Watch Your Step Carefully

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Why do we have to work on the acceleration of time and advance in the path of the Light if suffering awaits us on it as well?

Answer: I do not feel suffering on the path of the Light, but I see suffering as a means of advancement. I view all the problems as help on the way. Thus, my internal flaws are manifested, although I see them as evils of the external world.

Someone attacks me, and I see this resistance as an opportunity to advance further. If I prepare myself correctly, then I will have no fear only joy. As Baal HaSulam writes, “I rejoice at the revealed flaws” because it means that they can be corrected.

You can always prepare yourself for any challenges. But if you have not prepared yourself by means of the group, your unity, the Surrounding Light that embraces you from all sides, then you will find yourself helpless because you will have neither the Light nor the force of the group. You will just want to run away from troubles because you will lack the means of resisting them.

You will have to restart work to mobilize strengths and fulfill all the conditions in order to overcome these obstacles. Perhaps, this will teach you for the future that you need to prepare in advance.

Question: Thus, on the path of the Light, I get blows, but they are qualitative rather than on the flesh?

Answer: You get not blows, but a good opportunity to advance! If an athlete is going to the Olympic games, he is not going there to relax and spend time idly at the bar, drinking a beer. He goes there to work hard, to exert himself both internally and externally. But, then he receives a medal.

The difference between the path of hastening and natural development is that on the path of the Light we prepare ourselves by all the available means to reach the goal faster. Even if currently I feel no pressure and I could rest, enjoy the peace, and relax a bit, but instead I am still intense. I ask myself, “Am I bringing the Creator pleasure now?” If not, then I suffer because I don’t bring Him joy.

I am like an old man, who walks bent and in advance looks for something he has not yet lost. I am constantly seeking: Where is my group, dissemination, studies, adhesion with the Creator? This is called the path of the Light and hastening, when I am preparing myself all the time. Then, I get small obstacles on the way: a stone lying on the road, a stick thrown, a pile of garbage. But I watch my step carefully and thus see these disturbances and step over them. It is not a problem for me. And if I had walked, with my nose up, I would have stumbled and fallen.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/28/13, Shamati #70 “With A Mighty Hand and Fury Poured Out”

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Audio Version Of The Blog – 11.01.13

Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
Download: MP3 Audio
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Bulgaria Convention “Dawn Of A New World” Day One – 11.01.13

Convention in Bulgaria “Opening,” Day 1,

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Convention in Bulgaria, Day 1, Workshop 1

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Convention in Bulgaria, Day 1, Lesson 1

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Convention in Bulgaria, Day 1, Workshop 2

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Convention in Bulgaria, Day 1, Lesson 2

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Religion Is A System Of Relations With The Creator

Dr. Michael LaitmanWhat is the essence of religion? Is it given for the benefit of the created beings or for the benefit of the Creator? Where is the reward that it promises, in this world or in the next world?

As Baal HaSulam writes in his article “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose,” no one knows the right answers to these questions. In their delusions, people do not understand what is called “religion.”

Religion is the human attitude to the upper force that controls all of nature. It would appear that since it controls everything and I am here against my will, that there is nothing we can do about it. However, apparently our relationship with it is such that I can do something myself: to escape the evil or to seek good. In short, if I develop the correct attitude to its influence on me, then I can change something in my life.

So a certain connection extended by the human being to the upper force, and accordingly, by the upper force to the human, is called “religion.” Thus, “religion” is a system of bilateral relations between the Creator and created beings.

The problem is that no one is familiar with this system; everyone is mystified about it. Some take one wrong direction, some take another. Some assert that the Creator is one thing, and some another. Everyone is confused in his own way, and no one knows where the truth lies, where a reward is, and what kind of reward. On the contrary, we do not see in our world that someone has a good life, and in the end, everyone suffers. And the future world is hidden in the fog; this is what they “sell” us…

As a result, we have one big mess with religion. The fact is that this confusion has encompassed all the modern generation. If religion had given us answers to the questions that affects our existence, if it had explained how to live in the world, earning and achieving success in this world and the future world, how to get along with each other, of course we would have observed religious canons. But since religion does not give answers, people leave it. A person becomes weaker and leaves its framework, even if he continues to follow it as a formality.

This is an internal disagreement; a departure from religion is called the “fall of generations” and it is given, and you cannot argue with it. The reason is that we have not received correct answers to the age-old questions from religion and do not know what it represents in reality.

