Episode Transcript
[00:00:00] Speaker A: Welcome to Lessons in Tanya, chapter 22. Get ready to embark on a really profound deep dive. Today we're looking into an ancient, yet somehow remarkably relevant spiritual text. I mean, this work, it fearlessly tackles some of the most fundamental questions about existence itself, you know, creation, and even that notoriously tricky thing we call our human ego.
Our source material today, as you know, is chapter 22 of the Tanya. It's a seminal 18th century work of Hasidic spiritual philosophy. It really distills these profound mystical concepts for, like, practical daily living. It's a text that just continues to enlighten seekers generation after generation.
[00:00:37] Speaker B: It really does. And our mission, I guess, in this deep dive is to truly unravel the complex ideas presented right here. In this chapter, we're going to explore not just the nature of reality and God's absolute unity in some, you know, abstract theoretical sense, but we really want to uncover insights that are surprisingly, fundamentally relevant to our daily lives. These insights, they really have the power to shape how, how we perceive ourselves, our achievements, the entire world around us. It's about shifting perspective really profoundly and practically, definitely.
[00:01:05] Speaker A: Now, before we plunge into the intricate details of chapter 22, let's just quickly jog our memories. Remember that fundamental distinction from the last chapter, chapter 21, that was the crucial difference between human speech and divine speech. If you recall human speech, it has these two key characteristics we looked at. First, it reveals what was hidden in our thoughts, right? You have an idea, a concept, something brewing inside, and then you speak it, you make it accessible. Second, and this is really crucial for today, once spoken, the word becomes, well, a distinct entity. It's separate from us, the speaker. You say something and the words just kind of float away. Independent, no longer really part of you. They're out there.
[00:01:43] Speaker B: Exactly. They take on a life of their own, so to speak. But in stark contrast to that, God's word, whether that's expressed in the act of creation itself, you know, bringing worlds into being, or through prophecy, conveying divine truth, it cannot truly become separate from God. This is foundational. There's simply nothing that exists outside God, his word, his creative utterance. It remains utterly united with him, completely absorbed, or as the text puts it, completely nullified before him. Think of it like a human thought before it's spoken. It's still fully united with the thinker, right? That deep, inseparable connection where the thought is the thinker. God's word is always in that state of absolute unity with him, no matter what it brings into existence.
[00:02:23] Speaker A: Okay, so here's the puzzle Then the central paradox really that chapter 22 sets out to solve for us.
If divine speech is so fundamentally unified with God, if can't truly separate and become independent, then why does the sacred text, the Torah repeatedly refer to God's revelation in creation as speech? I mean, that term, speech, it inherently implies separation, doesn't it? It suggests a distinction from just like our words become separate, it feels, well, it feels like a contradiction. Divine unity versus the language of separation. What's going on?
[00:02:54] Speaker B: It absolutely is a profound paradox. And understanding it, well, that's key to grasping this chapter's whole message. This chapter gives us a powerful and really nuanced resolution to that very paradox. It shifts our whole perception of reality.
[00:03:07] Speaker A: Okay, let's unpack this then, our journey today. It's going to explore how this apparent separation can exist.
But and this is key only from a specific viewpoint, the perspective of created beings.
We'll delve into these really deep concepts like spiritual contraptions, these powerful concealments of divine life force, and how these allow for a diverse world, including what seems like opposition to holiness. We'll differentiate between aspects of divine will, understand why certain forces get called other powers, and finally, we'll discover this truly surprising, yet ancient connection between something as human as arrogance and the very essence, the root of idolatry. So, yeah, get ready for some truly mind bending concepts, stuff that will not just shift your perspective, but really challenge your understanding of self and reality. So let's jump right into this apparent contradiction we just laid out we've established. Okay? Divine word is eternally unified with God, not separate. Yet, like we said, the Torah keeps using the term speech for God's creative acts. And for us humans, that immediately suggests separation, just like our own words. Why this contradictory language? Why pick that word if everything's truly unified?
