Question:
In the series of Fixing Your Water, where the Rav discusses desires that stem from fire-of-water, the Rav explained that the way to repair dryness of the soul is by giving proper nourishment to the animal soul. Does the Rav mean that one needs to feel satisfaction even from his evil character traits when they manifest, or does the Rav mean that a person must know which character trait or emotion he mainly derives nourishment from, and it is just that he has to be aware of the negative source, before he attempts to fix the bad character trait, and in the sense of “From ulterior motives, one comes to pure motives”?Answer:
G-d forbid should a person derive nourishment from evil character traits. Rather the intention is that a person should derive nourishment from “kelipat nogah” [permissible character traits which are not good or evil]. In this area, one needs to clarify the root of his nourishment. One must clarify where he gets nourishment from evil character traits, and then to try to uproot it, as he proceeds in his order of Avodas Hashem. One should clarify also where he gets nourishment from his areas of “kelipat nogah”, and then use it according to his needs, and “from ulterior motives one comes to pure motives”. Lastly, one should also clarify from which holy source he gets nourishment from.
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