Lesson 2 “Arvut – a Requisite for Lishma”

Arvut – a Requisite for Lishma

1. Likutey Halachot [Assorted Rules], Hoshen Mishpat, “Rules of the Guarantor”

Precisely through the Arvut, when all are regarded as one, precisely by this they can observe the Torah, since the essence of love and unity is in the desire, when each one is pleased with his friend, there is no disparity of desire between them, and they are all included in one desire. By this they are incorporated in the upper desire, which is the end goal of the unity.

2. Baal Hasulam, “Not The Time For The Livestock To Be Gathered”

One must not exclude oneself from the public and ask for oneself, not even to bring contentment to one’s maker, but only for the entire public […]

One who departs from the public to ask specifically for one’s own soul does not build. On the contrary, he inflicts ruin upon his soul.

3. Noam Elimelech, Likutei Shoshana

One must always pray for his friend, as one cannot do much for himself, for “One does not deliver oneself from imprisonment.” But when asking for his friend, he is answered quickly. Therefore, each one should pray for his friend, and thus each works on the other’s desire until all of them are answered. […] Arevim [responsible/sweet] for one another means pleasant, from the word sweetness, as they sweeten for each other by the prayers they pray for one another, and by this they are answered.

4. Baal HaSulam, “Matan Torah” [The Giving of the Torah], Letter 15

If six hundred thousand men abandon their work for the satisfaction of their own needs and worry about nothing but standing guard so their friends will not lack a thing, and moreover, they will engage in this with great love, with their very heart and soul, in the full meaning of the Mitzva, “Love your friend as yourself,” it is then beyond doubt that no one in the nation will need to worry about his own well-being.

Because of this, one becomes completely free of securing his own survival and can easily observe the Mitzva, “Love your friend as yourself”.

5. Likutey Torah, Nitzavim 44b

By making the covenant, their love will be eternal love and will never fail. No prevention will part them, since they make between them a strong and steadfast tie, to unite and connect through their heart with a wondrous knot and above mind and reason. Although the mind and reason should have stopped the love or cause some hate, still, because of the making of the covenant, their love will exist forever. This love and this steadfast ties will cover all crimes since they have made the covenant of connection as though they have become one flesh. And as one cannot stop being loved himself, so he will not stop loving his friend.