A War Between Good And Evil

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Do you feel that the warm unity that is being revealed in the people of Israel in the latest war is only a small taste of that complete connection that must exist between all people?

Answer: Very much so. A connection like this must exist between all people in the world, without exception. Everyone must feel that others are like his blood brothers. And the people of Israel must show an example of this: giving power and energy to this, helping others to organize.

This is specifically what the anti-Semites say, except differently; for after all, they still have not received any help in this from the people of Israel. And so they are asking for something good from us, but they blame us for being the source of all suffering.

Question: How does the connection of the people of Israel that is created in a time of war influence the world?

Answer: It has not yet influenced the world because we have not attained true unity. In the meantime, we are far from the state of being like one person with one heart. We must organize according to those processes that bring the people to general unity. And likewise, it is necessary to explain to the whole world that we are building an example for everyone.

The process that Israel must go through to unite as one nation is intended for other nations. And this symbolizes being “a light to the nations,” “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Without the inclusion of all peoples in this process, creation will not become a single integral system.

The people of Israel were already in a state like this. Now it is charged with an additional task: not just to connect between us as we once were, but specifically to bring the entire world to connection. So this is called the “complete redemption,” “the last generation.”

All of humanity must attain the same connection that once existed among the people of Israel. We are not just returning to that state. We are not connecting just to be united between us but in order to connect others. This is another task from the start, a new level, a new direction, and a new goal.

So we must disseminate this knowledge to all of the people of Israel, and to the whole world as well. This is specifically what we intend to do: to unite in order to unite the people of Israel and the whole world after it. We need to remember this goal from the outset, as it is said, “the final act is in the initial thought.”

So we must disseminate the wisdom of Kabbalah and all that it says about the correction of the world and the mission of the people of Israel. And we will see how much this will be accepted in the world.

But if we don’t do this, then the whole world will join to support Gaza. Imagine the whole world siding with Gaza, connecting to it with all their heart and soul, and sending battleships, weapons, missiles, and aid there. What would we do then?

And this is what will happen if we don’t translate this war between good and evil inward, by directing against our evil, against the opposition to connection. This war of Gog and Magog was described clearly by the prophets. It was said that the whole world will join our enemy, and for example, the enemy that we see at the moment is Hamas.

Yet in fact no enemy exists, we materialize it through our separation. If we want Hamas to disappear, we only need to unite. Hamas has no other role besides the unification of the people of Israel.

All wars and suffering are directed only towards one goal, to obligate us to feel the power of unity and to rise to the level of a single consciousness. But we see that the moment that the war ends, the situation calms at least a little, and it becomes a bit quieter, we immediately fall from the level of unity.

And who has the responsibility for the people of Israel not descending from this state of unity? Those with have the method of Kabbalah, of unity. This means people who are studying the wisdom of Kabbalah and understand the whole program, the process, the powers of correction; they are the ones who are responsible for everything that is happening and must bring the method of unification to all of the people.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 8/12/14

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Tastes Of The Torah

Dr. Michael LaitmanComment: You once compared a book about the attributes of the Light to a book of recipes for the healthy tasty food.

Answer: Yes, indeed it is so, since it is about the tastes of the Torah. But in order to taste it, one has to feel it.

I drool when I look at what a cook prepares! In the Torah, however, I read about a lamb being slaughtered, skinned, and cut etc. so what of it?! I have no feeling that matches the description of these spiritual actions.

While reading, I have to taste and feel the matching desires and attributes; how they operate in me, what I reject, and what I am attracted to. I have to feel them because these are the same desires and intentions that I live with and are the most important for me at any given moment. This is either getting closer to the real upper source on which everything depends or drawing away from it.

This means that here I work with more prominent attributes, but they are described in the Torah in words and definitions that are dead and far from the lexicon that describes feelings. There is nothing we can do since the language of the Torah operates accurately according to the connection between the roots and their branches.

What will I taste if I take the cedars of Lebanon, birch, or a scarlet coil of rope? These things are tasteless and I don’t understand what they refer to.

Only when a person discovers these feelings inside him and when they storm in him while reading the Torah will the concealed become revealed.
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 2/25/14

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Chance To Help Humanity

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: When I deal with the general public, it’s quite hard for me to feel them. Even though our knowledge about these issues is vast, maybe there is a shorter and more sensory, psychological way to approach them? My inability to find connection with these people hurts me a lot.

Answer: I understand that you cannot descend to the street level. It is very difficult. Often, it is much easier to ascend than to descend. However, this stage has to be covered.

For example, Baal HaSulam ascended on his own, but in order to write The Study of the Ten Sefirot, he asked the Creator to lower him. In his article “The Prophecy,” Baal HaSulam wrote: “…even if I descend from my sublime degree, I must make a heartfelt plea to the Creator, to grant me attainment and knowledge of the prophecy and wisdom, and the words by which to help the forlorn people of the world, to raise them to the same degree of wisdom and pleasantness as mine.”

