Audio Version Of The Blog – 04.16.13

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An Old Rattle Trap On Potholes

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: On April 15th, Israel celebrates Memorial Day honoring fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism. How can a person deal with the pain of loss? And generally, how does the science of Kabbalah relate to such a painful subject?

Answer: I have faced this inescapable issue, which in essence is an attempt to find the culprit. “Whose is to blame for my feeling bad?”—an inconsolable mother asks, and together with her, one way or another, everyone else asks. In the end, this question unequivocally brings us to the one who can make a difference.

There are times when it cannot be changed. For example, the still, vegetative, and animate nature obey the laws of their development. Until a person parted with the legacy of the ape and in the time of Adam got a chance to determine his states in something, he had been developing through a sequence of constant troubles: Our ancestors were eaten by animals, killed by diseases, natural disasters, etc.

In general, we can only point to the general law of the universe, which defines what is happening, as required by gradual development. It says: “Don’t show a fool a job half done.” We also go through this process.

However, when we have the opportunity to determine our states for benefit or harm, then it is necessary to understand what is happening. Now, in addition to the “roller of development,” set in motion by Nature, he has a kind of addition.

For example, I drive a car that is not in fully operational order on a rough, bumpy road. One wheel is flat; the brakes barely work; in short, I am in trouble.

And so it is in life: Part of our problems are caused by nature that paved such a path for us and the other part depends on us. This is the part that we usually talk about. After all, nothing can be done with nature; it leads creation from the primary, egoistic state to the final, altruistic one. It is a powerful irresistible force that drives everything forward. And in addition, at each stage, the created being has an opportunity to facilitate its development, understanding that it is inevitable and desirable. The created being is able to look to the future in its final state and see that there is no alternative, that it is worth it.

We behave in the same way when we are doing any hard work. For example, having enrolled at university, I am “harnessed” by hard daily work for four to six years, knowing that I have no other options. Moreover, I continue studying afterward because I don’t want to remain just an engineer all my life. Although on the way, I encounter things I don’t like and I suffer through obstacles that do not depend on me be they exams or assignments that seem meaningless and which I hate, but I look forward and understand that I have to go through all that. After all, the smart people above have decided that I need all that, at least for broadening my horizons so that I am not restricted in my approach.

In Kabbalah we know that we talk about a complete perfect program, which foresees all the nuances. We are sent the necessary steps and we pass them along the “middle” way, neither through an endless series of terrible suffering, nor through the “pink alley,” above which the melodies of the higher spheres sound.

We cannot walk the best shortest easiest path; however, of course, we are not interested in the path of suffering with its nightmares at every turn. Thus, we somehow make our way in the middle, according to what is said in the Torah. Obviously, due to our nature, we have to balance between two forces—negative and positive—combining the properties of “judgment” and “mercy,” being in awe and at the same time valuing what we receive.

And again, there are different developmental periods. Sometimes, we have an opportunity to succeed on the kind path of unity, easily and comfortably reaching an intermediary result. But it also happens that we are faced with insurmountable difficulties; we cannot unite, and then what happens is happening. This applies to all wars which we have fought from the moment of the revival of the state of Israel and earlier, as well as the Holocaust.

And, of course, all that we could have corrected and prevented in advance, but unfortunately, we did not make the corrections. Not only Baal HaSulam but also other Kabbalists write about this and hint at this, but on the other hand, they prefer not to go into this topic. Indeed, what can they tell people? This topic is so painful that direct explanations will only cause rejection. A person should reach the conclusion himself that all this depends on us. Correct studies are necessary, based on which the findings will be made by the student and not by the instructor…
[105061]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/15/13, “Israel Nation” (Independence Day in Israel)

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“Risk Of Social Unrest Rises In EU”

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from Deutsche Welle): “With unemployment at unprecedented levels in the EU, the risk of social unrest is rising, says the UN’s International Labour Organization. The ILO is warning politicians to abandon austerity and embrace job creation.

“’When unemployment is as high as it is right now – as poverty and welfare protection become worse – then the danger of social unrest grows along with it,’ says Miguel Angel Malo.

“Malo is a professor of economics in Salamanca, Spain – a country where youth unemployment is at 56 percent. …

“If one looks at who the losers are, it becomes clearer exactly why the ILO is warning of unrest. The losers are made of three groups which have scarcely any access to the labor market.

The first group is young people: one in four youths – a group that includes those who have finished higher education but have not found work – is currently unemployed. In Spain and Greece it’s more than half. …

“The second group is the long-term unemployed, whose numbers have nearly doubled, from 5.8 million in 2008 to 11 million today.

“And the third group is those with few qualifications: ‘unskilled labor’ has been hit particularly hard by negative economic developments, much more so than skilled workers or university graduates.”