[00:04:11] Speaker B: Right? This is the core mystery chapter 22 tackles head on. And it does it. By introducing this critical shift in perspective, the text explains that the separation isn't really separation from God's perspective at all. From God's absolute, infinite viewpoint, everything remains entirely united and contained within Him. There's no true outside, no independent existence that's genuinely separate from its divine source. Instead, this perceived separation exists solely, solely from the perspective of the created beings themselves. They, the creations perceive God's word that brought them into existence. And consequently they perceive themselves as being distinct, as separate from God.
[00:04:48] Speaker A: Yeah.
[00:04:49] Speaker C: And this perception of distinction, this kind of illusion of independence, it's especially pronounced in entities that fundamentally deny God's absolute unity. The text describes these as forces representing A profound denial of God's oneness. Often in spiritual texts, they're called forces of unholiness or spiritual opposition. These aren't just abstract ideas. They represent spiritual realms or energies that actively assert their own independence. They create the very illusion of separation we experience.
[00:05:13] Speaker B: Their existence from our perspective makes the language of speech necessary to describe God's creative act. Because to us, the creations, that act looks like it results in distinct, separate things.
[00:05:25] Speaker A: That distinction based on perspective is critical. Yeah, that makes sense. But even if it's only perceived separation, how does this separation, this diversity, this seeming independence, how does it actually come about?
The text describes this fascinating, complex process, descent and flow of the life force to the lower planes. Can you elaborate on how that works? These contractions?
[00:05:45] Speaker B: Certainly. This descent, you know, of the infinite, undifferentiated divine life force into our finite, diverse world, it's accomplished through what are called contractions.
Now, it's really crucial to understand these aren't physical contractions, like, you know, a muscle tensing up. They are powerful spiritual concepts, concealments, veiling processes. Imagine putting layers upon layers of veils, or maybe filters between the pure, undifferentiated divine light, the raw, infinite life force, and the world that's ultimately created each successive contraction. It increasingly obscures and veils that divine life force. It's kind of like taking an incredibly powerful, blindingly bright light source and gradually dimming it and even shaping it through multiple distinct stages.
So the light that reaches a lower level is way less intense. But also importantly, its character, its expression, is altered. It's not just dimming. It's being refined, adapted.
[00:06:38] Speaker A: Okay, that analogy helps visualize it dimming and shaping the light. So it's not just one uniform process. Are these contractions all the same?
[00:06:45] Speaker B: Not at all. And this is really insightful. These contractions are of various kinds. It's not just a single uniform dimming or veiling. There are different types, different qualities of concealment, different spiritual filters being applied. You could see, say. And this immense variety in the nature of the contractions is precisely what leads to the creation of many diverse creatures.
The incredible, breathtaking diversity we see in creation. I mean, from the simplest atom to the most complex galaxy, from a single cell to the human mind. Oceans, mountains, all of it stems from these diverse forms of creative power and the subsequent layers of contraction that tailor the divine life force for each unique creation.
Each unique contraction kind of molds the life force to suit a particular kind of existence, allowing for the boundless variety we see. It ensures every single detail down to the smallest blade of grass gets precisely the life force, the spiritual blueprint, it needs for its unique existence and purpose. Right.
[00:07:40] Speaker D: Okay, now here's where it gets really interesting, because not only do these contractions create diversity, but the texts suggest something.
[00:07:47] Speaker A: Pretty profound about their power.
[00:07:48] Speaker D: It says these contractions are so great and powerful that they actually allow for the existence of things we might think of as unclean or unholy, including those very forces of spiritual opposition we mentioned earlier. How can that even be? How can God's own creative process, which is inherently good, unified, lead to entities that fundamentally deny him or seem opposed to holiness? That feels like the ultimate paradox.
[00:08:12] Speaker B: It is a truly radical implication. Yeah. And it addresses a very deep theological, philosophical question. Humans have wrestled with forever the origin of perceived evil or opposition.
The text emphasizes it's not just the quantity of contractions, but their quality and intensity that lets these forces of spiritual opposition come into being. Even at its lowest, most veiled level, the divine life force, if left to its natural course, wouldn't ordinarily produce creations that inherently deny God or represent true opposition. For things like that to exist, there has to be a deliberate, profound act of concealment, a kind of spiritual engineering that's so deep, so powerful, it allows for their very possibility.
