Audio Version Of The Blog – 08.15.14

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How Does One Overcome “Dead” States?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is to be done if we feel that we don’t have the strength to advance and the group seems dead?

Answer: I have heard this question from all the groups not just once. Today most of our friends feel exhausted and ask themselves: “What is there to do?”

This is a very good state. (Ecclesiastes 7:20) “For there is not a righteous man upon earth that doeth good and sinneth not.” And the more that he descends and ascends, the more he becomes a greater Tzadik (righteous man), meaning that he justifies the Creator after he descends.

If we wouldn’t have a great and serious descent, then we couldn’t go on, and when we begin to leave the descent, only after that do we understand that this was the Creator; He did this with us. So a state of weakness, stupidity, blurring, disappearance of mental and emotional sharpness, this is a compulsory transitory process from one level to another. You will feel how you are completely detached from the world and what is left of you is only some kind of amorphous mass like a jellyfish.

The idea is that the spiritual transition from one state to another takes place according to all four phases of development. So when a person passes through them, it is as if he died and was reborn.

The same thing happens with individual groups and the entire world group. Once there it is realized in waves: here more, there less, and this mutual compensation smooths these states. So, ultimately, mutual connection brings permanence.

We must get used to this. First of all, you must use the fact that those other parts of our spiritual Kli, the other groups, are in ascent, in sharp sensations and impressions.

Try to connect to them, as the weak connects with the strong in spirit and knowledge. I rely on them even though I don’t know anything, don’t understand anything, but they attract me, I get something from them at least, and a feeling is created with me that I have at least warmed up a little.

You can’t imagine what else will be. We must learn to survive, and you will learn this. Incidentally, the prophets talked about this  a lot. They described all the problems that appeared during the forty years of wandering in the wilderness. We must pass through all of this.

So the state when the group is weak, detached, conscious of his own impotence, the inability to do anything, this is a state of spiritual transition. This transitional point is given to us intentionally so that even in a state of “death” we will try to connect ourselves to something spiritual.

Together with this, it is necessary to try to do everything possible, do anything, disseminate, do mechanical work: wash the floors or dishes in the center. What it is doesn’t matter. This will take you forward.

And the main thing is to try to find a connection with other groups. This is most useful.

The more you succeed in carrying out more spiritual actions with the help of the others, the better it is, for this has been given intentionally in order for connection. A little child always grows thanks to his connection to his mother or family.
[141338]
From the Talk at a meal at the Toronto Convention, 4/8/14

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You Won’t Be Able To Hide

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Recently, anti-Semitism has grown in the entire world, but the impression is that there is a more serious problem with Jews who are against the Jews and against Israel, not just anti-Semites who are opposed to the Jews.

Answer: The Jews have no other problem but to recognize their mission and their role in the world, which they must realize in our days as the wisdom of Kabbalah says. In general, the entire crisis in the world is a problem where the Jewish people do not perform their duty to bring Light to the nations of the world by uniting with each other.

In essence, the inner problem of Israel is turning into a common problem of the entire world.

I have met many famous people who are obvious anti-Semites, and we even came to a certain understanding. After all, we seemingly have a common direction, although they did not understand the depth of the problem, but they subconsciously recognized that the Jews have a special, higher, universal, cosmic force. The problem is that this force is negative, not positive.

Currently, this force is revealed as negative, but you can reverse it and turn it into positive. So, I tell anti-Semites that I recognize the validity of their claims to the Jews and Israel. They are amazed that I agree with them, but I explain to them how the entire system is built and what really needs to be done.

It is rather easy to explain this to anti-Semites and come to an understanding, but it is more difficult to bring this to the Jews themselves. It is known that our people are called “stiff-necked,” in other words, very stubborn and do not want to hear anything. The Jews want to be the same as the other nations of the world, to be like everyone else. They want to hide among other nations, but they cannot do this and will never succeed in doing this!

Indeed, according to the general process that humanity and all of creation is going through, the Jews must unite with each other and set an example to the entire world as “a Light to the nations of the world.” Then, through us, the Light, the positive force, will begin to flow to all the nations of the world who will feel that the Jews who used to be the source of negative energy now have become the source of positive energy.

When I explain this to the people of the world, they agree with me, but when I say this to Jews, they refuse to listen because it makes them responsible. It is easier for the nations of the world. It does not oblige them. In fact, they are willing to invest their strength in that: to work and support. It is not for nothing that it is written in the prophets that the nations of the world will take the children of Israel on their shoulders and bring them to Jerusalem.

