya Shvat 5 ~ m50 Shvat 11   

Questions for today:     

How can I tie my daily choices to my deepest life values?

There are people in our life to whom we would give everything that we have - maybe even our life - to be able to save, but we wouldn't agree to them control the tv remote.

The Tanya was just saying that every Jew has an innate, perhaps hidden, love and bond with the Creator. This explains why for thousands of years there were Jews who may not have been religious, yet they were willing to die rather than to give up their Judaism.

How does I explain why today I should choose to have kosher pizza?

Today’s Tanya tells us a fascinating idea.

When we say that “G-d is one”, most people hear “my G-d is true and everything else is not”.

This outlook can't be farther from what we actually mean. What we mean when we say that ‘G-d is one’, is that every single thing in existence is of, and by, the same source – “One Creator”

This unifying concept is a great tool that we'll use to explain, and hopefully feel, the answer for living properly.

With this perspective, every good thing that we do is a loving act towards our source, and every bad thing we do is a divorcing act tearing us away from our source - the Creator.

Tanya book 1, ch20 pt 1           

We may be willing  to die for G-d, but how does that help us live for G-d?

Today we begin by explaining how ""One G-d"" is a concept that unifies everything in existence. 

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/13/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFSf976G8lk&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=46

045 Tanya Shvat 4 ~ m49c Shvat 10c    

Questions for today:     

If I am proud to die for the Creator, why don’t I live for the Creator?

A tour group is captured by tribe of cannibals. As the pot is boiling they give each prisoner a last request.

The Israeli tourist says “I want to be given a big kick”. As he's flying painfully through the air, he pulls out a submachine gun, and everybody in the tribe with a weapon is dead.

His companions ask him, why didn’t you do that beforehand? He responded, “I didn't want them to call me the aggressor”.

Today's Tanya askes the question, if through the ages we've seen thousands of Jews willing to die for the Creator, how is it that those same people often did not live a religious life?

The answer is, because the life that we live is from the energy that ‘comes out’ of the soul. That energy could be kidnapped. It could be captured and there it could animate whatever is the excitement of the day.

But the soul itself that we've been describing could never be kidnapped or captured. It could just be dormant, sleeping.

When this soul, with its innate love, feels that it's about to be torn completely away from its source, it wakes up with a fright and it yells out: “I can't be, or do, anything that goes against who or what I am!”

Tanya book 1, ch19 pt 3           

The energy that emanates from the soul can be captured, the soul cannot.

The innate love we have for the Creator, can express a deep fear.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/12/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3Cq_ETpaXw&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=45

044 Tanya Shvat 3 ~ m49b Shvat 10b

Questions for today:     

How does putting aside myself, impact my wellbeing?

There is a statement in the Zohar that says that strength of the body weakens the soul, and strengthen of the soul weakens the body.

This seems to run contrary to everything we learned, about how the Torah tells us to take care of our body?

In fact, there is a strong statement of the Magid of Mezritch that says, “a small hole in the body is a big hole in the soul”.

The Lubavitcher Rebbe explains, that when we speak about ‘strength of the body’, we don't mean the person is eating their Wheaties. On the contrary, it means that the body is ‘strong’ in doing whatever it wants.

The body is eating terrible food, sitting on the couch, and that is why the person is physically weak - and also spiritually weak.

This concept that we see in the world around us, helps us to understand today's Tanya.

Today’s Tanya discusses yesterday's Tanya, where it describes a person  who is completely humble, and cleaves only to the Creator. The Tanya tells us that not only will the person be connected to spirituality and to goodness - but also to life.

By contrast, if a person is trapped and enslaved to their body, not only will they be distant from spirituality and from goodness - but from life itself.                                                                                                                         

Tanya book 1, ch19 pt 2           

Our connection to the Creator, connects us to life.

We can see this in the health visible in someone who's soul is in control, vs someone who is a slave to their body.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/12/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQL7-Xu11rQ&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=44

043 Tanya Shvat 2 ~ m49 Shvat 10

Questions for today:     

How does humility play out as an expression of love?

