Chapter 12

In this chapter the Alter Rebbe explains what a “Middle Man” is (beinoniLet's not forget that Tania is called the "Book of Middle Men"! All the previous chapters were to get to this point!

When we allow only the Divine Soul to use its “Garments” of thought, word, and deed Torah y Mitzvot To clothe the body, we are “intermediate Men.” The Animal Soul doesn’t even have a chance to clothe the body in its “Garments,” but that doesn’t mean it won’t try…

(The Alter Rebbe says that the “Middle Man” never committed a transgression of the Torah And he never will. This does not mean that someone who committed a transgression in his life cannot be an "intermediate man.".

Regarding the past, when we repent, it is as if we erase the transgressions of the past.

Regarding the future, the Divine Soul of the "Intermediate Man" is so strong that if it were always maintained in this state, it would never transgress. It is like a car traveling very fast because the driver is pressing the accelerator; therefore, no one can stop it! The "Intermediate Man" is always "pressing the accelerator" to prevent the Animal Soul from "stopping" him, that is, from causing him to transgress. Torah.

Therefore, it is as if he had never transgressed, and never would.

The Animal Soul functions like a machine on the left side of the heart, constantly generating new desires, forbidden desires, and wicked thoughts. This machine sends all these ideas from the heart to the brain for reflection, but the "Middle Man" rejects them!

It's hard to fight all the time, isn't it? But Hashem It gives the "Middle Man" a special strength to fight against his Animal Soul.

At the time of prayer, Hashem It casts a special light on the person, as if Hashem that He would show Himself to those who think of Him, giving them the opportunity to see Him… That energy, combined with the act of praying with great devotion, thinking of the greatness of Hashem, It fosters in the person such a strong love for Hashem (almost like a Righteous One), which overflows from the right side of the heart (where the Divine Soul resides) and floods the left side, where the Animal Soul resides. The Animal Soul feels so overwhelmed that it is unable to do anything and, so to speak, falls asleep, ceasing to send new evil desires to the brain.

But when that special light fades, because the prayer time has ended, the Animal Soul awakens again… and once more bad ideas occur to it to send to the brain. However, since it is not alone (the Divine Soul is also there on the other side of the heart!), it cannot control the body to clothe it in its “Garments” (thought, word, and deed of worldly pleasures and passions).

Why doesn't it work? The Alter Rebbe explains that each person's nature is such that the brain governs the heart. This means that what we think is stronger than what we feel. Even if we feel a strong urge to do, say, or think something, we can choose not to. In simple terms, if the Animal Soul wants to commit a transgression, we can decide not to, even if it's tempting.

It seems difficult… but the Alter Rebbe explains that a little holiness displaces a lot of impurity, even without a struggle. In the same way that lighting a small candle can easily make a huge room no longer dark. So, by using your brain to think about things of holiness, like Torah y Mitzvot, It is very easy to prevent bad thoughts from taking control of the body. The Divine Soul wants to rule the body alone and clothe it only in its “Garments”—thought, word, and deed—of the six hundred and thirteen Mitzvot of the Torah.

It seems this "Middle Man" is a Righteous One! He never transgresses the Torah, When he prays, he loves Hashem Deep down, his Animal Soul doesn't even appear with bad thoughts… but he is not a Righteous One… The Alter Rebbe explains that, while love to Hashem The Divine Soul puts the Animal Soul to sleep so it doesn't bother anyone, but it doesn't completely expel it… it's still in the left side of the heart, as strong as the day it was born! After the prayer, it awakens and returns to how it was before the prayer… This happens because the “Intermediate Man” didn't expel the Animal Soul from the heart, he only managed to prevent it from having enough strength to clothe the body in its “dirty” “garments” of things that Hashem He doesn't want to.

It seems, in the end, that the “Average Man” is like a Righteous One only during prayer, and afterwards, he returns to his old ways. But this is not the case. The Alter Rebbe explains that, even after prayer, a residue of love remains. Hashem that the “Intermediate Man” felt during prayer. That residue gives him strength to govern his Animal Soul for the rest of the day. It is like writing very hard with a pencil on paper. Even after erasing the pencil, the mark of the writing remains on the paper. The same occurs with love for Hashem of the “intermediate Man” during prayer: it is so strong that, after the prayer, a mark remains that helps him fight against the Animal Soul for the rest of the day.

At the end of the chapter, the Alter Rebbe explains that the "Middle Man," as soon as he realizes he is thinking something that is not Torah, Instead of dwelling on that negative thought, he pushes it out of his head, like someone shoving away a bad person with both hands. Thinking about transgressions is very bad, even worse than the transgressions themselves.¹.

The same thing happens when envy or hatred of another person arises in the heart of the "Middle Man," and rises to the brain to think, speak, or do something about it: the "Middle Man" does not accept it, because the brain rules over the heart.

Instead of envying or hating, the “Average Man” behaves like Joseph with his brothers. Torah² He recounts that, despite the fact that they hated him, tried to kill him and sold him into slavery, when they met again, Joseph treated them well and helped them so that they would not go hungry.