Core Concepts Tanya: Chapter 9

Brief Recap of Chapter 9:

1. Chapter 9 begins with telling that the "seat" of the Animal Soul is in the left side of the heart.
The left side has more blood in it, and, just as blood spreads from the heart throughout the body, the Animal Soul also tries to use passion/ raw emotion to control the body.
The G-dly Soul is "seated" in the brain, because it rules with intellect. It also has a secondary seat in the right side of the heart.

2. When Rivkah was pregnant with Yaakov and Esav she was told that she was carrying two nations, and one would always prevail over the other.
This verse is applied to our souls and our bodies.
Our souls are waging a constant war to gain control over our bodies.
Each soul wants our garments of expression—thought, speech, action—to respond to it alone.
In other words, it wants total victory. Two kings cannot share the same crown.

3. The ultimate level is when both souls become a "chariot" to the Divine will.
This is why in Shema it says "V'ahavta es Hashem Elokecha b'chol l'vavicha, u'vchol nafshecha, u'vchol meodecha."
"You should love Hashem, your G-d, with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your might."
However, the Hebrew is not actually written in singular form but in plural.
Really, the phrase is "You should love Hashem your G-d with all your hearts, and with all your souls, and with all your mights."
The plural is referring to both souls, with all their respective faculties.

4. There are two levels of love.
The lower level of love stems from knowing that G-d is good, that He is the source of all goodness, being appreciative to Him, etc.
The higher level is when someone creates a burning love for G-d that is so great it "spills" over from the right side of the heart and overtakes the left side.

5. The chapter ends with referencing the parable in the Zohar comparing negative forces to a harlot.
Once a king wanted to test the moral fortitude of his son, the crown prince.
So the king hired a harlot to try and seduce him.
Although the harlot must do her job as best she can, deep, deep down, she really doesn't want the crown prince to fail.
This is the way that negative forces exist/ operate in this world.

6. So why introduce any negativity at all?
Because without it there is no free choice, no reward and punishment, and no growth that comes from overcoming challenges.
Imagine someone helicoptering to the peak of a mountain. Imagine how much he appreciates the view, imagine how much that journey means to him.
Now think of someone who has to climb that mountain. How much does he appreciate the view? How much does that journey to the top mean to him?