דעֶר מִיטעֶלעֶר רֶבִּי האָט געֶעֶנטפעֶרט אֵיינעֶם אוֹיף אַ יְחִידוּת: אַז אֵיינעֶר רעֶדט מִיט דעֶם אַנדעֶרעֶן בְּעִנְיָנֵי עֲבוֹדָה אוּן זֵיי לעֶרנעֶן צוּזאַמעֶן, אִיז דאָס צְוֵויי נֶפֶשׁ הָאֱלֹקִית אוֹיף אֵיין נֶפֶשׁ הַטִּבְעִית.

The Mitteler Rebbe once answered [a chassid] at yechidus: “When a person discusses his Divine service with a friend and they study together, there are two G‑dly souls pitted against one natural soul.”1

A Pearl to Cherish

That is, the G‑dly souls of both individuals work together to refine and elevate the animal soul of the person in question. One might ask, however, why are we not concerned that the two animal souls will combine against the G‑dly soul?

One answer is that the animal soul does not understand unity. On the contrary, it is motivated by opportunism and self-interest, and does not know how to communicate and work openly and honestly with another person. So, when two people genuinely work together, it can only be that their G‑dly souls are active, for only the G‑dly soul has an inner desire to help another.2