Picture a child running to embrace its parent.

Now ask yourself, what is the child thinking right now?

You'll probably find that a lot of the words that come to mind have nothing to do with the child’s own self.

In fact, there is no specific warmth or placement of touch that the child is thinking of. Their entire mind, conscious and subconscious, is all captivated by the parent.

They want to embrace, become one, unite, with their parent.

It’s kind of like a flame, that even as it jumps away from the wick and tries to unite with the cosmic energy, knowing that it's own personal identity as a flame is going to disappear in the process.

This is another clue of the nature of the innate love that our soul has that is separate from the love that we build through our logical contemplation.

What is the nature of this innate love?

It's a natural, yet super rational, desire to be one with our source - even if our personal identity is going to be entirely nullified in the process.                                                                                                                                                                                 

Tanya book 1, ch19 pt 1           

What is the nature of our Innate love?

A natural, super rational, desire to be one with our source, the Creator - even if our personal identity will disappear in the process

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/12/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sjnnm_o6bo8&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=43

042 Tanya Shvat 1 ~ m48 Shvat 9       

Questions for today:     

What is the entry point for G-dliness to permeate our defined, physical, being?

Did you ever see an airplane fly?

Imagine for a second if we had no clue of any of the basis of aerodynamics. It wouldn't for a second shake our faith that a plane can fly, because we saw it happen.

This ability that our intellect has, to grasp things that are beyond our knowledge, and internalize them, is not a flaw in the system - It's a basic function of our being.

We call this “Chochmo”.

The word Chochmo is made up of two Hebrew words; the ‘power’ of ‘humility’.

It is this humble ability, to accept things that are beyond us, which is precisely what G-d - who will always be beyond our grasp - uses to be able to connect us.

This understanding of the conduit of ‘Chochmo’ is an important clue in understanding this innate love that we all have, which we didn't construct from our own intellect.

Tanya book 1, ch18 pt 3           

Our seminal connection to things outside us is called Chochmo.

Chochmo is the ability to humbly accept things beyond our current grasp.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/11/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TS6Esh6sfr4&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=44

041b Tanya Teves 29b ~ m47 Shvat 8         

Questions for today:     

We learned that by expressing our Soul’s inner feelings we can love the Creator. How would this apply to people that might not live a top-notch spiritual life?   

We are studying a second method to feel love for the creator.

The first method came through contemplation, this second one is easier, we just have to feel the soul that we inherited from Abraham Isaac and Jacob.

 Our Forefathers lived their lives as a ‘chariot’, completely devoted to the creator without any self-interest whatsoever. Because of this, they inherited to us a soul that if we just feel it, we would feel that connection and love for the creator.

Today we learn that, because of the nature of spirituality where every facet is a blend of every other, it doesn't matter which facet of the soul that I have or feel inside - within it is every other aspect of the soul.

In fact, it doesn't matter what iteration of the soul, no matter how low it might be. Within every Soul on every level is the G-dliness emanating from the highest aspects of the soul. An aspect within which G-dliness is revealed, and which animates every other part of the soul.

If I just feel that, I will automatically feel a love for the creator.               

Tanya book 1, ch18 pt 2           

We are all different, but what we all share connects us to the Creator.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/10/2022    

See today’s video:

https://youtu.be/QcSjIxWernk

041 Tanya Teves 29 ~ 46 Shvat 7  

Questions for today:     

So far, the love that we learned that we can achieve comes through a thought process. But what do I do if I find that process difficult?          

You may have heard of how Yankel became wealthy. He sold a few Shmattes for a dollar. He bought a few more, and sold them for two dollars.

That night, his uncle passed away and left him an inheritance of ten million dollars.

We just spent Seventeen chapters studying about the way that the Torah says that everybody can achieve a love of the Creator, through proper contemplation. However, that method is not very close.

