Good Environment – 10.02.11

My Good Environment – Dr. Laitman’s Advice and Principles for the Week
 

Transition From Material Psychology To The Spiritual

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the past, Kabbalists who wished to reveal the spiritual world had to start in our world and work through it, through various sciences, with enormous efforts and suffering, meaning they had to pull themselves directly from matter itself to the revelation of the spiritual world and reveal the correct system of connections between people.

But then the compositions of the Ari were revealed, in which he explains about the inner connections that unite us through various special systems of relationships: ZON, YESHSUT, Aba ve Ima, Arich Anpin, and so on. By that he explains to us what forms of connection we can be in, how their different connections influence us, and how we can influence them ourselves and awaken these forms of connection. What happens there is the same thing as in our world, but in the quality of bestowal.

Just like in our world where we are able to activate certain types of connections so they would in turn begin influencing us, the same net of relationships connects us in the spiritual world as well, except that it is more internal. Thus, we go from materialistic psychology to the spiritual one, and then we reveal the true connection between the souls, the people living now and the people who lived before. It does not matter whether a person exists in this world right now or not. What’s important is to tune into this net. Then it’s as if our world evaporates, loses its importance because it is just an external imprint through which we have to enter inside.

The Ari described all of this, and the Baal Shem Tov taught how to work with all of the soul’s loyalty (Mesirut Nefesh), saying, “The Creator is your shadow.” And now, after all of this, by working in the group (which was restored by Baal Shem Tov anew, after Rashbi) we can draw the Light that reforms from this net. We do not simply attain it with our desires and forces, but attract an illumination called the Light that reforms, the Light of the Torah, the Surrounding Light, to ourselves from above, from this net.

After all, if we study the structure of this system and aspire to it all together, wishing to organize the same forms of connection among us, then it doesn’t even matter whether we understand it or not—our effort will awaken the influence of this force upon us.

It’s just like in our world: If we want to attain any system, then we become part of it, study it in various forms, and gradually begin to feel it. Suddenly, a picture of this system comes together inside of us and we understand what this is and how it is possible to connect and work with it. The same thing happens in the spiritual world: Only a person’s intention changes. When he becomes included in the upper system, he does it for the sake of bestowing himself to this system. The more he becomes included in it, the further he advances toward revealing it.

This requires great work with the teacher, the friends, the whole world, and the studies. All of this connects together.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/2/11, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Rabash’s Successors

Dr. Michael LaitmanIt so happened that Baal HaSulam conveyed his entire method to his oldest son, Rabash (Rav Baruch Ashlag) by virtue of the son annulling himself before his father. But it wasn’t easy to carry out this self-nullification because the father did not make any concessions to his son.

Otherwise, Rabash would not have been able to make enough efforts, or to express firmness and decisiveness in attaining the goal. Baal HaSulam carried himself very harshly, but his son was nevertheless able to give up everything and annul himself. However, this was not easy, and that was precisely for the reason that he was Baal HaSulam’s son.

That is why Rabash was able to realize the hopes his father put upon him. There were only singular and outstanding examples of this in history: Abraham, Rashbi, and Baal HaSulam.

Today we are celebrating Rabash’s memorial day—the anniversary of his death, and let us hope that we will merit fulfilling the same conditions and cleaving to his teaching. It’s not an accident that our organization calls itself “Bnei Baruch,” which means the sons of Baruch.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/2/11, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Can’t See The Result? Fix The Scale

Dr. Michael LaitmanI always have to look for ways to go against my ego. If I address the group properly, I feel rejection. It is not coming from the group itself, it’s inside me. I feel that I don’t want to connect with them or participate in the gatherings of friends; I don’t want to embrace them or see them at all. I do it because everyone else is doing it, and I feel uncomfortable.

In reality, I’m fed up with this. I want to quit studying and leave the group. I see that this doesn’t yield any result. But it doesn’t yield any result for my ego, that’s true! When the truth starts unfolding, I see that I will not get any profit for my ego.

And after this revelation many people run away because they can’t perceive this correctly or understand that they are weighing this on the egoistic scale. This is the place in which they have to make up for this lack with faith above reason, connect with the environment no matter what, and open themselves up to it, demanding a spiritual awakening.

