Rabash, Article 923, “And He Said, ‘When You Deliver the Hebrew Women'”:  “Pharaoh commanded all his people, saying, ‘Every boy who is born, cast him in the Nile, and every girl, keep alive.’”

A son (Ben in Hebrew) means one who aspires to the Creator. A man (Gever in Hebrew) comes from the word “Mitgaber” (to overcome) and means the one who resists egoism and wants to rise above it.

Those people who regardless of the attributes of their gender want to rise to the quality of the Creator, bestowal and love, are called men because they overcome their egoism, work on it, and try to reach the next, altruistic level. Our egoism, called Pharaoh, commands drowning such people, destroying them within ourselves.

Question: Does it mean that there is such a force within us that tries to destroy these aspirations to exit egoism in advance?

Answer: Of course. The egoism that controls us is our main force.

Comment: But the force of egoism is under the control of an even higher force, the Creator.

My Response: That is correct. However, in general, Pharaoh is given the opportunity to rule over a person.

Question: So under whose authority is man: the Creator or the Pharaoh?

Answer: We are under the authority of the Creator who made it so that we are under the authority of the Pharaoh.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 3/26/21

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Question: Israel should have stayed in Egypt for 400 years, but they left earlier, after 210 years. Why?

Answer: They had to reveal the need to break free of egoism over400 years, but it was fully revealed in them in 210 years.

On the other hand, 400 years is the four stages of the development of egoism that they are still going through. We are going through it also because our earthly path does not stop here. Egoism still manifests in us until we completely reverse it into its opposite.

Question: A few thousand years ago, man emerged from an animal through a natural evolutionary process. Can we also call what we must go through now an evolutionary process?

Answer: Sure. The same upper force called the Creator controls us, gradually develops  egoistic properties in us on the inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human levels. Each level consists of the same four sublevels.

Question: That is, as I live these levels develop within me. For example, the animate level in me is a person who works, takes care of himself, his family, and his entire material life. Then the level of the human within human begins to develop in me. How is it manifested?

Answer: In pursuit of great desires. On Earth even today, you can see tribes, peoples, and civilizations that live in the Stone Age, on trees, and in other conditions. The difference between them is in the level of the desires that exist in them. In accordance with them, these people develop an appropriate environment around them, relationships with each other, and so on.

Question: How can one determine that someone is developing at the human level? These are not just some altruistic qualities. There are a lot of altruists around who run and help everyone.

Answer: A person usually does not realize how these desires develop. For example, we look at a child and see that he is growing, he already has some other desires that are not the same as before. As the child does not understand this, so do we not understand it.

Our desires change. A hundred years ago, we were completely different people. We look at how people lived 100, 200, 300, or 1,000 years ago, and we see that they were quite different from us in many ways. Thus, we go through the stages of the development of egoism in us.

Question: Let us say there are two people before us. In one of them, the level of human desires is developing, but not in the other. What is different between them?

Answer: The rate of development of egoism in each of them.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 3/26/21

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Question: Passover celebration. It tells how the Jewish people came out of Egyptian slavery. In fact, for Kabbalists, it sounds different. We have our egoism—our nature, and here we talk about how we get out of this egoism.

Now I have the feeling that this is not a Jewish holiday but a world holiday, especially considering the events that have happened in the world.

What does Passover mean for the world? How do you feel about it?

Answer: The world feels bad. But It does not know the reason for it. It also does not know the cure for the fact that it feels bad. Like a child, it feels bad and that is all. There is no recognition of evil, that is, the cause of the suffering.

The reason for suffering is in the big, sudden increase in egoism, which sometimes freezes a little and then, suddenly grows with a jerk.

Question: So can you say that the world now feels like it is inside the Egyptian slavery, under the slavery of egoism?

Answer: It just depends on how people feel. They just feel bad.

Question: So, has the Passover celebration reached humanity yet?

Answer: I do not think it is quite right to call it a celebration. The world does not feel that its egoism is the cause of all its suffering.

This is necessary! If we begin to look closely at our egoistic nature, at how we treat each other, then we can conclude that our whole world is evil because we are so egoistic, because we wish evil to each other, we are in opposition, in contradiction, in conflict, with each other: internal, external, and so on. We are in the slavery of this egoistic force that guides us, twists us, and pushes us.

