[Avodah] Definition of the Noun Tzadik

[Zev Sero]

On 20/08/18 10:14, Professor L. Levine via Avodah wrote:
> “In response to your phrase, ‘Every Jew can be a Tzaddik--you just
> have to want it enough.’
Who said that phrase?  What is that person's source?  The Tanya 
explicitly denies this.

It defines a tzadik as someone whose yetzer hara has either been 
transformed into a yetzer tov (tzadik gamur) or has been so thoroughly 
defeated that it's as if it doesn't exist (tzadik she'eino gamur). 
Anyone who has a yetzer hara, even if it is currently quiescent, is not 
yet a tzadik.

It then says that although every Jew should aspire to being a tzadik, 
not every Jew can succeed at this no matter how much he wants it. 
Transitioning from beinoni to tzadik requires help from Above, which is 
not always forthcoming.

Nor, says the Tanya, is it possible for a tzadik to know for sure that 
he is one. Only HKBH knows whether someone's yetzer hara is truly gone, 
or merely playing possum and biding its time.  This is how Rabba could 
mistakenly think he was a beinoni.



-- 
Zev Sero            A prosperous and healthy 5779 to all
zev at sero.name       Seek Jerusalem's peace; may all who love you prosper