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Question: On January 31, 2016, the Secretary General of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Angel Gurria gave Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon a report regarding the economic situation in Israel.
Although the housing prices are rising and poverty increasing, Israelis feel happier. How can this paradox be explained?
Answer: Apparently for Israelis, happiness does not depend on money. In fact, the feeling of happiness doesn’t depend on whether you have an apartment or not. I believe that you can live and be happy in a Bedouin tent or a small room.
Comment: But the Israelis keep complaining.
Answer: I understand that they are complaining, but on the other hand, they buy more and more apartments every year even though housing prices are rising sharply. And the state is interested in that because it actually determines the price level by raising taxes. When a person buys an apartment, he pays the state, through the sellers, 40%-50% of the price and even more.
Moreover, I saw a TV program not too long ago where a fancy 5-room apartment that costs a million dollars, for example, could be bought on Arab territory for the price of $50,000, which is 20 times cheaper, although it is built of the same materials and is of the exact same standard. You can buy 20 flats of the same standard and even houses for the price of one flat that was bought in Israel, not too far from the center, at a distance of 50, 20, and even 10 kilometers from the center, as long as it is not under the jurisdiction of local laws.
Why is that so? Because such prices and inflated profit are common both among the builders and those who collect the taxes.
What can we do about that? Ask the state since it has determined the building policy. If the state had clearly determined the level of housing prices according to size or location, everything could certainly have been different. It is all in the hands of the state but they don’t take this matter seriously.
Question: Is feeling happy an Israeli quality?
Answer: Yes, basically we feel good. Despite the fact that no one loves us, everyone pressures us, etc., an Israeli who lives in the country, surrounded by others who are like him, with his army, and with its industry, feels good. His children can study in a university even if they have to work part-time since things aren’t always that simple, but they can still do it. There are still social elevators. Even people who were born and grew up in the periphery may, in a few years, attain high positions in the hi-tech industry and get very high salaries. I believe that Israel is still a land of opportunities.
It is a unique country with unique minds that will still “sell” their brains. Hi-tech is our future. We will live on it and everything else will disappear because there will be no need for it. We don’t even need agriculture because others can do that, but the brains cannot be transferred to others.
Our future is in hi-tech and good minds. This is enough in order to be the head of the world. It isn’t bad and not too little; we only have to use our mind correctly.
Question: What about the spiritual factor?
Answer: This is what I meant when I said that you have to know how to use your head. Besides, we have to provide the world with new technology as to the right development and how to build the right society in order to bring the world new technology and new techniques.
I believe that we will also discover that because what we have and no one else does is the wisdom of Kabbalah, which can show the whole world an example of unity, peace, and real happiness. Then the whole world will be happy just like Israelis are today.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 2/2/16
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Question: The French foreign minister Laurent Fabius announced that Paris will recognize a Palestinian state if the peace process in the Middle East doesn’t move from its frozen point soon. The government of Israel has rejected this peace initiative that has been put forth almost like an ultimatum.
Why does Paris have such a strong desire to support a Palestinian state at a time when it is itself experiencing Islamic terrorism?
Answer: This is not important. Even if all the nations of the world experience fear, humiliation, and pain from Islam, they will be anti-Jewish and not anti-Islamists because they feel that all the evil that happens in the world is specifically because of the Jews.
When we cannot connect between us and bring good to the world through that connection, we are supplying the world with the force of evil. We allow this force to develop and are not counterbalancing it with the force of goodness.
We are the conduit through which the higher force of goodness can descend into the world, providing the the proper balanced existence. As long as we have not begun to unite between us to become the conductor of this force in the world, humanity will feel more and more that we are the reason for all the troubles in the world.
It will not help us to think wisely and logically, saying to ourselves that Europe is now going to see what kind of situation the new extremist Islamic preachers are bringing to the world, etc. Europe will not see it, on the contrary, it will get along with them and try to rein them in a bit.
The incursion into Europe by millions of Muslims will continue, along with the entry of many militant extremist elements. But Europe will be more and more considerate to them and will hate us, not because we are good or bad to the Muslims, or because we are for or against their state, but because we are not bringing the power of goodness into the world. It is necessary to distinguish between these things.
Question: Does anyone understand this?
Answer: Nobody understands. The nations of the world act instinctively; they feel that the evil is due to us.
When we say: “Have we done something bad? Have we been carrying out acts of terrorism?”, they answer that the evil is due to us. They don’t know why.
