The first two words of the Tanya, משבעים אותו, which are generally read as “an oath is administered to it”. Steinsaltz mentions in his “Opening to Tanya” p44, that it can be rendered as masbi’in, “it is fortified”.
Upon further investigation, though, masbi’in generally means satiated, replete, full as in completion of a meal, or a book or even an experience. This then brings in another image, that of the fullness of the soul, satiated by what has been finally administered to it. Steinsaltz assumes before its descent into the body, and perhaps this happens upon descent into the body - as the final act, the completion of the journey into incarnation.
Perhaps, like the kiss that the angel bestows upon each of us before our birth that removes all the secret knowledge of Torah, this kiss administers this oath that fulfils us. For herein is the purpose of our lives, as is so clearly expressed in the Tanya, and it is “Be a tzaddik…”1
Thus finally we are replete, the process of our descent into the body is complete. We are now ready to begin our journey in this life.
Footnotes
What if a tzaddik meant a man of truth. One who has taken an oath to speak only the truth - or not to say anything. ↩︎