The insight here is that the sheer degree of concealment is what allows for the appearance of true separateness and thus the possibility for beings to deny their source. It's like dimming a light so much that a shadow can actually be cast. Without that intense concealment, the overwhelming truth of God's unity would be so obvious, no creature could possibly imagine itself as separate or defy its creator. This profound concealment is paradoxically what enables the full spectrum of creation, including those elements that seem, you know, on the opposite end from holiness.
[00:09:21] Speaker A: So if I'm getting this right, even aspects of reality that seem to deny God's unity, these forces of opposition, are, in this paradoxical way, brought into being by God's own creative speech through these really intense concealments. It's almost like a divine negative space or uncreation created to facilitate something else, something higher.
[00:09:39] Speaker B: Precisely. The text confirms this. It explains that these forces of spiritual opposition get their life in existence through what's called the concealment of his countenance and downward gradations, which strongly implies a very indirect, heavily veiled sustenance. It's not a direct, open flow of life and delight. It's something almost extracted or permitted to exist from the extreme concealment itself. You know, it really invites us to think about how Even in human creativity, sometimes the blank canvas or the unformed stuff is essential for new, even challenging forms to emerge. How does this concept of profound concealment enable such diversity, including forms that seem to oppose their source? It suggests that even the existence of perceived opposition, of challenges, of things we label negative, serves a deeper purpose in the grand scheme. It's not an accident, but a deliberate, though profoundly concealed, part of the divine plan. Think about it. If the light were always blindingly bright, would we ever truly appreciate the subtleties of color or the importance of shade, or. Or the quiet beauty of a dim space? The concealment allows for a different kind of reality to show up.
[00:10:43] Speaker A: That's a truly mind bending thought. It completely reframed the existence of opposition.
Okay, moving on then. The text states that these forces of spiritual opposition are called other powers or even other gods.
What's the initial foundational reason for calling them that? It seems connected to what we just discussed about how they get their life force right.
[00:11:06] Speaker B: The initial reason, as the text explains it, is that their nurture, their vitality, the very life they draw from holiness. Because every existing being has to draw life from holiness, no matter its nature. It doesn't come from what's called the countenance or the face of the divine will. That countenance is the inner, direct, truly desired aspect of God's will. Instead, their life comes from the hinder part of holiness that refers to the external or superficial aspect of the divine will. And this distinction, countenance versus hinder part, is absolutely crucial here.
[00:11:35] Speaker A: Okay, let's unpack this. Because countenance and hinder part of God's will, those are pretty abstract terms, especially for an infinite being. How can God's will have a face and a back, an inner and an outer? What do they really mean?
[00:11:47] Speaker B: Excellent question. And the text gives us this vivid, relatable analogy to help grasp this deep spiritual distinction. Think of a person.
An inner will or countenance represents a direct, pleasurable yearning for whatever is desired. Is what what you truly want, what you delight in, what brings you joy to provide. Applied to the divine, this is God's true intrinsic desire to give life to everything. In the realm of holiness, entities like righteous souls or acts of goodness, things that align with his ultimate purpose, there's a deep intrinsic delight, a pleasure in giving life to these things. It's an expression of his innermost essence.
Now, in sharp contrast, an external will or hinder part is a will that is, might say forced or reluctantly expressed. The object is desired only as a means to an End. Not as an end in itself. The analogy given is quite powerful, quite stark. Imagine someone giving something unwillingly to an enemy. They certainly don't offer it with a smile, face to face, extending it with delight. No, instead, they might turn their face away, maybe even throw it over their shoulder, out of a deep dislike or even hatred for the recipient. Their body language, the direction of their gaze, the whole manner of giving it all expresses their true internal feeling of aversion.
[00:12:57] Speaker A: That human act so vividly expresses the inner feeling, doesn't it? Giving something with your face turned away, or throwing it over your shoulder. Your body language just screams your true feeling. It's reluctant, out of obligation, maybe even disdain. So the countenance is the inner, delightful aspect of will. While turning away, throwing something over your shoulder, that represents an external, unpleasurable, indirect act of will.