Today, we learn of a new way to achieve love the Creator: We don't need to create this love from scratch. We just have to reveal an innate love that we have for the Creator.

However, this presents a lot of questions; Where does this love come from? What type of love is it?

Today we're going to touch on one of the questions. Parents can genetically imbue their child with loving nature, but that doesn't compel the child with what to love, so how could our forefathers have inherited to us the love of the Creator?

The idea is that our forefathers were so infatuated with love in every part of their lives, that this love defined who and what they were.

Therefore, what we get from them, or what we achieve through a proper Torah conversion, is a soul that has an innate love and fear of the creator.                                                                                                                                                                   

Tanya book 1, ch18 pt 1           

We all have an innate love of the Creator, and we just need to reveal it.

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/9/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-X6TCer_5E&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=41             

Additional thoughts for today’s Tanya

When a love is a result of a thought process, we don’t need to know the source of the love, it’s coming from the thoughts.
We also don’t need to ask what type of love it is. Each love is, in its core, a specific bridge to connect something. If the love is coming from a thought, then the love is a yearning to achieve the connection that was being thought of.

Here we need to ask these questions. Since the love is innate from our Soul, we need to know its root, and what type of love it is.

040 Tanya Teves 28 ~ m45 Shvat 6        

Questions for today:     

The opposite of “true love” would seem to be “true evil”. If that is a condition within our realm, how can we break free?                  

We recently spoke about how with love, if it goes away in a time of trouble, it was never true love

This is true for the opposite. Meaning, even though we learned that G-d gave everyone the natural power, through intellect, through thed brain, to direct the heart what to love - but that's only true up to a point.

It's possible for a person to so consistently love selfish and wrong things, that they could achieve true negativity and lose complete control over their heart, to be a slave to their heart’s every whim

What's such a person to do?

If they are captive to their heart - they need to ‘break’ their heart.

If a person could bring themself to be truly upset by their negativity, not only could they be freed from the slavery of the heart, but much more.

All the divine potential that was previously animating all their negativity, can now be freed and could be used for good                                                                                                                        

Tanya book 1, ch17 pt 3           

…One notable exception: a person who reaches "true negativity".

- Yet even such a person can break free

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/8/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJWv-oK2oPA&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=40             

039 Tanya Teves 27 ~ m43 Shvat 4       

Questions for today:     

What does G-d mean that us, me and you, are can ‘easily’ love the creator?                  

This woman finally convinces her husband he has to go to relationship therapy. He comes back and he says, “Honey, ‘my therapist told me I should tell you’ that I love you.

There is a flip side of that example. Someone who's dating for two years, for four years, but since they don’t feel the mythical romantic passion that they see in all the movies, they can’t propose.

What's the appropriate middle?

The Tanya tells us that the distinctive significance of life on Earth is the ability to have an impact.

With that in mind, when the Torah tells us that not only it is ‘close’, but it's ‘very close’ for everybody, to be able to not only behave properly, and speak properly, but even to love God with our hearts - It's not talking about a ‘passionate feeling’ of romance.

Yes, that feeling is obtainable. But what is close to us everyday, is a different level of ‘love’.  It is referring to the ability to contemplate a relationship with the Creator, to the point that we can do acts that are appropriate for this relationship, from the conviction of our own ‘heart’.                                                                                                                                                                        

Tanya book 1, ch17 pt 1          

It is indeed very close...in your heart, to do.

All of us can achieve love. If not passionately each day, at least enough to ""do"" loving acts"

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/6/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7GkIc9zA_g&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=39     

037 Tanya Teves 25 ~ m42 Shvat 3        

Questions for today:     

What does a person do if the values they strive for don’t inspire them to actual emotional feelings?                

What does it feel like to be pregnant with love?

A person could decide that there is something that they should really be attached to. They might have even realized that something is so valuable that they are lucky to be devoted to it.

The normal process is that those thoughts give birth to, for example, a strong feeling of attachment, and we'll call that love. Or, it would cause an inner fear of being detached from it.

