From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 3/18/19

Less than 48 hours after we heard about the terrible massacre in the remote and peaceful New Zealand, we were struck by yet another terrorist attack near an Israeli settlement.

In New Zealand, solidarity is on the rise, and promises are being made to change gun laws. In Israel, the demand to uproot the terrorist infrastructure is resurfacing, and some are exploiting the attack to serve political agendas.

However, no leader, whether in Israel or in New Zealand, is pointing to the root cause that continues to generate terrorist attacks. No public discourse on social media touches on the deeper culprit: the growing human ego, which we must contain.

Until we turn our attention to our growing egoistic nature, it will continue to generate conflicts and lead us to an extremely bloody reality. Ultimately, the human ego will drive us to violence between sectors, parties and entire countries.

In our time, a third world war could be ignited overnight. Our world is increasingly connected through a complex web of interdependence that cannot be unraveled. As human society becomes more globally integrated, binding together countries, economies and cultures, we begin to discover the reciprocity between all parts and aspects of humanity as an inescapable law of nature.

As long as our ego grows and evades our focus as the central problem, we will continue to see suffering. As long as there is a deep chasm between the narrow egotistical view of human beings and the law of global reciprocity that governs them, we will continue to feel unstable.

As long as we do not restrain the human ego – in Israel, New Zealand, and any other country in between – human society will go further and further out of balance. Ultimately, the suffering will force us to pay attention to the law of reciprocity that governs us. It’s not a punishment, it is a natural response that stems from the laws of nature.

From day to day, the world will inevitably realize that connecting humans above the separating ego is the only solution and the only way forward.

But there’s more. Subconsciously, an inexplicable demand is brewing in humanity towards those holding the key to the system for uniting humanity: the Jewish people.

The sages wrote that “no calamity comes into the world, but for Israel” (Yevamot 58). Kabbalist Rav Kook wrote that “any global noise happens mainly for Israel” (“Letters of Rav Kook”). And the book of Zohar writes in black and white: “poverty and sword and robbery and killing and destruction throughout the world are dependent on the Jews.” (Tikkun 30).

Today, both the Jewish people and the nations of the world are completely unaware of the dynamic between them. Therefore, to be realistic, the first stage is only to raise awareness of the necessity to follow the law of global reciprocity. This means knowing the foundations of the world as they are clarified in Kabbalah: the structure of nature’s global system, the power of egoism that rules rules over us and throws us out of balance, and the true meaning of the ideal we must strive towards: love your neighbor as yourself.

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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot”: There is a great need to explain once and for all why the coming of the Messiah depends on the study of Kabbalah in the masses, which is so prevalent in The Zohar and in all the books of Kabbalah. The populace has already discussed it pointlessly and it has become unbearable.

Even all those who do study the Torah, every grace that they do, they do for themselves. In that time, the spirit leaves and does not return to the world. This is the spirit of the Messiah.

The problem is that people separate everything that happens from the upper root and do not want to see that the upper force acts in everything. “There is no place free from the Creator,” there is no action that would be performed without His participation. This happens at every moment of our life. A person should realize that all his desires, thoughts, and actions, even the worst ones, are dictated by the Creator, and he should determine his attitude toward His actions. Then, he will come to adhesion with the upper force, in his current state.

A person justifies the Creator, realizing that He is acting to correct his attitude to what is happening. The Creator leads him through all sorts of states that are not justified from the point of view of an animalistic, rational logic. But trying to attribute everything to the Creator “besides whom there is nothing,” a person changes his attitude to what is happening. The main thing for him is to attribute everything to the Creator in order to please Him. He does not take into account his unpleasant feelings, fears, hurt, pride, etc.

First, he decides that everything comes from the Creator, but he cannot justify Him for his pain. Then he agrees with the unpleasant state, realizing that it is necessary. That is, he already justifies the Creator who corrects him in this way, but he still feels bad. And in the end, he rises above his bitter feeling due to the importance of the goal, which covers the material pain felt in the desire to enjoy. In this way he achieves devotion to the Creator.

