Developing On Our Own

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe want to reach free choice in order to attain the Creator. Right now we are unwillingly carrying out nature’s orders. Reshimot awaken in us and we realize them as if they are our own desires because we do not feel the One who obligates us to do this. However, the goal of creation is for us to attain the Force that obligates us, as well as its goal and program in relation to us. We should take from it all the forces and parameters for our growth in order to independently desire, understand, and realize the phases of development.

That is why their realization is actualized above the current parameters. The parameters come from the Creator, manifesting in the will to enjoy, or in the corrupted Reshimot. It is written about it, “I created the evil inclination.” On our part, we have to arm ourselves with the force of correction and all the necessary means so that on every phase, when revealing yet another parameter, we will find the way to correct it and make it similar to the Creator.

By virtue of this work we will attain the Creator and acquire independence.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/29/10, Writings of Rabash

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The World At A Different Frequency

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: You say that we have to develop our sensitivity. Can you explain why this is necessary and how to do it?

Answer: The path of spiritual attainment lies in raising our sensitivity. Habit becomes second nature. We develop such qualities and abilities in us that we did not use previously and did not even understand the possibilities were present in us to feel phenomena that we did not perceive until now. They are present in nature around us because the upper world is here. But where is it? It exists at a different frequency, in a different quality that does not exist inside me, which is why I do not recognize it.

Therefore, everything depends on how much we will increase our sensitivity to the quality of bestowal. According to that, instead of perceiving the net of absorbing inside me that operates between the creatures on the still, vegetative, and animate levels, I will perceive the net of bestowal operating between the souls on the human or “speaking” level. This is what we have to attain. Therefore, everything depends on our sensitivity.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/29/10, The Zohar

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The Power Of The Book Of Zohar

Dr. Michael LaitmanJust reading The Zohar brings many results; it evokes various phenomena and changes in a person. A person does not understand what he reads, but he tries to understand it, driven by his nature, even though from the point of view of Kabbalah this is not necessary at all. He may read it with the right intention or one that is not so correct.

In any case, the book works on him, influencing him so he advances. He cannot avoid feeling the changes inside. He should only keep returning to this book as often as possible, read it every chance he gets, and stay connected to it in some way.

Then he will see that this book is built in such a way that it creates for him a picture of reality parallel to his current reality, and he starts to slightly shift between them. Instead of the superficial story he imagines something beyond this reality. That is how The Zohar works inside a person, creating new qualities of perception inside him.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/29/10, The Zohar

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There Is No Free Lunch

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Is it worthwhile to preach “material” altruism to the world as the first stage of correction?

Answer: In the circulation of the wisdom of Kabbalah, we cannot join efforts with “altruists.” In the best case scenario, charitable organizations give out to the poor what they have managed to get from some others: for instance, flour from one factory, textiles from another, shoes from yet another one. Obviously, it’s nice, although very few are doing this. Most of the time, it doesn’t go farther than talking.

However, what is important to understand here is that we are not improving the world by any of this. In fact, egoism that is destroying it doesn’t get corrected by such actions. By satisfying desires of an egoist, you are ruining him. His needs should be met on the condition that he acquires a profession and does something by using his hands or the brain.

A person has to work to produce something in exchange for the sustenance you supply him with. Otherwise, you are breeding parasites, and billions of people don’t wish to work but expect that you will feed them.

And later, they come out into the streets, complaining that you are reducing their welfare. And they are not the ones to blame since it is you who raised them that way; you developed such an attitude in them.

European leadership itself raised the protesters who are rioting against welfare reduction today. They were told clearly: “Do nothing, and we will pay you for it.” In other words, you yourself made a mistake and now you have to pay for it. Indeed, who will refuse charity that has become a norm?

Man shouldn’t be trained to receive things gratuitously. In doing so, we don’t take his egoistic nature into consideration.

