Tanya L’maaseh – Learning + Hisbonenus 

5 min discussion + 5 minutes of quiet hisbonenus – Your weekly hisbonenus gym
 Based on the writings of Reb Shlomo Chaim Kessleman z”l and the Tanya classes of Mrs. Shterna Ginsburg (“Tanya in Real Life”)

Lead by Rabbi Betzalel Bassman 

Week #8 – Hisbonenus Summary

1. Am I Tuned In or Tuned Out?

Throughout the day, I can ask:

• Right now, am I aware of Hashem's presence or not?
• What helps me feel connected?
• What causes me to drift into forgetfulness?

The goal is not self-judgment, but increased awareness.

2. My Feelings Are Real, But They Are Not My Identity

When experiencing anxiety, sadness, anger, or discouragement:

• These feelings are happening within me, but they are not me.
• My emotions belong to my current experience, not my essence.
• The neshamah remains whole and connected even when my emotional world feels turbulent.

3. The Animal Soul Is Energy, Not Evil

Reflect on:

• The same drives that can pull me away from holiness can also be redirected toward holiness.
• My ambition, desire, passion, and need for recognition are raw energies.
• My task is not to destroy these drives, but to elevate and channel them.

Like a river, the question is not whether it flows, but where it flows.

4. The Yetzer Hara Wants Me to Confuse Experience with Identity

Notice the difference between:

• "I am anxious" and "I am experiencing anxiety."
• "I am a failure" and "I experienced a failure."
• "I am disconnected" and "I feel disconnected right now."

The yetzer hara's greatest victory is not the struggle itself, but convincing me that the struggle is who I am.

5. My Value Comes From My Neshamah

Spend time contemplating:

• A part of Hashem exists within me at every moment.
• My worth is not earned through success, performance, or approval.
• Before I accomplish anything today, I already possess infinite value because of who I am at my core.

A question to sit with:

If I truly believed my value was unconditional, how would I think, speak, and act differently today?

These five meditations move from awareness, to identity, to the role of the animal soul, to the deception of the yetzer hara, and finally to unconditional value rooted in the neshamah.

Tanya L'masseh - Learning + Hisbonenus 

Presenter : Rabbi Betzalel Bassman 

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