Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 44: And all the spiritual elements of still, vegetative, and animate in that world, which correspond to that Sefira of Malchut of Assiya, serve and aid that Partzuf of Nefesh of one who has risen there.

Question: What are the spiritual elements of the still, vegetative, and animate nature?

Answer: All the five phases, from the root phase until phase four, connect in a person’s exertion. Although we exert ourselves only with regards to the intention, only with regards to the human nature in us, there are also other layers in the desire, in which we are managed, having no free will. These layers of desire are similar to our physical needs and are included in our work; they operate on us while we cannot influence them in any way. As Baal HaSulam says in “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” the elements of the still, vegetative, and animate nature ascend and descend together with the human level having no accounts of their own.

Question: Does this mean that in spirituality we also do things not by our choice?

Answer: Of course. The same thing also happens in our world since it’s an exact replica of spirituality. I don’t need to work on the multitude of spiritual forces that don’t belong to the human level. On the human level I also have to clarify things first and only then perform corrections. First, I should clarify where exactly I can exert myself so that I will bestow where it can lead to actual results. Most important is to differentiate between the “working area” and the “non-working” one and to put much effort in the former.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/18/13, “The Introduction to The Book of Zohar” 

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