To The Memory Of My Teacher

Dr. Michael LaitmanToday marks 20 years since the day of my Teacher’s passing. Baruch Shalom Halevi Ashlag was the last great Kabbalist in the lineage of sages from Adam until our days: Adam – Abraham – Moses – Rashbi – AriBaal HaSulamRabash, and many thousands between them.

Rabash showed great bravery by transmitting the Kabbalistic method to us so that in this generation we would be able to bring it to the whole world. Without his work we would not have this opportunity. I saw how firmly he abided by this principle: The revelation of the science of Kabbalah to the world is above all other calculations.

During the predawn hours we ascended into Jerusalem and visited his burial place. Of course, this place for us is no more than a symbol or custom because our connection with our Teacher is alive and constant. We all hope to become his worthy sons, which is why we named our group “Bnei Baruch”—the sons of Baruch Ashlag.
[56347]
From the TV Program “Conversations,” The Day of Rabash’s Memory

Related Material:
Rabash’s Successors
How To Hear Rabash’s Articles
Kabbalah For Beginners “Rabash” 09.13.10

The Net Upon Which The World Rests

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What are spiritual efforts?

Answer: 30 years ago I wrote in my very first book that our world rests upon a force field that controls it. The difference between our world and the spiritual world is: to whom do the kingdoms (Malchut) submit? In this world Malchut acts for the sake of egoism, while in the spiritual world it acts for the sake of bestowal.

We have to draw the connections we feel from this world to love for the neighbor, to common mutual bestowal, meaning to a state in which the upper world becomes revealed. And that can only be done in the group and under the proper guidance.

As we come closer to spirituality, we gradually begin to reveal this net of connections and to feel that our entire world is superimposed on this net of forces. A person imagines that he is constantly in this world, which is entirely permeated by a net of forces that controls him. This net is called the upper governance. And a person’s effort lies in how much he desires to become included in this net and awaken in it as an independently acting participant.

Only the forces of bestowal operate there: ZON and Aba ve Ima. Some ascend while others descend. There are also permanent states, as well as special days called the beginning of the month, the beginning of the new year, holidays, and weekdays. These are all parameters of changes occurring in this system.

If we wish to reveal this net through our world, through the connection between us, so it would openly be revealed above us and between us and we would see that we are inside of it and activate it with our desires, that means we make efforts.

At first a person reveals this net individually, as if seeing it in front of him. It’s similar to how in our world, every person thinks that he is the main protagonist while others are just secondary characters that depend on him. He does not think they have a big influence on him, either good or bad.

But the more included I become in this system, the more I feel the world and the more clearly I see how it influences me in either the good direction or the bad, and how I can influence it: where my influence is possible and where it is not. Just like our material capabilities of changing the system are limited, so I am limited in spirituality. I can influence others only by causing them to advance, by bringing more vital force and health to this entire system.
[56318]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/1/11, Writings of Baal HaSulam

Related Material:
Transition From Material Psychology To The Spiritual
Cursory Thoughts On Shamati,”Shechina In Exile”
A Teacher Is The Intermediate Degree Between The Student And The Creator

A World Appearing From The Fog

Dr. Michael LaitmanAll sorts of desires are appearing within me now, and I feel that they aren’t mine, they appear from somewhere else. I ask myself: “Who am I?” “What am I?” “What am I for?” “Where does this come from within me?” “Do I need this or not?” “Actually, I don’t even want anything.”

Suddenly, I start thinking: “Why don’t I want anything?” Because all of this isn’t mine, there is some outside source that spins and manipulates me. On one hand, a person starts getting a faint subconscious feeling that all of this isn’t me, the world isn’t the same, it’s multi-layered, and there is someone else who is controlling and directing me. Where does this come from? Is this mine or not?

On the other hand, the desires arising in me do not give me realization; I don’t know what to do with them or what I can get with them. Inside me, there is a struggle to begin realizing them. I can’t see that they are mine, I can’t feel the way I used to feel, and I don’t feel that there is a goal in the realization of these desires, that I can actually get something from this.

Furthermore, outside of me a huge system is appearing that reveals the world in a new light. I start feeling myself existing in a confusing world. My desires aren’t mine, the world isn’t the same. What to do? This picture gradually emerging as if from the fog is so characteristic of our generation. In essence, it is what’s causing the crisis.
[56095]
From the Sunday Virtual Lesson Series 9/25/2011

Related Material:
Who Am I: The Master Of Life Or A Wind-Up Toy?
Instructions To The Control Panel Of Life
Kabbalah Is The Physics Of The Integral World

Who Am I: The Master Of Life Or A Wind-Up Toy?

Dr. Michael LaitmanToday we are entering a system that shows that we must act on bestowal, on the connection between us, on the connection with the group, and on some new transformations. We are in crisis: Not us personally, those who study Kabbalah, but the world feels this way. Where does it come from? What is a crisis in general? It is the feeling of world egoism relative to the system that begins to be manifested in us, like a picture on photographic paper in the developing tray. Gradually, like from the fog, a new picture appears, and this picture does not match us.

