Chapter Twelve: The Intermediate Person

This episode explores the profound definition of the Intermediate Man, a spiritual level distinct from both the perfectly righteous person and the wicked person. Unlike the wicked person, in whom evil overcomes good leading to sin, the Intermediate Man is one whose practical conduct—their thought, speech, and action—is dictated solely by the good of the divine soul, completely avoiding sin. Sources state that an Intermediate Man has never committed a transgression and will never transgress in their present state. However, despite this perfect outward behavior, the Intermediate Man is not considered a righteous person because the essence or faculties of their animal soul, located in the heart, remain powerful and can still arouse desires for worldly pleasures and even involuntary negative thoughts. The control exerted by the Intermediate Man is achieved through the natural supremacy of the brain's will over the heart's desires, allowing them to keep these urges in check and prevent them from manifesting in deed, speech, or conscious, deliberate thought. This control is particularly effective when motivated by holiness, likened to how a small amount of light banishes a great deal of darkness. While during times like prayer, the divine soul may achieve temporary, undisputed sovereignty and the evil is nullified, after prayer, the evil reawakens its desires. The key distinction is that while the righteous person has eradicated or transformed the evil of their animal soul, the Intermediate Man's evil remains in essence, merely subjugated and prevented from expression by the divine soul's dominance over outward actions and willful thought. This mastery extends even to interpersonal feelings, where the Intermediate Man actively rejects negative emotions and chooses kindness and forgiveness.

Chapters

• (00:00:00) - Lessons in Tanya, Chapter 12
• (00:01:12) - What Exactly Is the Intermediate State?
• (00:02:49) - The Intermediate Person
• (00:05:01) - What is the Intermediate Person?
• (00:07:38) - The Negative Intensity in the Intermediate Person
• (00:11:00) - The Intermediate Person's Prayer
• (00:15:05) - Intermediate Person
• (00:19:52) - The Essence of Mind Over Heart
• (00:27:48) - The Intermediate Person
• (00:32:46) - The Intermediate Person
• (00:37:41) - The Intermediate State
• (00:39:05) - The Meaning of the Intermediate Person
• (00:42:04) - What Does the Intermediate Person Mean?