“The Measure of Love” p74

“God made man and blew into him a soul of life.  Man has ‘awareness and knowledge’.  This makes him distinct.”

“The Measure of Love” p74

AYIN BASE - REBBE RASHAB - with R’ PALTIEL

Sivan 5777

P 74 [of the new pamphlet] 3rd line from end of the page, at the line starting “utzmi…”.  [P 55 of the book]

The Rebbe is saying that your emotions are rooted in your ‘sense of self’ - hergesh atzmo.  He senses his significance and the importance of his experience.

Kinda strange to hear chassidus talk about ‘sense of self’… this is not your superficial ‘personality’, this is a deep divine and personal sense…

Will is the basis for sechel/mind. 

God made man and blew into him a soul of life [nishmat chaim].  Man has ‘awareness and knowledge’.  This makes him distinct. 

Value is based in will/ratzon.  Man deals with value, not materiality.

Everyone has a ‘will to live’.  Psychology reduces this on a ‘will to survive’ or a ‘will for enticements’.  They conflate will and appetite. 

The Rebbe says in Tanya, ‘if the letters that are creating the world were withdrawn [God forbid], then all would revert back to nothingness…’ 

And the ‘God forbid’ element is mentioned, due to an inner sense of the value of life… ‘I want it, not because I want to avoid pain, or experience pleasantness…!’

And He made the world not due to any need, but ‘cos it is the nature of Good to provide goodness…’ [teva ha-tov le-haytiv]. 

What initiated the whole creation?  His truth!  

And here's a shiur by Manis Friedman - on the topic: "I Didn't Ask To Be Born"