Lowering to these people is very difficult! It’s anti-spiritual! It’s against the entire creation; it’s hard even in this realm! A real teacher who can lower to the level of a child and talk with him as an equal is a rare and wonderful professional. Usually, it is done mechanically.

In the workshops, you should practice to think as common people do, sense them and talk with them at their level. At the same time, it is quite dangerous. Try doing it very accurately and measure your ability to play as if you are one of them.

You have to learn how to transition between our level and lower degrees. You should dynamically switch between various levels and be in different states: become as a man, a woman, a child, a more or less educated person, or an ignorant one. You should play these roles very seriously and feel their reaction, needs, demands, and opinions.

At the same time, you have to remain at your own level and still be “dressed” in their image. This is called “Levush” (clothing). Only then you’ll establish a good contact with them.

Let’s say, your level allows you to define the other people’s degrees. How can you descend from your level and make contact with them? This process is called a “descent,” “clothing,” it is a pedagogically spiritual maneuver. Teachers use this method subconsciously. In our system, it should be accurately measured.

You must make a special Zivug de Aka’a (cohesion with the Light); i.e., you should transform yourself into a lower state and make contact with ordinary people in a way that both of your states merge. It is a very interesting job that we will have to learn to do. That’s why we are called “the teachers of humanity.”

It is very good that we already have a demand for this kind of work. Try talking about these issues with each other. This is actually all that the The Study of the Ten Sefirot is about. All our work is about it too. Then, through working on these states among you, you’ll start feeling them internally.

Also, it’s interesting because when one goes through these states, when one dresses in numerous new Partzufim, one becomes “round” and equal to the world of Infinity. This is the type of connection among people through which unity, love, and complete merging occurs.
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From the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14, Lesson 4

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 08.21.14

Writings of Baal HaSulam  “Introduction to the Study of  the Ten Sefirot,” Item 7

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “One Commandment” 

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Audio Version Of The Blog – 08.20.14

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Unselfish Love

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Should friends maintain a connection between them that is similar to that between a mother and child?

Answer: Yes, it is a special internal unity between you and your friends that stretches deep into your most internal feelings, thoughts, and relation to the goal.

Comment: Often, it so happens that even if I demonstrate my internal concern to somebody, I don’t receive the same attitude in return. So, I end up in having a very weird connection with this person.

Answer: You don’t receive anything in return, so what? It is not written anywhere that a friend has to love you. Love is the feeling that if I love my friend, I am happy. It’s not about being loved and therefore feeling good.

You should not have claims against your friends for neglecting you (as you think they do.) Not at all! These reproaches have to be directed not to them, but to the Creator. You always talk with the Creator, not with your friends. This is the problem that is constantly overlooked.
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From the Convention In Sochi “Day Two” 7/14/14, Lesson 4

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Layer by Layer Purification of Desire

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe Torah, “Leviticus” (Tazria), 13:13-13:14: Then the Cohen shall look [at it]. And, behold! the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce [the person with] the lesion clean. He has turned completely white; he is clean.

This portion describes an egoistic distortion that replaces a complete correction. Even though a person behaves correctly and normally, he still cannot be a full member of the society that works only for the sake of bestowal.

The Torah speaks of a gradual correction of the society and bringing everybody to mutual bestowal and love in which we later reveal the Creator.

All layers of the desire have to be clean, and the skin has to be cleaner than th other organs because it is the most superficial layer and is the hardest to be corrected. That’s why dermatological diseases cannot be cured in this world.

Egoism consists of five parts that allegorically correspond to the brain, bones, ligaments, flesh, and skin. These five parts have to be corrected by exerting from inside out. At each level, this process becomes harder but better and each layer bears a higher quality.

Question: I noticed that internal abnormalities in my organism do not cause discomfort in me, whereas various skin irritations can be very embarrassing. How can you explain it?

Answer: Internal systems and organs can be more or less successfully cured. They maintain a deeper interaction between each other. Their malfunction can be discovered faster and fixed more easily. All internal problems are released in the form of toxins that show on the skin. If physicians knew how to diagnose illnesses according to skin conditions, they would be able to define all sorts of internal ailments.

Comment: I feel very embarrassed when I deal with other people if, let’s say, I have an ulcer on my hand. I feel extremely self-conscious when I have to shake hands with others at this time.