All the previous stages are called “a slave,” a “handmaid helping the mistress,” his corrected desire, Malchut.¹

In the state of Lo Lishma, I attribute all actions to the Creator, I try to cling to Him with all my thoughts and desires, connecting everything that happens in the world to Him. After all, “There is no one else besides Him.” But at the same time, I still add my feelings to it, feeling pleasant and unpleasant events, wanting some of them and not wanting others. That is, in everything that happens, my personal interest is present consciously or unconsciously.

I find myself thinking that I would like a different outcome of events and regret what happened. Sadness and regret testify to the fact that I am not pleased with the governance of the Creator. There is no doubt that only He governs me, but I still do not agree with Him, I am not devoted to Him. If I do not remain completely joyful in any state, bad and good, it means that I am not in adhesion with the Creator.

This state is called Lo Lishma because I would like to slightly turn each state to a more pleasant direction for my feelings and understanding. This indicates lack of adhesion.²

It is necessary to decide in practice whether all the states I feel come from the Creator or not. Different stages are possible here: greater concealment or greater revelation. This decision is made in the mind. And besides, it is necessary to define in feeling: is what is happening pleasant or unpleasant to me? Do I agree with it more or less? Am I joyful or not?

I must agree in my mind, heart, feelings, and with my reason that everything comes from the Creator and everything is beautiful; that is, the Creator is good and does good and there is none else besides Him. Good that does good, according to my feelings, and there is none else besides Him, according to my reasonable conclusion, my action. That is all we need to do.

If we have not yet achieved this, we must attract as much reforming light as possible through the ten and address the Creator with a prayer. And the main thing is to increase the importance of the Creator, His singularity in everything: He is the first and He is the last; everything is only from Him.³
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/1/19,  Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot, Item 31″
1 Minute 12:35
2 Minute 35:05
3 Minute 1:17:50

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Question: Why is the period of preparation for spiritual revelation so long?

Answer: Indeed, the preparation period is very long. It can take 20 or 30 years before you begin to receive and comprehend the answers.

However, this is not just an expectation, as if you’re waiting for a train. It is rather your continuous change, your continuous adaptation to the state when you begin to attain the hidden, upper world.

Therefore, your whole journey depends on the depth of your soul. The higher it is, the greater will be the journey before the first revelation of the spiritual world.
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From the Kabbalah lesson in Russian, 11/25/18

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New Life 173 – Jerusalem And The Power Of Love
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

The power of connection that will be revealed in the future is now seen before our eyes in Jerusalem in reverse, as the power of separation.

Building the Temple in Jerusalem means streaming love into our common heart. There is no reason to build a beautiful stone structure. Instead, we must bring sanctity and love into our hearts in order to correct the world.
Historically, nobody ever really conquered Jerusalem for it is only conquered through the power of love.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 173 – Jerusalem And The Power Of Love,” 4/25/13

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Lesson Preparation

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 3

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In the process of creating a Kli, I start to feel how the Upper One starts to help me! He dresses in me and helps me, like a mother plays with a child, helping him assemble a house out of blocks. When I try and fail, I feel that He helps me understand it the right way…

It’s useful when it seems as if someone else is working for the Creator better, since envy raises and strengthens one in the work. To the extent one sees the friend as greater than himself, the flame of envy and jealousy will ignite in him for the Creator’s work and attainment.

The importance of work is expressed from the lowest state, when one feels annulled, as if he is nonexistent and has no power over his desire—and thus he enters spirituality.

Just as the Creator does not think of Himself, of whether or not He exists, whether He governs or not, and has no doubts, so one wishing to attain equivalence with the Creator mustn’t think about it since there is no greater difference between them.
One who thinks of himself is separated from the Creator and does not attain equivalence.

The most important thing is that no one in the ten will think about his own importance and will annul himself, for the Creator is present in the ten. When each one feels that he is the last one and his friends are the head, they open up a path for the upper light to them.
The main light shines to the one who is most annulled.