[00:13:20] Speaker B: Precisely so. Applying this to the divine. God does not give life to the forces of unholiness and spiritual opposition from his inner will, his true desire, as if he delighted in them. That would be unthinkable. The text says such things are an abomination before God, which he hates. Instead, their sustenance comes in the manner of one who unwillingly throws something over his shoulder to his enemy. This act isn't from his inner will or delight. It's a necessary but indirect and even averse provision of life force. It's like a doctor giving bitter medicine, not delightful, but necessary for greater good.
[00:13:53] Speaker A: So why? Why does God even give life to something he hates or sees as an abomination? What's the ultimate purpose of this? Hinder part of his will, sustaining these apparently opposing entities? It seems so counterintuitive. Why create the very things that oppose holiness?
[00:14:08] Speaker B: Ah, this is where the concept becomes critically important for understanding our world and the human condition. The text explains this. Life is given to the forces of spiritual opposition merely to punish the wicked who subjugate themselves to these forces and derive their power from them, and to grant a rich reward to the righteous who subdue this spiritual opposition.
So it speaks to a system of divine justice, reward and punishment. But there is an even deeper, more fundamental reason.
Crucially, the existence of these forces of spiritual opposition is necessary in order that there may be freedom of choice for one to be either righteous or wicked.
That is the ultimate profound reason God gives them life to create the necessary conditions for genuine moral choice. Without real opposition, without the possibility of choosing a path that feels separate from God, our choices wouldn't really be choices. There'd be no struggle, no challenge, and therefore no merit, no Earned reward, no real spiritual growth. This indirect, necessary sustenance given not out of desire, but out of cosmic necessity for free will. That's what's termed the Hender part of the Supreme Court.
You know, this explanation really sheds profound light on that foundational question.
Why does perceived evil or unholiness exist? It's not desired for its own sake. It's not from God's direct inner will. It serves a higher purpose, enabling moral choice and justice, creating the very arena for us humans to exercise free will and grow. So for you, the listener, how does understanding this concept of indirect divine sustenance or opposition change how you view challenges and obstacles in life?
Are they truly evil in themselves? Or do they serve a deeper purpose in cultivating freedom, virtue, authentic connection? It encourages us to see difficulties not just as random, but as necessary parts of a world designed for our growth.
[00:15:49] Speaker A: That's a truly profound thought. It can dramatically reframe how we approach life's difficulties.
Now, if the countenance, that inner life giving, desirable will of God is the main source of life for all holy worlds, what happens to these forces of spiritual opposition?
They don't receive it, or only get this hinder part, sustenance. How does that impact their very being?
[00:16:09] Speaker B: Well, because the countenance, the inner delighted aspect of God's will, doesn't dwell at all upon these forces of spiritual opposition. And even the hinder part of the divine will isn't truly clothed within them, but only encompasses it from above, meaning it just surrounds them without really permeating their essence. Therefore, these forces get designated as the abode of death and impurity.
They lack that direct, permeating, sustaining life force that brings true vitality and holiness. They exist, yes, but in a state of spiritual impoverishment. And furthermore, the text explains the profound concept of the exile of the divine presence. Here. The tiny amount of light and life that these forces do absorb internally from that external aspect of divine holiness, it's in a state of actual exile within them. Imagine, like a tiny spark of pure light, a flicker of truth trapped inside a dense, dark, foreign environment.
Can't express itself, can't unify with its surroundings. Its true nature is suppressed, hidden. This is a crucial understanding. Even in the darkest corners, there's spark of holiness, but it's held captive, unable to shine freely.
[00:17:11] Speaker A: Wow. Okay. So the text calls these forces other powers again, but this time it sounds like it's for an even more profound, more literal reason than just getting sustenance from the hinder part.
What's this deeper, more critical Meaning that makes it actual idolatry.
[00:17:27] Speaker B: Right. This is where the teaching becomes incredibly significant and directly applicable to our understanding of human spiritual well, failings. The text states that the second, deeper reason is because it constitutes actual idolatry and a denial of the unity of God, the supreme king of Kings.
It's not just about where the life force comes from anymore. It's about the very nature of these forces, existence and, and their fundamental relationship, or lack thereof, to God. It's a complete self assertion that just flies in the face of ultimate reality.
