Growing a Person’s Capacity for Altruism

How can a human being—who was created with the qualities of absolute egoism; who feels no desires save those dictated by the body; who cannot even imagine anything outside of one’s own perceptions—how can a human being proceed beyond the desires of the body and grasp something that exists outside the realm of one’s natural sensory organs?

We are created with a longing to fill our egoistic desires with pleasure. Given such a condition, we have no possible way to alter ourselves and transform our egoistic qualities into opposite ones. In order for us to create the possibility of transforming our egoism into altruism, the Creator, when devising egoism, placed into it a seed of altruism, which we are capable of cultivating by studying and acting according to the methods of Kabbalah.

Egoism or Altruism: Which Force Should Dominate?

When we feel the dictating desires of our bodies, we are unable to stand up to them. Thus, all our thoughts are directed toward carrying out the commands of the body. In such a state, we have no freedom of will to act, or even to think about, anything other than self-gratification.

On the other hand, during our spiritual elevation we experience aspirations toward spiritual growth and toward departure from the physical desires that pull us down. At these times, we do not even perceive the desires of the body and, hence, do not require the right to a free choice between the material and the spiritual.

Consequently, by remaining in the state of egoism, we do not possess the strength to choose altruism. But once we perceive the grandeur of the spiritual, we no longer face a choice, since we already desire the spiritual.

Therefore, the entire notion of free will consists of a choice: Which force will dominate us, egoism or altruism? But when does such a neutral state occur in which we are able to make a free choice?

The Right Environment for Spiritual Advancement

Thus, there is no other path for us but to attach ourselves to a teacher, to delve into Kabbalah books, to join a group that aspires to reach the same goals, to open ourselves to the influence of thoughts about altruism and spiritual strength. Consequently, the altruistic seed will awaken in us the seed, which was implanted in each of us, but which sometimes remains dormant for many life cycles.

This is the essence of our free will. Once we begin to feel the awakened altruistic desires, we will try to perceive the spiritual without much effort. A person who strives to attain spiritual thoughts and actions, but is not yet firmly attached to certain personal convictions, must protect himself from contact with people whose thoughts are rooted in their egoism.

This is especially true of those who aspire to live by faith above reason. They must avoid all contact with the opinions of those who travel through life within the bounds of their reason, because they are opposite in philosophy to Kabbalah. It has been said in the books of Kabbalah that the reason of ignoramuses is opposite to the reason of Kabbalah.

A Need for the Light of Correction

“Thinking within the bounds of our own reason implies that, first and foremost, we calculate the benefits of our actions. On the other hand, the reason of Kabbalah—faith above human reason—assumes that our actions will not be connected in any manner with the egoistic calculations of reason, or with the possible benefits that may ensue from these actions.

Those who need help from others are considered to be poor. Those who are happy with what they have are considered to be rich. But when we recognize that egoistic desires (libba) and thoughts (moha) drive all our actions, we suddenly understand our true spiritual state, and realize the power of our egoism and the evil inside us.

Our feelings of bitterness when we realize our true spiritual state give rise to the desire to correct ourselves. When this desire reaches the required degree of intensity, then the Creator sends His Light of Correction into the kli (vessel), and thus we begin to ascend the levels of the spiritual ladder.

“How to Shift from Egoism to Altruism” is based on the book, Attaining the Worlds Beyond by Dr. Michael Laitman.