Im thinking that those of us who are accustomed to the logical progression of Mesilas yeshorim etc just won't get Tanya...
I'm just reading this thread and my head is spinning from the complexity of the philosophy going on here.
Is it even supposed to be a practical 'mussar' sefer or is it a mystical work about the world order?
CBC, you are correct. It is not just a new limud. It is a totally new perspective or vantage point. It requires rethinking yesodos. My only question is whether to try to teach the yesodos before teaching the practical application or to use the practical application as a way of arriving experientially at the yesodos.
Anyway, you touched upon a real paradox when asking is it supposed to be a "pratical 'musar' sefer or a mystical work about the world order." It's a brilliant and sensitive question. The answer is, like I was getting at, you can't just plug it into the framework of a Mesilas Yesharim or Nefesh HaChayim. They're different operating systems. And yet, Tanya is practical. Mystical and practical? Yes, that is probably a good way to sum up Chabad chasidus in three words.
To be honest, I do learn Tanya and my head is spinning...
Cool! Then we've accomplished something already!
Well obviously this thread isn't following much of any kind of order- it's all over the place.
I'm keeping track. When it gets off topic, I'll speak up. So far, we're doing pretty good.
Tanya is actually extremely logical. The way I see it (and I may be waaay off, as I'm not Lubavitch and have hardly learned Tanya at all) is that it's a practical way of life based on philosophy. The 2 aren't mutually exclusive.
Correct, as I told CBC above.