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Unity Convention In Europe—Photos From Bulgaria

Dr. Michael LaitmanFrom My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 11/11/19

Nine hundred students, three days, one heart—our international Kabbalah convention held last weekend in Borovets, Bulgaria, took us to new heights. Above differences in languages, cultural gaps and geographical distances, crowds gathered for lessons and discussion circles, and learned to connect. Have a look at the photos. The results are in the radiant faces of the participants.

European Unity Convention In Bulgaria

Dr. Michael LaitmanFrom My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 11/11/19

Even if you didn’t attend or hear about the Unity Convention in Europe, stop for three minutes to be wowed by this beautiful summary of our international Kabbalah convention, held in Borovetz, Bulgaria.

900 men and women from across the continent gathered to unite above the many differences that separate people. Together they made it. See the looks, the smiles, the excitement, the tears, and ask – only then will all the good between us be realized

“The Rise Of Anti-Semitism In Germany And The World And Its Solution” (Times Of Israel)

The Times of Israel published my new article “The Rise of Anti-Semitism in Germany and the World, and Its Solution

“We have a Nazi problem in Dresden and have to do something about it,” said a city council member who succeeded with local lawmakers in passing an initiative to declare a “Nazi emergency.” This story is not a throwback to the 1930s in Germany, but a recent occurrence. It is a symptom of the larger problem of white supremacy spreading in major European and American cities, which raises the question: Why are Jews treated by many as a stone in humanity’s shoe? Solving this enigma is a pivotal step to finding a way to remove the uncomfortable annoyance.

But why Dresden in particular? Dresden happens to be a bastion of the far-right political party, “Alternative for Germany,” (AfD) and the birthplace of the movement PEGIDA (“Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the Occident,” in German), which are described as anti-Semitic, Islamophobic and xenophobic.

However, anti-Semitism is certainly not limited to radical right-wing groups. It is prevalent in German society as a whole. More than 25% of Germans agree with classic anti-Jewish tropes, including that Jews have “too much power over the economy,” according to a study revealed last month by the World Jewish Congress. Over 40% said they think Jews “talk about the Holocaust too much,” yet one in four respondents also said it is possible that “something like the Holocaust could happen in Germany again.”

Hatred Against Jews in America

The first anniversary of Pittsburgh’s synagogue attack was commemorated last month. It is a vivid reminder of how hatred against Jews is much more than a matter of hate speech these days. Jew-hatred can materialize in a split second as deadly violent attacks. A man accused of plotting to blow up a Jewish temple was arrested just days ago by the FBI in Colorado. We see close parallels between events in America and Germany with the Yom Kippur attack at the Halle synagogue at the hands of a Neo-Nazi.

“This hatred is real, comes from multiple sources, and is growing,” said the American Jewish Committee’s CEO, David Harris, in response to a recent survey conducted by the Jewish organization which revealed that nearly 9 of 10 American Jews now consider anti-Semitism a problem in the US.

In order to combat the sharp rise in Jew-hatred in both America and worldwide, the Jewish Agency recently announced a far-reaching plan to bolster security systems in 50 Jewish institutions, such as Jewish schools, synagogues and community centers in 24 countries this year in response to global requests for safety support. The goal is to extend this security upgrade to include 40 countries by the end of 2020.

No Jewish Safety Until the Cause of Hatred Against Us Is Solved

Today, we discover our human society to be closed-in on all sides, trapped between global interdependence that connects us, on one hand, and competitive, egoistic interests and indifference that separates us, on the other. This is the exact juncture where anti-Semitism is rooted and where the people of Israel enter the picture.

We were established as a Jewish nation at the foot of Mount Sinai when all our members committed to unite “as one man with one heart.” Immediately thereafter, we were commanded to be “a light unto the nations,” namely to spread the light of unity throughout the world. Since we once experienced brotherly love in the bonds between us, we have the ability to once again unite above our differences and set an example for others who so desperately need such guidance. This is what makes the Jewish people unique, and this example is precisely what the world demands of us during our current times of division and rifts.

Humanity subconsciously feels that we Jews hold the key to a better life for every person on this planet. Such interdependence between the role of Jews and the fate of humanity amounts to the fact that the more we delay in actualizing our role, the more we will be hated.

The Jewish people are essentially a mini-model of humanity, a prototype for universal connection between people. The degree of connection we establish between us is destined to spread and shape the conditions for the rest of the world. When we return to brotherly love between all Jews, the demand against us that manifests as anti-Semitism will vanish.

Rav Kook summed up this essential role of Jews as follows: “The purpose of Israel is to unite the world into a single family.”

Our Life Insurance Is in Our Unity

When our enemies strike they do not ask what denomination of Judaism we belong to, or what our origin is, or whether we are right-wing or left-wing. They simply strike out against us, convinced that the world’s problems will be solved by erasing Jews off the face of the planet. This overriding force of anti-Semitism constantly resurfaces in various guises to compel us to unite during times when we become increasingly remote from being a united people.

Today, instead of exemplifying unity, we radiate divisiveness to the rest of the world. In such a state, the world will always find reasons to hate us and feel justified in trying to destroy us. The precise point upon which our prosperity depends was succinctly expressed by Samuel David Luzzatto: “The success of our nation depends only on our brotherly love, on connecting to one another as members of a single family.”

First and foremost, Jews must be a conduit to transmit an example of cohesion, mutual understanding and solidarity above differences to humanity. By providing a method for uniting above differences and divisions, we will become an enlightening force for the rest of the world. As stated in The Book of Zohar: “Just as the organs of the body cannot exist for one moment without the heart, so all nations cannot exist in the world without Israel.”

