Daily Tanya

Our forefather Jacob requested protection from G-d, although He'd already been promised by G-d in this regard starting with the words "I am small". When G-d extends His right Arm to us, sharing Kindness with us, our response should be humility.

The need for prayer to be slow-paced and only those who comply should lead communal prayer services.

Faith represents the loins of the soul, the head represents the intellect, and the arms the emotions. Involvement in the study of the laws in the Oral Torah. It is through the laws that the Divine will is manifested. Will transcends and encompasses wisdom.

This letter written by the Alter Rebbe, expressing gratitude for the communal completion of the study of the entire Talmud. The Talmud embodies the strength of Torah, which girds the Jewish soul with strength.

When we realize that the suffering that we feel in this world, is in essence soul cleansing gifted to us by G-d, to save us from suffering in the afterworld, it is our humility that helps us feel joy at the time of suffering.

"My sin is always before me" written by King David, is written in the same psalm as words about being in joy. It is the humility that comes about from the awareness of our misgivings and sins, that helps us tolerate offensive words/actions.

We praise G-d for forgiveness, which is infinite. Unlike humankind, who, if sinned against multiple times, will have it hard to forgive. G-d forgives us when we are sincere in our request, regardless of how many times we have repeated this pattern.

Each of the various emotions may seem opposite, but can coexist being that they represent different things. We feel bitterness due to our distance from Hashem, and at the same time elation in our awe and closeness to Him.

Both Shabbos and prayer represent the higher level of Teshuva. Both require the prerequisite of the lower level of Teshuva so that the higher experience be authentic.

The soul is one with G-d. The study of Torah with intense emotions is the way to reconnect.

Having gone through the process of lower-level Teshuvah authentically (through the process elaborated in previous chapters—rectifying the interruption of one’s divine connection, thus raising the the lower hey back to its Source etc.), one is now in a position to experience higher-level Teshuvah—a re-union of soul with G-d, through Torah.

Having reflected on one’s sins’ effect thoroughly, one can truly arouse mercy from G-d’s 13 Compassionate Attributes. This brings cleansing and returns the Soul (‘Hey’) to its Source, completing Lower-Level Teshuvah. Now, the returnee is in a position to experience Higher-Level Teshuvah: a reunion of spirit with G-d (through Torah).

When one studies Torah, fulfills an act of kindness, or any commandment, it is a way of reaching out and accessing a colossal spiritual power and soul cleaving to infinity. The response to a comparatively minuscule movement on our terrestrial part summons a response so powerful, beyond our human abilities or scope.

Just as many layers of thin material serve to block out light, equivalent to one or two thicker ones, so can multiple ‘lighter’ sins have the same accumulative effect as a few grave ones.

Achieving a broken heart & humbled spirit is through a daily deep reflection on the degradation of the Divine (soul), caused by one’s sins .

There are two ways to repair the soul G-d connection. One is by arousing a true sense of compassion for the exiled G-d parts inside of himself. The other is by breaking the evil powers by ways of a broken heart.

The metaphor of a rope, attached with the final Hey of Hashem's name on rope, to the soul below is used to explain our connection to G-d. When sin severs the strings of the rope, the soul attaches to the forces of evil. Therefore, when one repents, they are reconnecting the final Hey of Hashem, to the original soul integral connection.

Now, during exile, our life force is often channeled through evil. Our choices dictate the source of our vitality.

We are mostly rooted in the final Hey of Hashem's name. While we contain all of the G-dly attributes, being that it is expressed to us through G-d's speech, therefore we are most closely connected to the final Hey. While all of creation emanates from the words of Hashem, a more external form of speech, however, the soul of a Jew emanates from the breath of Hashem. While words can permeate a partit...

Because our souls are rooted in the name of G-d HVYH, our souls also have these functions in them. The Yud- is the subconscious intellect, the Hey- is the conscious intellect, the vav- is our emotions, and the final Hey- is our expressive capacities.

The letter Yud represents the Supernal wisdom, and the Hey represents G-d's intellect as it broadens and deepens. The Vav represents descent, as He extends Himself downwards. The Second Hey represents royalty, the element of speech and revelation. The Hey is the source of all sounds in speech.

Repentance is understood when we understand the uniqueness of a soul.

Looking into repentance through the esoteric lens now: The essence of repentance is the returning of the soul to closeness with the divine. The letter Hey is defiled in both G-d's name and the one in the name of the soul.

While a person can replace fasts with charity, fasting is also extremely valuable. One can also fast half days or during winter days.

To be able to attain the same loving relationship as before the sin, one should fast. However, weakening the body beyond its ability is a sin. Therefore it is recommended to give Tzedakkah in lieu of fasting.