The wisdom of Kabbalah explains that this is because we are not conveying goodness into the world through us! We need to be unified with “And you shall love your friend as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), and through a connection like this between us, through us we will convey the good force that is found in nature and must be revealed in the world.
Question: Why has this task been specifically imposed upon us? In what way are we to blame?
Answer: We are not to blame for anything. We were chosen for this task and so we must do it.
“We” is the group of people who will convey the good and uniting force into the world the moment that they unite. It is only in this way that we will be able to ensure a good future for ourselves, and not in any other way.
I am happy that I am living in a generation like this in which events like these are happening. I hope that the people of Israel will understand what is written in the wisdom of Kabbalah, which is the foundation of the people of Israel. This wisdom was discovered 6,000 years ago and we need to understand it because otherwise we could lapse into a new Holocaust.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 2/1/16
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Comment: Member of the Knesset Sharan Haskel from the Likud submitted a bill to cease incriminating marijuana users in Israel. The legal amount, however, is limited to 15 seeds or 5 grams of marijuana for personal use and the penalty for the possession of a greater amount is a fine of 1,500 shekels.
Answer: Such restrictions are useless since no one can enforce them. I am sure the use of marijuana will be permitted everywhere and the infrastructure of drug dealing will decline and disappear.
Question: Will the state take this responsibility?
Answer: The state will not take responsibility for that, but will only allow the free consumption and growth, and that’s all. Anyone will be able to grow and consume marijuana, and thus many will seat peacefully at home and smoke.
The outcome of the technical revolution we are undergoing will be that the next generation will sit at home idle and 90% of the people will be redundant.
Then we will have to tell people about the meaning of life and gradually discourage them from using drugs. I believe that it is actually thanks to the use of marijuana that people will feel what a dark hole they are living in.
Question: Why will this lead to the question about the meaning of life?
Answer: Because a person will face a clear and sharp question: Do I want to cut myself off from this world and die while still young and healthy, or do I not want to cut myself off from the world but attain the upper world through it?
There are only two options: either to deteriorate or to ascend, and if that is the case, why would a person want to be tossed about on the level of this world?
Question: This means that he will lose interest in the corporeal world because he will see that there is nothing he can attain here, but how will he discover that there is an upper world?
Answer: It depends only on the dissemination of the wisdom of Kabbalah. But these questions will eventually come up.
I am absolutely sure that everything that happens is only in order to accelerate the development of humanity, so we shouldn’t ban or get rid of anything because it will not help. The only thing that can help is the dissemination of the wisdom of Kabbalah and knowing how to attain the Creator.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 1/26/16
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New Life #645 – Ideological War
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz
Summary
Where does Islamic ideology draw its strength; what kind of future does it offer the world, and what future can we offer the world in contrast to it, according to the wisdom of Kabbalah?
It is a deep and wide issue that began in the days of Abraham and his son Ishmael almost 4,000 years ago.
The Arabs see themselves related to ancient peoples who lived here, but historically, the fact is that there is no connection between them. They attach themselves holy people and holy places and tell the world that it is all Islam. They want to spread Islam all over the world and simply aim at bringing all of the people to believe in one God. They promise anyone who accepts Islam in this world Heaven, and this is the reason that they are not afraid to die. They plan to take over the entire world—including China, India, and Russia—and they have the patience to do so.
According to Kabbalistic sources, Islam will rise and almost conquer Christianity, but in the end, they will unite together against Israel. However, we have a stronger ideology, the wisdom of Kabbalah; if we connect to it, we will be saved from any affliction. There is no point arguing with anyone but only to connect to one another in love. Then, we will change everything through the upper force. Kabbalah will give us the inner power, and we will manage all like puppets on a string through the connection between us. Eventually, the ideology of “Love your neighbor as yourself,” which we must promote, will rule the world.
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From KabTV’s “New Life #645 – Ideological War,” 11/8/15
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New Life #652 – The Solution to Terrorism in Europe
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazuz
Summary
What is the to overcome terrorism; how is it possible to achieve a true European Union, and how can each one of us contribute to the process of healing Europe?
Europe has filled itself with Muslim immigrants. It is too late now to stop the decline. Europe is old and tired, and not prepared to stand against the young and stirring Islamic spirit.
Only connection with each other can help them. Then, the power of connection will stop the forces of evil. No power except the power of connection can neutralize the religious wars that will be building in the world.
