Audio Version Of The Blog – 01.08.15

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Attain Harmony With Nature

laitman_436Question: In my understanding, the expression “harmony with nature” is at odds with the achievements of progress like the Internet, the washing machine, and household electrical appliances. Are such objects and things connected to nature?

Answer: Of course! Enjoy their benefits, that’s not the case. Despite all of these things, people living in developed nations, where there is no lack of anything, are more likely to suffer from depression. So it is not the electronic appliances and not the comfort with which a person surrounds himself; but the absence of inner peace.

Today humanity can feed itself abundantly. We throw away a lot of food and  we cannot distribute them because we don’t have the proper connection between us. That is where the problem is! Somewhere there are hungry people, but we don’t care about them! Apparently humanitarian aid is provided only for show, but actually everything is thrown away and scattered.

Question: In other words, unity with nature is not a rejection of comfort?

Answer: No! Unity with nature doesn’t mean returning to the forest, to the jungle. Seven billion humans cannot return to the jungle. Becoming closer to nature is through comprehending it! This is not about nature that we see around us. Instead it is about the internal forces and the formula by which it works. We must attain them internally, in our feelings, to understand what is happening and what forces surround us.

These forces are concealed from us. We don’t understand what manages us. What will I think about in another minute? What will happen tomorrow? Why did this specifically happen yesterday? I don’t see what I influence and what influences me because I am lacking contact with the scheme in which I exist.

We are found in a system that manages our world, but we don’t feel it. How can I come in contact with it, to a mutual understanding, so that I will influence it and it will influence me?

This system is called the “upper world” because it manages our world: All of humanity, all parts of the still, vegetative, and animate nature. How can we discover it? How can we influence it correctly so that in return it will influence us correctly? This is the essence of the wisdom of Kabbalah; it gives answers to all of the questions of existence.

As long as a person has not revealed them for himself, he will wander around in the darkness like a blind man, he will hit sharp corners and suffer, especially in our times when the world is becoming more mutually connected. So if someone acts incorrectly somewhere, it impacts everyone.

Throughout the generations, nature has moved all of us forward until we have become locked in. Now we are beginning to feel how much this mutual connection obligates us, and we cannot break it.

Today we have no other way out. We must find that state in which we can develop harmoniously, comfortably, and securely. And this is what the wisdom of Kabbalah is talking about. So it was concealed before our time and has only been revealed now.
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From KabTV’s “The New Year” 12/25/14

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Everything Is Predetermined

laitman_746_01In the News (from The Wall Street Journal): “As factors continued to be discovered, the number of possible planets hit zero, and kept going. In other words, the odds turned against any planet in the universe supporting life, including this one. Probability said that even we shouldn’t be here.

“Today there are more than 200 known parameters necessary for a planet to support life—every single one of which must be perfectly met, or the whole thing falls apart. Without a massive planet like Jupiter nearby, whose gravity will draw away asteroids, a thousand times as many would hit Earth’s surface. The odds against life in the universe are simply astonishing.

“Yet here we are, not only existing, but talking about existing. What can account for it? Can every one of those many parameters have been perfect by accident?… For example, astrophysicists now know that the values of the four fundamental forces—gravity, the electromagnetic force, and the “strong” and “weak” nuclear forces—were determined less than one millionth of a second after the big bang. Alter any one value and the universe could not exist.”

My Comment: The existence of a higher intelligence with the plan of creation, predestination, and the system of control of creation does not deny the existence of freewill in the created beings. Kabbalah reveals the nature of the Creator and everything that was created by Him in order to enable every person to reach the peak of knowledge, eternity, and perfection of existence.
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The Entire Universe is Within a Man

laitman_739Question: Why does the wisdom of Kabbalah explore all the laws of nature by bringing a person inside the study as one of the parameters and trying to understand it through the entire universe?

Answer: Do we have any other opportunity to study and possibly exit our skin, our body? The whole picture of the world appears inside my feelings only. And if I disappear, then this picture will disappear in relation to me.

This world exists without me, and if so, does it exist in a way I see it or in some other form, in different wavelengths; that I cannot say. I still perceive everything only from my body.

Question: How does a Kabbalist see the world?

Answer: The wisdom of Kabbalah is the science of “reception” (Kabbalah), so a Kabbalist explores one’s perceptions of reality. Due to certain actions, one begins to change oneself and explores how, depending on the internal changes, one’s worldview varies as well.