Restriction means to restrict oneself and not wish for anything more. One wishes to eternally remain in whatever state he is in at present. It doesn’t matter how perfect this state is, he wishes to dwell in it forever. It is then called permanent “adhesion.”

All your actions should be directed at the Creator, at adhering with Him, through bestowal to the friends. Thus you will reach the similarity with the Creator: as His actions are directed toward the good of all, so will yours be. From this point you will reach adhesion.
From Twitter, 3/17/19

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Repentance (Tshuvah) means that I am able to feel the Creator to some extent and link my existence to Him. He creates all my states and leads me from one state to another, me and all of humanity. I want to be constantly connected to Him as to my Creator who creates every moment of life. The Creator is the one who creates every moment of reality.

The return happens after my separation from the upper force that created the whole reality: me and the whole world. I was unaware of the upper governance. If we feel nothing besides our animal life, we exist as if in a dream, in an illusory world. Suddenly, a force emerges that pulls me out of this dream to another understanding, awareness, and feeling of truth, which is the root cause called the Creator who controls everything: me and the world. Such awareness is called repentance (Tshuvah).

Understandably, this realization is also caused by the Creator. He plays with me, puts me through different states, forces me to exit the sensation of the Creator and His true world, and return to it again. Due to such entries and exits, stop-and-go cycles, He develops my sensitivity to Him.

Some returns happen out of fear of losing the sensation of the Creator and forgetting that He rules the whole world, that everything has a reason and that everything has an answer. I do not depend on my neighbor, my wife, the police, or my boss, but only on the Creator, who controls the entire reality.

It is such a wonderful feeling to connect everything happening to the Creator that I don’t want to leave it. Perhaps it gives me comfort in corporeal life. If all the problems come from the Creator, then there is no need to worry, for His goal and intentions are good and He knows what He is doing. This makes life much easier for a person and is called “return in awe.”¹

If I understand that I am going against the Creator’s wishes and still perform this act, by doing so I conceal the Creator from myself. After all, I seem to want the Creator to disappear from my horizon and not to interfere with me. The Creator says: “This should not be done! I do not want you to do this,” and I push Him aside, not wanting to notice, and do as I please. Therefore, an intentional crime negates the Creator.

Before, I knew that the Creator was hidden from me, but I understood that He exists. When I commit a crime intentionally against His wishes, taking advantage of the fact that I do not fully sense Him, I force the Creator to disappear. I then become “free,” not believing in reward or punishment, considering myself free to do anything.²

If a person wants to fulfill the Creator’s desire, it is considered a commandment, while the opposite, going against His will, is a crime. The Creator wishes for us to correct the broken common soul, that is, to restore the unity between us which would extend to all the lower levels of creation. This is our main commandment.³

We have to understand that we exist in a system of forces. If I am influenced by the force that sustains me at a certain level, then I behave like a righteous person. As soon as this force disappears, I inevitably become a sinner, according to the balance of powers. Therefore, I need the Creator to become the guarantor for me not to fall into sin anymore. I am in constant dependence on the balance of internal and external forces that hold me in a certain condition: the environment, the Creator, and me.⁴

I undergo a series of states, through concealment and revelation, making efforts, and it seems to me that everything depends on me. However, when the Creator is revealed, I understand that He played with me so that I would exert the necessary measure of effort to get a greater understanding and sensation of Him. The Creator requires no payment from me nor does He blame me for anything. Yet, without applying effort, it is impossible to acquire the right impression of what the light and the darkness are, the pros and cons of the Creator, giving and receiving, or my own strength and the force of the Creator.

Due to the Creator playing with me, guiding me through concealments and revelations, I understand my desires. This is how we teach our children. We do not want them to cry and would gladly do everything for them, but without efforts, children would never grow up or become wiser. They would not gain patience or understanding. Therefore, you cannot avoid making a child perform exercises, apply efforts, work, and sweat so that he will grow up and rise to our level.

