The Moment Of Truth For The American People

truth1A question I received: Last week Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that as far as he can see, capitalism has gone bankrupt. According to Kabbalah, is his “prophecy” true?

My Answer: He is correct in this regard. Even though Americans find it very difficult to leave the capitalistic economy behind, whether they like it or not they will have to start living by a different type of economics. I can’t say that it will be socialist, because this word was discredited by what happened in Russia and the rest of Eastern Europe. But the word “socialism” is the right word, because in Greek it means, “for the good of the society.”

No matter what, the world’s solution is for all the nations to unite. If Americans were to start acting this way now, their lives would greatly improve. Contracts have to be made on the state level, decreeing that people can keep living in their homes and that debts are put on hold (though not forgiven). It is necessary to provide people with a normal lifestyle, as otherwise the country will fall apart and greater problems will arise.

The American people have a psychological problem because the spirit of capitalism, concern for oneself, and competition with one another are so ingrained in them that they can’t accept these ideas yet. In this way, they are different from the rest of the world, where socialistic tendencies already exist in one form or another. These other societies care for their individuals to a great extent.

Nevertheless, I think the American people will soon realize that their way of life is evil and opposite to nature. I also see that they are starting to recognize the need for a universal, global education, upbringing, and nurturing.

Related Material:

Laitman.com Post: “Why Socialism?”- An Essay by Albert Einstein
Laitman.com Post: Will Capitalism Survive the Financial Crisis?

The Difference Between The Ego And The Klipa (Advanced)

egoTwo questions I received on the ego and the Klipa:

Question: I am confused. Is the ego and the Klipa separate forces, or are they one?

My Answer: The ego is the desire to feel pleasure or fulfillment. If one does something for the sake of fulfillment, then this desire is called egoistic. But if one does something in order to fulfill another person, then the desire is called altruistic. The Klipa is the desire to be fulfilled with the Creator, to receive from Him instead of giving to Him.

Question: Can the Klipot deceive us by imitating the governance of the Upper Force? Can the Klipot interact with or affect my reality the same way the Upper Force does when It makes the governance obvious?

My Answer: This is exactly what the Klipot do, as they are opposite to the Creator in every way.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Soul Is the Property of Bestowal, and Without It We Are Animals
Laitman.com Post: Klipot and Reshimot (Advanced)
Laitman.com Post: Adhesion with the Creator, from the Primary Source Texts
Shamati #39: “And They Sewed Fig-Leaves”

The Revelation Of the Creator Is Happening Here And Now

soulPeople are starting to feel that everything is changing day by day, and this leaves them confused. They don’t understand what is happening and aren’t able to manage it. In reality what’s happening is the authentic revelation of the Upper Force to the creatures. We don’t yet recognize that this is the Upper Force. However, we already understand that there is some force now at work in the world and there is nothing we can do about it. We feel that something is happening in the world, but we are unable to explain it or establish contact with it. Yet, we see that something unusual is taking place, and Kabbalah explains that this is the beginning of the revelation of the Creator.

People must now realize that they have no way of attaining control over this state or opposing it. Therefore, we must ascend and discern this force by attaining it through the same principle we have used to discover and learn  the use of other forces of Nature. Why? How is this force different from anything we have previously encountered?

The forces of Nature were previously revealed to individuals, rather than in a mutual, global form. Therefore, the forces revealed were not related to the Mutual Upper Governance. The Upper Force that becomes revealed when all the creatures unite together, had not yet been revealed. Today however, it is being revealed as the global force – the Upper Force that’s being expressed inside all of us. Very soon it will force us to unite so we’ll be able to reveal it in a good way. Otherwise, we’ll sentence ourselves to destruction.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Bruce Lipton, “We Are One Whole”
Laitman.com Post: By Uniting, People Will Have Anything They Desire
Kabbalah: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow
Article: “Attainment of Unity of the Universe”
Introduction to the Book of Zohar: “Introduction to the Book of Zohar”, Items 13-18

How Did the Stimulus Money Disappear Again?

analysis-of-the-crisis21In the News (from Time Online):Barack Obama attacks ‘outrage’ of AIG executive bonuses”AIG received some $173 billion in government bailout money and is now paying $165 million in employee bonuses. … Mr Obama said he had asked Timothy Geithner, the Treasury Secretary, to use the leverage the government had to pursue “every legal avenue” to push back against the bonus payments. The President said the bonus situation underscored the need for overall financial regulator reform and said the government needed “some form of resolution mechanism in dealing with troubled financial institutions, so we have greater authority to protect the American taxpayer and our financial system in cases such as this.”

