Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why doesn’t anarchy work?“

A society with no governing body cannot survive. It needs a head that determines and a body that executes.

Anarchy states that there should be no head.

In any system, however, there is a head and a body. What would a head do without a body, or a body without a head? What would activate the body? Our problem is that we cannot build such ideal and correct systems where the head knows what benefits the body, and the body knows how to communicate with the head.

The problem we encounter today is that the head part of society has self-interest at heart. It is because the human ego (the desire to enjoy at the expense of others) is in control. Until you extract the ego from everyone, remaining without the divisive and destructive force, you could never build a harmoniously functioning society.

So what should we do? What does a harmoniously functioning society require?

As we grow increasingly egoistic, society becomes increasingly needy of a system that would keep it sustained in a state of balance. Balance in society requires us to consistently nurture positive connection above the growing ego and the divisiveness it brings.

Human nature is anarchic. At its foundation, it is ready to destroy everything for self-aimed enjoyment, and this is the source of all division and conflict.

However, through the environment, we can influence human nature to positively direct its desires and needs for collective betterment.

Therefore, the body is not to blame for its shortcomings. It is governed by the head. Thus, the head needs to know the laws of nature, how to balance society, to bring society into increasing balance above the constantly growing ego, and to constantly work to fulfill the yearnings and desires of the collective of society.

The head cannot be anarchic: it needs to see where it leads the body according to nature’s tendency, and then we will certainly reach, in a positive, pleasant and healthy way, more and more states nature has paved for us. The head needs to function similarly to Sanhedrin, constantly discussing and sharing with the people how they bring the laws to them.

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Question: On one hand, you say that we always live in the future. On the other hand, there is no future. Could you explain this, please?

Answer: The fact is that I always as if precede myself and go half a step ahead. Otherwise, I cannot exist in my current state. It is called that I live as if in the future. But there really is no future because I define it. On one hand, I wait for it, but on the other hand, I predetermine it.

The science of Kabbalah says very simply: if you think that the future itself comes to you, then you exist on animate level. The inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels of nature—this is what controls you.

If you want to determine your future yourself, then please, define it yourself, but for this you must rise to the appropriate level of control where you understand that the future depends only on the degree of unity among people.

The stronger we are united, the better the future, we accelerate time, and events become more coordinated. The more people are in greater separation among themselves, the worse is the future and of course, everything else.

So, with our interactions toward our unity or separation, we ourselves determine the future.
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From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian, 4/28/19

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New Life 1145 – The Image Of The People Of Israel
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Since the time of Abraham, who connected a collection of people from various nations and cultures, Jews have embraced their inherent spiritual gene. In order to stimulate this gene, we must identify with our root and advance the increasingly divisive and separated world toward connection. The wisdom of Kabbalah explains how to connect above the opposites, in two layers. According to the law of nature, the people of Israel must fulfill their special role and spread the method of connection throughout the world.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1145 – The Image Of The People Of Israel,” 7/30/19

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Hello to anyone who knows me in some form, perhaps through my articles or interviews, or my posts or videos online. As far as I can remember, I was always interested in knowing the secret of life, the goal of life, the universe, why was it created, what human beings are for. I was very occupied with that. I went to study bio-cybernetics, the operating systems of the human body. It didn’t really answer what I wanted to know.

And then I came to the wisdom of Kabbalah. So if you’re interested in knowing the sources of wisdom that I learn from, I’m inviting you. You’ll see how much happiness it can add to your life.

We have designed a course that is suitable for everyone. It’s very easy and accessible. When you start, you’ll see how the most complex things can be made extremely simple. You’ll get step-by-step guidance by dedicated instructors. And to be honest, I envy you. It was very difficult for me to attain this wisdom, and I’m so happy that now I can pass it on easily and beautifully, so enjoy it!

If you’re in New York or Toronto, then follow this link to sign up

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If somebody interferes with me, then I should accept this as “help from the opposite,” which shows me where I have not yet cleaved to the Creator. Due to this interference, I get closer to the Creator, and therefore, I wish this person all the best, blessing for the bad as for the good. After all, it is due to these interferences that I have the opportunity to rise to the Creator each time. Without them, I would be unable to advance.

Therefore, on one hand, in corporeal life I must defend myself and fight against such interferences. But in essence, in my internal work, I fully accept them and thank for everything bad as good. It is such interferences that bring us correction, although they cost us a lot of effort, money, and time. The main thing is to relate to them correctly, that is, to launch a war against them in order to ask for adhesion with the Creator above them.

I understand that the Creator sent me these obstacles and I want to cleave to Him along with them. After all, my devotion to the Creator is verified by the force with which I cleave to Him. Let’s say, there is a load weighing 5 kg that I want to attach to the ceiling. To do this, I need glue that holds at least 5 kg and a little more, to be on the safe side. Therefore, I evaluate the strength of the glue by the weight of the load. If I stick the load and it falls, then the glue is weaker than the weight of the load; that is, my devotion to the Creator is less than the interference that He sent.