The European Union was not made from “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), but from the consideration of monetary interests. We need to begin to learn to connect within each and every nation first of all, and after that, it will expand.
It is worthwhile to do connection exercises: smile, be considerate, feel small and learn from others, and feel big and provide an example. The daily study of connection must be implemented by each and every person in educational institutions, at work, on television, and on the Internet.
Why will the improvement of relationships between people stop terrorism? It is because connection is stronger than separation.
The highest power in nature from which life is derived is the power of connection and life. This is what created everything.
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From the KabTV’s “New Life #652 — The Solution To Terrorism In Europe,” 11/17/15
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Preparation for the Lesson
| [media 1] | [media 2] |
Lesson on the Topic: “Preparation for the Convention”
| [media 3] | [media 4] |
The Book of Zohar – Selected Excerpts, “Ascents and Descents on the Path”
| [media 5] | [media 6] |
Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Gatehouse of Intentions,” Item 107
| [media 7] | [media 8] |
Writings of Baal HaSulam, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar“
| [media 9] | [media 10] |
Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
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Question: How can one become a real man or a real woman? What should a man and woman be like in the ideal state?
Answer: An ideal state for a man and a woman is when they are totally compatible with the group, each according to his own circumstances and regardless of gender.
When a person totally melts into the group and takes upon himself all the problems and worries of the group, he thus turns into the bestowing part in the group, which means the male part.
It has nothing to do with physiology, a person’s external appearance, or gender.
Question: So why is everything in our world so complicated?
Answer: Because on one hand, our world was created according to the image of spiritual discernments, and on the other hand, our physical image is fixed. In this world a person cannot change and become a woman the next day if he is a man today, while in spirituality it is possible, and so our earthly wrapping has nothing to do with our spiritual level.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 12/6/15
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Question: The people of Israel are basically very egoistic; each one considers himself the center of the universe. Can we expect radical positive changes in a nation where everyone is focused on themselves?
Answer: This is why it is said that the Jews are a stiff-necked people. There is nothing we can do about that. We were created this way intentionally in order to lead the entire world and to give to the world.
We have given the world so much, and now we must give humanity the method of connection and integral unity, and we must be the ones to do so, although we are so individualistic and so far from it.
Question: Who is “we?” In fact, there are 300,000 Jews living in Israel who are considered of “secondary importance” to the state, such as “half-Jews” and mixed families.
Answer: We do not refer to a people on a genetic basis, but to the people founded on the basis of a 3,500-year-old idea first introduced by Abraham in ancient Babylon.
Question: Who is considered the nation of Israel today?
Answer: There is no nation today. What we call our nation are only people who have reminiscences (Reshimot) from previous generations and who have carried the idea of unity throughout human history. This genetic intellect awakens in them today and demands the attainment of the meaning of life.
There are people in whom the question about the meaning of life is still dormant, but it can appear in people who never have been related to the Jewish people. This means that according to the wisdom of Kabbalah a Jew today is someone who feels an inner desire to discover the meaning of life.
If we unite according to the method of connection and integral unity, not only in Israel but all over the world, there will be no problems.
Question: This implies that basically the entire world can become Jewish.
Answer: It must be so since we are not speaking about nationality. A Frenchman, for example, can be a Jew in ideology.
Question: I am for the idea of seeing all of the people in the world as part of the nation of Israel, but it seems that in Israel there are those who do everything to deny people the right to be called Jews.
Answer: We must establish a different absorption system according to which we can accept all those who want to come here. We will examine their readiness for unity, for connection of equals with everyone, and if a person agrees to that, it is a sign that he is a Jew.
Question: But we cannot base our policy on that.
Answer: I don’t see any special policy here. I see a mass of people who are called a nation that is totally divided. It reminds me of nuts in a bag who don’t want to connect, and it is only the bag that connects them and keeps them together.
Therefore, it is not a nation, not a state, but as the Arabs say, “a temporary Zionistic entity.”
If we were like all of the other nations, internally connected by our natural genes, we would be a state, but we are not connected at the moment, neither by genes nor by ideology. So, there is no nation.
We cannot get along and live with each other, and we only get along when we are pressured from the outside and become like a bag of nuts. However, it is impossible to live under external pressures for a long time since these are merely sufferings and nothing more. What we need is to reach a balance of forces.
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From the Webinar on zahav.ru 1/13/16
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