It should be utterly impossible to remain in existence when G-d is totally and essentially manifest. And it is. No being, earthly or heavenly, can withstand total Divine exposure. Yet, there is one way to remain vested in the body and yet bear that profound revelation that is coming at the End of Days. That is the "technology" of the Torah -- the Torah is "strength."

Tanya with Rochel Schmukler

Tanya Chapter 36 part 3

In understanding the Divine desire, we come to examine the Kabbalistic idea of the chain-like order of worlds. And in so doing, we come to realize something utterly striking: that in our world of darkness lies the ultimate purpose of creation.

Tanya Chapter 36 part 2

Hashem has a desire to dwell in these lowest realms. In order to understand the scope of this desire, we must first define "lower" and "higher" from a new frame of reference. With our new realization, we can come to the astounding realization that Hashem is equally present in all of the worlds, from the most lofty and spiritual to this most physical.

Tanya Chapter 36 part 1

Yes, the animal soul at its core remains the same even during a mitzvah. But because its power is subjugated to holiness during a mitzvah –– indeed! It even powers the mitzvah –– and its essential self is rendered voiceless although unchanged, it does not prevent the Divine presence from manifesting upon the totality of the animal soul and upon the entire body. The act of a mitzvah manifests the Divine presence to varying degrees. The Divine soul and its garments, along with the power of the animal soul that impels the mitzvah, are totally absorbed within the Divine light. And as a result, a ray of light is drawn over the totality of the animal soul and above the entire body in an encompassing way. But none of these differences contradict the ultimate truth –– that Hashem is One without any differentiation or multiplicity ch’v.

Tanya Chapter 35 part 5

Even in the highest of all worlds, fusion with the Divine is only by first enmeshing within Chochmah –– the power of nothingness. This underscores the idea that only something that is utterly surrendered to the Divine has the power to manifest the Divine. What has no identity other than being pure expression of the Divine will? These are the Torah and the mitzvot. And between the two of them, the effect of the practical mitzvah, in which even the power of the animal soul is subsumed within the Divine, is farthest reaching –– bringing Divine manifestation even upon the lowest elements of the worlds and ourselves.

Tanya Chapter 35 part 4

A mitzvah is different from everything else in our experience. In a world of concealment, the mitzvah represents the total manifestation of the Divine will. In contrast to rapturous feelings of love, or deep feelings of awe for Hashem, a mitzvah is not an outgrowth of the human experience. It is rather pure revelation of the Divine will. The only thing that can manifest the Divine presence is something that is completely dissolved in the Divine light. And that means anything with an identity and consciousness of its own, even if it be a holy soul burning with passion for Hashem, cannot manifest the Shechina –– except through the act of the mitzvah which has no identity other than being the Divine will.

Tanya Chapter 35 part 3

King Solomon taught, “a wise man’s eyes are in his head.” But isn’t that where every person’s eyes are? The wise man stands out in that his eyes are focused on the Shechina that rests upon his head, mindful to supply oil for the light. Just as physically, there needs to be oil to fuel a wick and sustain a fire, so too spiritually: The body is only the wick, and to fuel the light of the Shechina, there needs to be oil, which are mitzvos and good deeds. Why can’t the Divine soul serve as the oil for the Shechina? Because even the soul of the loftiest tzadik has a separate consciousness, an identity of its own, lacking the utter nullification necessary to be totally absorbed with the flame, the light of the Shechina. 

Tanya Chapter 35 part 2

Isn’t our life’s journey about refining ourselves spiritually, so that we reach ever higher in our relationship with the Divine? And consider this: The beinoni –– the average person –– can never transform their animal soul, being unable to banish the evil from within it. So then why did their soul come down to be clothed within an animal soul that it can never completely vanquish? The Alter Rebbe offers comfort to the ever-struggling person.

Tanya Chapter 35 part 1

We are privileged to host the Al-mighty whenever we study His will and wisdom –– the Torah. But much of the time we cannot study Torah, being occupied with worldly matters. Here we explore different ways to bring the experience of manifesting the Divine unity into the rest of our day. We can do this by resolving to study more if we will have more time, and by emulating the Divine attribute of kindness, and by using the energy and health we gain through our material resources to serve Hashem. In culmination of the chapter, we learn the great paradox –– that our tremendous joy does not prevent us from feeling low and of a humble spirit. Because these two quite contrasting emotions stem from two very different causes. 

Tanya Chapter 34 part 2

This Women's Tanya Class is our interactive spiritual journey where we investigate, discuss and apply the revolutionary ideas presented in the Tanya, a foremost work of Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism by the Alter Rebbe, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi.

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Tanya with Rochel Schmukler

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