“Jewish Innovation: Discarding Our ‘Dirty Laundry’” (The Times Of Israel)

The Times of Israel published my new article “Jewish Innovation: Discarding Our ‘Dirty Laundry‘”:

Billions of people enjoy new technologies, while few are the innovators who command and develop the inventions that change the way we live. Consider for a moment the impact of one simple technological breakthrough in 1782 by Henry Sidgier with his innovative washing machine: For how many centuries had women slaved away on the banks of rivers beating laundry on rocks to provide families with clean clothes? Similarly, humanity still fails to recognize that it slaves just as hard as the laundress of a few centuries back, unaware that a labor-saving invention already exists that would change everything about the lifestyle we have developed over the past century.

Today, it is enough to throw a few dirty items into a machine, press one button and relax with a cup of coffee for clothes that are cleaner, faster, virtually without physical effort. Believe it or not, we don’t need to become master inventors ourselves to forever transform the way we interact with one another and run our world. The invention has already been designed and perfected. The question is whether we have despaired long enough from our outdated systems to finally come up with the innovation that can open the door to a new way of life.

Sadly, humanity is just now beginning to recognize the endless rat race it runs. Our innate egoistic inclination to build and develop has flourished over the past 70 years, and we have set up all kinds of complex systems to frame our lives. Today, we lack nothing materially and have everything in abundance, yet our lives feel increasingly bland. Surging rates of depression testify to more and more people’s unhappiness with their lives. An increasing amount of people are feeling depressed and bitter, anxious about security threats, troubled over their children’s education and future, as well as feeling that their lives lack a certain spice.

Our egoistic nature is growing, but instead of compelling us to connect correctly–with mutual respect and solidarity–and enjoy the fruits of harmonious relations, we trample on each other, seeking to benefit at the expense of others in order to fill ourselves with temporary pleasures. Common sense tells us that such behavior is unsustainable, but we’re unable to stop. Moreover, our broken relations coupled with our exponentially accelerating pace of development paves the way for ever more intense conflicts of egoism and wars of survival between us.

How many people in the world know all the details of a washing machine’s construction? Few. How many use one? Billions. In the same way that each of us didn’t have to invent the washing machine to enjoy its benefits, we also don’t need to mastermind an intricate system of ideal connections between each and every individual in the world in order to enjoy a transformation in our relations. We just need to recognize a brilliant invention when we see one and learn what buttons to push in order to use it to our benefit..

Jews are some of the greatest innovators in history, with more Nobel Prizes, honors and distinctions per capita than any other people, but without doubt their greatest invention is yet to be revealed in our generation. It is an innovation that has potential to fill humanity with happiness and save it from great suffering: the wisdom of Kabbalah, which was made specifically to be revealed and used in our era. However, strangely enough, even among Jews themselves, few are aware of the powerful tool we have at our fingertips.

What is it about the wisdom of Kabbalah that makes it the greatest invention of all time? It is that Kabbalah is a method that can connect people, even those most opposed each other. It can guide anyone who so desires to transcend their inborn egoism and live in ideal bliss. Also, to make the invention work for us, we do not have to be great experts or become saints. Just as most people operate washing machines without understanding how they work, the same applies to Kabbalah. Ultimately, this method works to bring us closer together, and by so doing, we draw a connective power inherent in nature, fill our world with warmth, happiness and confidence, and also alleviate suffering.

Becoming practitioners of this method means discarding our “dirty laundry”—the ego that seeks to enjoy at the expense of others—by shaping a well-oiled connection with others: building a strong bond that cleanses our hearts. The wisdom of Kabbalah is derived from the elementary structure of nature itself. Nature strives instinctively for balance, equality and perfection. Since we are part of nature, by aiming ourselves to be like nature, we then enter into its flow and act accordingly in our connections, with equality and mutual consideration. The only difference is that we have to make the conscious choice to use the method and create these positive connections among each other. I invite anyone who so desires to get started with a free introductory course.

Reeducation In Ancient Times

Laitman_001.02Question: During the times of the Kabbalists, where did reeducation take place for a person who committed an offense? Was it in prison?

Answer: According to the wisdom of Kabbalah and the Torah, there were no prisons. Based on the upper system of governance, it is forbidden to deprive a person of freedom when each one of us is simply controlled!

If you open the book of Torah, you will see that the only prison that existed belonged to Pharaoh. People were thrown into it and remained there for as long as the lord wished.

