Audio Version Of The Blog – 11.07.14

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A Toolkit Of Light

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe wisdom of Kabbalah, in contrast to other wisdoms, investigates the highest internal matter, the desire that is on the human level.

Desires on the still, vegetative, and animate levels appear to us in this world. We can investigate, understand, and use them. On the basis of investigating them, we create a science.

But there is no science that investigates desire on the human level. Psychology tries to reach this, yet unsuccessfully. Why? Because the investigator must be on a higher level than that object, the subject, which is being investigated.

Being a person in this world, I can explore inanimate matter (physics, chemistry and the like), the vegetative (botany) and animate matter (biology, zoology, etc). After all, I am standing on a higher level.

However, the matter of the human level, our inner world, cannot be investigated from our level. And so psychology and psychiatry are devoid of a real, solid, scientific basis.

But with the help of the wisdom of Kabbalah we can create this basis, and thanks to this, we can more truly and objectively investigate all the rest of the lower strata of the still, vegetative and animate levels. For now, we have the opportunity of taking into account the mistakes and errors in the investigations of the nature of these lower levels, where we make distortions generated by our own human nature.

So the wisdom of Kabbalah, is specifically a science in the full sense of the word, and it is much more precise than other sciences. For with it we investigate the substance of creation, the desire to receive, on the levels of the still, vegetative, animate, and speaking, and we use a unique apparatus called the Upper Light.

When physicists study matter in a particle accelerator, they induce collisions and observe their results.

And so with us, it is the same thing: The Light comes and makes a collision, meaning that it carries out a Zivug de Hakaa (coupling with striking). First the collision is made and after that, the coupling. With the help of this experiment, we examine and learn about what is happening in the encounter between the desire to receive and the desire to bestow, between the Creator and creation.
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From the Congress in Los Angeles 11/02/14, Lesson 3

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Short Stories: The Evolution Of Abraham’s Group–Isaac

Dr. Michael LaitmanAfter Abraham founded his school, he began to develop the Kabbalistic method with the students who joined him. Thus he created three systems: a system of studying, a system of dissemination, and a system of fulfilling the wisdom of Kabbalah.

The system of dissemination takes into account the level of a person’s development. Everything depends on how people can perceive the spiritual idea, to what extent it is close to them and can answer their expectations, and to what extent they can be shown that this system is beneficial for them.

Later, when they ascend and develop, they will be ready to understand other options that the wisdom offers them. Therefore, a person should always be approached on his level, in a language that he understands, so he be can attracted by knowing you can actually help him realize what he wants.

This is what Abraham engaged in when he explained that the ultimate goal of our evolution is love and bestowal, and those who wish to attain it internally, at least to some extent, should come to him.

This is how the next stage of the development of Abraham’s school began. At this point, it was called Abraham’s group, since all the members in the group began to work on the connection between them, accepting the fact that unity is above separation.

When the leap of the ego occurred in ancient Babylon and people wanted to build a tower to reach heaven, that is, to the uppermost force, it was putting pressure on the negative force.

Abraham, however, claimed that the negative force stems from the same positive force and has to be operated differently, by absorbing it as what we call the left line (the negative force). He believed that the ego that rises in people should be studied and worked with correctly. This is the reason that the period that followed the development of Abraham’s group is called Isaac.

The correct use of the ego is called the sacrifice of Isaac, which means that we bind our ego and threaten to kill it, totally ready to sacrifice it, although we understand that we will not attain the Creator without it. On the other hand, resemblance and equivalence to the Creator can only be attained if we limit the ego correctly. For us, it is like cutting our own flesh.

We learn to control our ego, to bind it, manage it, and place it under the attribute of love and bestowal without destroying it and without threatening it, and we become ready to break away from ourselves (since the ego is the whole self). This process is part of our evolution, and when we perform it, we are have the opportunity for the correct, productive, and focused work with our ego. This is the essence of the story of the sacrifice of Isaac.
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From KabTV’s “Short Stories” 10/15/14

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When Sanity Leads To Chaos

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In what case will the method of Abraham, which still is portrayed as irrational, be accepted?