Suddenly, the properties of the Light, bestowal, and the connection between us, emerge in us, while the egoistic, individual properties (rejection, the use of each other) exist in humanity. The juxtaposition of these two systems and their impact on each other form an immense, multifaceted, new construction: on one side, the egoistic system, and on the other side, the altruistic one.

 

We never had this before. We have always had only an egoistic system, and we worked within it. Desires emerged in us, and we realized them. We thought that it was all us: We want to evolve, we want to act, we want to work, and we want to do everything.

Why? It’s because we identified the egoism that arose in us, our desires, with ourselves. We had no questions about their origin because we felt them as ours: I want this now, and then that and that. I didn’t have a question as to why I suddenly want. I want. I don’t feel as if someone gives me these questions, “inserts” them into me, and I start to work. No! I totally merge with these desires; I feel as one integral whole with them. These are my desires that arise in me: I want.

How does this suddenly happen? I am an average animal with natural, instinctive, petty desires, necessary for my existence. And all of a sudden, we have new egoistic desires that are related to the development of technology, society, family, education, upbringing, culture, science, banking, financial and economic connections between us, trade and exchange, discoveries of new lands, development, and communication. From where did this develop in humans as compared with the animal world that does not evolve in this way?

The fact is that our egoism develops all the time and urges us to realize our new desires more and more. I don’t feel that the desires that emerge in me from somewhere come from outside. I feel that they arise from within me, and that is why I rush to realize these so-called “my” desires.

In reality, they are not my desires. I just don’t feel that they are not mine. And thus, I run forward and act. I don’t feel that I am like a small, wind-up toy bunny, which is wound with a key and it jumps. I don’t feel this until the right time, until our time now.
[56098]
From the Sunday Virtual Lesson Series 9/25/2011

Related Material:
A World Appearing From The Fog
Passing The Awakening Baton
The Bridge Over The Abyss Of Ego

Pictures From My Lecture In Haifa – 09.27.2011

Here are some pictures from my recent lecture in Haifa, September 27, 2011.

Show Business With The Correct Intention

Last night, Jacob Seligmann, a student of Bnei Baruch in NY, opened the NY Musical Theater Festival with his new show The Big Bank. It couldn’t be more timely. It’s about a bank ripping people off and getting complete joy from it.

“The audience laughed and cried as the boss of the big bank took such pleasure repossessing and foreclosing and profiting on other’s failure. By the end of the show there is redemption, the boss of the big bank has a “spiritual awakening” and realizes that life is a loan. All of life is like a big bank, and the door is open, take what you want, and everything is recorded. (Baal HaSulam, ‘Peace in the World’).”
 

There will be an article about Jacob’s journey and show in the new magazine EmergenZ which we all heard about at the Toronto convention.

“Imagine that The Big Bank is on Broadway this summer and we are all there and Jacob is doing interviews in the New York Times and on TV and he is talking about our message to the 99%. This is something that is actually happening now!” (From Seth Breitman’s letter to the friends)
[56298]

Related Material:
“The Magician” Ballet Premier in Croatia
Crisis – A New Song By Arkadi Duchin
Everything Is Inside Us – A New Song By Arcadi Duchin

The World Expects Shortage Of Work Places

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (From english.pravda.ru): “The experts of the International Labor Organization and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development predict that next year a number of developed and developing countries will face mass unemployment and ‘catastrophic shortage’ of jobs. In the alarmist report, the experts urge the countries to take drastic measures to combat unemployment.

“Since the beginning of the global financial crisis in 2008, developing and developed countries lost 20 million jobs. By the end of next year additional 20 million jobs could be lost. According to some experts, the number of unemployed worldwide has reached 200 million.

“The situation in Europe is particularly difficult. While Germany is relatively successful in coping with unemployment, the second euro-zone economy, France, is in a difficult situation. There is a new concept of ‘superfluous people’ as a result of chronic unemployment. Mostly, these are young people who are the first to lose jobs in downsizing.

“For example, in Italy, every other unemployed person cannot find a job for over a year, and in South Africa this number is two out of three. The authors point out that youth unemployment is rising in 15 countries out of 20. According to the estimates of the International Labor Organization, in Russia the number of new jobs is approximately equal to the number of people who get jobs – approximately 600,000.

“‘We must act now to change the situation with a slowdown in employment growth and restore the lost jobs,’ said director general of the International Labor Organization, Juan Somavia. ‘Creating employment should be the main macroeconomic priority.’

“In addition, the report’s authors believe it is necessary for the states – members of the G20 to raise the level of social protection of its own people and pay attention to the negative forecasts of the economists who talk about the possibility of a second wave of crisis in 2012.”