A Kabbalist changes one’s internal properties, the form of desire, perception of, and communication with what is happening outside in the surrounding reality. A person begins to work with one’s desires and connection with external reality in such a way where new worlds will be built upon this.

Now we feel we are in a huge world that contains many different objects and phenomena. A person who begins to actively work with one’s desire, builds a new world upon it, a new reality.

A person remains living in a physical body and still perceives an earthly picture of the world in the five physical senses. This picture is constant, as the necessary foundation. But in addition to it, the Kabbalist creates five new senses with which one feels an additional world. A Kabbalist sees this world, feels it, works with it, and lives in it, in addition to the body that exists in the five physical senses.

This additional sense is called the higher or spiritual world. And the old perception through the five physical senses in which a person existed before and remained there is called this or our world.

If there are other people who also have this perception in five additional “out of body” spiritual senses, they can communicate with each other.

Question: If I were able to realize that the whole picture of the world is perceived by me, according to my internal properties, would it be able to open many new phenomena for me?

Answer: First of all, we must agree that all perception depends on a person, on an observer. And if there were no people, no one would reveal the existence of the reality of this universe. It exists only in our perception.

It did not exist before humans appeared on earth and found it. After all, it is apparent only in relation to a person. For example, ten years ago I discovered that the universe emerged fourteen billion years ago. But in fact it is me that perceives this reality in my mind versus this reality existing objectively in such boundaries of time and space. All of this is relative and exists only in a person.
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From KabTV’s “Meeting of the Worlds” 5/12/14

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Young People No Longer Buy Cars Or Houses

Dr, Michael LaitmanIn the News (Lifter): “The generation that is younger than 35 rarely buy houses, and even more seldom cars. They are called the “generation of tenants,” people who are afraid to borrow money.

“If in the past, successful people were those who owned a house and a car, now in high esteem are those who invest in experiences and impressions such as traveling and start-ups.

“People do not want prosperity and stability but a flexible schedule, and financial and geographical independence. Material things no longer hold people’s interest. Why would you own a car in the USA if you have Uber or Lyft? In essence, it’s a private car with a driver. And it costs no more to use the services of Uber than it does to own a car.

“Why would you buy a house in a beautiful place and go there on vacation if you can find accommodations anywhere in the world through Airbnb? Today’s young Americans change jobs, on average, once every three years, and you can move closer to the office if you are renting, not owning. The very concept of ownership of things is no longer relevant.”

My Comment: Times change and the desire with it, or rather, on the contrary, the change of desire causes a change in the attitude towards the world and life. The revision of the entire scale of values is ahead. The re-evaluation can be bloody or it can be enjoyable much like a game. It depends on how we perceive the necessary changes.
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The Relevance Of The Torah In The Modern World

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe section Kedoshim is the main section of the Torah and is translated as “Holiness.” Holiness is the level of Bina, the level of absolute, complete ascent above all egoistic desires. Therefore the right fulfillment of all the laws described within it should bring us to a state of bestowal.

Comment: But the system of prohibitions is examined in this section and tells us what will happen if we sin.

Answer: The prohibitions are not in order to scare us. Fear doesn’t help a person. We are made so that nothing can stop us. Moreover, it isn’t about fear of rulers in this world or fear of being punished by the Creator as considered by religions.

This specifies the option of sin and the punishment. We should understand the whole chain of spiritual actions so as to prevent any movement toward sin and to avoid committing acts that are prohibited. It is by such acts that you detach yourself from the ascent and by which you harm no one but yourself.

The correct understanding of the whole system, meaning the entrance, the exit, the inner part of the system, the way it works, etc., isn’t just a condition but the concealed laws of nature, which we don’t feel. Therefore it says, “Don’t behave that way, don’t do that.”

These are basically internal laws, which means they relate to the the desire, the intention, and the mind and heart. They are explicit and relate to the general system of nature, but they are concealed from us and we cannot see them unless we begin to implement them.

We begin to feel part of the laws of nature from birth by trial and error, just like a baby who finds that some things work while others don’t. He looks at others and repeats their actions, gets stuck on something and cries, which means that he gets used to what is allowed and what is forbidden.

There are laws of mutual relations between people that say, “This is allowed and this is forbidden,” but a person still doesn’t see the hidden meaning within them. Gradually, he begins to understand that he can be punished for some things and in regard to others, he is allowed to continue. He begins to realize that some things are not nice, and here the shame, envy, and the desire for control stop him, which means that different desires guide and direct him.

