Evolution Of Desires, Part 11

Obstacle to Unity

Baal HaSulam, “Matan Torah” (The Giving of the Torah) Item 12: “A wild ass shall be turned into man” (Job 11:12), because when one emerges out of the bosom of Creation, one is in utter filth and lowliness, meaning a multitude of self-love that is imprinted in him, whose every movement revolves solely around himself, without a shred of bestowal upon others.”

Question: The person is originally born an egoist. As I understand it, in Kabbalah, it is the egocentric perception that needs to be corrected?

Answer: This is a specific egoism. It requires correction.

This is not about animal egoism when everyone instinctively wants to take a certain posture, to do some kind of calculation so that he is well. This is a natural egoism, there is no need to fight it.

Our natural desires (food, sex, family, etc.) are not considered egoistic at all. People just think that it is egoism and you should fight it. No, that is wrong. We need to fight only with the egoism that disallows our unity, to be together with others in a state of friendship, connection, and love.

Therefore, the forces of opposition that arise when a person attempts to somehow interact with other people are the real egoism.

Question: To enjoy at the expense of other, to use someone—is this also egoism?

Answer: Naturally, because these are also the forces that prevent us from uniting with others.
[249601]
From KabTV’s “Basics of Kabbalah,” 12/3/18