The UN’s “Anti-Defamation” Plan Is In Line With The Book Of Zohar

combatIn the News (from WorldNetDaily):U.N. to make ban on criticizing Islam mandatory?” Muslim-dominated nations at the United Nations are once again pushing a religious “anti-defamation” plan that would bar worldwide, all criticism of their founder Muhammad and his teaching.

“The U.N. now wants to make that anti-blasphemy resolution, making it a crime to criticize religion, in particular, Islam,” reports CNN’s Lou Dobbs.

My Comment: It says in The Book of Zohar that during the times when Kabbalah – the method to revive the world – will be revealed, the Muslims will rise and desire to conquer the entire world.

Announcement: Our materials are now available in Arabic. You can also contact us at arabic@kabbalah.info

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We Cannot Please The Creator Until We Attain The Absolute Pleasure

it-all-comes-back-to-youA question I received: I often hear that it’s pointless to restrict our reception of corporeal pleasures since this does not affect our spiritual state. This sounds like permission to do whatever you like. If this is true, why then does the Creator send us feelings of remorse, self-loathing, disgust, or guilt when we indulge in certain pleasures? What if these pleasures are considered normal indulgences in our society, which at one time we deemed okay to delight in? Why the change in our definition of right and wrong if corporeal acts don’t matter?

My Answer: You are contradicting yourself. The Creator is a source of pleasure, and therefore His goal for creating all of creation is to please the creatures. Until we attain this, until we attain the absolute pleasure, we will not be able to please Him! Keep reading Kabbalistic texts and you’ll figure this out!

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Can We Eliminate The Illnesses That Afflict Us?

the-spiritual-goal-is-the-same-for-everyoneHere is letter I received from Dr. Angelov from Boston, USA (a doctor and a member of Bnei Baruch), providing an answer to the following question:

Is it possible to eliminate the illnesses that afflict us?

In order to answer this question, let’s first clear up what an illness really is. There is a sequence of cause-and-effect, going from the illness’s source to its expressions or symptoms. What do I mean? Our thoughts, which are disharmonious with nature, affect the central nervous system, which in turn affects the peripheral nervous system, which leads to a dysfunction in the cells. As a result, the cells function in opposition to the laws of nature, and this leads to the illness known as cancer. We say that the cause is stress, but in fact, the cause is the lack of harmony in our lives.

As soon as we’ll understand the laws of nature and begin following them, there will be no more reason for illnesses to emerge. We will then live in peace and happiness, without any illnesses or doctors.

What is a doctor, anyway? In Latin, Doctor means “teacher.” So, a doctor is someone who should teach people how to live without illnesses! How different is this definition from our present, egoistic medical system!?

We can learn the main law of nature from our cells: a healthy cell receives just the bare necessities, whatever is required for its livelihood, and gives to other cells as much as it can, taking care of the entire organism. The opposite of this is cancer, because a cell begins to live at the expense of other cells, killing the entire organism and consequently, dying itself.

The same thing happens in our society: we try to rise above others and we consume more in order to accomplish this. However, every illness has a “period of concealment,” when the illness is not clearly apparent yet. And when the crisis hits, the symptoms are already manifested very clearly; the society already has the cancer!

We must think about this. I am a doctor, and I would like to replace useless treatment with education, in order for everyone to be healthy and happy. What do you think?

My Comment: Baal HaSulam writes in the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar“:

As soon as egoism will disappear from the world, so will the causes of all the illnesses, as they are generated by it.

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The Rotting Russian Empire

reality

Two questions I received on the current state of the Russian government:

Question: How can the unification of the Russian government and the people of Russia be possible if sufficient resources are not available to sustain the entire population?

My Answer: The government should give the people an explanation of the true system of the world and humanity, about the global system and everyone’s complete interdependence. In addition, it must tell them about humanity’s common goal – our common task as human beings. In addition, they should explain that we can only achieve this together, by following the good path and participating in our own correction by becoming similar to Nature, instead of achieving the state of love and bestowal to one’s neighbor through the path of suffering.

If you address the Russian people with this message, you’ll see that they will understand you better than anyone else. That’s because the Russian people have suffered more than any other people in history.

They are looking for their place in the world among the other nations, and they haven’t found it yet. This is why the Russian people will follow you. However, you have to tell them the truth and stick to it despite all obstacles. Otherwise, the opponents of this idea will destroy you.

An opinion of an international affairs professor at The New School, NYC, “Russia’s Rotting Empire” (excerpts):

The trouble with Russia is that the state develops, but society doesn’t. The structures of democracy today are as underdeveloped as they were under Peter the Great. … The good of the people is sacrificed for the good of the nation. And people themselves are ready to believe that they should be willing to forfeit their freedoms for the sake of the greatness of the state.

With a remarkable consistency, [Russia] insists on defining its global role on its own, as a unique and special nation. Russia under Putin feels it can afford to become confident and assertive, even militant, because it still has to protect itself from the deceitful Western influence that is so eager to bring Russia down.

The “Double Eagle” emblem, the heads facing East and West – originally adopted in Russia around the time of the Byzantine demise – was brought back after 1991 as a state symbol.

