Temimus (תמימות) — wholesomeness, simple wholeheartedness
Core definition
Temimus ("wholesomeness," "innocence") is the simple, undivided wholeness of the Jew's service: fulfilling without asking why, with emunah peshutah (simple faith), "all in temimus, for so the Creator commanded" [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview]. It is "the main importance above" — "the greatest importance above, more than the most exalted grasps" [58834/maamar_041 :: Chunk summary — pp. 270–272].
How the Rebbeim develop it
The proof of "ruach haMakom." The discourse on Avos 3:10 — "kol she'ruach ha'briyos nochah heimenu, ruach ha'Makom nochah heimenu" — reads briyos as "simple people who don't learn, fulfill without asking why, simple emunah — all in temimus" [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview]. Rabbi Chanina ben Dosa "knew 'ruach ha'Makom' and the temimus' virtue," and the proof is drawn specifically "from the briyos' spirit — the simple temimus-like deed people — for temimus is the main importance above" [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview]. Ruach haMakom itself is the supernal intent — "nis'aveh HaKadosh Baruch Hu lihyos lo dirah ba'tachtonim" — carried out "only through neshamahs in bodies, through Torah/mitzvos clothed in this world's physical things: the deed's avodah in this world is the intent's main" [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview].
Greater than the greatest grasps. "Before temimus-like mesiras-nefesh to Torah and Yiddishkeit even Moshe Rabbeinu was low in his own eyes ('v'ha'ish Moshe anav me'od mikol ha'adam asher al pnei ha'adamah')" [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview]. The Yiddish parallel puts it even more sharply: "This temimus the greatest chashivus le-maalah, more than all highest hasagos: for the temimus mesirus nefesh on Torah and Yiddishkeit even Moshe Rabbeinu fell before himself" [15799/maamar_041 :: §65–68]. In ikvos Meshicha, "even the great Torah people are nothing next to him in knowledge, yet fulfill with mesiras nefesh — especially the simple ones — and he was low before their temimus" [58834/maamar_041 :: Chunk summary — pp. 270–272].
Will, not wisdom. The maamar grounds temimus in the distinction of mitzvos (will) and Torah (wisdom): "Will's quality: force and exactness — wisdom influences through explaining; will through force in a decree way (so and not otherwise, no explanations)"; mitzvos have "no distinctions in fulfillment — will is exactly as the will" [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview]. Temimus is the will's pure form: the deed "in temimus in particular" causes "joy and pleasure above" [15799/maamar_041 :: §118] — "yismach Havayah b'ma'asav," for "pleasure is only from novelty," and the yesh's nullification through the refinements' avodah is the supernal novelty [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview].
Temimus and middos. Sin-fear and multiplied deeds give only "chochmaso miskayemes" (his wisdom endures); "'ruach ha'Makom nochah' needs good middos in addition" [58834/maamar_041 :: Chunk summary — pp. 270–272]. "Man's shleimus is middos tovos besides 'chochmaso miskayemes' — through kiyum ha-mitzvos be-yiras chet and maasim merubim with ahavah and yirah" [15799/maamar_041 :: §92].
Temimus and the world's rectification. The Yiddish discourse concludes that "man's shleimus is middos tovos besides 'chochmaso miskayemes,'" and that the simple deed-with-temimus in this world is what proves "ruach ha'Makom nochah heimenu" — through it "the supernal intent is carried out" [15799/maamar_041 :: Summary]. The angels' three contentions — against man, the Mishkan, and the Torah — are answered by this same point: the deed in this world, in temimus, is "the intent's main" [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview].
Key distinctions
- Temimus vs. hasagah: the most exalted intellectual grasps are less "chashivus le-maalah" than simple deed-with-temimus [15799/maamar_041 :: §65–68].
- Wisdom vs. will: Torah = wisdom (explains, distinguishes); mitzvos = will (force, exactness) — temimus belongs to the will's register [58834/maamar_041 :: Overview].
- Endurance vs. pleasure: sin-fear and deeds secure "chochmaso miskayemes"; good middos and temimus secure "ruach ha'Makom nochah" [58834/maamar_041 :: Chunk summary — pp. 270–272].
Related concepts
- Emunah peshutah, kabalas ol, bitul hayesh, mesirus nefesh, dirah batachtonim, nachas ruach, "ruach haMakom," the simple people (briyos).