Answer: Today humanity is ready to accept anything illogical because it is beginning to understand that our current rationality is actually beastly and doesn’t work on the level of society.

Oddly enough, now there is a total disappointment in the logic, in the ability of the modern consumer “sanity” to overcome problems that keep on rolling along. Egoism itself has finished; Marx was right about this, and there is nothing to even talk about his perspicacity.

All that remains is to act on the level of elementary logic, to explain abstractly to people from the side: “Is it good for all of us to be connected together by good threads?  Good. Is it good to earn only as much as is necessary and any more we simply don’t need?  Good. Is it good to have a single optimal standard of living for all?  Yes. How about no hunger and sickness, no huge chasm between the rich and the poor? Good. The whole world cares about ecology? Good.”

But how do we do this if we are all so bad?

Here we need to show people that a power exists that can realize this. In any case, sooner or later, we must come to this state and the sooner it will be, the less suffering there will be. If we succeed in conveying our message correctly, humanity will already be ready to accept this logic.

Question: Do all the Jews need to return physically to the land of Israel?

Answer: I don’t think so. I suppose that it doesn’t matter at all where one lives. It is said that the land of Israel will expand to the edges of the whole world. Figuratively speaking, it would extend over the entire globe.

Points of spirituality occur worldwide. It doesn’t matter where a person is located. Furthermore, these people must become teachers for the whole world. After all, humanity yearns for some method for the right existence. We see that now it doesn’t exist anywhere; everyone lives only for today, fearing to consider tomorrow or simply not thinking about it. Nobody has a realistic long-range strategy and there isn’t even a normal tactic for reciprocal connection for the sake of some common goal. Instead we are witness to the totally chaotic movement of each and every person. And so our logic will be clear to humanity.

Along with this, there is a little trick here: Humanity will be able to accept this logic and realize it only after the people of Israel become the first to apply it to life. That is how the general system is organized; it is specifically these people, hated, stubborn, egoistic, and so on, who must first and foremost realize the method in themselves and provide an example. As soon as they do, at least somewhat, everyone will begin to study with them.

This is because the readiness to learn from the Jews is latent in all the nations of the world. The basis of their hatred is not respected, but there is a basic awareness that in this people there is something higher, which is specifically what they want so much to annihilate. This doesn’t let the nations rest, as it stands in their way. This is a natural reaction, but on the opposite side, there is an inner readiness to adopt what is new and to learn it. So our only problem is in the making of the correct society.
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From KabTV’s “Babylon Yesterday and Today” 9/24/14

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Being Like Everyone Else Isn’t Our Nature

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Is the current return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel a natural phase?

Answer: Of course.

Question: Why should they return to this land in particular?

Answer: We don’t understand it yet. However, people who are on a spiritual level understand the differences and the uniqueness of the spiritual root in each of the created beings, including animals, and moreover, of the different regions of the earth.

So despite the fact that the land here is not fertile and there is nothing “holy” about it, it is still dominated by certain spiritual forces, just like a branch that grows from a spiritual root.

Question: What should we do about the strong Arab resistance?

Answer: It is perfectly natural. After all, if we have returned to this land, we have to return to our spiritual roots. In other words, we have to fulfill the condition of love thy friend as thyself. It is on the basis of this condition that we came here ages ago. Moses brought us to the borders of this land and passed away on its border. Then his disciple, Joshua, led us.

We reached this land and when we settled here, we had to set an example for all of humanity, and to show what a nation that lives correctly in its land should be like. Then we began to build the Temple and fulfill this mission.

However, our actions today are totally opposite from what we have to do and consequently, of course, we are constantly confronted with troubles from our close and distant neighbors.

Question: Why was the Arab environment given this role?

