Tanya Chapter 14 Class 4 (113).The focus of this class is to clarify that Hashem did not create us to be perfect – He created us to be ourselves.  Two approaches to Avodas Hashem as a Beinoni are contrasted: with and without emotion.   The avodah of serving Hashem with no feelings – with kabbalos…

Tanya Chapter 14 Class 5 (114)Class 5 on Perek 14  This class presents an analysis of the tzadik in matters of the heart – “Dovor ha-masur lilev” (things that have to do with the heart).  The meaning of a tzadik is that he loves Hashem and hates evil.  If a person has some evil inside…

Tanya Chapter 14 Class 6 (115).The language that seems to dominate this Perek is דבר המסור ללב.There are two types of people (or so it seems): those who are connected to דברים המסורים ללב and those who aren’t.It helps answer the unasked question of why does the oath have a double expression.The double expression תהי…

TANYA CHAPTER 14 CLASS 7 (116).The idea of every person attempting to do the work of Tzadik, תהי צדיק ואל תהי רשע.The idea is that the oath (made before we’re born) requires that we try, והשם יעשה הטוב בעיניו Hashem can do whatever He wants.And on a higher level, there’s the idea of habit (of…

Tanya Chapter 13 Class 1 (105) We begin addressing the מאמרי חז”ל cited in פרק א 1) בינוני זה וזה שופטן2) This means two voices not two sources of action.3) הלכה כדברי המכריע isn’t simply a majority, it is actually some kind of resolution.4) הקב”ה עוזרו means that the פנימיות הנשמה supports the good choices.5)…

Shlach 5720 Class One (Page 162-3).Camp is Yeshiva in camouflage. Brachos.Graduates from Boston Achei Temimim. Shlach 5720 Class Two (Page 163-4).חמרא אפילו בתקופת תמוז קרירא לי’ה the lessom that to some things (Gashmiyus) we must be “cold”.The idea of Tzitzis and Yirah. Sivan 5720 Class Three (Page 165).Graduating girls, going to camp and being counselors,…

Tanya Chapter 13 Class 2 (106)(This is a shorter class).We continue analyzing the Gemarahs sighted on the first page of the Tanya.This class speaks to the idea of …כל העולם כולו אומרים לך צדיק אתה היא בעיניך כרשע there is a great difference between רשע and כרשע.כרשע means that he is vulnerable to the same…

YECHIDUS WITH STUDENTS OF HILEL 8 ADAR 5720 CLASSES, Class One.The introduction, 200 years since the Ba’al Shem Tov, the possibility to be closer to what Chassidus is. The Ba’al Shem Tov came after גזירות ת”ח ות”ט (Bogdan Chmelinicki) and we are after Hitler, there is a similarity between the two, and it has to…

ושבתי בשלום ה’תשל”חClass One: This is the first part (and includes ONLY an introduction) to this masterpiece ושבתי בשלום ה’תשל”ח. The essence of the Ma’amar is about the idea of חידוש (novelty). The idea is: what can man possibly do to appeal to G-d? Giving Him anything including more and more means little to Him….

Tanya Chapter 13 Class 3 (107)Review after Quarantine, explaining the various questions that were raised in the very beginning. 1) זה וזה שופטן2) יהא בענינך כרשע3) נתרבה במשך הזמן בריבוי אכיה ושתי’ה the idea of a בעל הבית who only wants things to remain the same (no change).