Comment: I came to the wisdom of Kabbalah via Freemasonry. I was interested in its history and gradually everything related to Freemasonry came down to the wisdom of Kabbalah for me.

From an evolutionary perspective there was a breakthrough in human development when the Kabbalists met the Templars: the invention of the banking system, medical advancements, etc., which can be regarded as evolution on the level of the speaking, including fighting wars.

Then came the next phase, the 13^th century in which Europe was not developed, then the 15^th century when it reached unprecedented heights. Then there was the fast development of the US in the span of 200 years, which is hard to grasp. This is a purely Kabbalistic project whether we admit it or not.

Answer: This is a true account of human history, but the problem is that during these periods the wisdom of Kabbalah went along with man’s egoism, pushing and developing and helping him like a mother who teaches her small child. Therefore, our development was in the direction needed for man’s understanding.

Now, however, we have reached the next phase that is opposite from our nature. It isn’t about the establishment of the banking system and profit making, or the development of industry and making society more egoistic, closed, and intricate, but rather about a different humanity, a different kind of communication.

This is why we have to get closer to others not in order to benefit from them but to lower our ego a bit and give in to it. Then a system of mutual consent will be created, and this is already a totally different approach, a different method.
[199788]
From a webinar “The Year in Review” 12/26/16

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In the News (Planetary Project): “International Cinema Day is a holiday of both those working for the film industry and anyone interested in this amazing art. On 28 December 1895, the Lumiere Brothers showed their first film in the Grand Café on the Boulevard de Capucinnes in Paris. This day was commemorated as International Cinema Day.”

Question: What is the significance of the birth of cinema? You once explained that viewers feel a moment of empathy while watching a movie.

Answer: It is only natural that people sitting in front of a screen identify with what is going on; it means a lot. Today only cinema lovers or young couples go to the movies. Also, it is preferable not to identify with today’s movie heroes.

If a movie can draw a person into his new internal form, allow him to identify with its internal problems, and inspire him forward not through external window-dressing, but by the fact that external changes spur internal changes in the viewers, which in turn lead to changes in the whole society, and these changes spur the next level of the world… then everyone benefits from it. After all, a movie presents internal experiences in the form of external plots.

Therefore, through external circumstances we have to show the changes in a person’s internal world to the extent that he is ready to somehow step on himself in order to attain the next level, in order to understand the reason for his existence or even for a more sublime idea.

This is basically what the art of a socialist taught us, but then a movie  was created in order to confuse people. I am saying the opposite: we should turn a movie into an art that will inspire a person, raise him, unite him with others, enter his life, and change it. This is a great thing!

Cinema is the most effective tool that can change the world, but unfortunately it is used for different purposes because it is naturally included in our egoism. This is the reason that the ego is revealed in movies in the most terrible ways.

After all, a person can be shown such a transformation of himself, of society, of the world, in the duration of two hours or even one hour, which cannot be illustrated by any other means. A person has to identify and feel sympathy in the most acute manner, which is not invoked by special effects, somersaults, or color.

I hope that this is what will eventually happen and that this instrument will become noble. Then we will really celebrate cinema day.
[199818]
From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 12/28/16

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Torah, Deuteronomy 15:04: However, there will be no needy among you, for the Lord will surely bless you in the land the Lord, your God, is giving you for an inheritance to possess.

A person should care about correcting everything that exists at the new level called “the land of Israel” by becoming closer and connecting everything.

Therefore, he must “kill” even those nations that exist there. In other words, he should kill the egoistic inclination of his uncorrected desires, i.e., stop using them. In this way he corrects them and they remain in the corrected form.

Question: What does “there will be no needy among you” mean?

Answer: You have to provide your screen to everyone without exception so they are in connection with you and can receive the Upper Light.
[198993]
From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 8/3/16

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New Life #331 – Ideological Revolutions
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

How are the revolutions of today different from the ones in the past, how do they influence us, and which revolution will bring us all a better life?

All revolutions arise from the development of human egoism on four levels: slavery, feudalism, capitalism, and the fourth stage—all humanity connected as one family.

There were changes stemming from a desire for economic gain or others wanting to impose their religion, then came the Industrial Revolution and we began to make a healthy calculations according to income. Karl Marx predicted the material stage of development would be followed by the stage of social development. That is, after the Industrial Revolution and the era of material abundance, there would be a social revolution. You now see that Marx was right. We are all slaves, in a constant race and under constant stress.

The social revolution is that everyone will live better, equally, will be connected and will learn to live in brotherly love. After Marx presented his vision, others came and spoiled it, when they tried to implement it before its time. Marx knew a social revolution would come only after capitalism had been completely exhausted.

The essence of the social revolution is upgrading human nature from egoism to altruism. Lenin and his party tried to start it in Russia but in an aggressive and distorted way. The social revolution cannot come through oppression and aggression. Understanding and acceptance are necessary, and education.
[136494]
From KabTV’s “New Life #331 – Ideological Revolutions,” 3/30/14

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Preparation for the Lesson

Lesson on the Topic: “Preparation for the Convention, ‘All As One,'” “Arvut Between the Tens”

Lesson on the Topic: “Mismah Arosa” (Arosa Document), “Altruists and Egoists in Society”

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Torah, Deuteronomy 15:15: And you shall remember that you were a slave in the land of Egypt, and the Lord, your God, redeemed you; therefore, I am commanding you this thing today.

