We will now explain the third principle. Although the Zohar deals with each and every world with respect to the sefirot which are the Divinity that illuminates into that world, and similarly with all details – mineral, vegetable, animal, and speaking creature (human) – which are the created beings in that world, the focus of the Zohar is only on the speaking beings of that world.
I will share a parable with you involving entities from this world. It was explained earlier (in the Sulam 's Hakdama LeSefer HaZohar, section 42) that the four aspects, mineral, vegetable, animal, and speaking, which are in each and every world, even in this world, are four parts of the will to receive, and each of them also contains within itself these four aspects, mineral, vegetable, animal, and speaking. Thus, a person in this world must receive nourishment and grow from the four aspects of mineral, vegetable, animal, and speaking that are in this world. For a person’s food also contains these four aspects, which are drawn from the four aspects of mineral, vegetable, animal, and speaking that are in a person’s body. These are: a) He wants to receive the indispensable means needed for his subsistence, in order to exist; b) he wants more than the indispensable means needed for his subsistence and yearns for luxuries; only this is limited to merely animal lusts; c) he yearns after human lusts, such as honor and power; d) he yearns for knowledge.