“Soul into Action” p: 57

Photo: Kevin Moshe Rubin

AyinBase with R' Paltiel 10/26/11 Wednesday 28 Tishrei 5772 

Page 57 – at the middle of the page (line starts: “levad...”)

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We are looking at ratzon/will.

The Rebbe is saying that the starting point for sechel and midot and all activity is ratzon/will – in the arousal of the will/ratzon.

In order for there to be a 'thing' to do, there needs to be form, space, purpose and function. This kind of presence does not exist in the nefesh (or in anything that is fully reflective of it). So how is it that a person gets involved with doing a 'thing' – doing 'something'. He goes out beyond his own introspective world and does something.

When you express a thought, the words of expression do not exist inside the thought itself. Internally you have the idea/essence, without words. So too going upwards beyond thought, there is 'nothing' – soul is an essential truth in itself.

So the 'jump' from soul into 'something' is a huge leap. The soul itself cannot relate to 'something'.

So thus for this 'thing' to come to be, there needs to an arousal of the ratzon/will. This means an active will/ratzon that can be identified. The ratzon/will has become active rather than being innate.

Ratzon in nefesh/soul is a constant and cannot be identified. Arousal/hit-orarus of the will/ratzon is an identifiable expression. Everything in physicality tends to descend – a rock on the ground belongs there. The tendency to descend is only seen while it is falling.

From the level of arousal, the will has to come to sechel/mind for the 'thing' to be fulfilled in the world.