The same goes for children. They have to be aware that you always give them something in exchange for what you receive from them. You constantly teach a child to treat life correctly and train him to work with his egoism. Nothing is gained without an effort.

Surely, children need a special approach, but it has to be based on the same laws. You give them a candy not because they are cute but after they have finished solving a math problem or doing an exercise. Otherwise, you are corrupting a child since now he is going to expect to get everything in life for free. As a result, he is going to grow up a miserable individual who doesn’t know how to live.

Payment is always necessary, among adults and among children. Besides, a person has to know who he is paying, with what, and what is expected of him. Only then will he build a correct attitude to the others surrounding him: He not only receives something from outside, but also gives something in return. Thereby, gradually, a person begins to interact with the entire creation correctly. Then, a completely new philosophy emerges and forms in him.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/26/10, “Peace in the World”

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Compressed Moments

Dr. Michael LaitmanSuccess in achieving the goal doesn’t depend on any special abilities of a person. We are yet to be surprised to discover that nothing of what currently exists in each of us gets to cross into spirituality.

One enters the spiritual world through a thin filter that doesn’t let you carry anything you now possess through it. It all remains inside your egoistic desire, your corporeal mind; all assets of the past disappear and nothing is preserved.

Success is determined solely by the effort exerted to offset all difficulties, problems, and disappointments. If, despite it all, a person still advances and doesn’t back away, only then does he enter the spiritual world’ and this is the only thing he gets to keep. This determination is what gives him the right to come in. There is nothing else.

When we exit Egypt bringing Egyptian vessels (Kelim) with us, they must be absolutely empty: our bare desires filled with nothing. This means that we throw away all egoistic assets accumulated in Egypt and don’t want to take anything from it with us. We bring only the most basic bread (Matza) and empty vessels (desires) or it will be impossible to leave Egypt.

Therefore, there is only one suggestion: In spite of all the problems and burdens, disappointments, and lack of strength, to still push yourselves ahead. This works only when a person truly values his time and tries to fill it with as much as possible, to simply compress each moment.

It is very important how much he writes down during the lesson and how much he circulates during the day, that is, what he is filling his time with.
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From the Talk During the Meal 12/24/10

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Progress Based On Stolen Energy

Dr. Michael LaitmanWhat does it mean “to dissolve among the nations of the world?” Your egoistic desires tear apart your aspiration toward spirituality and break into your inner desire, “Isra-El.” All of them are your own desires, GE (the desire to bestow) and AHP (the desire to receive), which are intermixed to such an extent that it is impossible to separate them.

The bestowing desire (Israel) “soaks up” the egoistic intention (nations of the world) and learns how to bestow for its own sake, its own profit. And it succeeds in doing so much better than other nations! Intellect and emotions (all those exclusive properties of GE that are granted to Israel for attaining the spiritual world) are used to pursue egoistic success in this world.

Jews are proud of their achievements on this material level, but what are they proud of? We were given a tiny portion of spiritual potential, one minuscule spark to help us rise to spirituality. We keep investing it in minor material values which lead us to double uselessness, to “reverse success.” That is, we draw the whole world into worthless progress until everybody understands that they are facing a dead end.

Who did that? It was done by the “sparks of bestowal,” GE, that were received at the time of Babylon. They were used for reception, not their true purpose: to raise AHP (the desire to receive), the nations of the world, upward.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/2/10, “Exile and Redemption”

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The Criterion Is Your Attitude To Unity

Dr. Michael LaitmanWritings of Rabash, “What is the Flood Water in the Work”: Faith above reason is the territory belonging to holiness….

Question: How can we reach this territory?

Answer: Faith above reason” means that I arm myself with the force of bestowal above the egoistic desire, which awakens in me time and time again. This is not just a desire to sleep, eat, or have a good time, but a desire that obstructs me from uniting with others.

We are talking about the single criterion: for unity or against it. All the other desires belong to the animate degree. The true desire for pleasure, belonging to the human level, originates only from the breaking of the souls. Everything else belongs to the lower levels in me: still, vegetative, and animate. I don’t deal with them at all.