Then, those emotions act like wings and they give life to all the acts being done in the relationship.

However, what about a Beinoni? By a Beinoni, these ideas might not be compelling enough to stimulate and give birth to that love or fear?

Today's Tanya teaches that nevertheless if a person ‘acts’ according to those ideas; they put their hands on G-d's hands through acts of charity, they put their lips to G-d's through the holy words of the Torah, they embrace G-d with thought, speech, and action - every way that the Torah gives the ability to…

…When a person behaves this way according to their inner conviction, then even though those ideas are in the brain and not on the heart, they'll still be able to enhance and give life to all the acts that they are causing to happen.                                                                                                                                                                                

Tanya book 1, ch16 pt 1          

Loving thoughts, during gestation in the brain, can give life to the acts they cause, even if they have not "given birth" to heartfelt emotions.        

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/5/2022    

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQzywJv-EOE&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=37          

Additional thoughts:

What is innovative here in this chapter, is that in the last chapter, using the analogy of going the extra mile, we may have concluded that the main thing is to achieve emotional feelings of love for the Creator.

In this chapter, the Tanya teaches us that what is truly the main thing is that our convictions lead to an impact in ourselves and the world around us.  

m41  036 Tanya Teves 24~Shvat 2   

Questions for today:    

How can I analyze myself in a way that is a) honest, b) not belittling, c) on par with the “big guys”?               

The Baal Shemtov teaches that one of the biggest challenges to spiritual success is, counter-intuitively, being too humble. It causes us to think to ourselves, “what impact could I have”?

Today's Tanya gives us all the motivating boost that we need.

We learn an example from the Talmud, that if you want to rent a donkey to go from one side of town to the other - 10 miles – it would cost one zuz. If you want to go one more mile past the city border – 11 miles total – it would cost double, 2 zuz.

Similarly, if we want to see our value in G-d's eyes we shouldn't measure ourselves simply against a list of all of  the commandments we observe, or to a thousand pages of Talmud that we did or didn't study.

Instead, we need to ask ourselves, “am I willing to do something that I'm not used to?”

Even if we are not in complete ownership of our physical lifestyle, and not as much in complete control of our behavior as we would like, we can still bring tremendous pleasure to the Creator - as long as we are willing to go the extra mile.                                                                                                                                                                                  

Tanya book 1, ch15 pt 3         

I can bring G-d great pleasure. I just need to ask: am I willing to do more than I'm used to? 

Study today’s Tanya in full:

https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/4/2022 

See today’s video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJ9xPPKNaTo&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=36  

Additional thoughts:

A second example that the Tanya brings from the Talmud is the vast difference in credit given to someone who studies 101 times, vs 100 times.

The Tanya explains that this is because in that generation, a common study practice was to review every topic One Hundred times. Someone who goes beyond that, even once, is on an entirely different level – as is the theme we are developing.

A fascinating depth to that example is the deep meaning behind the number 101.

We know that the world was created with 10 utterances and this number is found throughout creation.

The core of our spiritual lives are represented by 10 Commandments we also studied earlier about the 10 sefiros. Considering the detail with which God created the world it follows that each of these 10 components of the physical and spiritual world are subdivided by 10, totaling 100 aspects within every part of the word.

With 100 representing a comprehensive mastering of the world, 101 represents going beyond that.

We find this concept hinted to in the verse “mei’ayin”, “’from where’ will my help come”. The Hebrew word “mei’ayin” has the numerical value of 101. This concept of going beyond the measured world, lifts us above all of the world’s boundaries.

 m40 035b Tanya Teves 23b ~ Shvat 1      

Questions for today:   

What drives our study of Torah, what drives out fulfillment of the mitzvos? 

In this chapter, we're describing a very important criteria in the relationship that we have with the Creator.

Unlike intuitively, where we think that a perfect person is great and an imperfect person is bad, here we're saying a different thing:

There's a difference between a person that struggles for the relationship with the Creator, or a person that has it easy.

