Tanya with Rochel Schmukler

Tanya Chapter 2 part 1. There's something actually G-dly within you. Will you ever be the same?

Now, we encounter our second soul, which is described as "truly a part of G-d above." This soul is "blown" into us from the very innerness of G-d Himself. The Jewish person originates within the Divine thought, essentially a sample of the Divine "inner experience," and is called a child of Hashem, emerging from His wisdom which is inseparable from Himself, as Maimonides teaches. Let's compare this teaching with what we learn in Kabbalah, which seems to challenge the notion that Hashem and His Kn...

Tanya Chapter 1 part 3. Getting to know the origin of our first soul, unveiling the secret of the tree of knowledge of good and evil

Let's explore the first soul, the one that vitalizes our body and is clothed within our blood. It originates from the klipah and sitra achara, the realm of unholiness, and is made of the four evil elements that give rise to our negative qualities and character traits. Surprisingly, this soul is also the source for the natural Jewish traits of kindness and compassion. This is because it stems from the "glowing klipah" –– kelipat nogah –– which contains both good and evil, flowing from the esoteri...

Tanya Chapter 1 part 2. It's not about your behavior, it's about your identity

Who is this elusive beinoni? Defining him proves challenging; there appears to be no middle ground between a righteous person and a wicked one. Exploring various scenarios, we find that minor infractions do not categorize a person as a beinoni. Looking at the Talmud, we learn that the tzadik is someone who has no longer has an evil inclination; their sole drive is for good. But what about everyone else? What fuels their struggle? A new understanding emerges: Kabbalah teaches us that every Jewish...

Tanya Chapter 1 part 1. You took an oath in heaven before you were born. Now what?

Here’s the oath we took before we came down here – be righteous, don’t be wicked, and even if the entire world perceives you as righteous, regard yourself as wicked in your own eyes. How do we interpret this? Isn't it risky to view ourselves as wicked? Such a perspective could lead to either depression or apathy. Let's examine five categories within the Jewish people to gain clarity on this matter: two types of righteous individuals, two types of wicked individuals, and a beinoni. What defines a...

Tanya Compiler's Foreword part 3. Our heart to heart conversation reverberates forever through this written word

A book really isn't one size fits all, and that is why you need a spiritual guide who can speak to you face to face, see you as the unique individual that you are, and give you guidance from that space of soul to soul connection. But this isn't a book. These are the transcripts of the deep, relatable answers that I gave you personally, my beloved students. It's all in here –– all of the answers to all of the questions. Now you will no longer need to press for a private audience with me, because ...

Tanya Compiler's Foreword part 2. Can you hear the Divine voice that speaks directly to your heart in the Torah?

Can a book truly reach you on a personal level like a teacher can? Your soul is rooted in the Torah and connected through the Torah to Hashem. And yet, even a book founded on Torah might not give you the guidance you seek, as not everyone is fortunate enough to discern their unique place in the Torah.

Tanya Title Page and Compiler's Foreword part 1. I know what you're thinking - A book like this should never be written!

The Alter Rebbe opens his seminal work, which comes to explain a verse from the Torah, “for this matter is very near to you, in your mouth, and in your heart, to do it.” The method of the book is “the long but short way,” and it is meant to take the place of a private audience with the Rebbe. Naturally, we resist this substitute for personal guidance! The Alter Rebbe speaks to us and tells us that he is fully aware of our resistance and deeply held reservations. Spiritual guidance must be person...

Tanya Chapter 47. Personal liberation and transcendence every single day

The liberation from Egypt wasn't a one-time historical event. This is a personal experience, between me and my G-d, every single day. He comes to get me from where I am, and pulls me up beyond all worlds, to come close to Him in total fusion and unity. Nothing can get in the way of this fusion through Torah and mitzvoth except for one thing: lack of desire on our part.

Tanya Chapter 46 part 5. I'm like a beast! But that doesn't alter the reality of the situation

Tanya Chapter 46 part 4. Could you imagine that Hashem calls Himself by your name?

Now we explore the second meaning of "kideshanu" in the blessing for mitzvot. Hashem has literally made us holy with His intrinsic holiness, which is completely beyond the worlds. He becomes your G-d, His Essence manifesting through you, when you carry out a mitzvah, and thus we are obligated to stand up for someone who is fulfilling a mitzvah, even if they are ignorant and a boor. In the act of a mitzvah, you become a chariot for the Divine just like Patriarchs. The only difference is, that the...