Answer: This was written ages ago when Abraham fathered Ishmael and sent him away with Hagar. From that time onwards, there is a kind of “competition” between the two brothers Isaac and Ishmael. There is nothing we can do about it; the conflict will be even greater, but it should be fulfilled on the spiritual level.

This means that as a nation we have to ascend to the level of love of others, be in good relations with one another, and set an example for all of humanity. In that case, we will immediately see how everything around us calms down. First our cousins the Arabs and then the whole world will quiet down and the anger and hatred in the world will cease.

The nations of the world will then understand that there is something that they really need here and that they can receive the method for the revival of the soul from us, which is the knowledge that can make them eternal beings. They will begin to realize that we can lead them to a better life, not just in this world, but to exit it to a totally different dimension, beyond the frameworks of this world. It all depends only on us and I think that we will reach it.

Question: Does this mean that there is one meaning to all the complaints we hear against us?

Answer:  They are only meant to unite and connect us. If our neighbors didn’t pressure us, we would destroy one another and never unite, even on the level we are on today. The external pressure on us, the rigidity and hatred, all depend only on the mutual repulsion we feel towards one another. Generally speaking, we actually determine the level of hatred that the nations of the world feel towards us.

Question: So unconsciously the nations of the world want to oblige us to be the teachers of humanity?

Answer: Yes. This is how all of humanity relates to us. All their hatred is only so that we will eventually understand that we have to do something and that wanting to be like them, like everyone, is a silly “trick.” This philosophy, this approach, takes us completely in the wrong direction.

Spinoza’s origin, the rebellion against the independent uniqueness is not our root. Of course, it was forbidden to remain on the previous level in those times, since the time had come for the spiritual development, spiritual not in the sense that humanity imagined but according to our roots.

Comment: But on the other hand, you spoke about the fact that the Jews also led the conceptual development of all of humanity in Babylon.

Answer: They should have led it a long time ago, during the exodus from ancient Babylon. If everything had gone smoothly, spirituality should have spread widely after the First Temple, and gradually all the nations of the world would have accepted the method of the revelation of the Creator. They would have united and everything would have ended there. But that was impossible because the Babylonians didn’t yet have the root that humanity needed. They had to receive it and it was possible to receive it only when the Jewish nation was shattered and dispersed among them.
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From KabTV’s “Babylon Yesterday and Today” 9/24/14

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How Do We Transform The Way Of Suffering Into The Way Of Light?

laitman_938_02From Shamati #1, “There is None Else Beside Him”: Namely, he is sent thoughts and views, which are against the work. This is in order for him to see that he is not one with the Lord.

The person is not prepared to overcome the thoughts and desires that are aroused within his mind and heart. He is not prepared to overcome them alone without the support of the environment. He needs other people like him who will show him a good example related to his condition.

A good environment is the friends who are more or less going through the same state, each one according to his personal Reshimot (informational genes). But for all of them there is the same intention, the same goal. Everyone understands what must be done. And even if they don’t understand, the main thing is that they try to present a good example to each other.

When we go through the next stage of spiritual work and gain strength, then the environment will treat us differently, it will demonstrate contempt for the goal. This is just as it was with the famous group of Kabbalists from Kotzk.

If I have a screen, the Light, and vessels, then the environment can help me without waiting for the next obstacle on the way. The environment will set up an obstacle in front of me that I must overcome. This is called, “I will hasten it” instead of the path of natural development.

Why should I wait until I receive a burdening of the heart from above if the society can cause this? The friends will show me that they seem to despise the spiritual path. And I will justify them, even though this is not the truth; I don’t see the truth, because I am damaged.

In this way we transform the path of suffering to the path of Light, each time placing a new obstacle in front of the friends and thus accelerating them, forcing them to demand vessels of bestowal and to advance. But this is appropriate only for great Kabbalists. In the meantime we need to show the friends inspiration for the greatness of the goal until they pass through the Machsom (barrier)and transform the way of suffering into the way of Light. Today we must be the force that pulls the entire society forward.