Yet, Kabbalah says that there is one Lord for us all and everyone is completely equal before Him, both the Pharaoh and the mere mortals. Therefore, it is impossible for one person to judge another.

That is, the judges who in ancient times were among the people ascribed to everyone what spiritual corrections they needed to make because people made mistakes because they did not understand this.

Question: At that time, were there cities of refuge for offenders?

Answer: Cities of refuge are something different. If a person committed such a crime that he needed to be isolated from society until he atoned for his wrongdoing, he was sent to the city of refuge where he lived and worked. He was released from there after six years.

In addition, according to the Torah, there is a commandment to repay all debts in the seventh year. In the fiftieth year, everything is cancelled and goes back to the previous owner, for example: land, home, etc.

That is, everything is arranged so that a person would not feel attached to something in his life or obliged to someone. This would create a psychological layer for him that everything is temporary, everything is suspended in the air, there is nothing absolute: the land is not mine, the house is not mine. There is no attachment to corporeality. Everything depends only on the way he, at every moment, establishes this between himself and the upper force.
[237648]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 8/19/18

Related Material:
Not Punishment, But Correction
Re-Education Instead Of Punishment
Three Cities Of Refuge

“With Love To See Only Good Things”

laitman_938.05Rabash, “Concerning the Importance of Friends”: [If a person] “works on himself to love him [a friend], then it is natural with love to see only good things. And even though there are bad things in one’s friend, he cannot see them, as it is written, “love covers all transgressions.”

A person feels that other than himself, everything else is the Creator’s actions, who controls and launches everything. Therefore, he cannot attribute personal actions, thoughts, and impulses to the friends. It is all the Creator.

Also, the Creator gives him a little freewill: how to relate to it, transform, and come closer to Him. And he already looks at his friends as if they are in full connection with the Creator.

Question: When it is said that “love covers all transgressions,” are the transgressions in me?

Answer: Of course. All selfish tendencies regarding the friends are covered with love. And one builds on top of the other because the Light comes that shows you everything. Since it was not there before, you saw everything negatively, and now, you see everything positively.

Love is an attitude toward others when you do not see anything wrong with them. You just love them. They are more precious to you than yourself.
[237461]
From KabTV’s “The Last Generation” 5/30/18

Related Material:
Two Paths Of Spiritual Work
Looking At The Group In The Light Of Love
A Bridge Of Love Over An Abyss Of Egoism

Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 12/28/18

Lesson Preparation

[media 1] [media 2]

Lesson on the Topic “Revealing The Deficiency For The Greatness Of The Creator Between Us

[media 3] [media 4]

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence,” Title “Forgetting the Wisdom”

[media 5] [media 6]

Audio Version Of The Blog – 12/27/18

Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
Download:MP3 Audio

My Thoughts On Twitter 12/27/18

Dr Michael Laitman Twitter

Only by feeling the Creator’s greatness is the heart tamed, so increase trepidation. And the questions are to lack the Creator so He may open your heart and eyes, to be worthy of His greatness. A manifestation of sin each time makes you climb the steps of the Creator’s greatness.

The Creator becomes necessary to receive answers, therefore you must walk by faith above reason.
Then you see you are exhausted & need the Creator.
Only the Creator can give strength to walk by faith above reason.
What the Creator gives is, in fact, called the Creator’s greatness.

To exalt the Creator is to ask Him for strength to walk by faith above reason. To do so, don’t answer your questions with the earthly mind, but ask the Creator to answer. The ego calls to follow the commandments while faith above reason obliges to walk disregarding what ego knows.

While in descent, think: if the Creator awakened you—how ready you would be for spiritual work.
Imagine, as if you feel the Creator’s presence—how then you would thank and praise Him!
So must you now thank and glorify the Creator, as if you have already been honored with perfection.

If the group intends to delight the Creator, they can add in the work by adding in the Creator’s greatness, for in the measure of His greatness they can cancel themselves before Him and do everything for His sake. The Creator’s greatness will oblige to do work for Him and enjoy it.

The group must talk about the greatness and importance of the Creator because to this extent they’ll be able to:
—feel the desire to cancel oneself and unite with Him,
—go by faith above reason that He rules the world by good governance,
—start loving the Creator with all your heart and soul.

Try to ensure that the only reward for all your efforts is a sense of the Creator’s greatness, all prayers —to feel His greatness, for the Creator is hidden by the first restriction  [Tzimutzum Aleph] and one can’t appreciate His greatness; hence, we ask the Creator to feel it, especially while studying.

