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If we can use anything in the world as a vehicle to reach God, why then are we restricted from partaking in certain things like non-kosher food? Rabbi Kirzner defines the shells that encloses all purpose within itself - the one impossible to penetrate, and the one we can use. How can we even do things that are permissible and still be using it inappropriately?
Our ability to integrate the world with our soul and live a consistent life is a shining goal we aspire towards. What are the consequences of behavior that doesn’t harmonize those two? Rabbi Kirzner’s deep explanation of the weeping of the waters that a non-faithful wife must ingest, and the outcome points toward the destructive energy a dichotomy between body and soul produces.
We may tell ourselves that our passions for things that are contradictory to spirituality can coexist with our love of God. But the reality is that whatever energies we are directing away from Him can’t be used for spiritual pursuits at all, leaving our total closeness to God levels lower than it could be. How does this understanding of the inability to lead two lives explain what an incomplete tzaddik is?
Rabbi Kirzner continues his discussion of an incompletely righteous person who still has repressed aspects of negativity within himself. Is it really possible to direct even the most powerfully destructive desires toward spiritual ends? Rabbi Kirzner lays out the map for being able to jump off our negative traits to achieve positive ones.
How can we understand the beinoni – intermediate person who finds himself squarely in middle of the righteous and the wicked? The parable of a little city that strives to keep out negative forces or at least subdue them helps portray his inner landscape, as well as explain what truly separates him the world of the tzaddik.
Rabbi Kirzner rounds out the picture of the beinoni by looking at the two judges that are vying for his soul. Often we are conflicted by different aspects of self that pull us in opposite directions. How can we deserve to win the battle by inviting God in to be a part of our lives?
If one does have dormant negativity within them, is that a cause for worry? After all, it’s laying quiet and not bothering anyone. Rabbi Kirzner continues to reveal the work of the beinoni, and why it’s not enough to feel comfortable with the level he is on by proving that those negative forces grow even at rest.
The level of the beinoni is reachable. Managing to do it right and leaving the negative actions behind is hard, but practically doable. But as easily as we desire to leave the category of rasha behind, should we really strive further to be a tzaddik?
What should we work on, and what methods should we employ to reach the level of beinoni? The Tanya points to various ways that the tzaddik and beinoni are different, and draws out the practical aspect of how to achieve that not so mediocre level.
The Tanya continues delving into the root forces that the beinoni must draw upon to control the negativity within his character. Often we use our logic and the strength of our will to beat back the pull toward the forbidden – but as many of us can testify, that method is not foolproof. Rabbi Kirzner takes this battle a step beyond ourselves by inviting in the strongest Warrior of them all, to guarantee our success.