Audio Version Of The Blog – 03.17.13

Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
Download: MP3 Audio
[audio:http://files.kabbalahmedia.info/audio/eng_o_rav_2013-03-17_declamation_blog-rav_full.mp3 title=’17.3.13′]

Fundamentals Of Kabbalah – 03.17.13

A Virtual Lesson on Fundamentals of Kabbalah

[media 1]  

An Idle Person Is Not A Human Being

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe global crisis leaves more and more people unemployed. This is not just for economic reasons. The consequences of over consumerism are becoming evident: How many more new products can appear on the market? How much more do we need to buy? There is an end to everything, including consumerism. The desires are changing and people don’t want all that any more.

In the next phase of our evolution, humanity will move on to spiritual work. Everything that we need corporeally will be easily provided by modern technology, scientists, engineers, and a small amount of service people who, by their nature, will be happy to deal with such things. But most people will have to make inner efforts and this will become their “occupation” on the next level of humanity. On the next spiritual level people will connect, be incorporated in one another, and our fictitious world will gradually “evaporate” and disappear, like a cloud on a clear day, until we will be left in a reality of true feelings. This is our evolution and there is nothing we can do about it.

So the world will have to be reorganized. We mustn’t ignore the unemployed. There are already quite a few studies that show how dangerous it is when a person has nothing to do. It leads to conflicts in the family and to divorce; we lose our humanity, and we lose the incentives and the commitments for things that need to be done. When a person doesn’t have to make any efforts, he becomes less than an animal.

Animals are busy doing something from morning to night: looking for food, for a mate, for a place to dwell, and taking care of their offspring. They use the “recreation time” for useful games by which they establish the right connections in the flock, the herd, etc. Have you ever seen an ant doing nothing like a football fan lying on the couch with a bottle of beer and a cigarette?

Today a person has to move to massive spiritual work, to establish the general mutual connection, and to reorganize society, and yet, in the meantime, we do nothing, preferring idle contemplations.

This terrible fall will cost us dearly. It will bring a heavy feeling of bitterness and a person will lose his mind and go wild. The lack of obligations prevents him from acting and leaves him empty, poisoning his consciousness. Besides, he loses his professional skills and the skills to communicate with other people. It’s as if everything in him sinks, disappears, and he turns into a “ghost,” a “zombie,” and not a human being.

This is what will happen to people who would remain idle if we don’t start dealing with them in an organized manner. The modern world believes in democracy and free elections, but what can we expect of the voters? Can they be rational and see things correctly in this situation? Eventually it will force the governments to make changes…
[102783]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/14/13, The Study of the Ten Sefirot

Related Material:
That’s The Way It Will Be
The Features Of Future Employment
It Is Freedom From Slavery, Not Unemployment

And Another Point Of Adhesion

Dr. Michael LaitmanReality is fixed; the Creator is good and benevolent and the world of Ein Sof (Infinity) is fixed. I, HaVaYaH, have not changed; the upper Light is in absolute rest, and everything depends only on the vessels, on our desires. So we shouldn’t wait for something to change in life.

Such an approach is only relevant for the general population who are under the domination of time. But the particular—who need to reveal the good and the benevolent upper force by themselves, that He is good and benevolent to the good and the evil, and that He is fixed and eternal—were given a chance to discover this not “in its time,” not in the natural course of the evolution of humanity, but above it by “hastening time.”

It says that “Israel is above the stars and the zodiac, by sanctifying (hastening) time.” Israel refers to a person who yearns for YasharEl (straight to the Creator), for His revelation, and is already invited to discover the fixed, eternal end of correction that already exists.

In order to do that, he has to rise above all the interruptions that tie him to time, above all the states that are revealed in the chain of Reshimot (spiritual genes) in order to raise them all, to “sanctify” them and to transfer them to wholeness. He should see every corrupt state that is revealed to him as an opportunity to work in order to turn it into a perfect state in which there is none else beside Him, the good and the benevolent, and where everyone exists as one bundle in connection, in mutual guarantee, and in unity.

Imagining this reality and living according to this approach is called working in “faith above reason.” This is all our spiritual work. This is why we were given the study, the group, and the books in order to correct our perception through them and to see the real world instead of the fictitious world that intentionally seems to us as real so that we will have a chance to make an effort and to build the truth out of this lie.

If we take this mission and build the whole of reality from every state, it means that we are following a straight line to the goal, called “adhesion.” Every new problem makes us yearn for adhesion with the Creator in another point and then another. Then all these points connect into a straight line that leads to our end of correction.

So we shouldn’t count on time and wait for the changes. Every moment is an opportunity for us to add to the whole picture and thus advance.
[102779]
From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/14/13

Related Material:
An Eternal Covenant That Constantly Regenerates
Until The Shadow Clears Away
Make Every Instant More Exalted

A “Clash of Civilizations”

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from MIT Technology Review): “The global pattern of e-mail communication reflects the cultural fault lines thought to determine future conflict, say computational social scientists.