Starting spiritual work we want to get Ohr Pnimi [Inner Light] requiring pure Kelim [Vessels]: Tzimzum Alepsh—screen [Masach]—Ohr Hozer [Reflected Light]. But Malchut receives from Ohr Makif, i.e., a beginner without likeness to the Creator can receive from Ohr Makif if he raises importance of Ohr Makif as the Creator’s …
… receives distant emanation as correction.

Isra-El are those who strive for the perfect state, in which they were prior to the breaking of the system Adam. A desire to feel the integral system and the force acting in it, binding all together, is called Isra-El, Yashar-El —”straight to the Creator.” Regardless of nationality.

Evolution of broken nature, without Israel’s work, is called ego-development. Without applying Kabbalah, Israel can’t fill its role as glue binding nations. Israel is who is conscious of this mission. The nations are pushing Israel to unity and Israel is fulfilling it among nations.

After the breaking of the soul of Adam, the fall into sin, Israel, who unified peoples, vanished, and their egoism began to manifest. This process goes on for centuries. Today, division of nations requires the glue. This will show in growing #Antisemitism.
#Israel must realize its mission.

Israel in the common soul of Adam tied all its parts prior to breaking, so Israel has no place in the world; its mission is to bind all nations. This bond gives everyone a higher life, filling space between us and defining everyone’s aspiration toward the Creator yashar-kel = isra-el.

Democrats view a #Mexico border wall as immoral. But it’s immoral not to build it and solve the problem at the expense of the citizens of the country that has 40 million poor. Crisis begins. The country must protect its citizens.
The #Torah says: the poor of the city are more important than others!

YEAR 2019 predictions: Collapse of the global world, despite liberals’ efforts; degradation of societies and states; an increase in #isolation. #predictions

YEAR 2019 predictions (continued): Collapse of the world #financial system; strengthening of the US industrial #elites; abolishing of the international US treaties; crash of #StockMarket; possible #Trump‘s assassination, in order to launch a depression and unrest in the US.
From Twitter, 12/27/18

Related Material:
My Thoughts On Twitter 12/26/18
My Thoughts On Twitter 12/25/18
My Thoughts On Twitter 12/24/18

Does Each Kabbalist Have His Own World?

laitman_209Question: In the corporeal world, we have a general picture of its perception: the sky is blue, the sun is yellow, and so on. You say that in the spiritual world each one will see his own picture. Isn’t there a general picture? Did every Kabbalist have his own world?

Answer: Each Kabbalist is in his own state but they describe them in approximately the same way; they have one key. They understand each other.

At any spiritual degree, you will feel what you sense with your qualities. In our world, everyone has the same qualities—the five organs of perception. In the spiritual world, there are also five sensory organs—Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, and Malchut—through which you perceive it, but it is you who perceives.

In the spiritual world everyone is at a different level because there are a large number of degrees: 125 basic ones and each consists of many sub-degrees.

Therefore, if you want to equalize yourself with others, you take a Kabbalistic book, and by studying it, you begin to feel what the Kabbalist who wrote it felt.

Reading, for example, the works of Ari or Talmud Eser Sefirot by Baal HaSulam, you feel what they felt when they described it. Also, you must act as it is described, with your screen at the same level. However, usually you are on other levels so you have seemingly different worlds.
[237690]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 8/12/18

Related Material:
Equal And Different
Films About Spiritual Reality
A Look At The World Through A Different Lens

Do I Create The Spiritual World?

laitman_752.2Question: The spiritual world is real, and the corporeal world is an illusion. Is it true that I create the spiritual world and the corporeal world is an objective reality within my desire to receive?

Answer: You yourself do not create anything. It is just that you can change the spiritual world, and accordingly, its effect upon our world will change. Yet, in the corporeal world itself, we do not change anything.

You see how history is unfolding and we cannot change anything in it. Today, what we said twenty years ago is coming true because people do not change.

Question: If we cannot change anything in the material world, why do we need the illusion of the ability to act and make changes at its level?

Answer: If you do not yet exist in the spiritual world, then how can you change anything? You have to be in our world, study what can be done, and gradually, piece by piece, transfer your efforts, through the ten, into spiritual ones.

Question: Does it mean that nothing can be changed on the level of this world?

