Moments Of Your Life

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe have just been reading The Zohar for over half an hour. I ask you, during all of this time, how many moments did each of you yearn for the arrival of the Light that reforms, expecting something to happen? It is written that the angels asks a person after he dies, “Did you study the Torah and did you await salvation?”

How many moments did you spend in exertion, trying not to miss out and to "catch" something very important, like a goalee guarding the gate, or a hunter chasing prey? Were you passionately anticipating it, the way you might feel before a long-awaited date with your beloved? How long did you remain in this state? How many times did you return to this aspiration again?

Only these moments count in life. They are summarized and they determine the speed of life. The other moments don’t really exist….
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/23/11, The Zohar

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Friends Of My Point In The Heart

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: A part of me really wants to go to the Convention, but another part of me opposes it so strongly that I don’t want to see anyone. What should I do?

Answer: You have to make your free choice. You should understand that both parts of you, like all of the thoughts and desires that awaken in us at every moment, come to us from the Creator. These are conditions which are set for us; it is not the actual me.

What makes the decision is not my body, which gets sick and does not want to go to the Convention, and not my mood either. We act like a mechanism where all of the internal electrical signals are controlled by the upper force according to the program leading us to a certain state.

Life, death, and all of the states in between are determined from above and there is nothing accidental about any of it. Therefore, in every state I have to detach myself and look at this “mechanism,” meaning my body, its mood, and everything in it, from aside. The purpose of this is to see that this is the Creator’s work and to understand what He wants to give me right now, and to what state does He want to bring my “donkey” (Hamor, donkey means Homer, matter). Then I will understand how to work with it and will not identify myself with this “donkey.”

The more times a day a person is able to detach from himself in this way and look at himself from aside, like at a body in which some kind of forces are being awakened, without identifying himself with it, but rather using it as a means to attain the goal, the faster he will reach success. That is also how we should treat the friends in every regard. Don’t look at their faces or personalities, but at their inner desire in the pure form, which does not depend on anything external. This is the friend of my point in the heart.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/22/11, Preparation to the WE! Convention

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You Can’t Live Without Women

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Why does society have a dismissive attitude to women? Why do men consider women beneath them?

Answer: This attitude results from the fact that a woman cannot attain spirituality on her own. She depends on a man for this.

Our common soul consists of the male and female parts where the female part, Nukva, is the desire for fulfillment. In our world this is expressed through the fact that a woman needs a home, that she has to give birth to children and take care of them. Her children encompass her entire life. That is why she depends on society to a greater extent than a man. She needs stability and confidence in tomorrow.

In other words, a woman feels more unsatisfied and this is a premise for her spiritual development, although it is perceived as weakness in our egoistic world. In spiritual motion everything is opposite because the greater the desire, the more a person advances. We, the creatures, depend only on desire. And if this desire is oriented the right way, then this is the key to success.

Therefore, unless the men absorb the women’s desire, they will not be able to advance toward spirituality.
From the lesson on 3/5/11, Writings of Rabash

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Joy Is A Sign Of Bestowal

Dr. Michael LaitmanYesterday while watching our TV channel I saw a broadcast of the cultural program that was held at the big Convention in Israel last fall. It included performances by different groups and special dances of different nations from all parts of the world where people came from to attend the Convention. There was a huge audience and a very special atmosphere, making it impossible to take your eyes away from the TV screen. I had to watch it until the very end.

I didn’t see any disappointed or dejected faces there because every person was influenced by the common inspiration and the entire hall was filled with joy, hope, excitement, and inspiration. And it wasn’t even because any special spiritual revelation was taking place there, but simply because the mood of the society influenced every person in this way. Every person that was part of it felt happy and joyful at that moment.

That is the power of social influence and it is the only thing we lack in order to advance at every moment in time. On the path we cannot demand any revelation other than the revelation of bestowal, meaning the correction that enables me only to bestow, to connect to others and not to demand anything else, like Bina which does not desire anything for herself (Hafetz Hesed).

The Creator demands for us to become the same as Him: To bestow for the sake of bestowal, and then to receive for the sake of bestowal. That is why our advancement always happens “above knowledge,” meaning we cannot ask for any other quality or fulfillment to manifest in our sensations besides the quality of bestowal. Moreover, I don’t even care whether I will be given the opportunity to bestow. I don’t expect anything in response form the Creator besides the very aspiration for bestowal which will always develop in me, more and more.

The world does not understand this attitude yet and we, too, are only gradually coming closer to being able to hear and understand what is the essence here. But there is no other way to go. All of humanity has already entered this process of correction and we have to understand that there’s no way back. We cannot stop history. The whole world is undergoing very swift development in the direction of this new quality – the quality of bestowal that will begin to rule the world.

That is why Kabbalists say that we don’t have any other means besides organizing an environment that will support us on the path to the goal and will give us strength, inspiration, and joy. We cannot receive all of this from the Creator and especially not from ourselves, but only from the society.

