CONNECTING TO GOODNESS
The International Academy of Kabbalah invites you
To the international Kabbalah Congress
Which will take place in Israel on February 2 – 4, 2009

The eighth international Kabbalah Congress opens its doors to 6,000 students from 52 countries. This year’s Congress will be devoted to revealing a new, globalized world. It will be dedicated to unity, which will elevate this small “global village” above the flood of crises and into the spiritual world – unity with Nature or the Upper force.

All information and registration for the Congress is available at the Congress Blog.

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A conversation between the Little Prince and a businessman (from the book The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, cited at home.pacific.net):

“And what do you do with five-hundred millions of stars?”

“Nothing. I own them.”

“And what good does it do you to own the stars?”

“It does me the good of making me rich.”

“And what good does it do you to be rich?”

“It makes it possible for me to buy more stars, if any are ever discovered.”

Nevertheless, he still had some more questions.
“How is it possible for one to own the stars?”

“I administer them,” replied the businessman. “I count them and recount them…”

The little prince was still not satisfied.
“If I owned a silk scarf,” he said, “I could put it around my neck and take it away with me. If I owned a flower, I could pluck that flower and take it away with me. But you cannot pluck the stars from heaven…”

“No. But I can put them in the bank.”

“Whatever does that mean?”

“That means that I write the number of my stars on a little paper. And then I put this paper in a drawer and lock it with a key.”

“The grown-ups are certainly altogether extraordinary,” he said simply, talking to himself as he continued on his journey.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Don’t Envy the Billionaires
Laitman.com Post: Baal HaSulam on Human Nature

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Yesterday, from 4:00pm until 5:15pm, we continued with our virtual lesson series. I gave the fourth lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot.”

 Watch the Lesson [1:00:25m]: Play Now | Download
 

 Listen to the Lesson [1:00:25m]: Play Now | Download
 

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Two questions I received on religious observance:

Question: Weren’t the great Kabbalists such as Rav Ashlag , Moses Cordovero, and others religious? And why do you wear a Kippah (skullcap)!?

My Answer: You must distinguish between religion and a nation’s tradition or culture. When Baal HaSulam uses the word “religion,” he means only Kabbalah, which is for everyone. On the other hand, when he wants to speak about what we usually call “religion” in our world, he says “tradition” or “ethics (Musar).” See the article “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose.”

Therefore, Baal HaSulam writes that even after the full correction of the world, when everything will be revealed to all and there will be no place for faith (because “Everyone will know Me, from the smallest to the greatest”), the traditions will still remain as people’s culture. This is why I, who already live in this future, still respect the traditions of my nation, such as its holidays and other customs. This is also why I wear a Kippah (skullcap) and observe the rituals.

After the general correction of all souls in their earthly, bodily form, the souls will unite together into a one true soul of Adam on the level of the World of Infinity. At the same time the part of the souls that gives them a feeling of this world will also be corrected, and hence the perception of matter will also disappear. We will then continue to exist only in the form of the single soul of “Adam.”

Question: Why are there spiritual actions that we need to observe on the earthly level (such as Maaser, study, dissemination, and the group), as well as actions that we don’t have to observe physically (such as laying on the Tefillin)?

My Answer: Because actions such as Maaser, study, dissemination, and the group are real, whereas the others are still irrational for now, on your level, because you don’t yet have a screen to observe them. Regarding the actions that have a consequence in our world and the Upper World, each action is realized on its level and higher. The traditions should be observed by those to whom they belong by birth. This is one’s culture. Those from the nations of the world (non-Jews) who want to advance spiritually, don’t have to observe the corporeal traditions designated to Jews.

When you will gradually acquire a screen and start working with it, this is called observance of 613 commandments (correction of your intentions over 613 desires of the soul from “for yourself” to “for the Creator”) through 613 corrections (Tariag Eitin) and 613 fulfillments (Tariag Pkudin). You will start observing them yourself, as it is written, “A person’s soul teaches him.”

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Religion’s Place In Our Lives
Laitman.com Post: Why Does a Kabbalist Wear a Skullcap?
Kabbalah Today Article: A Mitzva
Baal HaSulam Article: “Building the Future Society”
Shamati #77: “One Learns from One’s Soul”

 Kabbalah Revealed, Episode 6: "The Screen" [25:04m]: Play Now | Download
 

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News Report (from AFP): A summit of Central American leaders on Friday agreed to adopt a common regional currency and passport, among other measures to bolster regional integration in the face of global financial uncertainty, they said in a statement.

My Comment: Integration is always a good thing. Hence, they will feel some improvement and rejuvenation. However, they should take care to ensure that in the aftermath, their integration won’t become opposite to the whole world, but will facilitate everyone’s unification.

News Report (translated from newsru.com): The Russian Federation’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, S. Lavrov stated that nations should cast aside their geopolitical games and work together to save the world from the financial crisis. Lavrov noted that salvation can only be collective, by creating a single economic space between Russia, the USA and the European Union. The global financial crisis has clearly demonstrated that international cooperation must come before politics if we are to overcome economic disasters.

My Comment: We’re beginning to see the good consequences of the crisis: hunger is compelling us to make peace with each other. Do you see how the Creator toys with us!? Whether by goodness or suffering, He will force us to grow up, stop playing war, and bring the world to happiness instead of destruction.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Countries Closest to Integration and Globalization Will Suffer Least from the Crisis

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Two questions I received on people who leave the study of Kabbalah:

Question: How should I regard a friend who has left the group and the study of Kabbalah?

My Answer: In Hebrew a “friend” is Haver, which comes from the word Hibur, connection. A connection is made only through equivalence of form, qualities, actions and goals. This person used to be like the other friends, but as soon as he left us, he stopped being like us and became different. Consequently, he is no longer a friend, because there is no connection. And therefore, he’s gone from my memory!

Even if I had a strong connection with him, it’s still so. There is no time in spirituality. Everything is determined by one’s state, or in other words, by the spiritual distance between two objects – the degree of their similarity.

Question: Lately we’ve had some cases of friends who leave the studies. How should we behave around these people? I want to continue being in touch with them, but can they do the same with me? Are there events they shouldn’t attend?

My Answer: You have to make arrangements so that all who have left will have an opportunity to keep in touch with the group and to return to it. The only exception are those who cause harm.

Sometimes a person grows weak along the path and stops participating in the joint movement of the group, but later he is reawakened and feels a renewed desire to attain the purpose of life. He then reconnects to the group. We are expanding in breadth, and hence we shouldn’t set rigid conditions for anyone. The people who “fluctuate” may participate in everything other than the making of decisions. For further details, please be in touch with the coordinators of the dissemination in English department at english@kabbalah.info.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Path Is Available to Everyone
Laitman.com Post: There Is No Coercion in Spirituality
Chapter from Book Spiritual Search: “Thirteenth Talk: Equivalence of Form”

 Shamati #6: What is Support in the Torah, Lesson 1 [01:04:30m]: Play Now | Download
 

 Introduction to the book of Zohar, Items 29-32 [01:18:30m]: Play Now | Download
 

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