This is not a reminder. After all, everything originates from a single source. When you bestow to someone you receive from the Creator.

When a person is engaged in spiritual work and bestows to someone, he can clearly see that something new comes to him from above. Therefore, one naturally has to bestow for the sake of giving to others rather than for receiving from above.

Here comes a serious problem. How can one become similar to the Creator and give with no return when he knows that he will receive many times more when he gives to Him?

Comment: It turns out that you will always be rich if you start really giving.

My Response: Of course, because by doing this you liberate yourself from unnecessary burden. If you acquire desires of others and raise them up, then you receive twice as much to pass to others. As it is said “The older one inherits double.”

Question: If we work this way, will we practically become a perpetual motion engine?

Answer: We have the eternal source. If we connect to it, we become the same.
[199503]
From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 8/10/16

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Question: When reading The Book of Zohar, how can I avoid imagining all kinds of pictures to myself if this book is like a beautiful fairy tale for my ego?

Answer: I am very happy that The Book of Zohar gives you so much pleasure and you find it relaxing.

Indeed, this book was written in a special language. There is incredible power in it. When you read it, you feel infinite goodness, a sweet feeling of tremendous power that helps you, envelops you, leads you forward, supports and cares for you. Precisely because of this, The Book of Zohar is a great book.

Even if you read it in translation, you will begin to feel it contains a higher goodness. That is why it influences people so strongly.

Comment: Baal HaSulam wrote that one should begin studying the wisdom of Kabbalah specifically in Kabbalistic language because concepts like Keter, Hochma, Bina, and so forth do not awaken materialistic associations in people. But against our will, when we read The Book of Zohar, all kinds of images appear in our head.

My Response: Even if all kinds of images appear when reading The Book of Zohar, I still recommend reading it anyway.

Everything will gradually work itself out. When reading, you find yourself embraced by an immense good force that knows how to work with you. You don’t need to direct yourself toward it, say the right things, hide anything, or pretend something…relax like a baby in his mother’s arms.
[199237]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 7/24/16

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Question: Why does Baal HaSulam recommend to start studying the spiritual worlds specifically through the language of the wisdom of Kabbalah and not through the language of Torah, stories (legends), and others?

Answer: It is because those languages are inaccurate, allegorical.

Question: How must one relate to reading a text in the language of legends if there are always physical images, the crossing of the sea with Moses in the lead?

Answer: This is a problem. I believe that it is preferable not to read texts like these. Likewise, seeing movies like these is strictly forbidden because they lead us away from the right spiritual actions.

Question: In the article, “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence,” Baal HaSulam teaches that the advantage of the language of the wisdom of Kabbalah is that it doesn’t confuse a person because worldly associations don’t appear in us at all, whereas, when reading the text in other languages, an entire “Hollywood movie” pops up in one’s head. Do those who have been studying the wisdom of Kabbalah for a long time have an antidote for content of this type?

Answer: In any case, without a choice, even if it is not clear, all kinds of physical images appear even for them. If they read: “Angels (particular forces) came to Abraham (a particular Kli),” in any case, they will even partially materialize this image. For the meantime, this is problematic.

Question: Is there something in the language of legends that is missing in other languages?

Answer: Feelings, the language of legends can convey countless shades of feelings. We will begin to grasp and translate these feelings within us in a correct way only when we are in spiritual attainment, then this language will receive the right “form” within us, within precise sensations.

Question: What is the uniqueness of the laws of language?

Answer: Language laws are very strict and precise. They fully transmit how every branch in our world matches its root in the spiritual world; they provide minute details about everything. But for people who have not attained the upper world, it is very difficult to connect this to particular spiritual actions, only to physical actions. In the Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Baal HaSulam writes that the most active, highest, and universal language is the language of the wisdom of Kabbalah. It doesn’t use images from our world, neither emotional nor theoretical images like in the language of legends, nor details about our world like the language of laws. It is a language of direct interrelationships between spiritual objects.
[198944]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 7/24/1

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New Life #330 – Revolution As A Social Phenomenon
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

Revolution occurs when people can no longer tolerate the current method of conduct. An internal engine develops the human race through four social stages called: still, vegetative, animate, and speaking. When writing was developed it raised man above the limits of time. It was a real revolution.

The desire to control nature and to break boundaries grew in humans through four developmental stages. Today we have arrived at a situation where one press of a button can delete all of mankind. We can travel into space, but it turns out that we are very limited. We can do anything, just not control life.

The next revolution is a paradigm shift, an understanding that we are part of nature, and nature has its laws. We must learn to connect with each other as all other parts of nature do in a harmonious and integral way. We are unable to control our destiny. We must study the natural system that operates us.
[136221]
From KabTV’s “New Life #330 – Revolution As A Social Phenomenon.” 3/30/14

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