Thus, the criterion of my analysis is my attitude to unity. The advice is to check myself in the group because in the wide world confusion is inevitable and there is no one to work with there. If we get together in order to unite and I discover that I am unable to do this and don’t want it, that I hate and reject the very idea, it means I reveal the evil inclination inside myself.

I make efforts, trying to to ascend above them, but discover that I am unable. Then, due to lack of any choice and by feeling how important and necessary it is to attain unity, I cry out, “Save me!” And from Above I receive the force of bestowal which helps me to think about unity, to connect to others at least slightly.

Meanwhile, others do not and should not feel it. We are talking about the inner work of a person who starts to feel the common force of unity inside this aspiration to unity. This force is called “the Creator.”

That is how a person moves forward from one phase to the next. His desire constantly grows, opposing unity more and more. He makes all the efforts, trying to manage with everything alone. But he fails, despairs, and calls out for the force of bestowal. In this force of bestowal, aimed at the heart of the group, he reveals the Creator.
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/29/10, Writings of Rabash

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Changing The Forms Of Reality

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: If our world is the lowest of the worlds and if we can start climbing the ladder of spiritual steps with the help of the wisdom of Kabbalah, why then are millions of people walking about this lowest degree never reaching even the starting point of spiritual ascent?

Answer: There are five spiritual worlds: Atzilut, Beria, Yetzira, Assiya, and Adam Kadmon. We are at the lowest degree, in the corporeal world. All of the 125 degrees that are above us are levels of transformation of reality.

Do you wish to change reality? If yes, you need a screen. A screen is defined as the measure of connection between me and the Light, the Creator. I must connect myself with the Light, the Creator, with the help of the screen.

Then, by means of various actions I perform with the screen, I will be able to create various forms of reality. Besides, these forms are alive, just like people whom I see right now. Yet, at the moment, I am not the one who is creating this reality; such perception is given to me by nature.

However, when I start ascending in spirituality, I act as the Creator does. I create each degree, all its still, vegetative, animate, and speaking levels. I create this reality; I form and support it instead of the Creator. However, who is this “I?” The “I” is the one who possesses a screen.
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From Kabbalah for Beginners, “Perception of Reality” 10/20/10

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Does Love Have A Form?

Dr. Michael LaitmanLove covers all transgressions. It envelops them from the outside; it doesn’t annihilate them but creates a covering. The degree of transgression determines the degree of love. Otherwise, love has no form; its form is determined by hate.

What can we tell about happiness? Not much. On the other hand, in the drama of misfortune, we discover a numberless multitude of states and shades. There are novels, films, and music inspired by it.

This demonstrates that everything begins with the creation of the evil inclination: hate, misfortune, grief, and problems. We have to discover assorted forms of these states of existence so that, later, we may clothe them in love. And that will be the form of the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/29/10, “Come onto Pharaoh-2”

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Lose Some, Win Some….

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: To participate at the convention, one has to pay over $200. Isn’t it a bit much? Besides, as a man and a member of the group, I will be working in the kitchen and doing other chores during the three days of the event, as usual. Why should I be paying for participation?

Answer: I have already given instructions to suspend you from all duties. You may attend the convention as a guest and sit with the audience. We view catering to the others as a reward, not a duty, and are happy to receive an assignment.

The friends from the group will also be paying to attend the convention, despite the fact that they will be working serving others. And that’s exactly what they are paying for. By the way, if you ask them about it, you will hear that the real convention takes place in the kitchen, where during the events in Israel, they are cooking for 7000 adults and 1600 children!

They just have a different mindset. For instance, at the convention you might see a “sale” sign saying: “Sale! Special offer! Such and such book that you can usually buy at 10 dollars now sells for 15 dollars!” Everybody knows that our entire world organization has no sponsors and exists solely thanks to the charity of the friends.
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