This is the exact point at which our spiritual work begins, and those destined to run away do it here. Those who stay are those who either have a special role in the general system, or those who can truly exert themselves. A person doesn’t know what’s happening to him yet, but will later reach a correct spiritual calculation.

That’s why it is said that in the place where sinners will stumble, fall, and disappear from the horizon, the righteous will rise and go on.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/22/2011, Shamati #240

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Verification

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Is there a way to check what effect the environment has on my inner state?

Answer: You can judge this by the extent to which you want to connect to them. This is called the influence of the environment. After all, I reveal spirituality through my connection with them. I exist in them, in the connection between us, and not in my animal body.

It is said that one finds spirituality “within himself.” Not within the animal, but within the system of connections that I build and am connected to. Through my inclusion into all of them, I reveal the general quality of bestowal, which constitutes the revelation of the Creator.

Based on this I check to what measure the environment inspires me towards the importance of the connection, unity, greatness of the Creator (which dwells between us), and love towards friends as a fundamental law of the Torah? If I clarify this state and this reality more and more, I’m advancing correctly.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/28/2011, Writings Of Rabash

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Fundamentals Of Kabbalah – 10.02.11

A Virtual Lesson on Fundamentals of Kabbalah
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

The Only Method To Change Oneself

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How should I relate to material pleasures?

Answer: You need to think about nothing else but how to bow your head and become included in the correct environment. After all, we are designed particularly for this; we were born and exist in this world only for this purpose. And this is especially true in our time! Therefore, in our life there is no other goal, action, or calculation except to adhere to the environment that can lead me to a connection called mutual bestowal and guarantee.

If I suddenly find such an environment and I am brought into it, it is organized from Above. This is how the Creator helped Abraham to gather people and create a nation. We receive this example of building the environment and society from our teachers, from Kabbalists; however, it is built from Above as we cannot do it ourselves. But once there is some initial state, we need to strengthen it and invest our effort into this society.

We evaluate and check ourselves according to this criterion. All our work is only relative to the society: To what extent do I want to get the force of bestowal out of it, which will change me?

A person cannot change anything in himself. The problem is that we get confused and hope to change ourselves. A person thinks: “Now, I will check myself, I will gather all my strength and change!” But this is impure work called idol worshipping because I see in myself the Creator’s forces and believe that I will be able to do something without Him.

In reality, I have only one freedom: to stick to the right environment.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/28/2011, Writings Of Rabash

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Altruism Is Precise Calculation

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe must correct our system so that it becomes similar to the Creator, bestowal, Nature. Today, there is no shortage of studies that show that capitalism is a kind of temporary outbreak of the egoistic disease, the end of which we are witnessing today. This is particularly evident in the economic crisis and environmental disasters.

It cannot continue like this. It would be another thing if we had inexhaustible natural and energy resources. However, we don’t. We are wasting the last and driving ourselves to a standstill: The gap between rich and poor grows, society is destroyed, and the Earth becomes a less hospitable place.

We mistakenly believe that we can build a correctly functioning egoistic system. Americans were drunk with this idea and intoxicated everyone with it. The American Dream was successful because they were living in debt to the world and even boasted about their “success”: “Look how cleverly we can steal, how beautifully we can lie. Just take a look what kind of life we have at your expense.” In fact, here is what was behind their abundance. And Europe followed the same path.

The whole problem is that we are always looking for cheap resources. Once, there were slaves, but then they ceased to be efficient. Then, the exploitation of the peoples of newly discovered lands began, and that was used as a market as well. We always acted at someone else’s expense; we constantly robbed and took advantage of somebody, be they slaves, the indigenous people of Asia, Africa, America, serfs, and so on.

That was the factor of development, the lie which saturated the entire system and reached the money itself. The dollar became an international currency, and industry and commerce intertwined in such a cunning scheme that people around the world work for Americans.

Where is the limit? Today, we have exhausted the capacity of cheaper resources. There are no more slaves and undeveloped countries. Everything is heading towards the point of breaking the principle of cheapness. There is no more cheap labor or cheap energy. It is time to realize what is happening. If we want to survive, we must judge everything fairly.

That is why the world faces the problem of fair distribution. People everywhere are waking up to this requirement. However, in reality, it means that everyone deserves only as much as he has invested for the benefit of humankind. Relying on the principle of egoism, you will get nothing. Soon, we will discover that no one can receive anything from anyone egoistically. Just imagine where the world is heading: The system of mutual guarantee is disclosed, which requires reciprocity and bestowal.