They are ready to help us, but, for the time being, they are helping in a negative way, pushing us through wars and anti-Semitic demonstrations. In this form, they will force us to think about our fate, our destiny, and our mission.

In the future, these forces will be manifested more strongly. Just as once Nazi Germany established special laws for the Jews, it will be so all over the world. Indeed, the prophets write that, if the people of Israel do not return to the state of being one man with one heart in time, then all the nations of the world will rise up against Israel and bring a war with them from the sea, from the land, and from the air.

So, we should not wait for anything good. No help will come because everyone, down to the smallest country, will be against Israel. If we unite, we will win by the force of our unity. Once we begin to unite, the force of unity will flow through us to the nations of the world, and they will stop fighting.

It turns out that the nations of the world must put pressure on Israel until the last moment, almost destroying it, and if, at that moment, the Jews become united, then all the nations will be recharged from us, get fulfillment, and immediately will cease fighting.
[141334]
From KabTV’s “Anti-Semitism” 7/21/14

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Evolution Drives Us Into A Corner

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: The Jewish people have been through horrible trials throughout history such as the inquisition and the Holocaust. And because of this, we have the constant feeling that we will always be hated no matter what. At the same time there is the feeling that no one can defeat us and that we can go on like this for ages. How can we break down this wall of stubbornness and pride?

Answer: In the past, the Jewish people always managed to come out of the clutches of the pressure they were under. If it became dangerous in one country, they could always hide in another where they would succeed.

That’s the way it always was. But today we find ourselves in a general global crisis, when the whole world is connected globally, and so the whole world will be against the Jews as one, and there will be nowhere to hide. We have nowhere to escape to. We will feel that we are cornered and have no choice but to beg the Creator for help.

Comment: But we are living in our own state, in the state of Israel, and we have a strong army. So people don’t feel that there is no way out. The Jews have gotten used to the fact that we are hated and that we will always be hated, and so we don’t intend to change in any way.

Answer: People don’t understand that we are in a special time, in a special phase of evolution that brings us to increasingly greater unity of all the parts of creation. The whole world feels that it is connected in one bowl, and in this situation, the Israeli nation is in a very difficult position.

We could be saved when someone needed us and we moved from one place to another and thus received financial support from the authorities. We succeeded in finding a place that was more or less free of anti-Semitism.

But the modern world has become round, and we will not be able to find a quiet place anymore. On the whole, the whole process is arranged so as to drive the Jews into a corner.

Comment: When the Jews were expelled from Spain some of them fled to Turkey and the Turkish sultan then said how stupid the Spanish king was for expelling his most precious asset. Turkey accepted the Jews gladly since it understood that they gained, but today the Turks are accusing the Jews and demanding the Turkish Jew’s to condemn Israel’s actions.

Answer: It is now clear to everyone that there is nowhere to hide and it is time to fulfill our mission.
[141331]
From KabTV’s “Anti-semitism” 7/21/14

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Small Effort, Great Resonance

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: When we conduct workshops in the community we feel that something is happening here. But our efforts don’t depend on us; the Creator is doing absolutely everything. What is happening? Why does it descend to us like a gift?

Answer: I cannot tell you what is happening. Later on you will understand yourself how it works.

Of course the upper force is doing all of this. It manages, determines, and governs us, especially when we desire to be in some unison with it.

If I become similar to it even by a tiny bit, I generate some small wave that becomes empowered by huge upper force and it creates big amplitude. Thus we advance and become surprised when suddenly everything happens. In reality, a resonance is created according to the effect of the similarity of properties.
[141233]
From Lesson 5 of the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14

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The Nobel Prize Is Not The “Light To The Nations”

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: You say that the people of Israel are not carrying out their mission of being a “light to the nations.” But haven’t we tried to bring light to the world throughout history?

Answer: In what way, through our success in business or art, through our Nobel Prizes? This is not at all that Light that we need to bring to the people.

Yes, they have gotten many things from us, even weekends. But we have never truly developed this Mitzvah (commandment) to be a “light to the nations.”

First of all, we have to understand what kind of “light” is being talked about here.

The characteristic of love, equality, unity, this is “Light.” In general, the power of bestowal is divided into a multitude of influences depending on whom it acts upon, to what degree, and at what level?

