Questions tagged [tanya]

Questions about the book Tanya, written by R' Shneur Zalman of Liadi, the first Rebbe of Lubavitch Chassidus.

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Why does a Tanya level Tzadik get rewarded?

One description of a Tanya Tzadik says (from this answer): This provides us with new parameters for understanding who is a Tzadik. In a Tzadik, the battle between the two souls is over and the winner ...
1 vote
0 answers
48 views

Tanya's description of Divine assistance to benoni and freedom of choice

In Likutei Amarim Chapter 13, the Tanya says (quoted here, with explanations interpolated) Yet, inasmuch as the evil in the left part of the beinoni’s heart is in its native strength, craving after ...
1 vote
2 answers
66 views

According to Tanya, does the animal soul partially abide in the mind?

Tanya Chapter 8 (source) writes that "the abode of the animal soul ... is in the heart, ... the left ventricle". In contrast, "the abode of the divine soul is in the brains ... [and] ...
1 vote
3 answers
911 views

Is learning the Tanya dangerous?

There seems to be a negative connotation around Chabad Lubavitch - mostly caused by the mashichists. For someone that does not adhere to the beliefs of the mashichists (someone who believes that the ...
3 votes
3 answers
433 views

Rebbe maamer modifying Tanya on non-Jew's soul root?

I heard from a friend that the Rebbe gave a maamer somewhat modifying the statement in Tanya that all non-Jews' souls are from the klippot. Can anyone provide the exact source for it?
1 vote
1 answer
82 views

Thought, Speech, Action

I was wondering why the order in Tehillim 24:4 is action, thought, and then speech and not in descending level order (thought, speech, action) or ascending order (action, speech, thought) נְקִ֥י ...
1 vote
1 answer
140 views

What does Tanya say about gehinnom

I am not a Jew but I only left christianity not too long ago, I find the Jewish belief on heaven and hell fascinating Some say it’s forever while others like Rabbi Akiva, The Rambam, Modern Chabad, ...
7 votes
1 answer
401 views

Is the Nefesh HaChaim truly representitive of the Gra's position?

There's a popular understanding that the Gra asked R Chaim of Volozhin to write a sefer based on his teachings that would deal with many points that the sefer Tanya dealt with and this is the Nefesh ...
2 votes
2 answers
184 views

Where is Olam HaPirud? And what are the forces therein?

I see this world mentioned vaguely but I can't find where Olam HaPirud/Peyrud/Peirud or alma de-peruda is located in the hishtalshelut. I read today's Tanya: such service remains below in this “...
2 votes
1 answer
61 views

Why does Tanya chapter 48 exclude spiritual space, yet talk about it?

In Tanya chapter 48 it talks about "sovev kol almin", the light it Hashem that "surrounds" all worlds, then it says that the explanation of the term is not that it "surrounds&...
7 votes
0 answers
85 views

Is the Tanya the first rabbinic work to reflect a new scientific understanding of the circulation of blood?

The Tanya was first published in 1796. In chapter nine of the Tanya (in the shi’ur for today, Teves 9), the Alter Rebbe writes: The abode of the animal soul… is in the heart, in the left ventricle, ...
1 vote
1 answer
67 views

Detailed sources of the Sefer Hatanya

In the standard edition of the Tanya, the Mare Mekomot are not given accurately, e.g Avot Person 2, Nidda Peek 5. Is there a way to reach accurate Mare Mekomot?
0 votes
0 answers
126 views

Difference in attitudes between the Tanya and Mesilat Yesharim

As far as I understand both Sefer Ha'Tanya and Mesilat Yesharim consult the man how to improve his characteristics and to be a better person. They instruct the man step by step. What are the ...
5 votes
3 answers
506 views

Was Moshe a Tanya-tzadik?

In the terminology of Tanya, if I understand it correctly, a tzadik is someone who has so perfected himself that his yetzer hara (inclination to do evil) never rears its head, whereas a benoni still ...
2 votes
3 answers
517 views

Advanced Tanya Shiurim

I've heard it said many times that Lubavitch hasidim learn chassidus like it's gemara. It's easy enough to see what an advanced gemara shiur looks like, being something that presupposes a familiarity ...
1 vote
0 answers
37 views

Where in the Tanya is a discussion of the concept of one soul - connection

The alter rebbe discusses the notion of one soul counteracting the notion of otherness. Where in the Tanya is this discussion?
1 vote
0 answers
47 views

What's the difference between a makor and a shoresh in the Alter Rebbe’s Tanya?

What's the difference between a makor and a shoresh in the Alter Rebbe’s Tanya? My melamed told me in yeshiva but I forgot. I think one is from a higher source. I think it's in the Rebbe's notes but I ...
4 votes
1 answer
440 views

Jewish Views of the Tanya outside the Chabad movement

Do non-Hasidic (i.e., Litvak/Yeshivish) and Hasidic dynasties other than Chabad (i.e., Satmar, Ger, Bobov, Breslov, etc.) ever study the Tanya? And have their leaders ever commented on the Tanya ...
3 votes
3 answers
252 views

Machloket about the goal of the creation

The book Mishnat Chasidim from Rabbi Emanuel Chy Ricchi, begins by a presentation of the project of creation. He gives two reasons, for Ish Yare (man who fears God): To make known His perfection, To ...
4 votes
1 answer
87 views

Acronyms in Tanya

At the end of known editions of sefer hatanya, there is a a Luach Rashe Tevot, table of Acronyms. But through the lecture of the book I didn't find the significance of "דש''ע". It's in daf 104b (page ...
6 votes
1 answer
151 views

Who says the wicked are full of remorse? Help tracking down a supposed statement of Chazal

One section of the Tanya is called Likutei Amarim. Chapter 11 of this section contains the statement “Concerning such a person, the Rabbis of blessed memory have said, “The wicked are full of remorse.”...
0 votes
3 answers
341 views

Is the Baal Hatanya being too harsh with his definition of Rasha?