My Comment: In the past, we couldn’t even image something like this happening. But actually, it is a step toward fairer distribution and a lesson for many of us about the new conditions that now exist in the world.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Where Did Obama’s Billions Go?
Laitman.com Post: How to Bring the Economy Back to Life
Laitman.com Post: Obama Urges Americans Not To Stuff Money In Their Mattresses

You Are Invited To The North American Congress, May 15-17, 2009

EVERYONE IS INVITED TO THE NORTH AMERICAN KABBALAH CONGRESS

north-american-congress-logo

The Congress will be taking place on May 15-17, 2009

Please visit the Congress page for information and registration

If you have any questions, please e-mail newyork@kabbalah.info

Correction Happens Only Through The Light One Receives During The Study Of Kabbalah

how-can-singularity-be-transformed-without-changingQuestions I received about the study of Kabbalah:

Question: Most people don’t understand what Kabbalah is talking about. So maybe we should bring Kabbalah to them in a simpler form? What is the best way to approach this? My own experience shows that only systematic study can give you the right understanding of the material.

My Answer: You are right. In the end, after all our efforts, only the Light corrects us and gives us the understanding and perception of a new world. In order for this to happen, you have to be persistent, persevering on the path and going in the right direction. This is something that comes from the group or the environment. So, the bottom line is: you need a teacher, books, a group – and patience!

Question: You know, you were right – a Kabbalah student experiences feelings he never dreamed of. As he counters his egoism, the happiness felt by his friends (brothers) gives him immeasurable happiness, and then you think, “Who could have imagined a world that isn’t filled with the Creator?” I am very grateful. Thank you.

My Answer: I am glad that you are beginning to attain Nature.

Question: Is it possible to balance reason and the heart?

My Answer: The study, which evokes the Upper Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif) to the necessary measure, causes one’s reason and desire to grow. But we are talking about the reason and the desire that belong to the Upper World, where you can perceive the Creator.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: This Path Can Only Be Surmounted by Those Who Walk It
Laitman.com Post: Correction Comes Only from Studying In Order to Evoke the Light
The Path of Kabbalah: “Persistence”
A Guide to the Hidden Wisdom of Kabbalah: “Becoming a Kabbalah Student”
Wondrous Wisdom: “Perceiving the Spiritual”

Our Connection Speeds Up Our Development By Seven Billion To The Seven Billionth Power

the-goal-of-creation-is-perfect-fulfillmentWe are living in a generation when our interconnection is being revealed, although we don’t understand this yet. In previous generations, this connection was not openly expressed. But today we are connected through the Internet and the international radio and television networks. We exchange information through these channels and are aware of all the news in the world.

The events taking place in one part of the world affect the other parts because of the speed with which information and rumors are spread through the various networks. There are also different networks of power. When something happens in one part of the world, someone either gains or loses, whether in sales and money, industry, commerce or economics.

We depend on each other. We are bound together by a common net, which is now being revealed as an obvious fact. Humanity is making this discovery today. We are revealing our connection on the level of thoughts and desires, and we are finding ourselves in a situation we cannot escape or ignore. Every day will reveal more things in the world which will be completely new. We will see how when people in South America are thinking about something, then the next day people in Europe will think about the same thing, and the next day – in Asia.

First it reaches you as a strange, obscure thought, and then it becomes your own thought. Your former desire fades and a new desire emerges. Great changes will occur literally from one day to the next, or even quicker. And that’s because the world is completely intermixed, which was not the case before.

This makes progress happen at a completely different speed. The speed of our development is not linear or even exponential, but is rocketing upward. It grows exponentially because it is multiplied by the number of people in the world and the number of connections between them. And each person in turn multiplies it again by his connection and dependence on others. Hence, this multiplication, which happens over and over again, makes our development happen faster by seven billion to the seven billionth power.

(From the lesson on Rabash’s article, “The Activity of the Greatest of the Nation” on 03.17.09)

New Virtual Kabbalah Bookstore

Announcing: A new virtual Kabbalah bookstore!

new-bookstore

www.kabbalahbooks.info

Special thanks to Eugene Gussman and Uri Laitman
for creating the new bookstore!

An Open Letter To The Leaders Of The G20

Dr. Michael LaitmanAn open letter to the leaders of the G20 in anticipation of their meeting in London on April 2nd

Dear leaders of the G20,

My name is Michael Laitman, I am a professor of Ontology, a PhD in philosophy and Kabbalah, and an MSc in medical bio-cybernetics. I am founder and president of Bnei Baruch, an Israel based international organization with branches all over North America and Canada, Central and South America, and Europe (east and west). On my website, www.kabbalah.info, I teach free, live daily lessons on Kabbalah and spirituality to an audience of approximately two million people worldwide, simultaneously broadcast and translated into 7 languages: English, Spanish, Hebrew, Russian, French, Turkish, and German. I also own Channel 66 on Israel’s Satellite TV provider, YES.

I write to you in sincere concern for the future of the world. The reason I am addressing you is my conviction that you are the only ones who can lead the world to safety, where all people, regardless of religion, race, sex, or nationality can lead a life of peace, health, and sufficiency.

I would like to begin by expressing my deepest respect and admiration for the initiatives you are employing on the national and international level to resolve the multidimensional crisis afflicting us today. As you often state in your speeches, the uniqueness of this crisis lays in its globality. Hence, a global solution is required. Yet, before I present my suggestion for a resolution, I would like to briefly explain what is causing the crisis.

