Audio Version Of The Blog – 07.08.14

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Will Israel Become A Nation State Of One People?

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (from The Guardian): “Binyamin Netanyahu will push ahead with a rare change to Israel‘s basic laws – which amount to the country’s constitution – to insist Israel is ‘the nation state of one people only – the Jewish people – and of no other people.’

“At Sunday’s weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu said the civil rights of minorities, including Arabs, would be guaranteed, and the move was vital at a time when aspects of Israel’s legitimacy were ‘under a constant and increasing assault from abroad and at home.’

“Netanyahu laid out his rationale for the change at the cabinet meeting, ‘The state of Israel is a Jewish and democratic state. Our basic laws give full expression to the democratic side of the state,’ he said. ‘On the other hand, that the state of Israel is the nation state of the Jewish people is not sufficiently expressed in our basic laws, and this is what the draft basic law is meant to provide.’

“’The state of Israel provides full equal rights, individual rights, to all its citizens, but it is the nation state of one people only – the Jewish people – and of no other people. And therefore, in order to bolster the status of the state of Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people, I intend to submit a basic law that will anchor this status.’”

My Comment: Israel is established as a nation by the constitution, i.e., not in a natural way, but by a special law of nature, by the law of correction and by the aspiration for the likeness to the Creator, the quality of bestowal and love, achieving “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

The condition of the constitution, i.e., the Torah is the basic rule of the Jewish people, based on which it was founded and created. It is the law given on Mount Sinai: “To be as one man with one heart,” to be in mutual guarantee, “Don’t do unto others what you don’t want others to do unto you,” and “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

We have existed since the moment of unity among the people under the leadership of Abraham, leaving Babylon due to following these rules and we will be able to exist as a people and state in the future only by observing these rules. Without fulfilling these rules, we are neither a people nor a state.

We are required to set an example in relation to all the nations of the world. This is the meaning and condition of our existence “To be the nation of priests and a holy nation,” to become a “light to the nations of the world.” We must begin to fulfill this condition now, in our time!
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We Cannot Pay Back With The Same Coin

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: If the people of Israel are destined for oneness and an exalted goal, then why did the Jews kill an Arab teenager?

Answer: Because the people of Israel fell from the level of the First Temple and shattered. Its present condition is worse than that of the nations of the world. We still think that we are somehow better than others, that we are naturally more compassionate, and endowed with other noble intentions, that sometimes we show greater courtesy and help each other more compared to other nations.

This was particularly evident over the period of exile, when support and charity were vital for survival. That is all true. But, in fact, in this people are broken vessels, desires. Naturally, for the time being, they are still dormant, but they can awaken. In general, the Torah defines a simple approach to situations similar to the one we are experiencing today: you must stop your attacker before he kills you, but beyond that, all your other actions must aim only toward correction. And this correction manifests through unity according to the principle of “From the love for creatures to the love for the Creator”.

If somebody wants to kill us, we must address security issues and protect our lives even at the cost of the enemy’s life. But everything else, outside of defending ourselves (meaning, the corporeal correction), should be carried out by way of the spiritual correction.

As for killing an Arab teenager, such cases should be treated like any other similar crime. There is no place for leniency; people can’t do whatever they want. I say this in the context of the correction of the world: we have the right and must destroy anyone who has come to destroy us if there is no other option. But otherwise, we must employ only the power of our spiritual correction. And all of this is happening solely because we are lagging behind on this path. Only saving one’s individual life can be justified, because if I am dead, what corrections can I possibly make?

Question: So, what do we do in this particular situation?

Answer: As I have already said, we need to unite. There is nothing else we can do. We must unite tighter and tighter, until we become as one man with one heart. This means that we are not doing what we are supposed to do. All negativity coming from our neighbors and us are merely outcomes. We are the ones responsible for both.

In fact, there are quite a few people in our city who reject our true correction and believe only in the military solution to the problem. They would be happy to pay the Arabs back with their own coin. But I will argue that this is not our way. The very wish for that, even a thought or urge to do to them what they do to us is a flaw indicting that we have no connection with the true correction. It is not circulating in our blood yet, and we don’t understand that only the correct relationship between us will resolve the situation. And yet, when we come together, all heated emotions will subside not only in Israel but in the whole world.
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From the 6th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/8/14, lesson on the topic “Unity of the people”

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A War Is Not A Correction

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: When one hears the missile warning siren and runs for shelter, what is he supposed to be thinking at that moment?

Answer: That the Creator is reminding him about some kind of flaw, that there is something he hasn’t corrected yet, which he is supposed to have done. This is why it gets revealed through suffering and not by way of the Torah.

Question: And what should people living in other parts of the country be thinking, those who are not being under fire? After all, they are going about their lives as if nothing is happening, while in the south this leisurely life is over. How do I connect to those who are taking to shelters to the sounds of sirens and explosions?