[00:17:56] Speaker A: Okay, to understand this deeper meaning of idolatry, the text introduces two distinct types of divine life force that animate all created beings, not just these forces of opposition. Can you explain these two types? This sounds like a really key distinction for getting the whole concept.
[00:18:11] Speaker B: Absolutely. To really grasp the gravity of the second reason, we have to understand how divine life force operates. The text distinguishes between two fundamental types. First, there's the internalized life force. This is a life force that's specifically beamed, tailored to suit the unique character and capacity of each individual creature. Crucially, it becomes one with the creature. It doesn't just animate it from afar, it permeates it, determines its character, shapes its very essence, and is felt by it as its own vitality. In essence, this internalized life force constitutes the the creature's very identity. It's the core of what that being is, its unique self. Think of it as the inner blueprint and engine. The inner blueprint. Okay. Second, there's the encompassing transcendental life force. This type is fundamentally different. It doesn't adapt to the individual character of the creature. It's not clothed within it, permeating its essence. Instead, it animates it from without, from its own higher transcendental level, existing above and beyond the specific created being it animates.
Think of it like a universal, all pervading life source. Maybe like the sun's light on earth. It touches everything, sustains everything. But it doesn't become part of the specific makeup or identity of each individual thing. It illuminates. It's a general external presence of vitality.
[00:19:24] Speaker A: Okay, two types, Internalized identity and external encompassing presence.
[00:19:30] Speaker B: Exactly. Now, when we look at how these forces of spiritual opposition interact with these two distinct forces, the profound difference becomes clear with the encompassing life force. Since it doesn't permeate them and become their identity, it doesn't necessarily conflict with their asserted ego or perceived independence. They can, you know, in a superficial way, acknowledge God as the source of this general external vitality, this encompassing presence, yet still consider themselves distinct, independent beings. In this sense, they're called other powers or other gods initially because they get their life from the hinder part of God's will, meaning it's not from his direct inner delight, but a necessary external.
There's a level of acknowledgment, but not full surrender. It's pragmatic recognition, not deep unity.
[00:20:16] Speaker A: Right. A sort of surface level acknowledgment.
[00:20:18] Speaker B: Precisely. However, with the internalized life force, this is where the core issue of actual idolatry really lies. These forces of spiritual opposition cannot acknowledge this internalized life force while simultaneously asserting separation from God. Why? Because this force is their identity, it is their very essence. To acknowledge it fully would be fundamentally self contradictory. It would mean admitting they aren't independent, but utterly dependent on and nullified within God. If the very core of your being, your unique identity, is this internalized divine life force, how can you possibly claim to be separate and self made?
[00:20:54] Speaker A: You can't. It would unravel the whole game of independence.
[00:20:57] Speaker B: Exactly. Therefore, these forces of spiritual opposition completely deny this internalized life force. They reject it as their essence. They choose to assert their own self derived existence. This is why, as we discussed earlier, this internalized force is truly in a state of exile within them. It's present, it's animating them, but it's unrecognized, unacknowledged by the being itself, profoundly suppressed. This act of denial is the very definition of their opposition.
[00:21:21] Speaker A: Yeah. Here's where it gets really interesting then. Because it's with regard to this internalized life force that these forces are called other powers or other gods in the most literal sense, implying outright idolatry, a fundamental denial of God's unity. It's not just superficial separation, it's denying the very essence of their being, the divine core sustaining them.
[00:21:44] Speaker B: Precisely. And this raises an important question, you know, for us to ponder.
What does it mean to deny the very essence of your being if that essence is truly divine?
It challenges us to reflect deeply on the difference between, say, superficial acknowledgment and deep integration.
How does this profound concept apply to acknowledging the source of one's own talents, ideas, one's very existence? Is there a part of us, maybe an aspect of our ego, that sometimes resists surrendering to the true source of our being, preferring to see ourselves as fully independent, self made, self sufficient? It points to a really profound internal struggle for every single one of us.
[00:22:18] Speaker A: That's a powerful challenge. It definitely moves the conversation from abstract forces to a Very personal internal struggle.
