Explore the complex spiritual reality of the individual described as "intermediate," delving into how this level is characterized not by balancing good and bad actions, but by an unrelenting internal struggle to prevent evil impulses from manifesting in thought, speech, or deed. Their physical being is dedicated solely to sacred study and fulfilling divine commands. Discover why ancient wisdom states such individuals are "judged by both" good and evil tendencies rather than being "ruled by" them, likening this dynamic to competing judges whose ultimate decision requires divine intervention. Learn the crucial role of spiritual assistance in empowering the divine aspect to overcome the inherent strength and worldly desires of the animal nature. Understand the instruction to perceive oneself "like a wicked person" – recognizing the potent, unrestrained potential for wrong within, held in check only by divine aid, contrasting this with the righteous where evil is nullified or transformed. The sources use the example of a renowned sage to illustrate a high intermediate state where evil is permanently inactive but not abolished. Finally, we examine the concept of truth in service, explaining how moments of intense devotion, like during prayer, are considered "true service relative to one's level," as the capacity to reawaken this connection is always present day after day.

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.

• (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?

Defining the Wicked Person in Tanya Chapter 11

This chapter of Tanya defines the wicked person, presenting them as the opposite of the righteous person. The fundamental characteristic is that the animal soul overpowers the divine soul. The discussion distinguishes between two main categories: the wicked person who possesses some good, and the wicked person who possesses only evil. In the former, the good within the divine soul is overwhelmed and nullified by the evil from the animal soul. This category encompasses a wide spectrum of levels. At one end are those who sin rarely and in minor ways, such as through certain thoughts, speech, or actions, often experiencing remorse and seeking forgiveness afterward. Even post-repentance, their classification as wicked in a true sense remains due to the underlying tendency for the animal soul to dominate. Higher levels in this category sin more frequently and severely, involving all aspects of negative expression, yet they still retain lingering good that prompts feelings of vexation and remorse between transgressions. These individuals represent the majority of those classified as wicked. In contrast, the wicked person who possesses only evil is characterized by a complete lack of contrition or thoughts of repentance. In such a person, the evil has so prevailed that the good has departed from within and exists only as an external influence. Nevertheless, this external good persists because they still possess a divine soul, which explains why the Divine Presence rests over any gathering of ten Jews. The text also includes an illustration demonstrating that even those whose lives are primarily dictated by negative forces can, through repentance following hardship, attain a level of equality with those guided by the divine soul.