Questions for today:
If what sets us apart as humans is our intellect, how should I see myself, realizing that the vast majority of what I do is instinctive?
Today’s Tanya gets a little bit Kabalistic explaining in detail how the Torah allegorically refers to the angels as animals. eg, how the Torah speaks about the face of a lion and of an ox when referring to angels.
Why? The Tanya is supposed to be a practical guidebook for your average Joe. What are we supposed to learn from this discussion?
Yesterday, we divided the world into mineral, vegetation, animal and human, and we said that ‘human life’ parallels the performance of a commandment based on the intellectual inspiration that comes from delving into the greatness of the Creator.
In contrast, when we fulfill commandments because of natural desire to become close to the Creator, it is compared to the animal life. – yet this is often what drives us.
So which one is it? Are we G-d's greatest inspiration, or are we G-d's pets?
The Tanya tells us not to worry even though we often perform mitzvos on the level that would be compared to the animal kingdom.
The angels that we speak about every day in our prayers, who are on great, elevated, spiritual levels, are allegorically referred to as animals.
107 Tanya Nissan 7 ~ m127 Adar II, 27
Tanya book 1, ch 39, Pt 1
The Tanya explains that angels, who's love for the Creator is part of their nature, rather than a result of their intellectual thought, are referred to allegorically as animals.
The intent of the Tanya is not to explain about the nature of angels. Today's lesson allows us, who often serve G-d on an innate, natural level rather than by intellectual thought, to understand that we are nevertheless on a great level.
Study today’s Tanya in full:
https://www.chabadmed.com/dailystudy/tanya.asp?tdate=3/30/2022
See today’s video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2XKWdPAFKU&list=PLFZQPK6u-zSBls9Hwx3P5vKIBRnjBvHe&index=107