But we are not acting like this. Even among us we have not attained this, although first of all, we ourselves must become the source of Light, or at least a transitional link, so that through us the influence of the upper force, the power of bestowal and love, the comprehensive power of nature, will pass to the nations of the world.

Today, for the first time in history, we must do this. But so far we haven’t even tried and we haven’t needed to because we weren’t worthy, we were not ready for this. Only now has the time come when we must realize this.

Question: Does modern anti-Semitism testify to this? After all, in fact, it has always existed.

Answer: Anti-Semitism for us is one of the signs that the time has arrived to act. Yes, it existed long ago. It began in ancient Babylon 3,500 years ago.

The humanity of that era was split: One part followed Abraham, who called for unity, and the other part aligned with Nimrod and scattered throughout the world. From then, in the nature of every person, even if he is not connected at all with the Jews, hatred towards them is latent.

Question: The nations of the world have taken philosophical concepts, monotheism, freedom, and other things from the Jews. But they have not taken unity.

Answer: They didn’t take it because even among us it didn’t exist. It was not in a form that was suited for the world. In those times we were very far from the nations of the world. To be honest, the philosophers of ancient Greece, who learned from our prophets, gleaned a few fragments of the wisdom of Kabbalah and created their postulates from them.

But one way or another, anti-Semitism is a natural phenomenon. And instead of “butting heads” with it, we must unite among us. The nations will take this unity from us, even if we don’t publicize it. For in any case, the Light of life comes to the world through us.

Question: So how is the picture of a correct life look for our people? The life that will touch people for life in their living soul and awaken them to learn about unity from us?

Answer: We don’t need to think about how to attract them to our side. We only need to build our lives according to the function of the unique, chosen people. We must connect “as one person with one heart,” and develop this covenant more and more.

With this, we remove all problems from us, and furthermore we bring this Light to the world, which will also calm it down and it will go in the proper way towards correction.
[141283]
From KabTV’s “Anti-Semitism” 6/18/14

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Are We Ready For This?

Dr. Michael LaitmanDo we live in an aspiration for unity? Does love unite us there?

No, and that’s why we experience all our troubles. It does not matter that the external complaints of the world against us are different. There is one demand behind all the accusations: our happiness is in your hands. Do what you need to do or disappear because if you don’t, then nobody needs you.

Today, this demand sounds louder than ever.

We are tired. The world is tired. Crises, wars, diseases, and environmental disasters have battered the Earth so much that the groaning is everywhere.

This demand is to us: to the people of Israel. Become one people. Show the world that this is the only way to live.

And as soon as we start to approach the realization of this idea, as soon as we take the first step and direct our thoughts towards Oneness, as soon as we decide, finally, that we cannot survive in any other way; we will immediately see the attitude towards us change, as the world stands waiting for a miracle. And our worst enemies will retreat. Our Oneness will defeat them. It will give strength to our army.

We will win without casualties; just understand this! Our children will not be killed! By our unity, we will create an impenetrable dome around them, around our army, around the whole of Israel. We will radiate such confidence, such happiness that everyone will want to live like this.

The whole world!

Why?! Because by doing so we will get closer to the Law of Unity, which runs the world. The Law of Love. And it will help us.

So, will we hear this time?
[141085]

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Desires That Enhance Spirituality

Dr. Michael Laitman“But if it is a white discoloration on the skin of his body, which does not appear to be deeper than the skin and the hair in it has not turned white, the priest shall isolate the affected person for seven days.” (The Torah, Leviticus, Tazri’a, 13:04)

“Hair” signifies the exit of excesses that the body wants to rid itself of through the skin. By internally digesting all egoistic levels, one corrects these desires, thus continues growing and functioning.

Anything that is not functional in the body leaves it naturally. In spirituality, there also exists a similar phenomenon that is “positioned” right after the very last egoistic level of desires—the skin. Going beyond this level is carried out in the form of excess desires that at the human level are represented as hair.

However, humans have significantly less hair than animals since a human being is able to “digest” more egoistic desires and re-direct them towards bestowal and love.

On the other hand, there is not even a millimeter on our body that is not covered by hair. And so Se’arot (hair) stand for a person’s huge desires that yet have to be oriented towards correction, but so far they have not been re-directed properly.

