Audio Version Of The Blog – 04.13.16

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Reading A Kabbalistic Text

laitman_528_01Question: Can the same text or the same book be understood differently when reading it again? If so, what is the reason for that?

Answer: It depends only on the person because two people who read the same book are in totally different states.

The book was written by a Kabbalist who felt the spiritual world and expressed his impressions from his high level in words, sentences, and characters. Therefore, while reading the Kabbalistic text, we must resemble that Kabbalist as much as we can in order to feel, at least to some extent, the state he was in.

At the same time, we do everything that we can to fulfill what is said in the writings with the help of our teacher, according to the advice given to Kabbalah students to get together, read from Kabbalah sources, and then discuss these topics.

We must focus on Kabbalistic sources and yearn to resemble the spiritual vessels as much as we can in our relationships in the complete connection between us when we get together, ten people studying from a source. We should try to attain the spiritual root, which means the height of the person who wrote it.

We must connect and resemble the spiritual state, expecting the same Light to affect us that the Kabbalist discovered and described in his writings.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 2/7/16

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Why Does A Kabbalist Need A Family?

Laitman_095Question: Why must a Kabbalist have a family?

Answer: First and foremost, it is obligatory for every Kabbalist to have a family because concern for a family shapes a person.

In the wisdom of Kabbalah, it is said, what does a person get when he marries? He gets one more egoistic desire. So, when a person gets married, he has two egoistic desires, and he can now safely engage in the wisdom of Kabbalah.

It is up to us to be like our higher roots where Zeir Anpin and Malchut are, between whom all of the corrections happen, the birth of new Partzufim and new souls. The same thing is found here in our world as well. So, it is obligatory to get married. We must give birth to and raise children to develop. The next generation continues through us. In fact, they are us, but in a new form.

Question: When a woman appears in the life of a man, he thinks about her more than about the Creator; so he feels discomfort, fear, and distance from the Creator. How is it possible to balance the two?

Answer: A man must divide his life clearly and precisely into two parts. What is God’s is His, and what is man’s is his, to the divine what belongs to Him, and to man what belongs to him. In other words, everything that belongs to the body belongs to the body, and everything that belongs to the soul belongs to the soul. A man must work, carry out household chores, dedicate some time to his wife and children, and commit to allocating a specific time for this. However, most of his time he must dedicate to the purpose of life, the development of the soul.

The main thing is that he must prepare a schedule and divide his time. If a person uses time correctly, he will begin to see that the proper division of his forces will lead him toward the goal.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 1/31/16

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Was Albert Einstein A Kabbalist?

Laitman_083Question: What’s your opinion about Albert Einstein, was he a great physicist, a philosopher, or maybe a Kabbalist?

Answer: I would say that Einstein is somewhat of a Kabbalist and that’s why he introduced the concept of relativity, more precisely  relative to the observer, a person, and thus introduced into science, into the world, the concept of the relativity of our perceptions, knowledge, and life.

It all depends on the observer from his or her properties—and this is exactly the Kabbalistic evaluation of man on the person himself with respect to the absolute, the Creator, the property of complete communication (bestowal of love), all the (opposite) parts, and the properties of nature.

And besides, everything we perceive is perceived by the person, in relation to the person, and as if what exists outside of a person doesn’t matter. The wisdom of Kabbalah speaks about what we achieve, and so, specifically, it is the science and foundation of all sciences.
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Money Cannot Buy Happiness

Laitman_201_01Comment: After extensive research, scientists in the UK discovered that a high level of income doesn’t make people happy. Results were published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

Answer: Although there is a saying that “money can’t buy happiness” and people understand it, everybody wants money.

If you ask a modern person what he wants more, money or happiness, he will probably reply: “Money. Once I have money, I will buy happiness.”

The ego, which is now being revealed in the whole of humanity, needs nothing but money. In the past people were less egoistic, they had other inclinations, their ego didn’t require such a thorough satiation.

Comment: So you in a way refute this research, which says that people regard happiness as family, friends, and children?

Answer: They came to this conclusion after thoroughly checking the ability to buy everything and seeing that it doesn’t work.

But we haven’t reached our absolute development yet. We are at its final stage, which isn’t over yet. Humanity already realizes that money doesn’t bring happiness and that ultimately happiness is more important than money.

But on the other hand, if a feeling of happiness is not built on any material basis, it is a false feeling. It’s like taking a drug: “I am happy.” “What’s the matter?! Why is that?” – “Happy.”

You received some kind of injection and the enjoyment overwhelms you, doesn’t let you move, because you don’t feel any suffering or emptiness, you don’t need to yearn for something, do anything. You even can’t understand the sufferings and desires of others; you can’t be connected with anyone! Like an idiot, you simply stand in the middle of the world and feel good.

Question: Does it mean that happiness stalls development?

Answer: Of course! Had the greatest artists, writers, or musicians not suffered, had they not been internally unhappy—whether or not they had a piece of bread or not—if they weren’t unhappy in their inner search, in suffering, would they created anything? Never!