Answer: It can be changed if people want to get closer to their spiritual roots. Changes occur only through the upper degree. All control is from above.
[237606]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 8/19/18

Related Material:
To Attain The Upper From Our World
Worlds That Move Toward One Another
Everybody Has A Chance

Blitz Of Kabbalah Tips – 7/8/18

laitman_961.2Question: Are there characteristics of the spiritual root that I can aspire to?

Answer: Certainly. The characteristics are intelligence, knowledge, a sense of eternity, perfection, that is, every detail in the characteristic of bestowal, which is a common denominator for all fulfillments. The characteristic of bestowal is absolutely opposite to us; we don’t want it at all, but we would happily receive what is revealed within it.

Question: If the higher root manages all the details in every moment, what is the role of the branch?

Answer: The role of the branch is to reach a state in which it perceives the upper root as it is, without any arguments about it; this state is called the “direct connection of the created being with the Creator.”

Question: With the help of the wisdom of Kabbalah can a person regulate the degree of pleasure or suffering of how he is governed by the upper root?

Answer: From the wisdom of Kabbalah a person receives a method for attracting the Light of correction on him. The upper Light that descends on a person transforms him from a state of being opposite to the Creator to a state in which he is similar to the Creator. The person begins to feel a positive influence from the Creator and secondly finds the Creator behind this influence.

Question: If a person finishes his life before realizing his spiritual destiny, will he be born again?

Answer: We don’t die and are not born; we only pass through our sensations from cycle to cycle. So there is no need to relate to life and death as something fatal.

Question: How should one relate correctly to a desire to watch a football match?

Answer: The wisdom of Kabbalah is not opposed to this; a person doesn’t need to lock himself in his room; he must play a little. Nonetheless, it is up to him to understand what is most important for him in the short life that has been given to him.

Question: Could it be that I am refusing to carry out the plan of creation but am unaware of this so I will face great blows and suffering?

Answer: Someone who doesn’t carry out the plan of creation is constantly beaten. We see this in the example of the Jewish people. Regarding the plan of creation, they are more developed than the rest of the nations, and so throughout history they have been beaten. As it is said: “…he who increases knowledge, increases pain” (Ecclesiastes 1:18).

Question: As a Kabbalist, how do you relate to the life and death of relatives, students, and the teacher?

Answer: There is no life and death, there is existence in all kinds of states. We must agree with the states we are in and we must carry out everything possible in these states.

Question: It seems that there is a strange formula that arises from this: the higher the level of development, the more suffering people or a person receives?

Answer: That is actually how it is throughout the world. It is said: “…he who increases knowledge, increases pain.” By adding to and increasing his knowledge, he expands the range and begins to see greater values of plus in contrast to minus. Therefore, he feels that these things are not connected together and this causes him to suffer.

Question: How is it possible to differentiate between the “instructions of the Creator” and the personal or collective “advice of the ego”?

Answer: To do this you must direct yourself precisely toward “There is none else beside Him” (Deuteronomy 4:35), and then you will see that there is truly nothing else besides the Creator: There is no collective ego, nor is there your ego; there is only the inner voice of the Creator who is telling you something. One must adjust oneself to this.

Question: How is it possible to differentiate between actions that give pleasure to the Creator and actions that don’t give pleasure and that are generally of no value if a person doesn’t receive a reward for his actions?

Answer: Kabbalists say that the only action that gives pleasure to the Creator is an act of unification in a group, and from the group there is an appeal to the Creator with a common desire.

Question: As a result of suffering, why do some people become more stubborn in their worldview that basically caused them to suffer?

Answer: Very good! Stubbornness and persistence are very good things.

Question: If I regularly watch your broadcasts on YouTube by myself with great desire and interest, am I part of the spiritual group?

Answer: Yes. Those who are with us and study even one hour per week, are participating in the spiritual group.
[236786]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 7/8/18

Related Material:
Blitz Of Kabbalah Tips – 7/1/18
Blitz Of Kabbalah Tips – 6/24/18
Blitz Of Kabbalah Tips – 6/17/18

Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 12/27/18

Lesson Preparation

[media 1] [media 2]

Lesson on the Topic “Revealing The Deficiency For The Greatness Of The Creator Between Us

[media 3] [media 4]

Talmud Eser Sefirot,  Vol. 6, Part 16,  Table of Answers for the Meaning of the Words, Item 205

[media 5] [media 6]

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence,” Title “The Language of Laws”

[media 7] [media 8]