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.