What Names Should We Give To Children?

how-can-singularity-be-transformed-without-changingQuestions I received on our lecture series, symbols used in weddings, and names:

Question: I listened to a lecture series you gave on the “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah.” The last lesson, given on 11.21.08, ended with Item 121. Will you continue giving lectures on this topic?

My Answer: The regular study of the “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah” ends there because from that point on, it is better to continue studying Kabbalah using the book, Talmud Eser Sefirot. The material becomes extremely dense at that point – you can check this for yourself. In addition, this was my teacher’s custom.

Question: Please explain the Kabbalistic meaning of the symbols used in the Jewish wedding ritual: the Huppah (wedding canopy), the glass of wine, the ring, the money for the ring and the bride, the breaking of the glass, the Ketuba (marriage contract), and so on.

My Answer: These are all symbolic of the unification of the desire (vessel) with the right intention (screen) for the reception of Light (adhesion with the Creator). The Huppah is the screen, the wine is the Light of Hochma, the ring and the money is the effort to create a screen, the bride is the desire, the Ketuba is the condition for adhesion, and the breaking of the vessel or glass signify that the correction and unification begin with the revelation of the broken, egoistic desires. And the entire family life is the correction of the vessel.

Question: You wrote that the Torah contains all the names that have spiritual roots, that these are all names of spiritual forces, whether holy or evil ones. Out of these names, we should choose the “holy” ones to name our children. How do I know which names are holy?

My Answer: Use the names that have been given to children throughout the centuries.

Related Material:
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Ben Bernanke’s Forecasts Are Off

laitman_2009-03_79521A question I received: Yesterday I was watching the news and saw an economic forecast by Ben Bernanke, the person heading the development of the entire US economy. He said that if the banks will use the government-issued bailout money and pass it along to other businesses, the country can come out of the recession over the next year. What do you have to say about his forecast from the standpoint of Kabbalah?

My Answer: I believe that his predictions will not come true. What he said may happen for just a short period of time, because if you start giving out billions of dollars to people, and these people decide to purchase goods, this will create a deficit in the stores. The deficit will lead to new orders for the manufacturers, which will stimulate production for a short period of time. This will create new jobs and put money in people’s wallets.

But this won’t last long. After all, the problem is the lack of connection between people and our loss of control over the system of human relationships. These things cannot be corrected by infusions of money or the use of force.

Of course, everyone is free to speak their mind. However, the fact is, we exist in a new system of laws, where we cannot succeed by using the old methods. And whoever plans on using them is doomed to fail.

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We Are Bound Together Like Fish In A Net

upperWhat is the cause of the new situation we are in? Why is the connection between us being revealed? It is to reveal the connection between our souls. This net that binds people together is spiritual, and it is called Adam HaRishon, the common soul.

We are “caught” in it like fish in a net – this is how we feel because we do not desire this connection! However, if you will desire to be connected to everyone else by this net, it will become a pleasure for you. Why? Because through this mutual connection, you will attain the Upper Force and spiritual life.

You are already inside this net – it is Nature itself. And the financial crisis, as well as all the other crises that are happening in different areas, are there for us to become aware of the net we are in.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Spiritual Goal Is the Same for Everyone
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The Smart Way to Go Through Life

feedA person loses the actual concept of death immediately after crossing the Machsom, because the fact is, death doesn’t exist! Death is the feeling of emptiness inside our egoistic desires; it is when we find out that these desires will be empty forever. Therefore, if a person feels completely empty, he finds it easy to take his own life, since it is nothing but suffering for him.

Thus, the most important thing is to realize that there is no fulfillment inside the egoistic desires – and there never will be. However, it is possible to receive fulfillment inside the desire to bestow, and moreover – this fulfillment will be eternal and perfect.

No matter how hard a person works to fulfill his egoism, it’s all in vain – it’s like trying to fill a container with holes in it. No matter how much money you make or how hard you try to accomplish something, you soon discover that things like money, respect, power or knowledge all go away, disappear, leaving you with greater emptiness and disappointment.

The whole world is beginning to realize that money, fame, power, and all other competition will never bring good results. The only useful conclusion we can make from our personal experience and the entire history of humanity is that it’s useless to toil for our own egoism. After reaching this conclusion, a person begins to have a sensible outlook and understands that there is nothing to pursue and nothing to wait for. And there’s also no reason to despair: we just have to grasp the correct, real picture of the world. We have to recognize that the world is developing in a new way, where we are offered the highest opportunity – eternal fulfillment.

A smart person will not get himself into a deal that will leave him disappointed ten years down the line. Rather, he will see everything through beforehand and will carefully choose another, more correct path. Thus, we have to explain to the world that there is a short and easy path to the goal of creation. This will save everyone from unnecessary and lengthy suffering, which will end up bringing us to the same goal anyway.

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Being Chosen Is Not The Same As Being Superior

withoutA question I received: It’s possible that the Jews were the chosen people at one point, but I doubt this is still so. How are the Jews any better or worse than the other nations? This kind of thinking would be a display of egoism, wouldn’t it? Sure, you can quote the Torah, but the Torah also says that the Arabs were chosen by G-d, and G-d also promised to multiply them as the stars in the sky and put them above other nations. And we do see that they have multiplied as the stars and they also own oil.

My Answer: To be chosen means to be responsible for passing onto the world the method of the world’s correction – the science of Kabbalah. It does not mean to be superior to anyone. See Baal HaSulam’s articles, “The Revelation of Godliness (Matan Torah)” and “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee).”

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