This does not mean that you should scatter the wealth to the right and left. No, we build everything on the basis of reciprocity; we do not make concessions for the sake of concessions, but are guided by the considerations of true justice. All our previous systems will not apply. We are facing a full-scale system failure, and economic problems are only its first signs. As a result, we will have to agree that justice, reciprocity, and mutual guarantee are the only way.

Baal HaSulam writes about “the altruistic system.” But you should not think that it will undo all the calculations. Conversely, altruism is an exact calculation, leaving no loopholes: Everyone receives according to his investment. And the one who does not invest effort is left with nothing. If everyone around is an altruist, this doesn’t mean that I will be fed “for nothing.” After all, we are talking about the law of nature. The Creator is the greatest altruist, but have you gotten something good from Him? On the contrary, only troubles.

It is said: “The Creator has made them one against the other.” Both forces, the positive and the negative, are extremely tough and aggressive. And thus, in the future society, I cannot be idle at the expense of others.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/28/2011, “The Nation”

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Questions On Inner Work And Current Events

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Please clarify the meaning of this this sentence: “The greatest hero is the one who turns his hater to a friend” (the post: “The Illness Is Clear: It’s Time to Treat It“). Does it mean that when one receives hatred from someone, one shouldn’t connect with that hatred, but leave it untouched so that it returns to the sender?

Answer: One should reach a sensation that everything comes from the Creator, and hence, everything has a place in the world, while we can correct the world only by our own correction.

Question: In the post “Join The Work,” you call for everybody to create a “declaration of intentions.” Where can we send it to?

Answer: Please send it by email to the “Arvut” (Mutual Guarantee) movement.

Question: No matter how I sympathize with the suffering of any country, nation, and so on, I’m not sure it relates to Kabbalah since according to Bnei Baruch, Kabbalah has nothing to do with the corporeal world. Is it not better to stay within the limits you describe in the forums?

Answer: Kabbalah talks about the correction of man in this world and his ascent, in his sensations, to the upper world or dimension. This is happening namely today and namely in real events. See Baal HaSulam’s articles “Mutual Guarantee,” “The Peace,” and “Messiah’s Horn.”

Question: These articles should stop. Did you not see President Obama tell Israel that we, the US, would always stand by them. Why is this topic being brought to the attention of the world when this is not true?

Answer: Politics has nothing to do with the truth.…
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Has Western Capitalism Failed? Part 2

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion: (Lord Desai, Member of the House of Lords, emeritus professor at the London School of Economics): “Capitalism is alive and well, but not in the Western countries – it has migrated eastwards.

“Russian capitalism is somewhat old and in need of urgent repair, but the spirit of capitalism – risk-taking, saving, investing, hard work – all those virtues have now migrated and are happily ensconced in China, India, Indonesia, Korea and Japan – the countries which we never thought would ever get out of poverty.

“Western capitalism probably had half a century of over-indulgence – continued prosperity, full employment, almost guaranteed growth – and that in its turn meant that our costs went up and manufacturing industry migrated abroad, while finance has proved to be a fickle friend.

“We will have to rethink our model, our values, we will have to acquire old-fashioned virtues, because capitalism is not going to go any time fast.

“If Asia has vigorous energetic capitalism and we have tired old capitalism, we will end up paying a huge price and we will trade our prosperity for their prosperity.

“It changes its form, it migrates, it is fully global. Now we at last understand what globalization means – it means we are just as important as anyone else. If we don’t work very hard, we will lose our importance.

“That is the lesson of the contemporary world.

“Capitalism lives through crisis. That is how it renews and invigorates itself.

“For our bad luck, capitalism has renewed itself by migrating eastwards. We are left with the debris and we have to do something to get ourselves out this crisis but that will have to be in the spirit of capitalism, not against it.”

My Comment: Here, the economist does not see the end of the previous stage of development not only of the economy but  in society as a whole, but rather sees only a temporary crisis. The cause of this error is that people are not familiar with the general plan of nature, which can be fully revealed only through the science of Kabbalah. That is why Kabbalah has many opponents, but gradually, as society develops, they will see the light.
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