The text then reveals the profound consequence of this exile, of the internalized divine life force within these forces of opposition.
What happens when this life force, their true identity, is denied and forced into exile?
[00:22:37] Speaker B: Because the internalized light and life of holiness are in such a deep state of exile within these forces, utterly suppressed, unrecognized, these forces do not surrender themselves at all to the holiness of God. There's no bowing down, no acknowledgment of dependence, no yielding to a higher authority. None of that.
Instead, a profound arrogance takes root. It's a complete self assertion, a declaration of absolute autonomy. The text describes it vividly. These forces soar aloft like an eagle, symbolizing their perceived elevation and independence, declaring as if from their own independent power, I am and there is nothing besides me. This echoes the ultimate assertion of self sufficiency. It also brings to mind Pharaoh's defiant words in the ancient texts, the river is mine and I have made myself remember that.
[00:23:22] Speaker A: Yeah, classic example.
[00:23:23] Speaker B: A classic biblical example of ultimate arrogance, claiming creation and sustenance as one's own doing, no reference to a higher power. It's a complete assertion of self sufficiency and independence, denying the very source of being.
[00:23:37] Speaker A: So what does this all mean for us, you know, practically in our own lives? The text makes this powerful ancient connection here, quoting the sages, these foundational spiritual teachers. It connects this deep spiritual concept of opposition forces to something very human, very relatable, arrogance.
[00:23:53] Speaker B: Yes. This is a truly pivotal, transformative point. In the chapter, the sages of blessed memory said something astonishingly direct and radical. Arrogance is truly tantamount to idolatry.
[00:24:03] Speaker A: Wow. Tantamount to idolatry.
[00:24:05] Speaker B: Yes.
Now why would they make such a profound statement? The essence, the root of idolatry, the text explains, isn't necessarily an outright conscious denial of God's existence. The text notes that some who engage in what looks like external idolatry might even call God the God of Gods, acknowledging a supreme being, but alongside other independent powers. Rather, the core of idolatry at its deepest spiritual level is the belief that something, anything, whether it's an external power, a statue, or even oneself, is an independent entity separate from the holiness of God.
[00:24:38] Speaker A: So any belief in true independence is the root problem?
[00:24:41] Speaker B: Exactly. If one considers oneself a separate entity or an independent being, acting as if their existence, their abilities, their identity are self derived, self sustained, they are, by that very act, separating themselves from God's holiness. Why? Because, as explained, supernal holiness rests only on that which is surrendered to him. Holiness, true divine Presence can only truly manifest where there's a recognition of ultimate dependence and unity with God. Anything that asserts itself is utterly independent as its own self made peak is inherently separated from the flow of true holiness. That's why the Zohar, another foundational mystical text, calls these forces of spiritual opposition peaks of separation, implying they're as haughty and independent as mountain peaks standing alone, separated from the vastness below, and thus fundamentally separated from God's unity. This whole stance of arrogance, of perceived independence, it's a fundamental denial of God's true unity. It's not just a character flaw, it's a cosmic misunderstanding.
[00:25:37] Speaker E: So what does this all mean? I mean, the seemingly simple concept of arrogance suddenly has these cosmic implications. It elevates it from just a character flaw, something we might try to fix for social reasons, to something far more serious, a fundamental spiritual error.
[00:25:51] Speaker B: Indeed. God's true unity doesn't just mean there's only one God numerically versus many gods. It means something far deeper, far more absolute. That all is esteemed as nothing before him, that everything from the grandest galaxy to the slightest smallest atom is utterly nullified before him. And his will, which constantly animates them, brings them into being out of nothingness at every single moment. That is the ultimate absolute unity. God is the only true independent existence. Everything else is a continuous emanation from his will, utterly dependent and therefore utterly nullified compared to his absolute reality. Therefore, arrogance, which is the aggrandizement of one's own identity, the belief in one's separate self, self made existence, is diametrically opposed to the surrender of one's identity. And that surrender is the direct consequence of truly understanding God's unity. It's a refusal to acknowledge the true source and constant sustenance of your being. Therefore, arrogance represents a fundamental denial of God's unity, making it spiritually equivalent to idolatry.