Of course, no one is to blame, and no one can be reproached. This is the process; the program of creation should be realized in us in this way, bringing us to the moment when we finally ask ourselves the three questions listed above. If we answer them correctly, we will know what “religion” is; in other words, how we can build the right relationship with the upper force. And as a result, we may be able to get pleasures in this world and in the future world, for our own benefit and for the benefit of the Creator.

Either way, we should clarify, resolve, this problem. In any case, we are under some higher power, and we need to find out what the proper relationship with it is. This promises benefits, and that is why we need to achieve this in a simple and practical way.

This is the way we offer to a wide audience, “Let’s find out what nature is in this world we live in.” In  Gematria, the meaning of nature (הטבע) is the same as the word “God” (אלה – ים). We all live in this “bubble,” and day by day it threatens us more and more: on the level of the still, vegetative, and animate nature, as well as in human relationships. It is enough that scientists today predict all kinds of natural disasters. Who knows what lies ahead? In general, we see that nature, that is, the Creator, shows us not the friendliest attitude. There is something to improve upon. Let’s see whether we are able to do it. Obviously, it is in our hands.

This check is certainly worthwhile. We need to find out what our attitude toward God, or toward nature,  should be . It will definitely benefit us.
[119132]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/28/13, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Setting An Example Of Unity

Dr. Michael LaitmanWhen we go out to the public we encounter different problems. People can be against us, behave rudely, and resent our actions, and even try to use physical force against us.

We have to prevent all this in advance and to set an example of unity. The force of unity and togetherness has to stem from us.

We have one desire: to unite and to connect with everyone. So if we encounter extreme reactions or different problems when we come out to the public, we still have to avoid them. We cannot be involved in any incidents, since no matter whether you win or lose, it is undesirable when people attribute acts of violence to you.

Even if you are 100% right, you shouldn’t show your power, since unity by such forceful actions sullies us no matter what. It isn’t worth it! When you pass by someone who smells bad, the smell also sticks to you.

So we should under no circumstances act rudely or get involved in any confrontations. We have to try to have people on our side, as it says: “The words of the wise are heard calmly.” Only then will people begin to listen to what you say.

But if it involves rude actions, even if you are forced to be involved in them (and you will be given such situations on purpose), try to avoid them, and to step away from them. Don’t think that you seem weak by that. On the contrary, you are showing how tasteless and pointless these actions are.

Effective actions are actions that provide me with the right formation of the field in which the Creator can dwell, and this field is good and friendly; it is love and inner guidance. This, of course, doesn’t mean that we have to agree with all those who confront us on purpose and who are against us. But we don’t have to reach such a level of resistance when we confront them in order to use their tricks and to be like them.

So every action has to be examined from the perspective of how helpful it is to our unity and connection. We have to place ourselves exactly on the opposite side of the actions that are meant to provoke us.

I hope that we will be able to find the right way, the right stream, when all our actions are aimed through each of us, through our unity and connection, to the center of the group and concentrate there in expectation for the revelation of the Creator in order to delight Him. Good luck to all of you!
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From a Talk About Dissemination 10/17/13

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One’s Location Determines His Work Conditions

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: The massive dissemination action in Israel makes us feel jealous and there is a feeling that we are doing something wrong in Russia. This leads to arguments in the groups.

Answer: I am asking you all not to take Israel as an example since there are unique conditions here: We have a TV channel that enables us to reach many people, and it is a relatively free country so we can actually do whatever we want to.

But there is also a massive force here that opposes us and we have to accept it according to the condition that the force of the action equals the force of resistance. If we can print newspapers freely and give them out, appear on our private TV channel and broadcast live shows, it is given to us according to the force and the efficiency that we have to attain here in order to penetrate the shell, the interruptions. This is fulfilled in a different manner in every country.

I am sure that the conditions that were created all over the world match the force of action and the resistance precisely. The Creator always creates such optimal conditions so that you will be able to do whatever you can and whatever can be done in a specific place. These are the efforts that create the vessel in which you will be able to feel the Creator.

We shouldn’t think that it could be easier and better in one place and that you could be more successful there. Absolutely not! As it says: “He who changes his location, changes his luck.” It is because when you change your location the upper Providence operates on you in a totally different manner, according to the specific conditions you are in.

So you shouldn’t envy one another in this sense. You should learn from one another and help one another, but not envy one another! It is impossible to change certain given conditions to different conditions.

When I visit the U.S., I see that the conditions there are totally different than in our country, but if our friends choose the work style correctly, they still have the same opportunities to discover the Creator just like in any other place on the globe.