It is the same here. When we return to the Creator and reveal His governance, we understand that life was a game to make us grow. We complain that our whole life is continual suffering. But a small child also cries and screams when something is not working out, it is a major tragedy for him.

Life ends, leaving nothing behind of our joys and sorrows. The only thing that lasts forever is our effort on the spiritual path, like a child who gains knowledge. Such efforts are not lost because we use them to make corrections in the system of the common soul, Adam HaRishon.

In fact, all our efforts in corporeal life also do not disappear. Their impact is on such a low level, on such a meager scale, that it is a pity to waste energy on them. It is said that even a tiny louse, making efforts to survive and eat, also contributes to the common sum. However, it is impossible to compare the significance of corporeal efforts and the desire to conform to the will of the Creator, to establish mutual relations with Him. This is a completely different level.

I dedicate my life to resembling the Creator, looking to Him, and asking if I am doing the right thing by wanting my actions to precisely resemble His wishes. If I truly want it, then the Creator begins to reveal Himself so that I can mimic Him and act according to His thoughts, like a child who learns from his father. This is called becoming a servant of the Creator, learning from Him.⁵
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/4/19, Writing of Baal HaSulam, Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot, item 57
1 Minute 6:00
2 Minute 19:36
3 Minute 22:30
4 Minute 23:38
5 Minute 26:17

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Question: Why did Kabbalists hide Kabbalah for many years?

Answer: Look at yourself. You have already been studying Kabbalah for years. How would it be possible to reveal everything that it studies to you all at once? Even when you begin studying any science, it is revealed to you gradually because you need to gather data, store it, adapt yourself to it, and chew on it within yourself.

And Kabbalah is a science that simultaneously includes feelings within you. That is, you yourself must change and adapt yourself sensually to the material you work with. Gradually you get used to it and change according to it; you will feel and absorb it differently. These are very serious, long stages of incorporating a person into Kabbalah and Kabbalah into a person.

This is not a usual science that people deduced from their conclusions. Under the guidance of Kabbalists you discover a world, yourself, and your feelings, and begin to apply your knowledge to the world that exists around you. You bring it closer and closer to yourself and feel it.

So, it turns out that this takes time, it is not possible to get past this instantly. For example, you cannot take a little child to a classic ballet, to the theater, or to a scientific experiment, he will not understand it. You can take him with you, but he will receive nothing from it. On the contrary, he will be scared or understand all of it incorrectly.

Therefore, the problem is not that Kabbalists do not want to reveal everything immediately. They, as true methodologists, understand that it requires a very long path of a person’s inner growth. That is the problem.

Such maturation might take 20 or 30 years. After all, you adapt yourself to the system that works according to different laws than your animalistic body, our primitive lower world, does.

You are like a little child who comes out of his nursery, in which his whole world was encapsulated, into the big world. There are completely different interactions in it, there are strangers and other laws.

Therefore, you need to adapt. Just like in our world we have parents and teachers who guide us and create special systems of maturation and incorporation into this world, it is the same in Kabbalah.

However, everything is much more difficult in spirituality because in the corporeal world we have natural desires and sense organs, but in Kabbalah we must develop them. This means that we must be united into tens through which we will be able to begin feeling the upper world and adapt to it.

Only now are we beginning this process, gradually exiting our little “nursery,” not even into the big world, but into the “yard.” This is precisely what we are beginning to do now.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 2/5/19

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New Life 172 – The Book Of Psalms
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

The Book of Psalms provides a special, heart-felt program that connects us to the general force of love found in nature. It stirs up our insides and illuminates us with the light of the upper force that acts directly against the evil inclination. King David was a great Kabbalist. “King” means serving everyone, bringing everyone to connection. His wars symbolize our work to connect with one another above rejection and hatred. He represents a force that attracts us upward, one step at a time, until the climax of connection, love, and ultimate redemption.
From KabTV’s “New Life 172 – The Book Of Psalms,” 4/23/13

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