“In 1992, the Harvard-based political scientist Samuel Hartington suggested that future conflicts would be driven largely by cultural differences. He went on to map out a new world order in which the people of the world are divided into nine culturally distinct civilizations. …

“Bogdan State at Stanford University in California and a few pals … have analyzed a global database of e-mail messages, and their locations, sent by more than 10 million people over the space of a year. State and co say that the pattern of connections between these people clearly reflects the civilizations mapped out by Huntington. In other words, the way we send e-mails is a reflection of the mesh of civilizations that is an important driver of future conflict. …
“This result provides evidence towards a division of the world into civilizational blocks following Huntington’s theory,” say State and pals.

“But there are other patterns too.  ‘The findings (unsurprisingly) support the idea that geography, transportation and administrative decisions are all important determinant of between-country communication: distance decreases density, as do visas, while direct flights increase it,’ say the researchers.

“And there are surprising results as well. For example, a common border between two countries actually reduces the communication density between them, perhaps because of increased tensions.  ‘These curious findings do raise the issue of potential problems with European integration, as well as of the higher potential for conflict between countries sharing borders, which may lead to less communication,’ say State and pals.”

My Comment: Global and personal egoism is constantly growing and becoming interdependent, which heightens contradictions further. It is impossible to isolate oneself. We can only follow the trend, indicated by nature, that is, to unite. This is possible only through the change of the human being, by our re-education. A method of correcting our egoistic nature is offered: integral education and upbringing.
[102862]

Related Material:
Europe’s Social Model Contradicts Integration
David Cameron: “Don’t Force Political Union”
Will Europe Reunite?

Don’t Remove The Nail That Holds All Of Creation

Dr. Michael LaitmanDon’t forget that our Kli (vessel, desire) is outside of us. It’s a shame to waste time  worrying about ourselves, on what goes in your inner borders since it’s all a lie and exists only because of the force of the breakage, the force of our ego that creates this picture for us.

Of course, it’s possible to live in this illusion for another few thousand reincarnations. But it is desirable, if you have reached an incarnation in which you are finally beginning to hear the truth that your “I” is not you, but is your imagination, that you rise above it; you were given an opportunity to do your best to realize it.

If you continue to think within your circle, then not only do you not approach the truth, but you also cause great damage to others. It’s as if you drill a hole in the bottom of the common boat. In this way you hurt others and all this damage is registered in your account.

We can’t calculate this damage exactly. It’s as if I took a specific nail for my house and then afterward suddenly discover that it is this precise nail that was missing in for the completion in the construction of a big and beautiful boat in which thousands of people were supposed to sail. And of course the damage that I caused is not estimated by a small nail but by the thousands of people who were damaged through my wrong-doing.

However, I don’t understand. What terrible thing have I done? I didn’t do anything bad to anyone! How could I know that this nail was so essential to them? But my lack of knowledge doesn’t clear the blame from me, and the court won’t take that into consideration. The judgment is very simple: the damage was caused to the general system. As is said, “The law was given and cannot be transgressed.”

It’s possible to apologize that you didn’t know and they didn’t tell you, but this account wasn’t arranged according to our calculations, but only according to the damage caused to society. Whether this was revealed to you or not, if you knew or not, is not taken into account. It should be remembered that judgment is merciless.
[102129]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/3/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

Related Material:
Everything Is Accurately Measured
I Am One With This World
The World Around Me: It’s Me Under A Magnifying Glass

If We Met Adam…

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How is it possible that in the world that is “made out of nothing” there appeared a methodology that describes the real nature that is opposite to the nature of creation? What serves as a bridge between the worlds and connects them?

Answer: 5772 years ago, there lived a man who was the first human being ever to ask himself: “What is going on in the world? Where does it come from and for what was it created? Who is the “boss” that governs this world? Why is it rotating around Him and together with Him?”

This person’s name was Adam. By asking these questions, he tried to solve the mystery and not only did he unravel the “secret,” but he also wrote a book, “The Secret Angel,” which means a “secret force,” since the word “angel” means “force.” From this book, we see exactly what he attained, felt, saw and described in his allegorical stories.

Adam started a whole galaxy of Kabbalists who described spirituality in an unprecedented and thrilling way. We feel the same things while reading their books, since the upper nature is unchangeable. It means that today contemporary Kabbalists who reveal the system of nature and the ones who lived five hundred, one thousand, fifteen hundred or even five thousand five hundred years ago (like Adam) talk about the same things.

They describe one and only one force that falls into many sub-forces which influence us and define everything that happens to us. This science is called “the wisdom of Kabbalah.” If I read a book that was written fifty, five hundred, fifteen hundred, or twenty five hundred years ago (for me, it’s the same!) there is no difference between them whatsoever. All of them describe the same things.

So, if I met the author who wrote a book four thousand years ago, let’s say Abraham, I would be able to easily speak with him about these topics and he would answer my current questions about what we should do and on what to concentrate. We would have no problem speaking with him since our questions and clarifications would be exactly the same and we would easily understand each other’s concerns, thoughts, and aspirations. He would understand our questions and give us thorough explanations that would be very apparent to us since we are dealing with eternal matter, the everlasting force, and perpetual movement. This is what the wisdom of Kabbalah is all about.
[102122]
From the Virtual Lesson 3/3/13

Related Material:
Malchut That Wanted To Attain Keter
Man Does Not Give Up
Kabbalah Without A Trace Of Mysticism

The Creator’s Presents

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What are “the Creator’s gifts?”

