Egoism is embedded in the nature of every person, as in any animal.
Baal HaSulam, “The Solution”
Man was created with the nature of wanting to please only himself.
Rabash, Steps of the Ladder,
“One Studies Only where One’s Heart Desires”
One cannot make a single movement without any benefit for oneself.
Baal HaSulam, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”
“A wild ass shall be turned into man” (Job 11:12), because when one emerges out of the bosom of Creation, one is in utter filth and lowliness, meaning a multitude of self-love that is imprinted in him, whose every movement revolves solely around himself, without a shred of bestowal upon others.
Baal HaSulam, Matan Torah [The Giving of the Torah], Item 12
While man’s very essence is only to receive for oneself. By nature, we are unable to do even the smallest thing to benefit others. Instead, when we give to others, we are compelled to expect that in the end, we will receive a worthwhile reward.
Baal HaSulam, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”
The equal side in all the people of the world is that each of us stands ready to abuse and exploit all the people for his own private benefit with every means possible, without taking into any consideration that he is going to build himself on the ruin of his friend.
Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”
The nature of each and every person is to exploit the lives of all other people in the world for his own benefit. And all that he gives to another is only out of necessity; and even then there is exploitation of others in it, but it is done cunningly, so that his friend will not notice it and concede willingly.
Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”
It is a natural law for any being, that anything outside one’s own body is regarded as unreal and empty. And any movement that a person makes to love another is performed with a Reflected Light, and some reward that will eventually return to him and serve him for his own good. Thus, such an act cannot be considered “love of another” because it is judged by its end. It is like rent that finally pays off. However, the act of renting is not considered love of another.
But making any kind of movement only as a result of love for others, without any spark of Reflected Light, and no hope for any kind of self-gratification in return, is completely impossible by nature.
Baal HaSulam, Matan Torah [The Giving of the Torah], Item 13
Regarding the term “egoism,” I am not referring to the original egoism. Rather I am referring primarily to the narrow egoism. This is because the original egoism is only self-love, which is its entire positive, individual force of existence. In that respect, it does not altogether contradict the altruistic force, although it does not serve it.
However, it is in the nature of egoism that as it is used, it becomes extremely narrow, for it is more or less obliged to take on the nature of hatred and exploitation of others, in order to ease one’s own existence. That does not refer to abstract hatred, rather to what is revealed in acts of exploitation of one’s friend for one’s own benefit, becoming increasingly foul according to its degrees, such as cunningness, theft, robbery, and murder. This is called “narrow egoism,” and in that respect it contradicts and is the complete opposite of the love of others. This is the negative force that destroys the society.
Baal HaSulam, “The Nation”