Tanya- SoulWords

Smash Apathy — Tanya Ch. 29

We Addressing the problem of "timtum halev" (blockage of the heart) which causes a person not to feel. In this chapter, apathy is identified as an even more dangerous emo

Distraction in Prayer — Tanya Ch. 28

Negating the popular misconception that if you experience distracting thoughts during prayer it means your prayers are worthless. The opposite may even be true.

From Shame to Joy — Tanya Ch. 27

Not only should one who has sinful impulses not be ashamed, he should rejoice in the opportunity to curb these impulses and thereby do a mitzvah.

Overcoming Guilt — Tanya Ch. 26 (Part II)

How do we overcome worry over spiritual problems, namely the guilt over past sins? (Second half of Chapter 26.)

The Importance of Joy — Tanya Ch. 26 (Part I)

What is the importance of joy? And how does one rid oneself of worries over material problems. (First half of Chapter 26.)

Spiritual Adrenalin — Tanya Chs. 18-25

Another way of finding motivation to do mitzvos is by activating the soul's latent love for G-d. All Jews possess the capacity to make the ultimate sacrifice in order not

Transformation Through Meditation — Tanya Ch. 17

"It is very close to you--in your mouth, in your heart, to do it." Even the regular person can change his or her emotions enough to muster sufficient motivation to produc

Creating Emotion — Tanya Ch. 16

"The brain rules over the heart," which at first referred to impulse control and reigning in the impulses of the heart, now is explained to also mean changing the heart b

Two Levels of Beinoni — Tanya Ch. 15

Just as there are two types of tzadik and rasha, there are two types of beinoni--"one who serves" and "one who has not served." The struggle of the beinoni has inherent v

Even More About the Beinoni — Tanya Ch. 14

We cannot change our feelings at will, but we can control our behaviors. The beinoni need not feel the love and awe of G-d that a tzadik does. Instead, the beinoni focuse

More About the Beinoni — Tanya Ch. 13

We continue to learn about the personality of the beinoni. Emotionally, the beinoni is no different than a rasha, yet behaviorally he resembles a tzadik.

The Beinoni — Tanya Ch. 12

The beinoni is one who experiences the inner conflict of a rasha yet whose behaviors are indistinguishable from those of a tzaddik. The beinoni manages this by exercising

Tzaddik and Rasha — Tanya Chs. 10,11

The tzaddik is the one who has defeated his or her animal soul either incompletely by neutralizing it or completely by transforming it. The rasha has not defeated the ani

The Small City — Tanya Ch. 9

The body is compared to a small city over which two kings battle for total domination.

Unholiness — Tanya Chs. 6,7,8

These chapters look at the unholiness within our own animal soul as well as in the universe around us. Just as the G-dly soul is composed of ten holy powers and expresses

Food for the Soul — Tanya Ch. 5

Torah study is unique among all mitzvos, for all other mitzvos are "garments" for the soul while the study of Torah is "food." Whenever we study Torah, we fuse and unite

Garments of the Soul — Tanya Ch. 4

The G-dly soul seeks expression through three modes or "garments"--namely, thought, speech, and action.

The Soul's Powers — Tanya Ch. 3

The make up and composition of the G-dly soul is the "ten soul powers" or "kochos hanefesh" which correspond to the Ten Sefiros. These soul powers are further subdivided

The G-dly Self — Tanya Ch. 2

The "second soul" described in Tanya is the impulse for losing oneself in the Oneness of G-d. This chapter describes the selflessness of the "nefesh elokis" (G-dly soul)

Can We Be Perfect? — Tanya Ch. 1

Is perfection attainable? The Tanya redefines our understanding of what it means to serve G-d.