Answer: We give presents to someone we love, and we receive presents when there is no doubt that they come from love. I may feel that someone is giving me a present to repay me as a bribe.

This means that I must distinguish between a real and unselfish present that comes from the closeness that I already feel toward the giver who wants to make us both happy by the present and a present that is meant to buy me for a price and connect to me in order to use me later for one’s own interests. It turns out that the present can be because of the interests of the giver, because of my interests, or because of our common interests.

Several types of bestowal come to us from the Creator, and we call one of them a gift. As it is written, “He who hates gifts shall live,” but it refers to gifts for our ego, for the desire to receive fulfillment for free, since this is what the ego considers a gift.

The real present is “I labored and found.” A finding is also a kind of present since it is given to me out of love although I don’t deserve it. This means that it is not a direct outcome of my work, but rather, “I labored and found.” It isn’t a payment, but a present, a finding.

It is a very slight difference that is only understood by whomever purifies his vessels of perception (his senses) more and who then discovers different attributes to which he gives different names.

You can receive a present only if it helps you in the work. As it is written, “Open for me an opening like the eye of a needle” so that I can put a thread through it and start “sewing,” start working. This is how we are ready to receive a gift from the Creator since otherwise, we will not be able to get close to Him.

Therefore, the Torah is called a present since the Light in it reforms. So, I receive this present although I don’t deserve it, but, through this gift, I can correct myself and reach adhesion with the Creator. Eventually, I return to the Creator with this present as if I have taken it as a loan from His shop and am returning it.

It turns out that one of the types of receiving and bestowal is called a present.
[102753]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/27/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

Related Material:
Unexpected Gifts From The Creator
Four Stages Of Love
A Wicked Desire Is A Kind Gift

The Whole Truth About Kabbalah – Laitman Unplugged

Mutual Guarantee On The Net

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What allows the power of thought to help a person transcend his own nature? Why is the potential of the collective thought stronger than our nature?

Answer: We exist in nature on the levels of the still, vegetative, and animate nature and nothing more than that. Our desires are usually focused on food, sex, family, money, respect, domination, and knowledge. This is our nature.

On the other hand, I receive power from the environment that is on a higher level, on a spiritual level. If a collective thought dominates my environment, it will influence me by 100%.

Today we discover such phenomena: thoughts that wander around the world and pass from one person to another like viruses. They don’t simply “float in the air,” but are actually part of a connecting network that we don’t feel yet, although it ties us together very strongly.

Earlier, during the first stages of our evolution, the connection between us was weak and now its influence is revealed more strongly.

As a result, we now need electronic communication: cell phones, text messages, e-mails, video conferences, social networks… we haven’t quite penetrated the network, we haven’t actually reached it, but we already respond to its signals and are attracted to mutual communication. This is the root of modern technological communication.

Soon, however, we will leave all that since this network will prove its ineffectiveness. After all there is no point in external communication, in empty talk, “Hi, what’s up…” Our desire grows and the general network that connects us is increasingly revealed and at a certain point we will want higher quality communication. Then people will leave what they are so addicted to now. They will start to communicate only when they need to, and will give up all the “electronic babble” in search for a new channel that is above the ordinary discourse. They will yearn for an inner connection.

So if we influence each other correctly, we can already use the network between us now. After all, the souls are shattered with respect to themselves, but not in Malchut of Ein Sof (Infinity), and that is what we yearn for. So what’s the problem? Malchut is concealed from us by many Masachim (screens), but that doesn’t mean that we are not in it. The more we awaken the general network, the more we can operate it.

This is what we do through mutual guarantee. Therefore we need it for our correction. It is as if we are asked, “Are you ready to use the network that connects all of us for the sake of bestowal in a clear, correct, and appropriate manner?” This approach is generally called “mutual guarantee.”

Today people are closer to the recognition of this network than ever before. They are close to participating in it actively and consciously, so that they can resemble the Creator. After all, the “Creator” is the surrounding network that is filled with the infinite connection; this is how the Creator is revealed to us.

If I want to discover this network in advance, I “awaken the dawn” by myself, by trying to add exertion and feeling an increasingly greater responsibility towards the world, towards all of reality, including the Creator. If I am not ready and do not aspire to advance, then the network that is revealed “catches” me by surprise. This is the difference between the “path of the Torah” and the “path of suffering.”

Generally speaking, this whole network—with the different types of connections, with all the Lights, and all the details of perception and all the stages of revelation—is called “Torah.” By our mutual guarantee we activate it and encourage a greater revelation and this affects everyone.
[102669]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/12/13, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar

Related Material:
The Power Of Good Thought Is Breaking Into The World
The Internal Network: The Access Is Through The Desire
The Theory Of Internal Contact Between People