But if I ask the Creator to help me cleave to Him with a force greater than the interference and I cling to the ceiling with this whole problem, then I gain faith above reason, the force of adhesion, which is stronger than the interference felt within reason.

The glue I receive from the Creator is the light that comes to me at my request, the power of bestowal, Bina, with which I cling to the Creator in bestowal to Him. I want to cling to Him above this interference that pushes me away from Him so that all crimes will be covered by the love for the Creator.

But there is no righteous person who did not previously sin. We always fall, locking ourselves on the obstacle itself, on a person who is causing us problems or on the situations. We are never ready for an obstacle because each time it is new, a new Reshimo from the shattering is revealed. We are forced to fall and succumb to deception as if the problem did not come from the Creator. But already in the next moment, we need to return to the correct perception. This is called the “pinch of the devil”—a light pinch is enough to recover.

First, I cry out: “Ouch!” feeling the interference, and the second “Ouch!” already comes from the realization that this is not interference but the Creator who draws me to Himself. It all takes place in one go. The only answer to every obstacle is to cling to the Creator even more.¹
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/24/19, “There is None Else Besides Him”
¹ Minute 27:10

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The Times of Israel published my new article “How did New York become a battleground for Jews?”

“Why are Jews being assaulted in a way they were assaulted in pre-Nazi Germany,” asks former NY State Assemblyman, Dov Hiking in a heartfelt tweet to NYC Mayor, Bill de Blasio, urging him to address the “out of control anti-Semitism in NY.” He added, “enough is enough.” In fact, three extremely violent attacks on Orthodox men in Brooklyn in less than a week speaks volumes about a vicious pattern of hate crimes being tracked by the police: 145 cases this year—mostly anti-Semitic incidents—nearly double the number reported in 2018. This demands an urgent address, and first of all by us, Jews. What do haters want from us? Are we really willing to accept this as the new norm? We are going to need some strong glue to make our fractured Jewish collective whole again, not only to prevail over the hatred, but even in order to survive.

The victims of this vicious spike in hate crimes have been people easily identifiable as Jews living in traditional Jewish neighborhoods, but history has shown us that hatred does not distinguish between religious denominations or residential areas. Jews around the world are being targeted and attacked only because they are Jews, so no one should feel exempt. Therefore, we must respond as one unified people.

So why is it that this alarming situation is no big deal to many Jews then? When an attack on one isn’t felt as an attack on all, it exemplifies how deeply divided we are as a Jewish people. The lack of empathy and identification as one people is the cause of hatred against us. Our dissociated separation weakens our very foundation as a people, making us easy prey.

In the most recent attack against Jews in New York, a Hasidic man was beaten in the face with a belt in front of a synagogue in Brooklyn. Authorities are also investigating two other similar cases in the last few days. In Crown Heights, according to the NYPD, an assailant bashed a rabbi in the face with a heavy paving stone, breaking his nose and knocking out some teeth. In another incident in the same neighborhood, an Orthodox Jewish man suffered an eye injury after being attacked with ice by a group of aggressors.

If we consider that typically only a small percentage of crimes are ever reported, yet those already counted reveal a startling increase in the numbers of hate crimes. In other words, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Many in the Jewish community have stopped referring to these as “random cases,” now referring to them as “mainstream anti-Semitism.” Just how much Jewish blood must be spilled before we react?

What Do Haters Want from Us?

Throughout history, the hatred of the nations toward the Jews has risen and has fallen. Therefore, many have researched the phenomenon of anti-Semitism, although no one has identified its fundamental cause and how to eliminate it. And its quick intensification today once again testifies to the fact that the antidote to anti-Semitism is still not being applied.

Only the wisdom of Kabbalah explains the core reason for anti-Semitism and its fluctuation throughout history. Kabbalah states that curbing anti-Semitic sentiments is solely dependent upon the Jewish people: To the extent that the Jews come closer to their spiritual root—as a united people (under the dictum “love your friend as yourself”) who radiate a shining example of unity to the world (as “a light unto nations”)—anti-Semitism lessens. This is true because when Jews become unified as one, a magnetic positive field is created covering the entire world. Conversely, the more distant Jews become from their root, anti-Semitism rises, forcing us to unite through the mounting pressure of anti-Semitism—ranging from frequent violent attacks to extreme existential threats like was seen in pogroms and the Holocaust.

The Glue That Binds Us Together Against Anti-Semitism

At this point, you might be asking: how we can possibly reverse our current separation and repulsion since it’s known that we are intrinsically the most opinionated of all people? There is a popular saying: “two Jews, three opinions.” Aware of our nature as a people, from the beginning our sages already established the method to deal with the challenge of rising above our inevitable disagreements.

