A new shiur on the book of Tanya, led by Lubavitcher Rebbe’s shliach Yosef Nachshon, took place in the Dnipro Jewish Community’s “Beit Yoel” project—the Dnipro Beit Chabad for Israelis living and studying in the city. The class was dedicated to the nature of the G-dly soul, the ways it manifests, and the role of intellect and emotion in spiritual life.
The shiur was based on one of the most important principles of the Tanya, written by Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi, the Alter Rebbe—the teaching of the two souls in a person, the G-dly and the animal. Yosef Nachshon explained that the G-dly soul expresses itself in three primary ways: through thought, speech, and action. The animal soul, by contrast, primarily reacts to what happens, whereas the G-dly soul asks questions, prompting a person to reflect on the causes and meaning of their own existence.
Particular attention during the shiur was given to the question “Why?” Why am I in this world? What is my purpose? Who created me and for what? In contemplating these questions, a person comes to recognize the existence of the Almighty, His greatness, and His care for every creation. The next natural step is the desire to establish a personal connection with Him—not merely out of a sense of duty, but through one’s own conscious striving to draw close to the Creator. This is why a Jew seeks to attend synagogue, pray, study Torah, and fulfill mitzvos, transforming inner awareness into concrete action.
As was emphasized during the class, the study and discussion of Torah laws has intrinsic spiritual value even when certain mitzvos cannot be fulfilled in practice until the coming of the Geulah. Through thought, speech, and action, a person reveals the aspirations of their G-dly soul and brings them into everyday life.
Another important theme of the shiur was the relationship between intellect and emotion. The intellect allows a person to evaluate what is happening not merely under the influence of emotions, but from the perspective of the true values revealed by the Torah. However, understanding alone is not enough, for it is the emotions that impel a person to translate a decision into action. Thus, the intellect points the way, while the emotions provide the inner strength to follow it. The topic of working with emotions and their role in fulfilling mitzvos will be the subject of the next class.
“Studying Tanya helps a person find answers to the deepest questions about the meaning of one’s life and one’s purpose,” noted the head of the “Beit Yoel” project, Rabbi Yaakov Dorfman. “It is very important to us that Israelis in Dnipro not only preserve their connection to Jewish tradition, but also feel themselves part of our community—finding here a familiar Jewish environment in which one can study Torah together, pray, celebrate holidays, and feel the support and care of the unified and cohesive Dnipro Jewish Community under the leadership of the Chief Rabbi, Rabbi Shmuel Kaminezki.”