Our thoughts and efforts that draw us to unite and in turn soften critical attitudes about each other have the power to evoke a positive force between us, one capable of gradually neutralizing hatred and bringing about balance. This is the power that can protect and lead us toward a good and safe future.
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World—Reality Or Illusion? Part 3

laitman_214A Person Is a Reaction to the Influence of Nature

Baal HaSulam, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”: This name is as tangible and as close to us as though it were entirely perceived by our senses. Even little children are familiar with the word, “electricity,” as well as they are familiar with words such as bread, sugar, and so on.

Moreover, if you wish to exercise your tools of scrutiny a bit, I shall tell you that as a whole, as there is no perception of the Creator whatsoever, so is it impossible to attain the essence of any of His creatures, even the tangible objects that we feel with our hands.

It seems that everything is clear to us, but in fact, nothing is clear. We can somehow work with electricity because everything around us is the manifestation of this force. But what is this force? We do not know.

Moreover, if you wish to exercise your tools of scrutiny a bit, I shall tell you that as a whole, as there is no perception of the Creator whatsoever, so is it impossible to attain the essence of any of His creatures, even the tangible objects that we feel with our hands.

Thus, all we know about our friends and relatives in the world of action before us are nothing more than “acquaintance with actions.” These are prompted and born by the association of their encounter with our senses, which render us complete satisfaction although we have no perception whatsoever of the essence of the subject.

The fact is that we attain not the essence of any natural phenomena, such as electricity, gravity, magnetism, and so on, but rather only their effect in us. Something gravitates me – “Oh, it means there is a force of gravity and I can measure it.” Yet, I do not know what this force really is.

The wisdom of Kabbalah says that in such a form we can also attain the Creator. We attain Him from His actions. It is written, “From Your deeds we shall know You.”

This is a very serious limitation for us. Will we ever attain the essence of the phenomena? Never! Even if we aspire to it.

In fact, we, in general, do not even aspire to it. We have some kind of movements, impulses, but we do not suffer from the fact that we do not have this, and therefore, we have nothing in which to reveal the essence of natural phenomena. We see only their effect because we ourselves are the effect.

Yet, is it possible to rise above this to absolute attainment? There, far-far beyond the full attainment of the Creator, we will begin to contact the point from which everything comes. Perhaps, there is an opportunity to get out of our sensations of effects and get to the essence, to the truth.

Somewhere deep inside we want this, although where can we get such a feeling, such a lack? Is the feeling of the truth, the root, the basis, the source, of everything that is happening so necessary to us?

There are a lot of nuances here, and I would like to tease you a little, to cause you such excitement that you will want to reveal this.

In other words, all corporeal phenomena we attain are only through the reaction of our sensory organs to their influence. That is, we are the effect, the reaction to some kind of influence.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 9/15/19

Related Material:
World—Reality Or Illusion? Part 2
World—Reality Or Illusion? Part 1
Who Is More Important In The Analog System Of Nature?

Connection Is The Source Of Correct Decisions

laitman_528.03Question: Let’s say a group of people wants to find the right solution for problems they have. They already have basic knowledge of Kabbalah and they understand that the workshop is a preparation for solving the problem. There are certain rules in this work. Where did they come from?

Answer: We live in a world in which practically no problem can be solved. If it seems to us that today we seemingly found a solution, already tomorrow we understand that it is not a solution. We are constantly deflecting the solution, thinking that we are coming to its revelation.

The wisdom of Kabbalah says that until we connect, reach some common denominator, we will be unable to find this solution. It is within us.

All the problems that occur in a bigger or smaller part of humanity come only from the fact that this part of humanity is disconnected. Otherwise, there would be no problems. After all, they all come from our shattering, disconnection, and mutual distance from each other.

If we gather together in order to solve them, we must first connect into a common collective.

Question: Does it mean that Kabbalists do not solve any problems at all?

Answer: No, what for? What problems do we have besides the fact that we are not connected? If we connect, all problems disappear.

Question: So, does Kabbalah solve only one problem: how to connect?

Answer: There are no other problems in the world.

Question: Will other problems disappear as a result of it?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What about problems like health, family, etc.?

Answer: The fact is that problems occur on different levels: inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human. In order to come to the solution of any problem, we should gather together, connect, and in the connection between us, find the solution. We can then implement it to eliminate corporeal problems.

To find the solution itself, however, is only possible when people are mutually connected, understand, and complement each other. Only then does the solution become clear.

Accordingly, the solution will always be correct and beneficial for implementing any plans on the levels that are lower than their human level.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/25/18

Related Material:
Where Do We Find Solutions To Problems?
One Solution To All Our Problems
Separation Is The Source Of All Problems

New Life 291 – Empathy

New Life 291 – Empathy
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Today, a person doesn’t have any pangs of conscience regarding lack of empathy for others. The younger generation does not have a need for emotional connection with others because everything is available for free on the Internet. Empathy develops in situations involving mutual dependence and the influence of the right type of environment. We can develop empathy through education aimed at building mutual complementarity and integral perception. We can engage in communication and connection exercises and games in which each one refers to others as wise and understanding. We can learn to listen to another, dive into his story, and flow with him as if I were reading an enrapturing book. We can learn how to develop empathy toward others, the ability to feel others. This helps in every area of life.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 291 – Empathy,” 1/19/14

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