The root of the crisis – the global ego

If we analyze human history, it is evident that humanity has been progressing by the power of the egotistical desire that has grown within us through the ages. As these desires grew, we have developed increasingly sophisticated ways to satisfy them.

However, in the 21st century, the laws of the game have changed. We have shifted from personal development to an integrated system, in which all parts are interdependent. The ego, which has been our motivating force, has become a global ego, connecting all of us in a vicious circle. From the moment we have become a global and integrated system, like any other closed system in nature, our strength and sustainability have become dependent on the mutual responsibility of all members of humanity.

A problem arose: Whilst our relationships have become interconnected, we are still trying to conduct ourselves egotistically, hence the crisis.

The Resolution—Education

The closed system of civilization compels us to recognize the importance of conscious participation of all the citizens of the world. Our interdependency necessitates that we all understand this system and conduct ourselves in consideration of others.

Hence, the solution to the crisis includes a shift of consciousness among all the people in the world. Each person must recognize that, in the global and integrated system of our global village, one’s fate depends on one’s attitude toward others.

Just as we have established an education system that prepares our children for life, we must now establish a global system that explains how people should lead their lives in the new, global world – adhering to the principle, “love thy neighbor as thyself,” shared by all religions. When we begin to establish such a system, we will immediately feel that society’s healing process has begun, since awareness of the laws of the new world will have people relating to each other in an entirely new manner – that of care.

We need not rebuild the economic and political systems, since all other systems will adjust themselves according to our perception of our interconnectedness.

We are faced with a multifaceted, global crisis. Hence, it is global education that we need, to properly respond to the various specific crises.

The Work Plan

Since people are overwhelmingly affected by public opinion, to shift their awareness toward a constructive frame of mind, we must use the power of society to build a new value-system.

With this in mind, I propose taking the steps outlined below:

  • Establish an international apolitical education center that will assemble the renowned scientists in hard sciences and political science from the world over. These experts will develop a variety of explanatory content about the new phase of our world, and will collaborate with the media in circulating their views.
  • Build a task force that will promote plans that enhance social awareness in the global era.
  • Determine that each media outlet will produce programs that inform people of our interconnectedness, at least 30 minutes of which on primetime on a daily basis.
  • Notify each big advertiser that if its commercial has any negative effect on society, it will not be aired on public TV and radio.
  • Additionally, we should start a government-supported campaign that provides eye-opening information of the depth of our interconnectedness.
  • Oblige every school to include in its curriculum references to the newly discovered rules that have been discovered in human society. Alongside that, there should be a daily hour in which students discuss the human relations that should prevail in the global era.
  • Award grants and other financial benefits to works in literature, art, theatre, cinema, and journalism, only by the amount of benefit they bring to society.

You are the leaders of the greatest countries, which can lead the establishment of the global education system that the world so desperately needs today. By so doing, these countries will not only demonstrate their care for humanity, but will also lead it forward.

Sincerely yours,

Michael Laitman

Life Is Pushing Us Into A Higher Dimension

laitman_2009-03_4086Something is happening to us that has never happened before: we are developing in a completely new way. In the past, each person developed individually, but today the development is general, occurring as a result of our mutual influence on one another. This is why we are unable to control it in any way! Our egoism, which acts as a barrier between us, does not have any instruments that we can use to sustain it within a system that is absolutely integral.

This would be like forcing an animal to participate in the work of an intelligent system. An animal is incapable of perceiving the higher level of development that suddenly appears before it.

We, too, are looking at the network of connections between people today and we still don’t realize that it is a system of a higher dimension, situated above us. This system belongs to divinity, and everyone within it is absolutely connected to everyone else. Meanwhile, you are unable to understand it, participate in it, and act according to its laws. Therefore, you are left wandering, like a wooden chip in a stormy sea, feeling that you are being thrown from side to side, from one situation to another, and you lack the power to understand what is happening. You are unable to go with the flow of this system, which is a system of forces and universal, mutual connections.

In a few months or half a year, the whole world will look like a stormy sea of thoughts and desires which explodes in one place and then another. However, in reality nothing explodes. It’s as though you bring someone to a factory and he sees all kinds of gears spinning around in confusion and making a rumble. But if a professional comes into the factory, he immediately understands that everything is working perfectly, according to the right program. This is because he understands the system and its laws.

It’s the same with us. However, even the simplest person today has a method that allows him to become part of the system. This is the method of Kabbalah, which reveals the Creator to the creatures.

The network of forces that acts amongst us is now being revealed to us in a negative form, from the opposite side. But using our attitude to it, we can turn it around to face us. This depends on us. This does not mean that we should turn the Creator around. Instead, we should turn ourselves around, from reception to bestowal. Then we will sail wonderfully along the current.

(From the lesson on Rabash’s article,“The Activity of the Greatest of the Nation” on 03.17.2009)