If one’s desires are correct, they cascade from one’s head in the form of side curls, beard, etc. and properly wrap a person. Related to this is the concept of “hermit” (Nazir) who never cuts his hair.

Women, on the contrary, attract men with their hair because in spirituality a woman draws a man by her desires to bestow, to spiritual love.

Men lack these kinds of desires and women attract them by letting men take their desires, correct them, and thus rise. Here you can see interesting correlations, even in how through the process of development mankind changed hairstyles keeping it within a cover.

A religious woman always covers her hair since she doesn’t let strangers take her desires. She is only allowed to reveal her hair in front of her husband.
[140502]
From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 2/19/14

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The Essential Secret Of The Jews, Part 17

From the book: The Essential Secret of the Jews, M. Brushtein.

“Fundamental Principles of the Integral Theory”

Dear Genghis Khan,

Have you ever questioned why the biggest conquerors are called great and even the greatest? This is what Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Stalin are called. But they captured, enslaved and killed. Is it not amazing that they are respected not only by those who love them, but even by those who do not like them?

For clarity, we refer to certain data:

“Genghis Khan (Temujin – Temujin) (c. 1155-1227) was a founder and Great Khan of the Mongol Empire (c. 1206), the organizer of conquering campaigns against the peoples of Asia and Eastern Europe. His crusades were accompanied by devastation, destruction of entire peoples, and led to the establishment of the Mongol-Tatar yoke in the conquered countries.” (Encyclopedic Dictionary, 2000)

This encyclopedic entry is well illustrated by the line from Lermontov’s poem: “The steeds, the men all disassembled.” The activity of the same person is described in almost incompatible concepts. On the one hand: the founder and great. On the other hand: death and the yoke.

The article shows once again how ambiguously we treat conquerors’ personalities. In spite of that, the vast majority of people look at the invaders with reverence.

We’ll ask again: Why?

Our version is as follows: paradoxically enough, they are valued and rewarded with the epithet “genius,” though often with the prefix “evil,” namely for the numerous conquests.

Why? Let’s recall that it is precisely due to great conquests, or – if you want – great victories (a “victory” is a synonym for the word “conquest.” Oxford Dictionaries) scattered family clans were turned into grand duchies, wild warring tribes established prosperous states, and conflicting and poor developed countries were transformed into powerful empires.

Thus, their merit is that they wittingly or unwittingly contributed to human unity.

“Overt or concealed desire of some countries for world hegemony is one of the constituents of the trend towards the unity of humanity.” (Zinoviev, A.A., Towards Supersociety)

The question arises: What is happening today? Unfortunately, humanity has invented nothing more effective than this method of unification.

To this day, invasions and conquests, though not necessarily of a military nature, are committed on the Earth. Information and economic invasion are often much more effective.

The trend continues. Each new invasion leads to closer ties and relations not only between individual nations, but entire continents. Thanks to the British conquest, the planet got an international language of communication, and thanks to the war with Nazi Germany, ordinary Soviet people saw the Western world.

Invasion works. It unites. But it is painful and unpleasant. Is it possible to unite otherwise? Not maiming and killing each other? It might be possible, but we do not know how to do it yet. The noisiest fact is the failure of the European Union.

According to polls Gallup, now only 30 percent of Europeans have a positive attitude towards the EU institutions, although 20 years ago the number of supporters of the European idea exceeded 70 percent.

Even in Germany, which is traditionally considered the most pro-European Union country, the number of euro-sceptics is not much less than euro-optimists.

Maybe, we took a wrong approach? Maybe, we need to conquer not territories and resources, but trust and kindness to each other?

It is interesting that it was Abraham, the ideological leader of the Jews, who suggested precisely this paradigm, as a means of unification to the Babylonian empire that was standing on the threshold of collapse

Humanity honors and remembers the achievements of many people, including the accomplishments of Abraham. But what he achieved in reality is difficult even to imagine. Think for a minute! 3800 years ago, Abraham offered his countrymen – the idolaters – to implement the principle of “love thy neighbor as thyself”????!

But we are not ready for this even today!
[140778]

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 08.15.14

Preparation for the Lesson

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Workshop

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Shamati #40 “Faith in the Rav, What Is the Measure” 

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The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts, “VaYakhel,” “The Ascent of the Prayer,” Item 131

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 1, Part 2, “Histaklut Pnimit,” Chapter 4, Item 45

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Lesson on the Topic: “Importance of Distribution Among the People of Israel”

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