If so, [that he is actually the animal soul], he is removed from G-d with the utmost remoteness. For the lusting drive in his animal soul is capable of lusting also after forbidden things, which are contrary to G-d's Will.

While he does not desire to do them [these forbidden things] in actual practice, G-d forbid, yet they are not truly repulsive to him, as they are to tzaddikim, as explained above (in chapter 12).

[There the Alter Rebbe explains that after his prayers, when the love of G-d is no longer revealed in his heart, a Beinoni can feel a craving for material pleasures, whether they be permitted or forbidden - except that in the case of forbidden matters, he does not actually wish to implement his desires in forbidden actions; they remain instead in the category of "sinful thoughts]."

In this he is inferior to and more loathsome and abominable than unclean animals and insects and reptiles, as mentioned above - [for even they do not transgress against G-d's Will (see chapter 24), and since he does do so (in his mind, at least) he is worse than they]; and as it is written: [7] "But I am a worm, and not a man ...."

[As a human being who chooses to lower himself to the level of a worm, I am worse than a worm, for it is a worm by creation rather than by choice.

But what of the times when the divine soul of the Beinoni dominates him, such as during prayer, when he experiences a revealed love of G-d and there is no room in his heart for any mundane desires? To this the Alter Rebbe answers]:

( [8] Even when his divine soul gathers strength within him to arouse his love of G-d during prayer, this [predominance of the divine soul] is not altogether genuine, since it is transient and vanishes after prayer, as mentioned earlier, end of chapter 13.)

[The Alter Rebbe explains there that only that which is permanent and unchanging can be described as "true".

Relative to the rank of Beinoni, this arousal of the divine soul during prayer may be considered "truthful", since the Beinoni is capable of generating it always - whenever he prays.

It cannot, however, be described as "absolutely truthful" (emet la'amito) since it is not constant, occurring only during prayer].

   

Notes:

7. (Back to text) Tehillim 22:7.

8. (Back to text) Parentheses are in the original text.