We are all under the supervision of the upper Providence, so you should under no circumstances put yourself in someone else’s place. This is very wrong. It all depends on the upper Providence that operates that way on each of us and we shouldn’t envy one another. Every person has his own soul, his own fate, his own place, and his own inner and external conditions, and we should just give him a chance to implement them correctly. We must remember and care about that.
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From a Talk About Dissemination 10/17/13

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People Are In Favor Of A Police State

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from infowars.com): “After illustrating their enthusiasm for repealing the Bill of Rights, a video shows Americans happily signing a petition to support a ‘Nazi-style Orwellian police state,’ in what easily represents the most shocking footage of its kind to date.

“Citing issues with how the government shutdown has impacted the ability of the police to ‘keep the community safe,’ Dice tells San Diegans that there is a need to ‘increase the Orwellian system.’

“‘Not a problem,’ responds one man as he signs the petition.

“‘We just want to model it after the Nazi Germany system to keep people safe and secure,’ Dice tells another individual. …

“The standard bearer for using satirical petitions to illustrate how misinformed Americans really are stretches all the way back to 1990, when it was repeatedly proven that people would sign petitions to ban water, but only if it was renamed “dihydrogen monoxide.” Penn and Teller reproduced the social experiment in 2003 when they were successful in getting environmentalists to sign a similar petition.

“However, Dice has proven that some element of trickery is no longer necessary to convince Americans to support ludicrously draconian policies.

“He quite clearly spells it out to them on numerous occasions what they are supporting – an Orwellian police state modeled on Nazi Germany.”

My Comment: Personal safety is much more important for our egoistic nature than some imagined freedoms. Naturally, first it is necessary to ensure human safety, food, shelter, family, security, and they provide them personal and social freedoms—this is the pyramid of our needs (according to the principle “No flour, no Torah”). This should be considered during the dissemination of integral education and upbringing.
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A Very Simple Instrument To Measure The Creator

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Should we disseminate the wisdom of Kabbalah among Orthodox people or among those who engage in all sorts of mystical practices?

Answer: Absolutely not! We have to keep away from any religious environment since our opinions are very different. They believe in miracles, in life after death, in mystic revelations, in forces that are external to this world, while we believe in the one force of nature. We are complete materialists. The wisdom of Kabbalah is not a religion but rather a science of attaining the one force of nature.

This force is called the Creator, God, but there is nothing mystical about it. In a much later stage humanity has distorted everything and turned it into religions, since it couldn’t find this attribute anywhere. It is bodiless, it is unidentified and unfelt. This is the force behind all the corporeal objects. But how can we define it? It is impossible!

There is no instrument that can perceive it, since it isn’t magnetism, it isn’t the global field of gravity, it isn’t electrostatics, and it isn’t x-rays. This “nothing,” how can you define it and discover it? Where can you find a detector for the revelation of the force called the Creator?

There is no detector except you. You can perceive it without any external instruments but only inside you. How can you do that? When you become sensitive to the perception of this force, according to your equivalence of form to it, you will begin to perceive it. Just like a moving needle of an instrument, so will the needle on the scale of Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, Yechida, move according to the level of your ego, to the extent that it is equal to this force.

A Very Simple Instrument To Measure The Creator
If you rise above your ego, you will be able to use it like a spring. The current that goes through the coil turns it into a magnet that pulls the needle, the needle moves to a certain division: Nefesh, Ruach, Haya, Yechida, and we can see the measurements that this instrument indicates.

The spring that brings the needle back to zero is our ego. The force that pulls the needle in the opposite direction from the spring is the Masach (screen), our connection and resemblance to the Creator. Thus we can see the measurements on the scale. It is a very simple instrument.

At the same time our scale is not unchanging. The distance between Nefesh and Ruach is small. The distance between Ruach and Neshama is much greater. It is like the distance between the Earth and the moon, or between the Earth and the sun, between the Earth and the next galaxy. And astronomical progress is created according to our ego, which advances much more, and the Light of the Creator that operates and influences us much more strongly.

This means that we engage in the science of measuring the Creator inside us. I am the instrument, the measuring head. Everything is very simple.

In the free state of egoism, the spring sets the needle on zero. But if there is current going through the coil, the needle moves from zero. We need a source of energy in the network for that, a battery and a switch, a relay. The battery with the switch is the Creator, and the magnetic coil is the center of the group. The center of the group draws the Light into it and this creates in us the conditions for the presence of the Light.

