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ירַק שֶׁלָּזֶה מוֹעִיל הָרְשִׁימוּ בַּמּוֹחִין, וְיִרְאַת ה׳ וְאַהֲבָתוֹ הַמְסוּתֶּרֶת בֶּחָלָל הַיְמָנִי, לְהִתְגַּבֵּר וְלִשְׁלוֹט עַל הָרָע הַזֶּה הַמִּתְאַוֶּה תַּאֲוָה, שֶׁלֹּא לִהְיוֹת לוֹ שְׁלִיטָה וּמֶמְשָׁלָה בָּעִיר לְהוֹצִיא תַּאֲוָתוֹ מִכֹּחַ אֶל הַפּוֹעַל לְהִתְלַבֵּשׁ בְּאֵבְרֵי הַגּוּף.

10However, the impression [of prayer] on the intellect and the hidden [i.e., innate] fear and love of G–d in the right part [of the heart] enable one to prevail and triumph over this evil of passionate craving, depriving it from gaining supremacy and dominion over the “city,” and from carrying out this desire from the potential into the actual by clothing itself in the bodily organs.

יאוַאֲפִילוּ בַּמּוֹחַ לְבַדּוֹ, לְהַרְהֵר בְּרָע, אֵין לוֹ שְׁלִיטָה וּמֶמְשָׁלָה לְהַרְהֵר חַס וְשָׁלוֹם בִּרְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁבְּמוֹחוֹ – שֶׁיְּקַבֵּל בְּרָצוֹן חַס וְשָׁלוֹם הִרְהוּר זֶה הָרָע הָעוֹלֶה מֵאֵלָיו מֵהַלֵּב לַמּוֹחַ כַּנִּזְכָּר לְעֵיל, אֶלָּא מִיָּד בַּעֲלִיָּיתוֹ לְשָׁם, דּוֹחֵהוּ בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדַיִם, וּמַסִּיחַ דַּעְתּוֹ מִיָּד שֶׁנִּזְכָּר שֶׁהוּא הִרְהוּר רָע, וְאֵינוֹ מְקַבְּלוֹ בְּרָצוֹן אֲפִילוּ לְהַרְהֵר בּוֹ בְּרָצוֹן, וְכָל שֶׁכֵּן לְהַעֲלוֹתוֹ עַל הַדַּעַת לַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אוֹ אֲפִילוּ לְדַבֵּר בּוֹ, כִּי הַמְהַרְהֵר בְּרָצוֹן נִקְרָא רָשָׁע בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, וְהַבֵּינוֹנִי אֵינוֹ רָשָׁע אֲפִילוּ שָׁעָה אַחַת לְעוֹלָם.

11Moreover, even in the mind alone, insofar as sinful thoughts are concerned, evil has no power to compel the mind’s volition to entertain willingly, G–d forbid, any wicked thought rising of its own accord from the heart to the brain, as discussed above.¹⁶ But no sooner does it reach there than he thrusts it out with both hands and averts his mind from it the instant he reminds himself that it is an evil thought, refusing to accept it willingly, even to let his thoughts play on it willingly; how much more so to entertain any idea of putting it into effect, G–d forbid, or even to put it into words. For he who willfully indulges in such thoughts is deemed wicked at such time, whereas the benoni is never wicked for a single moment.

יבוְכֵן בִּדְבָרִים שֶׁבֵּין אָדָם לַחֲבֵירוֹ, מִיָּד שֶׁעוֹלֶה לוֹ מֵהַלֵּב לַמּוֹחַ אֵיזוֹ טִינָא וְשִׂנְאָה חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, אוֹ אֵיזוֹ קִנְאָה אוֹ כַּעַס אוֹ קְפֵידָא וְדוֹמֵיהֶן, אֵינוֹ מְקַבְּלָן כְּלָל בְּמוֹחוֹ וּבִרְצוֹנוֹ.

12So, too, in matters affecting a person’s relations with his neighbor, as soon as there rises from his heart to his mind some animosity or hatred, G–d forbid, or jealousy or anger, or a grudge and suchlike, he gives them no entrance into his mind and will.

יגוְאַדְּרַבָּה, הַמּוֹחַ שַׁלִּיט וּמוֹשֵׁל בָּרוּחַ שֶׁבְּלִבּוֹ לַעֲשׂוֹת הַהֵפֶךְ מַמָּשׁ, – לְהִתְנַהֵג עִם חֲבֵירוֹ בְּמִדַּת חֶסֶד, וְחִיבָּה יְתֵרָה מוּדַעַת לוֹ, לִסְבּוֹל מִמֶּנּוּ עַד קָצֶה הָאַחֲרוֹן, וְלֹא לִכְעוֹס חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, – וְגַם, שֶׁלֹּא לְשַׁלֵּם לוֹ כְּפָעֳלוֹ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם, – אֶלָּא אַדְּרַבָּה; לִגְמוֹל לְחַיָּיבִים טוֹבוֹת, כְּמוֹ שֶׁכָּתוּב בַּזֹּהַר, לִלְמוֹד מִיּוֹסֵף עִם אֶחָיו:

13On the contrary, his mind exercises its authority and power over the spirit in his heart to do the very opposite and to conduct himself toward his neighbor with the quality of kindness and a display of abundant love, to the extent of suffering from him to the extreme limits without becoming provoked into anger, G–d forbid, or to revenge in kind, G–d forbid; but rather to repay the offenders with favors, as taught in the Zohar,¹⁷ that one should learn from the example of Joseph toward his brothers.

141 “Brain”—thought; “mouth”—word; “the other limbs”—act.

152 Though the benoni has never committed a sin in his life, he is still not deemed a tzaddik as long as his natural impulses have not been completely sublimated, as explained further in this chapter. On the other hand, past offences need not preclude one from attaining the rank of benoni, if there was proper repentance. At any rate, the rank of benoni, as defined in the Tanya, is far superior to the rank of tzaddik as defined generally when it is applied to one whose good deeds exceed the bad. Cf. above, ch. 1.

163 Above, ch. 3.

174 מוחין דגדלות i.e., the supernal sefirot of chochmah, binah, daat (chabad), are in a state of greatness.

185 Maimonides, Hilchot Keriat Shema 1:1.

196 Ibid., 1:7.

207 Reference is made here to the text of the blessing in the daily liturgy, which are designed to inspire surrender and ecstasy. Cf. below, ch. 49.

218 The evil nature is then temporarily repressed, but not sublimated.

229 Cf. Zohar III:224a.

2310 The doctrine of the inherent supremacy of intellect over emotion is one of the basic, though not original, tenets of Chabad. Comp. Maimonides, Guide 3:8.

2411 Ecclesiastes 2:13.

2512 Sotah 3a.

2613 Above, ch. 9.

2714 See ch. 11, n. 4.

2815 “…and slanderous gossip.” Bava Batra 164b.

2916 Beg. ch. 9.

3017 I:201a. ff.

Kehot Publication Society (English Translation)