To realize the evil of our nature is the most important thing. Because after that, we can already come to an understanding of how to get rid of it.

Question: If we assume that a person begins to feel this, what are his thoughts? How does he get rid of this? Except for the inner cry: “I want to get rid of it! I do not want to be egoist!” What else does he need?

Answer: Nothing! Just demand that nature change us. Nothing else. We do not have to make any extra effort, because there is really nothing we can do. If we are inside egoism, then any of our attempts and actions will still be egoistic, and by this we will only deceive ourselves.

What we can do is get together, discuss our condition, come to the conclusion that it is simply terrible, and there is no way for us to get rid of it ourselves unless we can convince our nature to leave us alone, that we do not want to be dominated by egoism. Take away from us this alien will, this upper force, so that it does not command each of us and does not collide us with each other!

Question: Then, will the person have the feeling that he is under the rule of the Pharaoh?

Answer: Yes. In the slavery of the evil force of nature. Then he will begin to understand this story correctly. He will begin to treat it correctly, that in fact, this evil nature is created specifically, by a positive force, the Creator. Then we turn to Him personally, so that He removes this evil nature from us.

If we convince the Creator to remove this evil egoistic force from us that pushes us against each other and does not give us peace, then it will become a truly global celebration in which everyone is interconnected, in which everyone begins to treat each other correctly, with love, with awareness, with the understanding that we are one single system.

Question: What is called “the exit of the people from slavery”? The people—is it the whole world?

Answer: Absolutely the whole world.

Question: Who is the leader that leads them? The Torah says Moshe, Moses—what is it?

Answer: This is from the word “Moshech”—pulling out. It is a force that pulls people out of their egoism. This power comes from above. The power of awareness of the evil we were in, and the power of good, which we can be in.

Question: Do you think that humanity should reach out to this force?

Answer: Everyone should feel that they are shouting, that they want it. Nothing more is needed. There is no need to follow any people, leaders, deliverers, moshiach(s), and so on. Nothing needed.

Question: What is freedom then? After all, this is a celebration of freedom.

Answer: Freedom from egoism, freedom from the fact that you are always under the influence of evil, and it is your inner evil that pushes you to be evil to others. This is all a celebration of liberation. This is the spring festival.

Only egoism is the cause of our suffering. There is nothing else. There are only two forces in the world: positive and negative.

Question: Why don’t we just hit this point?

Answer: We do not want to, we put our hands and feet up, just to avoid getting close to it, because we are all egoists. Only in egoism do I feel myself and the whole world. I cannot imagine how to feel the world outside of this quality.

Question: In principle, does the wisdom of Kabbalah speak only about this—how to feel who you are, your nature, and how to get out of it?

Answer: Yes.

Question: How to get people to start doing it?

Answer: If we do not want to, we will be forced to. But it is going to be all fine.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 3/22/21

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How do you deal with all these terrible things going on in the world?“

I explain to people that suffering is not going anywhere, and things are not going to become any better or sweeter, unless we change ourselves: that we will want to correct our egoistic human nature into its opposite.

The world will improve to the extent that we rise above our egoistic nature, which by default wishes to benefit at the expense of others and nature, and enter into a new altruistic nature, where we wish to benefit others and nature more than we wish to benefit ourselves.

The more that we elevate our attitudes to each other in such a way, to unite above division, to build friendships in human society instead of letting ourselves go with the flow of remaining divided, indifferent, uncaring and even hateful of each other, then we can hope for a better future.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Question: Why is the Torah offered to us not directly, but through parables? What is this system?

Answer: You cannot offer the Torah to egoism in a direct way. How can I offer you: “Slaughter yourself, kill yourself, cease to exist” if you are an absolute egoist? Or say: “I am offering you a way to exit egoism.”

What does it mean to exit it?—To think only about others and in no case about yourself, to annul all your needs, that is, to be above them and think only about the needs of your neighbor. How is this possible? To think about whom, about what? Naturally, you cannot imagine your future existence in this way.

Why do you need the upper force that is intended only to lift you above your desire, above your world? To lift above means not to use your egoistic desire, to become an altruist. Do you need this?

In fact, when a person goes through a certain period of preparation, he begins to see that this is the greatest quality that he really needs.

Before that, however, he does not feel any need for it. He thinks that he can own the world and achieve everything with the help of his egoism. He does not think about eternity, which is acquired precisely in the quality of bestowal, by rising above the ego. Here we need the influence of the upper light.