The correcting Light, the Surrounding Light, is concentrated in the center of the group. The needle indicates the Inner Light, according to the level of the ego, the Aviut (thickness).
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From the Talk about Dissemination 10/22/13

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Our Victory Depends On Our Faith

Dr. Michael LaitmanI hope that we will all feel the need for the external evil force that forces us to connect. Without it we have no need to connect and there cannot be one. We cannot reach the intensity of connection that is needed to discover the Creator in it by ourselves. So I am glad that we are being bitterly attacked. In fact, the attackers are powerless, but they confuse us and force us to be concerned.

We mustn’t remain indifferent. We have to react accordingly, but with the help of the force of the Torah. We only need the Light that Reforms to connect us. We only need the Creator to enter us like glue that connects us and to pass us the power of unity. He is the one who sends us all these wolves, all these barking dogs, so that we will connect more strongly.

Only if we understand and become aware of it will we win big time. We will really be the last egoistic generation in the world. I am very glad to see what is happening and I expect many struggles in the future. I expect our ego to undergo all these blows like the ten plagues of Egypt and that they will bring us to cry out strongly and by that to finally come out of the dark, out of Egypt. This goal is already very close.

Let’s focus on it with all our mind and heart, and remember everything that we have learned and support one another. You are great special people who were chosen by the Creator for this great mission, to fulfill the connection among us. The upper force that will be revealed in this connection will defeat all our enemies. We only have to raise our hands in prayer and to enable the Creator to operate among us. Then we will win the war between Moses and Pharaoh with the help of Moses’ hands, the hands of faith.

This is exactly how we have to accept all the events that the Creator is sending us in order to check the connection between us, in order to bring us closer to one another. He evokes different concerns, dangers, questions, and doubts in us, but the salvation is only in the connection between us. Everything happens only so that we will connect. There is no evil force in the world. Pharaoh is meant to bring the children of Israel closer to our Father in Heaven, and this is what is happening to us. The sooner we understand that the faster we will advance towards the goal.

We will leave the slavery in Egypt with “great property” if we grow stronger, connect, and understand that all the interruptions were only beneficial for us. It’s the Creator’s help that is now being fulfilled. I am glad to see everything that is happening and bless the evil more than the good. The evil can influence us much more than the good. So I hope that the force of resistance can shake each of us and push us all to connect.

Baal HaSulam, Letter 10: Do what you can and the salvation of the Lord is as the blink of an eye. The most important thing before you today is the unity of friends. Exert in that more and more, for it can recompense for all the faults. This is because it’s in the connection that we discover the upper force.

So everything that happens to us is only in order to force us to connect. Anyone who feels an urge to escape, to draw away, to hide, and to protect himself must understand that the Creator is sending him all these difficulties on purpose in order to help a person do some soul searching. It’s great that he feels all the evil forces since he has to focus on the center of the group, above these evil forces. It’s only there that we discover the force that will pull us out of Egypt and save us.

We don’t engage in corporeality or in any games. This is a spiritual matter. We have to raise ourselves to the level on which the account is settled with us. The events that we go through are very different from what happens to other people since the Creator has very special demands of us and sends us these interruptions on purpose. It’s all only in order to help us connect.
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From the Talk during the Meal 10/18/13

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If Only I Didn’t Feel Myself…

Dr. Michael LaitmanOur desire is created by the inverted seal of the Light and that is why if it feels only itself, it is a horrible sensation, a feeling of unfilled void, an abyss. I simply can’t feel only myself for I cannot live without being filled! It is called Nukva, from “Nekev” (a hole), a hollow will to receive, which needs to be filled.

The Creator is perfection and does not require anyone. It is complete rest and idleness. He is absolutely immutable; He doesn’t need to move and act. But the poor created being (will to receive pleasure, desire, need for the Light) feels totally miserable and can’t find rest until it receives the sensation of perfection. It exists in constant fear and awe, and in search for the lacking fulfillment.

After all, the Light (perfection, the Creator) has stamped itself in the matter (desire) in an inverted form, like a seal and its mold, thereby having produced in the will to receive the need for the Light. Our form is opposite to the Creator, so the nature of the created being is so miserable; if only it didn’t have to feel itself and all its desires, aspirations, and thoughts, which are all about fulfillment.

We are always running after the Creator, the Light. But when a desire is revealed in us at its tiniest, lowest level, we, instead of the Light, envision material fulfillment through wealth, power, fame, sex, food, and family. And if a greater desire awakens in us, from a higher level, we aspire to knowledge and evolution. And when a still greater desire gets revealed within, I start feeling that I lack spirituality.

We always act in the will to receive, from desires of our world to the equivalence to the Creator.
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From 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/8/10, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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