Is it just his opinion? Cause it is kinda depressing. From "Lessons in Tanya": As true definitive terms, tzaddik and rasha describe the quality of the good or evil in one’s soul. Viewed in this ...
3 votes
1 answer
94 views

Answer to question in first chapter of Tanya

In the first chapter of the Tanya the Alter Rebbe points out a seeming contradiction between a Gemara in Niddah and a Mishna in Avot, concerning the question if one should see oneself as a Rasha or ...
8 votes
6 answers
2k views

The value of the daily study of Chitas (Chumash, Tehilim, Tanya)?

What's the value of learning "Chitas" compared to any other daily Torah study? Side question: If it's so important, why was it introduced only recently?
3 votes
3 answers
330 views

Does a Tzadik have a Yetzer Harah?

Was Yitzchok a Tzadik? Rashi in Bereshit 28:13 says Yitzchok was blind and that his​ Yetzer Harah left him. Does that imply that he had an evil inclination when he wasn't blind? What about King David?...
5 votes
1 answer
220 views

According to the Tanya, is one never permitted to be sad at all?

In Iggeret Hakodesh chapter 11, the Baal Hatanya says : In truth, however, “No evil descends from above,” and everything is good, though it is not apprehended [as such] because of its immense and ...
5 votes
2 answers
311 views

What is the phrase "sin of youth" (חטאת נעורים) referring to, as used in the Tanya?

"Sin of youth" (Heb. חטאת נעורים) is a phrase found in various places in the Tanach. (For example, Tehillim 25:7 and Shmuel I 2:17.) I was told that in Tanya, Chapter 42, "sin of youth" is a ...
5 votes
1 answer
102 views

Source for Rema re: Fasting in Sefer Tanya

Orach Chaim Simman 580 Seif 1 the SA writes אֵלּוּ הַיָּמִים שֶׁאֵרְעוּ בָּהֶם צָרוֹת לַאֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְרָאוּי לְהִתְעַנּוֹת בָּהֶם; וְאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁמִּקְּצָתָם בְּרֹאשׁ חֹדֶשׁ, יֵשׁ מִי שֶׁאוֹמֵר ...
2 votes
2 answers
2k views

"Upper Level Teshuva" for Zera LeVatala

In the Tanya, Iggeret HaTeshuva Perek 4, the Ba'al HaTanya writes that the statement "there is no teshuva for spilling seed" applies only to "lower teshuva" ("re-attaching the second hei to Hashem's ...
4 votes
0 answers
234 views

Are non-Lubavitch Tanya editions listed?

Every edition I've seen of Tanya includes a list, in chronological order, of every edition of Tanya ever printed, including bibliographic information. I assume some central Lubavitch office maintains ...
6 votes
2 answers
409 views

Why does Tanya list editions?

Every edition I've seen of Tanya includes a list, in chronological order, of every edition of Tanya ever printed. For each edition, bibliographic information is included: the publisher, the city and ...
2 votes
0 answers
145 views

Are Chasidei Umot haOlam a mixture of pure and impure, or just pure?

It's stated in Lessons in Tanya Ch.1 that Chasidei Umot haOlam emanate from klipat nogah. Klipat nogah contains purity and impurity. Do Chasidei Umot haOlam retain the purity and impurity, or do they ...
3 votes
1 answer
98 views

Did the high-ranked angels merit to have their place or they had them already when they were created?

We read from Tanya (excuse me for not having the number of the verse) that: כי מיכאל שר של מים וגבריאל שר של אש, ואין מכבין זה את זה “Michael is the prince of water and Gabriel is the prince of fire,...
3 votes
2 answers
538 views

Humans have 613 organs?

Does the human nefesh (nefesh haAdam) have 613 spiritual organs? Tanya CH.4 says that a soul has 613 organs like the "organs of the King". I'm assuming that since man is made in the image of G-d, then ...
23 votes
8 answers
10k views

Do gentiles have neshamot?

As I have seen here, some say that only Jews have a neshama, others say that all humans have one. There was a reference there only of the former opinion (Jews only), and I know from elsewhere that ...
4 votes
1 answer
659 views

What is the significance of "mayim nukvin" according to chassidus

What is the spiritual significance of "Mayim Nukvin" (feminine waters) according to Chassidus? I have seen it plenty of times in Tanya and various Maamarim, but I never really understood the concept.
3 votes
1 answer
350 views

Where does the Zohar hold the nefesh resides?

According to the Tanya, the part of the soul called "nefesh" resides in the heart (specifically in the left side of the heart): והנה מקום משכן נפש הבהמית שמקליפת נוגה בכל איש ישראל הוא בלב בחלל ...
3 votes
0 answers
559 views

Comparative analysis of Tanya vs. Nefesh HaChaim

Has anyone done a comparative analysis of the Tanya vs. the Nefesh HaChaim in terms of what they agree about and what they disagree about?
5 votes
1 answer
120 views

reprinting of tanyas in many locations, why?

Why do Lubavitcher חסידים print “ספר של בינונים" in many different places — something about outward expansion of wellsprings?