The book Likutey Etzot (Assorted Counsels) specifies how we should relate to those with whom we disagree:

“The essence of peace is to connect two opposites. Hence, do not be alarmed if you see a person whose view is the complete opposite of yours and you think that you will never be able to make peace with him. Also, when you see two people who are completely opposite to one another, do not say that it is impossible to make peace between them. On the contrary, the essence of peace is to try to make peace above two opposites.”

Indeed, only if we contribute our uniqueness to humanity, will our unity grow and our sense of confidence and happiness increase. Our lives are meaningful only when we contribute to society. With this mindset of uniting above our differences and in order to contribute our skills to the creation of a vibrant humanity from which all profit, everyone will find fulfillment and purpose in their lives and in all their actions. This is the juncture at which aggressions will cease and balance will be reestablished in society.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Are the Amazon fires a problem for the entire Earth?“

We need to see the whole of nature as an integral system. That is, there is a current focus on the Amazon fires, but there is an entanglement of environmental problems including ocean and air pollution, ozone depletion, outbreaks of natural disasters from volcanic eruptions through to earthquakes and hurricanes, not mentioning many others, and they are all influenced by the person, who according to the wisdom of Kabbalah, is a small world.

Therefore, when we reach states where we become internally organized, i.e., when our attitudes to each other become balanced and positive, then we will also experience positive phenomena from the outside, i.e. from nature.

We do not cause environmental problems with our hands. We cause them with our lack of inner correction. By letting our divisive egoistic drives cause us to harm each other, we invite upon us a negative response from nature. Also, the more we develop without correcting our attitudes to each other, the more we will draw to ourselves increasingly severe reactions from nature.

The time has come for us to reach connection among all people as in an integral system. We witness mammoth-scale problems in nature, and we’re unaware of how we cause such phenomena from the point of our attitudes to each other.

Many people, world leaders among them, think that by implementing actions toward nature, like cleaning garbage from the oceans, lessening air pollution or reducing the use of fossil fuels, we will have some kind of positive impact on nature. However, it’s not the case. Politicians especially only use such pleasant rhetoric for the purpose of their own self-promotion.

Nothing we do outside of changing our attitudes to each other will help us. Moreover, the more efforts we apply to fix things externally without undergoing an inner change, the more harm we will bring about. Why? It is because the world would continue developing by not dealing with the cause of all these problems: that we need to correct ourselves by upgrading our attitudes to each other—from egoistic to altruistic, divided to connected, and self-centered benefit to benefiting the whole of humanity. By doing so, we will see a positive response back to us from nature.

The inner change of our attitudes to each other is what nature demands of us. Note that according to the wisdom of Kabbalah, “Nature” and “God” are synonymous (they share the same number in Gematria—the Kabbalistic number system). We need to become integral in our awareness, to understand the system we’re in, the need to resemble the system of nature, and adapt ourselves to it.

Through our adaptation to nature, nature would calm down and become balanced.

Complementarity and wholeness would abound on all of nature’s levels—still, vegetative, animate and human—and we would experience harmony and perfection as a result.

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How to Feel the Creator

Kabbalah offers the following to a person: If you want to feel the upper force, you must enter into a group of like-minded people and begin to dissolve inside it. By preferring the opinions and desires of the collective to your own, no matter what they are, by clearly changing your opinions and desires to theirs, you will begin to feel how you are getting “outside yourself.” At the same time, it is clear to you that you enter into others, but you cannot act otherwise. You have to get outside and get into something.

Exiting oneself is the first stage of attaining the Creator. It is called the restriction of egoism. I must restrict myself in order to begin to feel others instead of myself.

To the extent that I do this, I begin to feel a completely different world, different connections between people and objects. I feel the existence of the general force of bestowal and love that connects them together.

I begin to feel all people as puppets who are absolutely clearly operated by the upper force in relation to me, and this is how I myself am also operated in relation to myself, to them, and to the upper force.

All this continues until in exactly in such a way—in small steps, with my own  realization—I accumulate sensations and knowledge about this upper force, which permeates me, connects me with others, and enables me to act outside of myself for the sake of this group of people or even this general power, the Creator, that is manifested in them. This is how I progress and study this phenomenon.

This feeling is called “the upper world.” The power of bestowal and love that exists, governs, and holds all this, including myself, is called “the Creator.”
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From KabTV’s “Basics of Kabbalah,” 12/10/18

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New Life 1141 – Education For Peace
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Shalom, the word for “peace” in Hebrew, derives from the Hebrew word for perfection, “Shlemut.” The way to achieve perfection in life is through peace, i.e. through the reconciliation of opposites. Reconciliation happens through the transcendence above opinions without discussing who is right; two give birth to a new, third thing. Education for peace is education for transcending the egoistic nature by inviting, drawing a positive force from nature. The method for doing this is group work with special exercises.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1141 – Education For Peace,” 7/23/19

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