My Comment: When industry and services become reduced to the necessary level, millions of people will be free from needless work. They will share working hours with the employed workers and work 2-3 hours per day. The rest of the time will be dedicated to studies and upbringing at their workplaces, or other offices, or at home, but it will be necessary for the whole world as work itself. This will be considered their work because through these studies, the world will approach correction, balance, and the revelation of their next stage of development in a good way.
[56264]

Related Material:
Has Western Capitalism Failed? Part 1
There Is Work For Everyone!
The Global Crisis Is Not Fiction

Unity As The Method Of Solving The Crisis, Part 8

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion: (Joschka Fischer, Germany’s foreign minister and vice-chancellor from 1998 to 2005): “For the first time in its history, the very continuance of the European project is at stake. And yet the behavior of the EU and its most important member states has been irresolute and dithering, owing to national egotism and a breathtaking absence of leadership.

“Germany and all other eurozone members are in the same boat.

“Resolving this crisis requires more Europe and more integration, not less.

“…there is light at the end of the tunnel.”

My Comment: But what kind of steps can people like you take? Aren’t you using old methods for resolving new problems and thus making them worse, as it is said: “Sit and do nothing is better.”
[56256]

Related Material:
Unity As The Method Of Solving The Crisis, Part 7
Unity As The Method Of Solving The Crisis, Part 6
Unity As The Method Of Solving The Crisis, Part 5

Are These Excuses Or Solutions?

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from calcalist.co.il): “From the Trachtenberg Committee’s Report: …Summer 2011 echoed with slogans and lit a spark of hope for Israeli society: The voice was raised about the diseases that have accumulated and piled up in recent years, as well as the hope to bring about a profound change that will allow a more just society to flourish, the society founded on solidarity and fairness towards a person who works hard to earn his living and contributes his part for the benefit of everyone, the society built on values, common to all sectors.

“Social justice is the coordination between normative behavior, contribution, and effort of the individual and the reward he receives. Social justice means equal opportunities during development stages, then, fair competition, and later, basic security and respect after retirement.

“Social justice means that when misfortune strikes a person, a society will help provide him with the basic necessities and affordable and honest existence. The realization of social justice and the common denominator—values—by way of thought-through statements is the most important thing in the approach that should guide the implementation of the desired changes in the Israeli society.

“The source of some illnesses of society is in global phenomena and partly in globalization, which powerfully and rapidly intensifies relative advantages in ways unfamiliar to us.”

My Comment: No material injections will solve our problems, not to speak of the feeling of social inequality. In a small country, these feelings are exacerbated like in a close family. The main problem is a lack of sense of family and unity in the common effort to survive. The country is torn apart by accumulating contradictions, and internal divisions are constrained only by external hatred.

The injection of necessary funds will not ease social tensions because the program of our development is to come to a society of mutual connection and guarantee, concession and love. This requires education and returning to our roots. Only the implementation of the Creator’s plan—to create a cohesive society based on Arvut, guarantee—will lead us to peace among ourselves and with the world, even with our neighbors. The root of the problem is in us.
[56154]

Related Material:
Friends, Don’t Hold The Line!
The Wind Of Change
Get Secured By The Chief Guarantor’s Signature

The Cost Of Euro Break Up

In the News (From creditwritedowns.com): Return to national currencies is the move that prominent economists increasingly recommend to the problematic countries in Europe. The UBS analysts have calculated the following:

“Our base case with an overwhelming probability is that the Euro moves slowly (and painfully) towards some kind of fiscal integration. The risk case, of break-up, is considerably more costly and close to zero probability.

“The economic cost (part 1): The cost of a weak country leaving the Euro is significant. Consequences include sovereign default, corporate default, collapse of the banking system and collapse of international trade. There is little prospect of devaluation offering much assistance. We estimate that a weak Euro country leaving the Euro would incur a cost of around EUR9,500 to EUR11,500 per person in the exiting country during the first year. That cost would then probably amount to EUR3,000 to EUR4,000 per person per year over subsequent years. That equates to a range of 40% to 50% of GDP in the first year.

“The economic cost (part 2): Were a stronger country such as Germany to leave the Euro, the consequences would include corporate default, recapitalization of the banking system and collapse of international trade. If Germany were to leave, we believe the cost to be around EUR6,000 to EUR8,000 for every German adult and child in the first year, and a range of EUR3,500 to EUR4,500 per person per year thereafter. That is the equivalent of 20% to 25% of GDP in the first year. In comparison, the cost of bailing out Greece, Ireland and Portugal entirely in the wake of the default of those countries would be a little over EUR1,000 per person, in a single hit.

“The political cost: The economic cost is, in many ways, the least of the concerns investors should have about a break-up. Fragmentation of the Euro would incur political costs. Europe’s ‘soft power’ influence internationally would cease (as the concept of ‘Europe’ as an integrated polity becomes meaningless). It is also worth observing that almost no modern fiat currency monetary unions have broken up without some form of authoritarian or military government, or civil war.”
[55946]

Related Material:
More Than A Third Of Europeans Dream Of A United Europe
European Policymakers, Change Economy!
The European Union Has No Future In Its Present State