To Putin, Moscow remains the “Third Rome” it declared itself to be in 1472. The not-so-subtle idea behind all this nostalgia for Byzantium is that Russia can (and should) exist only in opposition to the West, which hated the Byzantine Empire before and which hates its spiritual heir, Russia, today. However, like Joseph Stalin, Putin believes that Russia can only become a member in the world’s most powerful nations club by using a strong hand. Putin indeed subscribes to the traditional thinking of most Russian rulers: fear equals’, or even trumps’, respect. … “I’m referring to Russia’s intimidation of its sovereign neighbors, its use of oil and gas as a political weapon,” says Condoleezza Rice.

The picture emerging from this pattern of behavior is that of a Russia increasingly authoritarian at home and aggressive abroad,” said Rice. … If Moscow’s anti-Western paranoia continues and the Byzantine fantasy lasts for the next 15 to 25 years, both forces will lead to China, the new global superpower, swallowing whole the Far East and Siberia. A vastly weakened Russia then will lose also the Northern Caucasus and the Volga region to their growing Muslim population, and Kaliningrad will once again become German Königsberg. Russia will lose its 11 time zones and would then no longer have claims to be Greater Russia.

Question: What “sweet world of the past” are you talking about? The world without self determination where autocratic regimes tell us what to do? The world where your future is determined by your birthright as opposed to how hard you work? There has never been a world where so many people have the freedom to choose. Is it perfect? Of course not. We still have to deal with the human factor which, by definition, is imperfect.

My Answer: This is how everyone sees the world today. This is our old, familiar and simple world.

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If The Creator Is All-Powerful, Why Did He Create So Much Suffering And This Imperfect World?

there-are-no-idols-in-kabbalahA question I received: I have heard you say several times that the Creator is all-powerful. However, the following considerations lead me to the conclusion that this is not so:

  • The Creator has a “will to bestow.” Why should someone who’s all-powerful have this desire? He should be above any need, since He is almighty and should be able to control or eliminate this desire.
  • Why do creatures have to suffer first in order to receive an even greater desire to attain the Creator? Using His all-powerfulness, He could have arranged this desire for Him, without making it so difficult to achieve.
  • The Creator could have created us as simple, unthinking vessels, who would receive as much Light as necessary. There would be no need to go through the various spiritual worlds in order to give us more pleasure.
  • Why did the Creator create “our world”? Was it so we wouldn’t feel shame when He gives us Light? He should not have to create a difficult world in order to manipulate us. If He was truly all-powerful, He would create us without the feeling of shame, or He would be able to control this feeling in order for us not to suffer. In addition, I don’t believe that I will experience a feeling of shame if the Creator gives me something.

My Answer: You have serious questions, and they are all addressed in the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar,” in the very beginning of the text.

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We Are Like Whirls In A River

How to Keep Effective Virtual ConnectionsA question I received: Even though we feel disconnected, isn’t it rather that the connections are still very much alive, however, we have lost our sense to feel and use them?

My Answer: Yes, we are in fact completely connected with one another as one body. However, this fact is concealed from us, and as a result, we hurt ourselves by hurting others.

Question cont’d: Also, doesn’t humanity have connections to everything in this universe?

My Answer: Yes, it is connected to everything absolutely and harmoniously, just as all levels of nature – still, vegetative, animate, human and spiritual. They are all interconnected, along with the Creator.

Question cont’d: In the end, is the whole universe made out of the same fundamental “stuff”?

My Answer: Yes, the entire universe is just one kind of matter: the will to receive pleasure.

Question cont’d: Aren’t we a little bit like whirls in a river, believing we are separate from the river, but actually being part of this very river?

My Answer: Yes.

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Virtual Lesson On 03.08.09

waitingThe weekly virtual lesson, held on 03.08.09 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm Israel time, was the third lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “Inner Contemplation,” from part 1 of Talmud Eser Sefirot.

The Creator – The General Force Of Nature – Is Among Us

naive

Two questions I received on the right attitude to the Creator:

Question: I did not attend the Congress but I listened to the lessons over the Internet. I have studied Kabbalah for several years and this was the first time I heard you say that in order to rise above the ego, we should spend every minute of our lives between “There is none else beside Him” and “He is good and does good.” I tried this, and it works! My question is: do I have to believe that the Creator is already among us, in the group, and this is why you recommended the above approach?

My Answer: Of course. The Creator is among us because He is the general force of Nature. However, He is concealed from us because our egoistic qualities differ from Him. By correcting our egoistic qualities, we will gradually reveal Him inside our new, altruistic qualities.

Question: You say that everything is governed by the Creator, and a while ago in response to a question about your students, you said that they all have a job and there are no “loafers” among them. But aren’t loafers people as well? And it’s not their fault they are that way; they don’t have any freedom of choice because the Creator governs them.

My Answer: You can use this explanation as an excuse for anything, and remain idle forever. You can just sit there and do nothing for the rest of your days, saying that the Creator will awaken you if He so desires, that your desire to be idle also comes from Him, and so on.

The Creator’s governance will be revealed to you only once you attain Him, and only then will you be able to talk about Him. But before that happens, all these speculations are just philosophy, caused by laziness.

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