Lessons in Tanya- Hasidism - Only Jews Have Souls & Heavenly Pre-Earthly Existence? T_0729
Doc Tavish
Main Link to Hasidism Lessons
http://www.google.com/search?q=+%22The+soul+of+a+Jew+descends+into+a+body+for+a+purpose%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&as_qdr=all&filter=0
Searched the web for "The soul of a Jew descends into a body for a purpose".
Results 1 - 3 of 3.
http://www.zalman.org/tanya/book-1/01-10/chap01.htm
(Link active July 6, 2003. Archived locally as: tanya01)
The Tanya by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
From Chabad-Lubavitch in Cyberspace
- Preface by the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shelita
- Introduction To Tanya by Rabbi Nissan Mindel
- Lessons in Tanya: Translator's Foreword
This is the very first chapter of Tanya Book 1:
Chapter One
[start]
We have learned (Niddah, end of ch. 3): (1). "An oath is administered
to him: [Before a Jew is born an oath is administered to him in
heaven, charging him]:
`Be righteous and be not wicked; and even if the whole world [judging
you by your actions] tells you that you are righteous, regard yourself
as wicked.'"
[The soul of a Jew descends into a body for a purpose - in order
to fulfill a specific spiritual mission in this world. To enable
him to fulfill it a heavenly oath is administered to him that he
"be righteous and not wicked," and concurrently, that he regard
himself as wicked and not righteous.............
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I only ask: Where does the rest of mankind fit in? Are we but just
beasts as the Talmud teaches? Tavish comment
Here is part of the intro:
http://www.google.com/search?q=+%22The+Jew+is+a+creature+of+%22heaven%22+and+of+%22earth,%22%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&as_qdr=all&filter=0
Searched the web for "The Jew is a creature of "heaven" and of "earth,"".
Results 1 - 7 of about 8.
http://www.beverlyhillschabad.com/MAIMER.HTM
(Link active July 6, 2003. Archived locally as: MAIMER)
Preface by the Lubavitcher Rebbe Shelita, to the ORIGINAL Translation
of Tanya, Part, I
Chassidus in general, and Chabad Chassidus in particular, is an all-
embracing world outlook and way of life which sees the Jew's central
purpose as the unifying link between the Creator and Creation. ( 1 )
The Jew is a creature of "heaven" and of "earth," of a heavenly Divine
soul, which is truly a part of G-dliness, ( 2 ) clothed in an earthly
vessel constituted of a physical body and animal soul, whose purpose
is to realize the transcendency and unity of his nature, and of the
world in which he lives, within the absolute Unity of G-d.
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Doc Tavish