The first stage in preparing for the true spiritual work is to reach the feeling that you are in a Hevrah Kadisha, a sacred society. I must see that everyone is much greater than I am, and that I am not at all worthy of being among such people. But I am not ready to justify them and appreciate their height.

It is up to me to try to identify that the Creator is in them, at least to imagine this artificially, and to search for how it is possible to build my relationship with the group. But the true state of Lo Lishma (not for Her name) begins from the stage where I see everyone as the greatest of the generation. And in this state I have the opportunity to advance with their help. This means that I have placed myself in the right state of Lo Lishma.

Now the society can provide me with the fuel through which I will see all of them as great and will yearn to be with them. I want to adhere to them and learn from them, I want to be the smallest of them all; the main thing is to be together. This is already the right attitude through which I approach Lishma from Lo Lishma. I am already included correctly within the collective soul and I am thankful that the Creator is among the friends.

The only thing that I am missing is adhering to them. This means that I yearn for love of friends and after that from love of friends to love for the Creator.

But until then I cannot awaken a deficiency for love of the Creator within me if the intention is for a spiritual and not a physical egoistic deficiency as it is with everyone. There are very clear signs of this; if we judge according to our attitude towards the society, from this attitude it is possible to examine our state.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/29/14, Shamati #1

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The Children Of The Universe, Part 2

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe cannot say that a person knows himself, not to mention humanity in general. As a result we cannot know this world, which is the entirety of all the levels: still, vegetative, animate, and human.

We cannot, primarily because we do not know ourselves. We have to admit the fact that even psychology isn’t a science in the true sense. A person’s essence always remains an enigma to us. We see the outcome and the consequences of different processes on ourselves by our reactions to something and we study them in a very limited manner as we are dependent on and biased in our assessments.

Moreover, we are helpless when we want to ascend to a higher level—the one that created us—and even higher to the plan of creation. Judging by different events and by our own personal experience while advancing, we see that all the forces of nature are in one system that is whole and integral. These forces operate according to certain processes and are operated according to a certain general plan that we know nothing about but are included in.

But the natures of the still, vegetative, and animate fulfill the plan instinctively, by the command of nature’s orders, while we, along with the feeling that we are involved in it, there is a sense of having our own actions.

If we could approach the study of nature based on these two feelings, we could perhaps attain something. But science on the whole is not engaged in research of the human level because we have no real means to measure it.

Consequently, we only observe what is happening, and this is the essence of our studies. We observe, collect data, and establish a system of scientific knowledge. In addition, we use our modest options to influence the various phenomena and states of still, vegetative, and animate nature, as well as man, and observe the reaction that allows us to understand something.

Even if we ignore the fact that all our observations and studies are based on our subjective perception.the results are still a summary that, in essence, give us little. After all, they are derived by our five limited senses.

By studying the flora and fauna, we can see the range of our perception, but these results are uncertain, we compare them with ourselves and not the present standard. Our three-dimensional sight, the beat of our pulse, the movement of sun and the moon that measure a day, geological eras and the age of the universe, are all very subjective measures.

Thus, our desire to know the universe is actually not too serious. A person is like a child who attributes unrealistic abilities to himself. Eventually we use only the forces of nature that we can reach. We collect and present them in simple drawings and use them according to our abilities.

We do not differ greatly from prehistoric man who used a stick in order to build or to destroy. Our sticks are a bit different: particle accelerators, observatories, etc., but the principle is the same. We are just like babies who want to touch everything and put them into their mouths, but we are just on another level.

We are not even aware of how limited we are. Here and there we discover that nature is much broader and deeper, but we don’t know to where and how it expands. We cannot penetrate into the higher dimensions or exit our three-dimensional frame: the coordinates of time, motion. and space.
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From KabTV’S “A New Life” 3/2/14

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 11.07.14

Shamati #72 “Confidence Is the Clothing for the Light”

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