The Beinoni — The Intermediate Person
Hebrew: בֵּינוֹנִי
The beinoni is perhaps the most distinctive and practically important concept in the Alter Rebbe’s Tanya. Understanding what a beinoni is — and is not — is essential to understanding the entire work.
Definition
The beinoni is literally “the intermediate one” — between the tzaddik (righteous) and the rasha (wicked). But the Alter Rebbe’s definition is far more precise and counterintuitive than the traditional understanding.
A beinoni is NOT someone who has an equal balance of merits and sins.
Rather, a beinoni is someone who:
- Never commits a sin — not in thought, speech, or action
- But whose animal soul still desires sin — the desires and temptations of the animal soul have not been eliminated
- Through the power of the mind over the heart (moach shalit al ha-lev), the beinoni controls and overrides the animal soul’s desires
The Beinoni vs. The Tzaddik
| Aspect | Tzaddik | Beinoni |
|---|---|---|
| Animal soul | Transformed into holiness | Still present, still desires |
| Evil inclination | ”Dead” (mourns for it at heart) | Alive but controlled |
| Sins | None, and doesn’t desire them | None, but still tempted |
| Inner state | Holy joy, no inner conflict | Constant vigilance required |
Why the Beinoni Matters
The Alter Rebbe reveals that the level of beinoni is attainable by every person — it is the divine demand and the human potential. In contrast, full tzaddik status is a gift not in everyone’s hands.
This is the revolutionary practical message of Tanya: you don’t need to transform your nature entirely. You need to govern yourself — to ensure that your animal soul’s desires never cross into thought, speech, or action.
The Beinoni’s Challenges
The beinoni faces constant inner struggle. During prayer (tefillah), when the Divine soul is inflamed, the beinoni may experience great love and awe of God. After prayer, the animal soul reasserts itself. This rhythmic struggle is the beinoni’s lifelong condition.
The Alter Rebbe counsels:
- Hitbonenut — prolonged meditation on Divine greatness to generate natural love/awe
- Kabbalat Ol — acceptance of God’s yoke even without emotional enthusiasm
- Simcha — maintaining joy, understanding that inner struggle is itself valuable service
The Beinoni’s Three Victories
The beinoni controls the three garments:
- Thought — pushes away forbidden thoughts the moment they arise
- Speech — never speaks forbidden words
- Action — never performs a forbidden act
See Also
- Nefesh HaBehemit — The animal soul the beinoni controls
- Nefesh HaElokit — The divine soul that governs the beinoni
- Tzaddik — The higher level beyond beinoni
- Simcha — Joy as the beinoni’s strategy against depression
- Teshuva — Return after the beinoni’s stumbles
- Hitbonenut — Contemplation that generates love and awe for the beinoni
Sources
- Tanya, Chapters 1, 12-17, 26-31
- Likkutei Sichos, numerous sichos on the beinoni ideal
- Alter Rebbe