That is why our dissemination should emphasize inspiring events such as, for example, the cultural programs at the Conventions. This means “joining the good,” which is our motto of choice. The more programs like this we will have, which convey joy, unite, and might that has been acquired, the greater is the life force that this will give to every person.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/21/11, Preparation to the WE! Convention

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 03.23.11

Lesson on Topic “Preparation for the WE Convention,” “The Need for Love of Friends,” Lesson 3
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The Book of Zohar — Selections, Chapter “Yitro (Jethro),” “The Tablets Were the Work of God,” Item 364, Lesson 7
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Talmud Eser Sefirot 3, Part 9, Lesson 13
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Topic: The Principles of Global Education, Lesson 6
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Good Environment – 03.22.11

My Good Environment – Dr. Laitman’s Principles for the Week

The History Of Purim: Revelation Of The Concealed

Dr. Michael LaitmanAll of the events described in the history of Purim are hints at the corrections we have to go through. It’s important to translate these corrections from the poetic, colorful language of legend to the language of qualitative inner changes in order to understand that it is talking only about how to strengthen the connection between us.

In the beginning of the Scroll (Megila) it talks about the nation of Israel, saying that there is one nation that is dispersed among other nations. This means that egoism enters in between the people who aspire “straight to the Creator’ (Isra-El, Yashar-El). This ego that separates them brings this nation to the threat of annihilation.

But when the nation of Israel (meaning all of us who aspire to the Creator) understands that it is necessary to unite together, and they make actions for the sake of this unity, then the force of Mordechai ascends and the force of Haman falls, and we are able to take control over our egoism, over the hatred that separates us.

Each of us contains our own Haman, and we can “hang him up on the tree”—on the tree of death which turns into the tree of life. That is how we reach the revelation of the Creator. Megilat Ester (the Scroll of Esther, “the revelation of the concealed” because “Megaleh” means to reveal, and “Ester” means concealment) conceals and reveals the Creator. By working with these forces called Mordechai and Ester, we attain the revelation of the Creator.

The Creator, the upper force, is never mentioned directly in the Megila. It talks about the King Ahashverosh, but not about the Creator because He is concealed as a result of the filling of uncorrected Kelim. The Creator is only felt in the corrected Kelim as their mutual bestowal. The same love that we feel for one another in our uncorrected state is the revelation of the upper force, the Creator.

When we read Megilat Ester, what is important isn’t simply to decipher which spiritual qualities hide behind which characters: Where are Zeir Anpin, Malchut (Queen Esther), what she conceals and how she joins Zeir Anpin, and Mordechai (Bina). Mordechai is the quality of bestowal, Bina, whereas Haman is all the impure worlds of ABYA, the impure desire, Klipa, the snake, the “monkey” instead of the human (a monkey, Kof, is written as the letter Kuf, a long line that descends beneath the line of the letters like a monkey’s tail and nourishes the impure desires). Yet, the most important thing is to find which feelings are signified by these notions in the relationships between us.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/20/11, Shamati

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The Irreconcilable Quarrel Between The Creator And The Pharaoh In Me

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How can we ascend above all the quarrels in the group before the convention?

Answer: When preparing for the convention, you have to see how all of these conflicts are given to you as “help against Him,” how Pharaoh rises up and asks, “Who is this Creator for me to listen to His voice?”

The Creator tells you to unite with the friends, while the Pharaoh tells you to disunite! The Creator says, “Give in!” While the Pharaoh says, “No, you have to rule over them with an iron hand!” The Creator says, “Work joyfully,” while the Pharaoh says, “No, you will work dejectedly and enslaved to me.”

These two forces argue within a person when he reaches the “ten Egyptian plagues” as he discerns which of them is right. I have to understand that I determine which of them will take the upper hand and rule—the Creator or Pharaoh! Everything depends on me.

This is the most decisive point, and I am standing in the middle between these two parts of reality: the positive and the seemingly negative, which were prepared for me in this form in order to give me the freedom of choice. I have to decide that I want for the force of bestowal, love, freedom from egoism and ascent above it to assume power.

I am ready to accept the blows falling on Pharaoh and egoistic Egypt, and I am happy about them. Let the blow fall upon me because it is hitting my egoism, helping me to be freed from it, to ascend above it and no longer be inside of it. After these blows, I already come out of Egypt and am no longer enslaved to it!

Yet, a person shouldn’t work on himself, but in relation to the environment, the group. He shouldn’t correct some kind of qualities inside of him, but his attitude to others. The most important thing here is not to get confused and not to change the direction of one’s efforts.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/22/11, Preparation to the WE! Convention

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A Familiar Song Sounds Better

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe need to prepare ourselves for the convention so as to come there in an uplifted mood. We have to get familiar with all the preparation materials, to watch all the video clips, and learn all the songs that we will sing there.

In this sense, there shouldn’t be any news or surprises for you. The more familiar the material is, the stronger impression it makes on you. We learn from the structure of the worlds that the first unity between the male and female parts does not beget a new life, but only creates the vessel (Kli). The Light becomes revealed in that Kli only starting with the second union.

First of all, a person needs to prepare his desires (vessels, Kelim) and therefore, it is worthwhile to familiarize oneself with all the materials. If everything is familiar to a person, he or she will be able to reach a stronger connection during the convention. And if we see something for the first time, we are unable to master it immediately. We don’t yet have the desires for it; there is no place to receive the fulfillment into; it is just the first encounter.

But a mere encounter is not enough for us; we want participation and fulfillment. It is possible only if you are well-familiar with the program. We are not talking about some individual performances, but we have to know and participate in everything else that’s happening on the stage.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/22/11, Preparation to the WE! Convention

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