My Comment: There will be no work. One solution is to implement a shorter workday. I have written about this and it is encouraging to see that the 90-year-old Israeli President Shimon Peres says about it as well:

Translation: “It is necessary to reduce working hours and to increase the time of study. Who says that you need to work 8 hours a day? It is possible to work 4 hours a day and study 4 hours a day, and the studies will be considered work. It is necessary to employ young people. We must provide Grade 11 and 12 students with 2 hours of work a day. They will be trained in the community not less than at the university. Their workplaces will benefit from their youthful energy, and the young will have some income. I also propose that we start teaching English from 3 years of age; it is the right time for this.”
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The Lifeline To Shore

Dr. Michael LaitmanAdvancement is only possible through the gap between the inner Light and the Surrounding Light. The inner Light symbolizes the present and the Surrounding Light symbolizes the future. The more we can elevate the future in regard to the present, the stronger the force that pulls us forward, our yearning for the future will be greater. And according to the force of this absence, we attract the Light which penetrates the present state from the future.

For in the spiritual world all states already exist; everything only depends on our yearning to attain the future. If we want it, we feel it as good. But if we don’t yearn for the future, then its Light comes to us according to the developmental program “in its time,” and this causes us to suffer.

Everything depends on the manner by which we increase our yearning for the future and awaken ourselves towards it. This must become our main concern. For this, we need to describe it to ourselves, to draw its picture in front of us, and to play in it as if we already live in this future. We need to behave like children who play at being adults awakening excitement about this within them, helping themselves to grow.

A person can’t grow through trouble and suffering. Suffering, on the contrary, obliges him to gather into himself, to go into a corner, to hide in some shelter. In contrast, happiness opens the heart to grace, to mercy, to bestowal, to love and carries one forward, as if on wings.

Therefore if we describe a good and beautiful future to ourselves, we cause the whole group to be elevated by this, giving all the friends a feeling of hope, confidence and joy about the prospects for the future, from its greatness, the greatness of the Creator, the teacher, the learning, and the group; this will give everyone energy and desire, and will expand their perception. Thanks to this, we attract even more influence from the Surrounding Light to our expanded desires, receive even more power and illumination, and are drawn forward.

So through constantly turning toward the future and receiving illumination from there, a person advances himself. It’s as if I had a rope and were pulling myself upward with its help. Or as if I am sitting in a boat and with a rope, I throw the rope to someone on the shore, and then use the rope to pull myself toward the shore.

In this way, a person works with the Surrounding Light, awakening in himself a yearning for the future, praising the Creator and the future state and thereby gathering deficiencies for himself. With the deficiency that develops, he again thinks about the future and together with this learns that through this he attracts the Surrounding Light from the future. This works on his external vessels that are meant for the future. For they are not internal vessels yet; they have not yet attained correction and fulfillment.

In this way a person arouses his future desire; this attracts him to it so that he advances. He receives that awakening from the future, that fulfillment and power intermittently. With the help of the environment and the study, he creates a connection with the future, with the Surrounding Light that influences his desires that are not yet corrected, and finally he attains the goal.
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From the Preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/12/13

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The Unique Work Of The Spiritual Adaptor

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn spirituality a human being is the part that coordinates between the Creator and the created beings. He is also called “Israel,” which means straight to the Creator (Yashar-El). It says: “You are called Adam (human) and not the nations of the world.” After all, the Masach (screen) that I provide for all of humanity is the real “me,” the human being in me. I take the Aviut (thickness) from the “nations of the world,” the Light from the Creator, and I have to build a Masach in relation to them.

The goal of every upper Partzuf is actually an “adaptor,” a “connector,” the transition that has nothing of its own except the adaptation to the needs of others. This is my work, my designation. Whoever has a point in the heart has to do that, this is what we study.

Question: What do we overcome by that?

Answer: We have to overcome the interruptions that prevent us from helping the world and by that to bring the Creator contentment. According to the fable, He actually wanted to give the Torah, which means the method of correction, to the “nations of the world,” and the Israeli nation received it only as a point of transition, as an adaptor and a connector. The nations of the world have the vessels, the Lights are above, and the Israeli nation, those with the points in the heart, have to adapt between them. So it turns out that we are the upper Partzuf, the adaptor, or in other words, a Masach and Returning Light.

We only need to exert ourselves and nothing more than that. Our desire is small in comparison to the desire of the nations of the world, and so it is written, “You are few among the nations.” We are few not quantitatively but with respect to the desire to receive, since our Aviut belongs to the level of Bina and we acquired all the additions after the shattering. Our only designation is to serve Malchut, which means the desires of the nations of the world, and to build the Third Temple from them. We will have to fill all the desires and the spiritual passions that will be revealed in them.