[00:26:51] Speaker A: That is a profound aha moment. Yeah, it completely challenges the usual understanding of idolatry. It's not just worshiping a statue or some external thing, which are just outward signs. Any stance of absolute self sufficiency, any belief in I did it all myself, that denies the ultimate source, that can be seen as a form of idolatry.
[00:27:10] Speaker B: An internal idolatry of the self.
[00:27:12] Speaker A: Exactly. An internal idolatry. So for you, the listener, how does recognizing arrogance as a form of idolatry reshape our understanding of personal humility and interconnectedness? It makes humility not just a nice virtue to aim for, but a fundamental acknowledgment of reality, of the truth about our place in the universe. It shifts our perspective from my achievements to the gift of existence, fostering a deeper sense of gratitude and connection. What an incredible journey we've been on in this deep dive. Let's just quickly recap the powerful path we've traveled through chapter 22 of the Tanya.
[00:27:45] Speaker B: Yeah, let's do that. We started by understanding that paradox of divine speech that seems to create separation.
We realize this separation is only perceived right from the perspective of created beings, especially those forces that actively deny God's unity, those forces of spiritual opposition. We then explored how these entities come into being through this process of powerful spiritual contractions, these profound spiritual veils that intensely conceal the divine life force, allowing for the huge diversity of creation and even the possibility of what seems like.
[00:28:17] Speaker A: Opposition, the contractions enabling diversity and opposition.
[00:28:20] Speaker B: Right then we saw how these challenging entities get their life not from gods, but inner, desired will, the countenance, but from the hinder part of God's will, that external sort of non pleasurable sustenance that's given merely to enable freedom of choice, to allow for good and growth through overcoming challenges.
[00:28:38] Speaker A: Okay, the hinder part for free will.
[00:28:40] Speaker B: Exactly. But then we uncovered the even deeper revelation. These forces become other powers or other gods in a more literal sense by completely denying the internalized divine life force, the force that truly constitutes their identity. This leads to the exile of the divine presence within them, where truth is present but unrecognized, suppressed.
[00:29:00] Speaker A: Right. The exile within.
[00:29:02] Speaker B: And finally we arrived at that powerful transformative conclusion that arrogance, being the ultimate expression of a perceived separate independent identity, is truly tantamount to idolatry because it directly denies God's absolute unity, where all is esteemed as nothing before him and everything is utterly nullified before his constant creative will. Arrogance is a fundamental refusal to acknowledge the ultimate reality.
[00:29:25] Speaker A: So the core message of this chapter, when you boil it down, is incredibly potent. God's unity isn't just one God. It means God is the only true existing being, the only true independent reality. Everything else is utterly nullified before him, constantly getting its existence from him. Any feeling, any assertion of having an identity truly separate or independent from God, is at its root a form of idolatry, the ultimate self deception.
[00:29:52] Speaker B: Beautifully put. And this profound understanding of God's unity, which we've just started to unpack here, it truly forms the spiritual bedrock for all our actions. It'll be explored even further in later chapters showing how this unity finds expression in all the commandments in our daily spiritual practice. It's not just theory, it's a guide for living.
[00:30:10] Speaker A: What an impactful deep dive this has been. Thank you for joining us today on this exploration of chapter 22 of the Tanya. It's always a privilege to go on this journey of profound discovery with you, our listener.
[00:30:20] Speaker B: Yeah. And I truly encourage you to reflect on the insights gained today. These concepts, they aren't just intellectual exercises. They can profoundly shift how you view yourself, your strengths, your challenges, your place in the whole universe. They really offer a pathway to a deeper, more unified existence.
[00:30:36] Speaker A: And as we close, here's a final provocative thought for you to maybe mull over as you go about your day. If the ultimate spiritual goal is to surrender one's perceived separate identity, to realize true unity with the divine, and arrogance is the absolute antithesis of that, then how might a deeper daily understanding of God's true unity transform our pursuit of personal achievement, our ambitions, and even our very sense of self worth and purpose in life?
Something to think about. We look forward to our next deep dive, inviting you to continue its incredible exploration with us. Until then, keep asking the big questions and keep diving deep.