There is an important phrase in the way we describe this today. We say that a person that has it easy they study Torah and do mitzvos can to them with their “hidden love” that is inside their soul.

We earlier used love as a description for the fuel that helps us ‘battle’ our challenges. If this person is not struggling, why do they need any love?

But of course they need love.

The reason we are studying Torah is not because it’s interesting. The reason we are doing mitzvos is not because they're meaningful.

We do them because of our love for the Creator.

However, a person that God granted them an easygoing nature, it's enough for them to use the inner love that they have in their heart.

A person that has challenges has to weaken a burning love to overcome those challenges.                                                                                                                                                                        

Tanya book 1, ch15 pt 2        

The Study of Torah, the observance of mitzvos are a love language.      

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/3/2022 

See today’s video:  

https://youtu.be/kcJn1MGhvw8

m39 035 Tanya Teves 23 ~ 29       

See in blog: ChabadMed.com/TanyaBlog     

Questions for today:   

We place so much emphasis on perfection, where does that put me with my daily challenges? 

What if I told you you're the star of God's favorite show?

You might feel “I'm not the model antagonist or protagonist in the Bible”, “I'm not Moses, and I'm definitely not Pharaoh”.

The Prophet Malachi describes four different characters; the righteous and the wicked, and then ‘Oved Elokim’ and ‘Lo Avodai’ - someone who ‘serves’ Hashem, and somewhat that doesn't ‘serve’ Hashem.

Today’s Tonya tells us this is referring to the Beinoni that we've come to know.

Here is what is heroic of the Beinoni. They might have a tremendous temptation and then they invoke this deep love of the creator and they say no I'm going to stay on the straight and narrow.

Or, they're learning Torah day and night, but they're used to it. Then one day they say, “I love the Creator so much, today I'm going to  learn something more”.

This, the Tanya says, is what Malachi is referring to when it mentions about this hero that's actively serving the Creator.                                                                                                                                                                                 

Tanya book 1, ch15 pt 1        

You might not be Moses or Pharaoh, but you are the star of G-d's show.      

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/1/2022 

See today’s video:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agQr1ipBiPQ&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=35    

Additional thoughts:

In Hebrew the word for a wise person is “Chochom” meaning someone that is currently wise.

The word for a servant for Hashem would be “Eved”.

The word “Oved” written here implies a work in progress, in the midst of the struggle.

m39 035 Tanya Teves 23 ~ 29       

See in blog: ChabadMed.com/TanyaBlog     

Questions for today:   

We place so much emphasis on perfection, where does that put me with my daily challenges? 

What if I told you you're the star of God's favorite show?

You might feel “I'm not the model antagonist or protagonist in the Bible”, “I'm not Moses, and I'm definitely not Pharaoh”.

The Prophet Malachi describes four different characters; the righteous and the wicked, and then ‘Oved Elokim’ and ‘Lo Avodai’ - someone who ‘serves’ Hashem, and somewhat that doesn't ‘serve’ Hashem.

Today’s Tonya tells us this is referring to the Beinoni that we've come to know.

Here is what is heroic of the Beinoni. They might have a tremendous temptation and then they invoke this deep love of the creator and they say no I'm going to stay on the straight and narrow.

Or, they're learning Torah day and night, but they're used to it. Then one day they say, “I love the Creator so much, today I'm going to  learn something more”.

This, the Tanya says, is what Malachi is referring to when it mentions about this hero that's actively serving the Creator.                                                                                                                                                                                 

Tanya book 1, ch15 pt 1        

You might not be Moses or Pharaoh, but you are the star of G-d's show.      

Study today’s Tanya in full: https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=1/1/2022 

See today’s video:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agQr1ipBiPQ&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKI_BRnjBvHe&index=35    

Additional thoughts:

In Hebrew the word for a wise person is “Chochom” meaning someone that is currently wise.

The word for a servant for Hashem would be “Eved”.

The word “Oved” written here implies a work in progress, in the midst of the struggle.