Happiness lies not in the definition that we begin to ascribe to him immediately. Happiness can only be felt over the sorrow, only above what is hard to find, above suffering, when you strive for—and achieve, strive—and reach! When you desire—and then achieve, desire—and then achieve—this isn’t happiness!

Happiness includes simultaneously both suffering and a pleasure above it. This state can only be attained in the wisdom of Kabbalah, when emptiness doesn’t get filled but builds a fulfillment above it. Both emptiness and fulfillment exist constantly! Let’s say I long for something, and through this longing I feel pleasure, fulfillment.

Happiness, if we define it correctly, from the Kabbalistic point of view, in its true form, is a state of absolute unhappiness and absolute happiness at the same time—emptiness and fulfillment, which don’t annul each other.

And then you don’t need to cover it with money or anything else because all your empty spaces are getting filled and stay empty at the same time. For example, you eat something—and all the time want it, drink something —and all the time want it, see something—and all the time want it. It means that the pleasures don’t end, but only grows upward, and to this extent the emptiness grows downwards!

This is the wisdom of Kabbalah! The science of obtaining true happiness. And the feeling of endless happiness brings you to the sense of eternity!
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 3/27/16

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Communism In China

Laitman_002Question: The Communist Party in China conducts a yearly educational campaign for members of the party who number around 88 million.

In support of the party it is said that, “it is up to the members of the party to think and act in full accord with the policy guidelines of the Central Committee of the Communist Party. They must work tenaciously to serve the people and contribute their share to social progress and economic development.”

Will they be able to hold and maintain this line in the new world?

Answer: The point is not whether they will be able to hold onto this line or not. Rather it is that there is no alternative. What kind of alternative can they show to America, Europe, or Russia? There aren’t any examples in the world that China can follow. And why would it change itself? A traditional attitude toward the people, toward themselves, and toward the nation normally fits into this infrastructure.

Comment: That is, this is a method for freezing what works according to the principle that one shouldn’t touch something that works.

Answer: That is the best thing. It is impossible otherwise. They are leading very correctly. The Chinese are serious and pragmatic people for which there is only this life in its most material and normal sustainable way. That is what they are trying to implement.

Question: On the other hand, it seems that their principles are very close to the principles of the wisdom of Kabbalah. Essentially in what way do they differ?

Answer: I do not believe that their policies are built on an aspiration to unite the people.

Comment: But in the accepted document it is said that they must work tenaciously to serve the people and contribute their part to social and economic progress.

Answer: This is said in the interior for the Communist Party, not for the people, and therefore the people are not engaged with this. The people simply know that they must exist in these frameworks, otherwise it will go out of control. The Communist Party of China is a very serious purposeful organization.

Naturally, there is no connection with Kabbalistic principles through which people realize the need for unity above egoism, which is what devours them and separates them. This still doesn’t exist in China because their egoism is found on a very low level. So the residents of the nation are still far from sensing a need to realize Kabbalistic principles.

I do not believe that China will independently join those nations for whom the wisdom of Kabbalah is imperative for realizing the unity of the people.

Question: But at some point they will join the others. After all, isn’t it said, “…for they shall all know Me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them” (Jeremiah 31:33)?

Answer: Right, but it depends by what means. In the meantime, they have no general, balanced, or vast ego that requires healing and repair with the help of the Upper Light.

Question: Who is standing first in the chain of correction?

Answer: The Jews throughout the world are first. This cannot be taken from us. We are the most egoistic people in this world; in this we are ahead of all of humanity. And after us are all the developed nations in the world, the Europeans and the Americans.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 3/1/16

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New Life 537 – Jewish Culture: Coming Out Of Egypt

New Life 537 – Jewish Culture: Coming Out Of Egypt
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

What does Kabbalah teach us about the ego and unfounded hatred, which are naturally imprinted in us? How do they trap us inside evil and how can we become free of this slavery?

Abraham’s time is the beginning of the era of the Patriarchs, and after the exodus from Egypt, it is the beginning of the era of the sons.

Abraham taught us how to build connections above our egoism and unfounded hatred—”Love will cover all transgressions.”
Even in the family or in politics love should be above any disagreements there may be.

Egypt symbolizes the period of our enslavement to the ego. The decision to come out of the ego comes after the plagues.
Pesach (Passover) is a birth. Egypt was the birthplace of the nation, the birth of a new world view through connection. A person is a slave inside his ego and outside the ego he is free. This is the whole story of the exodus from Egypt.

Initially you examine yourself and how the ego manages you in every way. It is a phase of self-recognition. The ego seems to be in our favor, but in fact, it ruins our life. If your neighbor buys a new car, you are sad because your ego suffers. We will be able to live a good life only when we learn to relate to everyone as to our family. This is the whole idea of Passover.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 537 – Jewish Culture: Coming Out Of Egypt,” 3/22/15

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 04.13.16

Preparation for the Lesson

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Shamati #159, “And It Came to Pass in the Course of Those Many Days”

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Writings of Rabash, “Rungs of the Ladder,” Article 15

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 The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts, “Shmot,” “The King of Egypt Died,” Item 340

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Talmud Eser Sefirot, Vol. 6, Part 15, Item 7

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