Answer: I should be making every effort to use every opportunity to lead the people to unite. And while I am at it, I should be building intention for the situation to calm down so that we could all move forth toward the purpose of creation over this segment of the route, by following the path of the Torah and not by suffering.

And so every day, every moment, I switch the “toggle” onto the good path, to help the people in the south or (one step above it) to bring contentment to the Creator. Of course, you must stop the enemies with an army. We need peace right now, and we cannot obtain it without using force. And yet, we should be using this means only in order to get time for our correction.

A war will correct nothing. Today, the world is already aware that a war won’t bring prosperity. It is clear to everyone: force doesn’t resolve problems. Hence, we resort to military means only to stop the conflict from escalating and give ourselves time to do our primary job of unifying the nation.
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From the 6th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/08/14, lesson on the topic “Unity of the people”

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The Importance Of The Convention In America

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the importance of the convention in New Jersey?

 Answer:  There is no importance in that it is precisely in New Jersey. That just happens to be the place where we have become used to holding conventions. We have already been there, so there we feel good and comfortable.

 However, in general, the convention in America is very important. It also accompanies my meetings with leaders of Jewish communities, organizations, and movements, which are also very important.

 Other than that, we know, feel, and hear about how the world is changing, and there is especially a great change in relation to Jews. Our role has become increasingly prominent and in demand. Let us hope that we will be able to come to this convention in a state where our friends and students will listen to us, including those English speakers who participate with us in all kinds of ways and levels from all around the world, and that we will be able to sweeten the development and try to bring it to a good path, as much as it is possible, from “in due time” to “I will hasten it.” This can be done only if that English-speaking Kli will accept this great mission. Every place in the world, at least in the English-speaking world, should try to do the same as what we do in Hebrew, in Israel.

 I very much hope that it will not end at the convention, but that we will keep working before and after the convention. Also, I very much hope that we will accept this important work that has now been cast upon us, which has befallen us, with a lot of importance, with awareness of how important and unique our role is, and especially that the American Kli will become like a pipe to the whole world. This is because their language, approach, and ability is truly unlimited, and we very much need it.

 I very much look forward to bringing a much broader public, which is not that connected to us, closer to us at the convention, that they will understand what we need to do, what the correct implementation of the wisdom of Kabbalah is. We have more work to do in this, and so I have great hope.

 I am very grateful to all the people who are engaged in the convention preparation. According to the importance they feel for the convention, I thus certainly expect it to be incredibly strong. It will be the last in a series of conventions that we will be holding in the American continent.

Therefore, I also very much hope that all our friends who can be in contact and support of it, not only from Israel, but from the whole world, will join in and support it, and we will turn the New Jersey Convention into a World Convention. 

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Shooting At A Moving Target

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Every day as I advance on the path, I feel myself further and further from the goal. Does this happen all the time or will it ever change?

Answer: We need to see exactly in what we become distant and in what way we advance. If it seems to me that the distance between me and the goal is greater than yesterday, so it seems that I have scrutinized better the difference between me and the goal, the characteristics, the desires, and everything.

It could be that from the point of view of understanding and attaining the goal, I have advanced. So specifically because of this, I see that the distance to the goal is greater than I thought before. Yesterday it seemed to me that the goal was closer because I was like a little child who naively thought that it was possible to attain it easily. But today I see that it is not so easy at all and that it is impossible to overcome in one leap.

It could be that the goal seems more distant to me, but I have changed my relationship towards it, and actually its being so far away helps me. So it is easier for me to understand that it is up to me not to search for how to reach it but how to reach a state of absolute bestowal, Hafetz Hesed (delighting in mercy). After all, the intention is not to grab or to capture the goal; rather, it is to acquire a completely different characteristic so that all of these distances will have no meaning.

I merit a characteristic with whose help I can be everywhere simultaneously, for this is the characteristic of bestowal, there is no Tzimtzum (restriction) on it and no distance. So when I see myself now more distant from the goal, this helps in making it possible for me to change the goal itself and understand what I must attain.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/20/14, The Zohar

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This Is How The Method Is Created

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: We are conducting integral circles (connection workshops), but we don’t use external forms of information (such as publicity and marketing). This takes people out of the group because they don’t agree with the form of dissemination, even though they agree with the path. At this junction a problem is created: A person wants to express his needs, but doesn’t get feedback from the group.

Answer: Our form of dissemination changes all the time. If you ask me, I also don’t know in what form we will disseminate tomorrow, for this is not written anywhere. The wisdom of Kabbalah is purely a practical science.

A person by the name Adam suddenly discovered the system of the world 5,774 years ago. He found its mutual connections and the manner in which it is possible to enter into comprehensive integrality and attain it more and more deeply.