There are also laws that he doesn’t feel at all, when he doesn’t feel giving or bestowal from the environment and society, and these are also laws of nature! These are the laws that the wisdom of Kabbalah teaches us and this is the reason it is called the concealed part of the Torah.

On the whole, these are the same laws and the same morality, but they are felt on a level that humanity has to reach in order to fulfill. Today we have reached a level that we have to fulfill the laws of general life on this planet, which has become a small, all inclusive area.

We see how borders are nullified and no matter where we go, it is the same mass culture everywhere. People are beginning to realize that everything is collective. If there are any unique local characteristics, they do not stem from the depths of history, but are artificially created in order to attract tourists.

We have changed internally and have become cosmopolitan, living in one common space. We preserve what existed before only in order to profit from it. The unique attribute of our times is a pragmatic approach to everything that once seemed holy and that we considered our legacy.

Now we have to keep the laws of unity, but unfortunately, we don’t feel the actual unity, nor living on one planet like one family totally dependent on one another.

The Torah tells us how all of humanity should attain the correct, cooperative life. Previously very few knew the essence of the Torah, but today its revelation to the world in its true light is required.

Thus, the nation that was given the laws that tell us how to live in unity penetrates the nations of the world like a river and begins to raise them to that level. At the same time, we need to constantly remind people that we did not invent these laws, these conventions and customs, and neither did anyone else. They are simply the laws of nature. Now we have simply arrived at a new level of our development from the still, vegetative, and animate levels to the human level.

Before that we lived and grew like animals, instinctively fulfilling what developed within us. Now, however, and despite our animal level, we should consciously begin to somehow get closer to other people even though we are repulsed by it. This is the human level that is opposite in every way from the animal level. This is the level we are now reaching.

Therefore, the Torah is becoming increasingly more relevant today.
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From KabTV’s “The Secrets of the Eternal Book” 4/23/14

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When All Boundaries Are Broken

laitman_220Question: Animals have a natural sense, an instinct, that helps them survive. Why don’t we have such healthy instincts that could bring us to prosperity and growth in life?

Answer: In general, man does not calculate, rather immediately surrenders and does what the desire demands. He has no choice: I want! And that’s all.

Question: Can we, knowing in advance that the desires are managing us, overcome this situation?

Answer: In the end, no. The only thing we can do is perform special exercises in order to create a habit to overcome one desire with another desire, that is all.

Let’s say, a mother says to a child: Do your homework and then I’ll buy you an ice cream. He calculates that instead of punishment he can get a reward, and he does his homework. A calculation is operating, but the desire compels: I want a reward without work or effort from my side. I do not want to do homework and receive ice cream, but not having a choice, I do it. And then I even hate homework more because I can’t get rid of it.

Actually, we don’t have a choice, because we can’t stand against our desire. Only fear, and only to a certain level, helps a person keep himself in the correct attitude. This is called education by means of morality: We tell the children how we will suffer if we are dragged by our desires.

This system creates many problems. By limiting and frightening a person, we make him a machine that acts only from fear.

Question: Could it be that this framework protects the person?

Answer: The moral prohibition and fear of losing the reward in the next world maintains a person, but it is only if their desire to receive is not big. But because today this desire grows from day to day, religion and morals can’t keep us in the framework. And we do all we want in following our desires in all areas: in food, sex, family, and relationships in society.

This openness is perceived now as the norm: So it is conducted like that, there are no longer any boundaries. In such a case, a person needs to check: Is this better for him or worse? Before he was under the pressure of society, which limited him, as say a traditional English education, and now he feels good living the way he wants. Nevertheless, we see that he is still not happy.

Question: What is the next step?

Answer: The values and mutual support that man receives from society. Therefore, it is necessary to bring him to a mutual connection with the environment. In this mutual connection he will be able to clarify norms that are needed to achieve what is desired.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 11/7/14

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 01.08.15

Writings of Baal HaSulam “Introduction to Pri Chacam – about the Torah” 

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The Book of Zohar  – Selected Excerpts, “Exile and Redemption,” Item 98

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Talmud Eser Sefirot Vol. 6, Part 16, Item 85

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Talmud Eser Sefirot Vol. 1, Part 1, Chapter 2, Item 1

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Talmud Eser Sefirot Vol. 2, Part 6, Item 6

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