So it is written: “Wisdom in the nations of the world—believe, Torah in the nations of the world—don’t believe.” Their vessels have to receive the Light of Hochma, and the Torah is the method of correction that exists only among the nation of Israel that is designated to evoke the Light that Reforms, to correct themselves, to calculate things regarding the Masach, and to bring the nations of the world the Light of Hochma. We establish the connection and the system and the nations of the world provide the desires.

Question: This mission doesn’t seem very difficult. We only have to pass on something to the nations of the world like messengers; what’s so hard about the work of this “adaptor?”

Answer: First, on the level of the forefathers we broke off from the vessels of AHP, that is, we left Babylon after having corrected our vessels that belong to GE. Then on the level of the sons we corrected our AHP by the exiles, especially the exile in Egypt, and have acquired a whole vessel, but its two parts are ours since they belong to the level of Bina and that is not enough. So after the Exodus from Egypt, the conquering of the Land of Israel, and the building of the Temple, our whole vessel was shattered and fell to the level of the nations of the world, to the fourth and last exile.

The Unique Work Of The Spiritual Adaptor
Now we have to start correcting things, but not the correction that was before. Then we didn’t go through the shattering, and today we have to take our “vessels” out of the “nations of the world.” This is already a great deal of work. In addition to that, the representatives of the nations of the world also join us.

First we have to reconstruct ourselves as the one vessel we used to be and then we begin to work with the “nations of the world,” as the connection already exists since the days of the exile. So even though we start our self correction now, it is passed on to them, and, thus, we don’t just reconstruct ourselves but also include everyone in the correction and rise to much higher levels.

When Israel rises again, the nations of the world immediately follow them and then they have whom to ask for, for the real AHP and not for the “undeveloped” AHP of Bina.

So the role of “Israel” is to take the deficiency of the “nations of the world” and with it, rise to the Creator and prepare the vessel of the Shechina (Divinity) for it. It’s built of the different desires of the nations of the world, no matter how ready they are. The main thing is that they feel that the filling from above goes through us. Then they are able to adhere to us and to receive it.

Thus we bring the Creator contentment. Since it’s to them that He promised to give the Torah, to the real vessels of receiving, and we are only the means for the correction of these vessels.

So it’s clear how important it is to disseminate all over the world. The “Torah” is a general, inseparable system that is revealed everywhere. It turns out that we are connected in a network and cannot break away and escape from it. This network, the connection between people, is the “Torah.” It exists on all the levels all the way to the absolute connection when everyone become “as one man in one heart.” The Torah is the general vessel and the general Light in it is called “The Creator.” Today we must correct the desire to receive in order to connect above it in mutual bestowal upon the Creator.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/11/13, The Zohar

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Everything Flows, Everything Changes…

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: The situation in the world is changing at a very high speed. Does the method of integral education also change accordingly?

Answer: In the world everything changes, but not with us. The issue is that all structures of matter are very rapidly moving to connection and unity, except for the human being, the highest level that exists in creation. And that positions all of humanity and each one of us, as an inseparable part of it, in an unpleasant situation.

The main law of nature is the law of balance of all its parts, and if we are not in balance, we suffer accordingly. The suffering is distributed on several levels. There are ecological problems felt more and more seriously: volcanic eruptions, typhoons, etc. It’s also the global ice age that is tirelessly approaching and already afflicting both Russia and Europe, judging by what’s happening with the climate. There are also political problems and, of course, mostly economic problems.

But all of this can be solved only through one method: the balancing of humanity with the surrounding world, with the entire system of nature.

We already spoke about this many times: If we begin to connect and unite on different levels, each one in his family, in his work place, within his area, in cities, in countries, and between countries; if we stop the “bustle” on the Internet and begin to seriously use it as a tool for our connection, for mutual understanding, then we will prevent all these problems and really come to a good level of existence.

Together with this, the still, vegetative, and animate levels of nature can quickly come to the correct order according to our advancement. Through our behavior, our mutual coming together, we will reconstruct and heal it. Everything depends only on us.

Thus, our main problem is to explain to people the meaning of the closed system in which they exist, and in what way we can influence it. We need to do this in the quickest and most efficient way in order not to perform unnecessary and harmful movements and to begin, as fast as possible, in the shortest and most effective way to implement the correction of man, of society, of the world.
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From the Virtual Lesson 04/07/2013

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 04.16.13

Preparation to the Lesson

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Writings of Rabash Shlavei HaSulam,” Article 28

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The Book of ZoharSelected Excerpt, “Ki Tetze,” Item 91, Lesson 7

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 3, Part 10, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Item 6, Lesson 31

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Topic of Lesson: “Israeli Nation” (Independence Day in Israel), Lesson 2

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