He, and others after him described this, and what they didn’t describe remains for us to discover and describe. You must enter the spiritual state through attaining the inner system of nature and describe the mutual connection between all of its parts.

Presently, we are in a stage about about which neither Adam nor Abraham nor anyone in the world has known or heard. It would seem we question who are we in comparison with those great scientists who discovered the depths of nature. However, what we are doing today was not under their control.

So, by ourselves from our experiences and advancing as if in a fog, we discover everything through the method of trial and error. We describe our steps each time, and after that, we cancel them and describe them again and again more correctly. This is how every science develops.

This is the true way and it is not necessary to suffer, to flee, and to be ashamed of it. I keep repeating in lessons that, in the meantime, I don’t know how to go in the right direction because this has not yet been in the world! There has not been a correction from the lowest point of our world where an entire group attains spirituality.

This happened once in the group of Rabbi Shimon and his students who wrote The Book of Zohar and then only in an embryo, a bud.

Only now in our condition, in the whole mess that is happening around us, we must begin to create and describe our method. So, I urge everyone all the time, “Write!” Don’t erase anything old, let others learn from your steps, how you went, how you erred, and you how discovered something again, and again corrected it.

We need to give people the wisdom of connection so that it will spread like wildfire, which is already happening. Our project is the largest. You must not be distracted by nonsense. We need to be involved with this where we continually magnify our work, our mission. Everything begins from this.
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From a conversation at the Sochi Convention 6/9/14

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Control Your Thoughts

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What should you do if during a workshop material problems cover you to such a degree that you don’t know how to escape them?

Answer: For each new state, it doesn’t matter if it is positive or negative, it needs to be clarified so that a person can think to himself: “I remain in the previous direction of thoughts.” This is necessary.

You can’t imagine what comes over you during the time of the morning lesson. There are 300-400 men sitting before me and a large number of people connected by Internet. If I weren’t successful in organizing my inner thoughts, then it is unknown what could have happened in the lesson, what could have passed to my students, what a waste, what a mess!

Thoughts can be different: sometimes stupid, sometimes confused, sometimes scary, like in a horror movie. They might be completely out of place: about problems at home, with children, problems connected to sex. Anything is possible! It doesn’t depend on age or on any different factors. All of these thoughts are sent to us so that we will process them.

I cannot think about controlling myself or you. You are, after all, at the beginning of the path.

If I don’t control my thoughts, then my lesson won’t be worth anything. Instead of raising the students, I lower them because they receive everything through me. That is the responsibility of the moderator.

Imagine that you are a body of a mother and an embryo is developing in it, the most precious thing to you. Would you agree to it receiving nourishment that is harmful or incorrect? Therefore, all the states experienced must be controlled.
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From the Sochi Convention 6/10/14, Lesson 3

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The Skin Protects The Fruit

Dr. Michael LaitmanIt is written that the “skin (Klipa) preserves the fruit.” These “impure forces,” Klipa, surround the Kli, fruit, on all sides and protect it from the external world.

But this is confusing, because in the picture of the universe, our world is surrounded by higher worlds, so who is this shell protecting us from, the upper one?

It protects us in both directions: from the Upper Light, which we are unable to receive, as well as from us, by not letting us go outside.

But when a person of this world is able to attain a desire that can break this skin and he goes through it into the upper world, then you are welcome to do it! The Klipa guards me and provides me with a resistance, which causes me to gather enough strength in opposition to it, so I could withstand it and live in the upper world.

The Skin Protects The Fruit
But on the other hand it protects me from receiving too much influence from the upper world, so I would not feel it living in the lower world; otherwise, it could harm me.

What nourishes the upper one is poison for the lower one. For Him it is the Light of bestowal, but I will immediately run away at the sight of it, because it will be so hateful to me. I will not be able to withstand it; this Light will seem to be an awful darkness to me.

Do you remember the darkness and the rejection you felt the first day of the convention? What was it? Just a slight contact with the Light of bestowal. A little Light was revealed to us, but we perceived it as something repugnant, dark, and cold, and we thought: “No, anything but this!”

But why?! Because He is a giver and I am a receiver. The Pharaoh is standing right across from the Creator; all the Light also exists in Egypt, we just perceive it as the darkness of Egypt.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/5/10

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 07.08.14

Shamati #36 “What Are the Three Bodies in a Man” 

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Workshop

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“The Book of Zohar” — Selected Excerpts, “Among All the Nations of the World, There Are None Like You,” Item 166

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“The Book of Zohar” — Selected Excerpts, “Ki Tetze,” “The Exile Continues,” Item 21

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 1, Part 2, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Chapter 4, Item 33

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Unity of the Nation,” Lesson 5 

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