Machshava:

Ethics 

Collections: Rabbi Weinberger: Tanya

Description

NOTE: The shiur is fairly short and therefore discounted to half a credit. p. 68. Even our positive midos (character traits) stem from the nefesh ha'behamis (animalistic soul). The three signs of the Jewish nation - our natural character traits. When something runs counter to my nature, it requires a lot of effort. The very essence of a Jew and a gentile. Knowledge is not inhereted, but out midos are part of our national DNA forever. So what's wrong with marrying a ba'al tshuvha, the child of irreligious parents? The parents' midos are much more important than their level of observance. Our animalistic sould comes from the klipas nogah (covering of light) so that even our bad character traits contain some good. The nefesh ha'behamis contains both bad and good, but the divine soul consists of only complete and unadulterated good.