Tanya Chapter 46 part 3. The opportunity to reach beyond the created realm to a realm where only Essence exists

In giving us the Torah, Hashem has given us His very Self and Essence. Torah study is the Divine kiss – fusion so deep, where our essence merges with the Divine Essence. Hashem also embraces us in love by giving us His commandments, which are His limbs so to speak. His love for us is so great, and the fusion between us so complete, this is the reason why we say that Hashem has betrothed us with His commandments, like the fusion of man and wife who merge into one being and become one flesh. How t...

Tanya Chapter 46 part 2. Hashem's unfathomable greatness makes His love all the more compelling

Tanya Chapter 46 part 1. Tap in to your natural resources so that your heart mirrors Divine love

Here's a new method of feeling love for Hashem and this one is "very, very" accessible. This method requires only tapping in to your basic, natural self. It is part of human nature for one heart to reflect another, so that when someone loves you, it elicits love in response. Let's look at an analogy of a great, mighty king showing love to a lowly, despicable person in the dumps. What magnitude of love would this evoke?

Tanya Chapter 45 part 2. Compassion gives way to incredibly deep connection. Spirit to spirit

Yaakov, who embodied Divine compassion of the world of Atzilut, aroused compassion for Rachel, who embodied the source of all Jewish souls. Through raising his voice, he reached to a place beyond himself, to a place of boundless Divine mercies. Through crying, he was able to pull down this compassion, allowing us to awaken compassion for the Divine spark within us. And with a kiss, he channeled the ability to reconnect the Divine spark within us to its Source, spirit to Spirit, whenever we study...

Tanya Chapter 45 part 1. Have you ever considered having compassion for G-d?

If you are truly acting for the sake of Hashem, your driving force is the emotions you hold for Him. Either you love Hashem and so you want to connect with Him or make Him happy; or, you are inspired by awe and reverence, and tremble at the thought of ever being separated from Him. Now we explore a third way to act for the sake of Hashem, and that is by feeling compassion upon the Spark of Divinity which has descended from total unity with its Source, become enclothed in the body which is called...

Tanya Chapter 44 part 5. Passionate, fiery love comes from realizing the vast distance

We are gifted with love as an inheritance: to realize that Hashem is truly my Life, to realize that Hashem is truly my Father. But just because it's innate doesn't mean it is automatic –– it takes effort on our part. That effort brings these loves to a space of "the heart's desire," and brings the Torah and mitzvot produced by their motivation to a higher place than instinct, to the world of intellect, the world of Beriah. These loves encompass elements of instinct, intellect, and Divine gift. S...

Tanya Chapter 44 part 4. The love in your mind may not reach your heart, but it does reach higher realms of reality

Tanya Chapter 44 part 3. Emotionally experiencing your true essence yields amazing results

Tanya Chapter 44 part 2. Here's how to artificially experience your true emotion

artificially

Tanya Chapter 44 part 1. Your unique shade of love cannot be duplicated

Tanya Chapter 43 part 4. Sometimes, you need an emergency prescription of love

There's the normal way of doing things –– start with basic fear, practice Torah and mitzvot and then let love illuminate your soul. But sometimes, love has to come first.

Tanya Chapter 43 part 3. You can never get enough of what you don't really want

There are two levels of love – one is a gift, one is the product of human effort. When you finally arrive, your love becomes divested of all of pseudo loves, and yearns for the one and only true love.

Tanya Chapter 43 part 2. A wise person sees beyond the obvious

Seeing past the obvious takes things to a whole new level

Tanya Chapter 43: Love and fear have two levels. Let's explore. part 1

The vastness of the universe is mind staggering. But still... it's only superficial

Tanya Chapter 42 part 5. You think you can't see Hashem with your physical eye. It's time to reconsider

You think you can't see Hashem with your physical eye. It's time to reconsider

Tanya Chapter 42 part 4. Hashem's way of knowing what we're doing is something like the way we know ourselves

Hashem's way of knowing what we're doing is something like the way we know ourselves

Tanya Chapter 42 part 3. Your essence is always intact: how to bring its influence into your conscious, everyday self

Your essence is intact in a space beyond time. Here's how to pull its influence down so that it can inform your conscious, everyday self

Tanya Chapter 42 part 2. Relate to your innate divine connection like you see it with your own eyes: two steps

You can relate to your innate Divine connection as directly as you relate to something you see with your physical eyes. Two steps

Tanya Chapter 42: Awakening holy awe –– it's a "small thing." part 1

It seems impossible. Until you realize it's part of your core being.

Tanya Chapter 41 part 10

Can you do this just because it brings Hashem so much joy?