Introduction to the Book of Zohar | 21

Описание: 21) Do not be led astray by the philosophers who say that the very essence of the soul is an intellectual substance, and that it only exists through the concepts it learns, that it grows through them and that they are its very essence. And the question of the remaining of the soul after the departure of the body depends entirely on the extent of concepts it has acquired, until in the absence of the concepts, there remains nothing to continue. This is not the view of Torah. It is also unacceptable, and anyone who ever tried to acquire knowledge knows and feels that the mind is a possession and not the actual possessor.
But as we have said, the whole substance of creation, both the substance of the spiritual objects and the substance of the corporeal objects, is no more and no less than a desire to receive. Although we said that the soul is entirely a desire to bestow, it is only through corrections of reflected light that it receives from the upper worlds, from which it comes to us. The meaning of this clothing is thoroughly explained in “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Items 14, 15, 16, and 19.
Yet, the very essence of the soul is a will to receive, as well. And the only difference we can tell between one object and another is only by its desire, for the desire in any essence creates needs, and the needs create thoughts and concepts so as to obtain those needs, which the will to receive demands.
As human desires differ from one another, so do their needs, thoughts, and ideas. For instance, those whose will to receive is limited to beastly desires, their needs, thoughts, and ideas are dedicated to satisfying that will to receive in its entire beastliness. Although they use the mind and reason as humans do, it is, however, enough for the slave to be as his master. And it is like the beastly mind, since the mind is enslaved and serves the beastly desire.
And those whose will to receive is strong mainly in human desires—such as respect and control over others—which are absent in the beast, the majority of their needs, thoughts, and ideas revolve solely around satisfying that desire as much as they can. And those whose will to receive is intensified mainly for acquisition of knowledge, the majority of their needs, thoughts, and ideas are to satisfy that desire as much as they can.