Answer: It’s because you deal with others through the external part of your egoism. The layers that are more internal are hidden from others.
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 2/20/14

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Process Of Self-Scrutiny

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe Torah, “Leviticus” (Tazria),“13:12-13:14: And if the leprosy has spread over the skin, whereby the leprosy covers all the skin of the [person with the] lesion, from his head to his feet, wherever the eyes of the Cohen can see it, then the Cohen shall look [at it]. And, behold! the leprosy has covered all his flesh, he shall pronounce [the person with] the lesion clean. He has turned completely white; he is clean. But on the day that live flesh appears in it, he shall become unclean.”

“…leprosy has spread over the kin, whereby the leprosy covers all the skin…” signifies that there is an ongoing process of self-scrutiny when a person who has already attained the level of Cohen feels as if he is sick with leprosy. If it applies to one’s current layer of egoism, it can be corrected by isolating one from the others.

If “live flesh appears,” i.e., when the next degree of egoism shows up, then an internal problem appears and involves the deeper, inner layers of egoism. At this point, the problem becomes incurable.

It’s interesting that on one hand, a person attains the level of Cohen, but on the other hand, he manages to detect these conditions only because of the high level he has achieved.

Question: How can one attain the level of Cohen if one deals with these kind of problems?

Answer: The thing is that these issues are not apparent. The ego unveils itself gradually. Particularly, at the Cohen level, one starts sensing “leprosy.” Previously, when these conditions were hidden, one seemed clean.

The Torah describes Moses who hid his hands and when he pulled them out they were covered with leprosy.

“Hands” denote receiving desires. The more we advance, the bigger the desires that are revealed to us. Inside, we are filled with “worms” although on the outside it doesn’t show and nobody can see it. Externally, everything looks good.

Thus, when we continue ascending to the levels of Israel, Levites, and Cohen, we start noticing changes that our ego undergoes.
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 2/20/14

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The Time Of The Babylonian Correction

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How should we relate to our current state?

Answer: Today, having “departed” from Babylon 3,500 years ago, we again feel that we are back in the same place, in ancient Babylon. That’s why our time is the time of the Babylonian correction; we tried to escape from Babylon, but did not succeed because Babylon (i.e., our egoistic society) has to be corrected!

So, we must look at history as a whole, and it is irrelevant that it has been 3,500 years since Abraham attempted to create a unified society. These events reflect on the destiny of humanity. These events are being transformed, conveyed, and concentrated in one aspiration: attaining unity. So far, we continue revealing our oppositeness to it.

We have to be connected with the Creator in our studies and activities. The Creator, the force of the Light, the property of bestowal, that corrects us and without whom we are unable to cope with the task, has to be implied in everything we do.
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A Ring Of Unity Is Closing In On Us

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Why is anti-Semitism increasing throughout the world and how does this hatred towards the Jewish people connect with the eternal connection that exists within it?

Answer: This eternal connection among the Jewish people was created at the time of the exodus from Egypt when the people of Israel were hated and enslaved. The pressure and the blows helped to consolidate us, to agree to be as one person with one heart, and to reach the source of unification, the required power and intensity.

In this manner we began to feel the higher power, the central force that manages nature. It is possible to call this force the “Creator,” meaning nature. The name is unimportant; the main thing is that this power was revealed to us. We were already in this state, but afterwards, as a result of various events, we lost this power that united us and from this unity we descended to a state called “exile.”

We have already been in this exile for two thousand years. But now, according to a process through which all of nature is passing, we have reached a kind of limit when the people of Israel must return again to unity and bring all of creation to it. All of humanity must live in total unity and not just the people of Israel.

Therefore, nature is awakening the people of Israel and the whole world to this. It is impossible to believe, but people who have never seen a Jew in their life, somewhere in distant Oceania or South America, nevertheless, feel themselves belonging to that process. Everyone blames Israel.

Question: But this hatred is the opposite, against unity.

Answer: The hatred is derived from there being no unity among the people of Israel. This is the reason that all of the nations of the world feel bad. All of nature, the entire earth, must attain balance.

The world of the still, vegetative, and animate are in balance and harmony, in that, they support each other mutually. And only the human, because of his ego, departs from this balance and doesn’t want to be connected with all of nature. The human doesn’t even feel that he belongs to nature and is a part of it. The ego obliges him to think as if he exists on his own.

In the past, the people of Israel attained this power of unity that exists in nature and used it. We were connected among us, with all of the nature of the still, vegetative, and animate, and likewise with the higher power that manages all of creation. This higher force is called “nature,” “Creator.”

Today we live in a world in which the higher power is again approaching us, this force of the universe is beginning to influence the planet, all of human society, as if a ring of unity is closing in on us. From this we feel ourselves dependent upon each other.

This is a cyclic process as usually happens in nature: sometimes this connection is revealed more and sometimes it is weakened. And as of today we are at the peak of the revelation of this power of unity. It is approaching us again, just like there are periods of maximal solar activity or some processes within the earth.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 8/12/14

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