After all, the special power of Kabbalah and, in particular, The Book of Zohar is that when I read it, the upper light influences me and builds completely new feelings and new thoughts, which I did not have before.

This is when I begin to understand and feel those levels of the universe that I did not feel before. I have a completely different approach, different values. I begin to relate to the world in a completely different plane, to dissect it, to feel it, to analyze it, to evaluate it by other standards that I did not have before. From the outside, they look very strange.

The light gives me completely different thoughts and feelings that are above our world. Then a person may seem strange to others. He prefers to love, to bestow, and he devotes his life to such seemingly unworldly values. He begins to evaluate his actions quite differently from the others.

People from the outside may ask him: “Why do you need this? What is the use of it? What is the point?” He cannot imagine how we can still be in our little interests in life, and only in them.
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From From KabTV’s “The Power of The Book of Zohar” 2/16/21 #9

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Question: There are people who engage in studying the wisdom of Kabbalah for many years, who dedicate their lives to it, but do not manage to reach the goal of going through all the 125 levels. The end of correction seems hard to attain and even impossible and there are only two hundred and fifty years left until the end of correction.

What will happen to humanity if people do not manage to reach the end of correction during this time?

Answer: You are wrong. The fact is that the process of social development is greatly accelerated today and so is the motion forward.

For example, in the EU nothing has happened after 20 years! Although this is the most developed, most advanced and educated part of the world. It is not America, and not even Russia, it is Europe! It is an ancient, historical, cultural, and technological region where everything is concentrated: art, music, science, and education, all this is Europe!

What is America? How old is it? One hundred and fifty years ago, they still scalped people there. It only seems to us that it was a long time ago, yet in fact it is not, but we are simply developing very quickly.

What is Russia? One hundred years ago, they still plowed fields with horses and died of hunger.

Europe is still Europe! What has been happening there in the last twenty years? They have been trying to unite and that is it; now they are already falling. Liberalism and democracy are quickly destroying Europe!

They have done this in twenty years and there are still two hundred years ahead of us. So, we will manage to reach correction. I am absolutely sure of that.

Nature has prepared everything so that it is actually in the last phases that our advancement becomes qualitative and not quantitative. Now we will see how we are pushed forward each year and how we are led to break through forward.

We will manage to do it!
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah” 1/13/19

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Question: Mount Sinai symbolizes the property of Hasadim, mercy. Mount Hermon is the property of Hochma, wisdom. Why does The Book of Zohar speak about mountains?

Answer: Mountain comes from the word “Irurim” (doubts).

When doubts and problems arise in a person, but he wants to go forward and does not know how, then a mountain appears in front of him. If he chooses to climb the mountain, i.e., to rise above his egoistic problems, properties, and doubts, then he obtains the source of light.

The Book of Zohar speaks of two mountains because there are two types of analysis of the existing reality: sweet or bitter, truth and falsehood. We analyze sweet or bitter with the help of the light of mercy (good or evil) and truth and lies with the help of the light of wisdom. It turns out that man is always between these two analyses: it may be sweet but a lie or it may be bitter but true.

Question: Are we talking about sweetness and bitterness in spirituality?

Answer: It does not matter. We need these two types of sensations in order to enable what we call the “human” to grow in us. Based on our egoism, we are not people but only animals. Perhaps in some ways a little wiser than monkeys, but I would say much more unhappy than them.

The fact is that the animalistic sign of growth, development, and existence is the choice of sweet instead of bitter. And truth or falsehood does not matter. The truth is always where sweetness is. And if it is bitter, I tell myself that this is a lie.

Our morality is built on this alone. We see what is happening in the world: what is beneficial to me, good, and sweet, that is the truth.

In this, people constantly collide with each other because everyone wants their own sweetness. Moreover, everyone wants to convince the other that he is right and to somehow lure him over to his side and win.

Therefore, the entrance to the spiritual world lies in the fact that a person rises above the analysis of “bitter-sweet” and begins to analyze himself only relative to the truth and lies and to completely stick to the truth, completely alienating himself from lies although the lie seems sweet and the truth is bitter.

In other words, you can only make a correct truth-false analysis if you also bring in the bitter-sweet analysis. And it turns out that if we correctly master these analyses, then we can build ourselves above our nature.

This is the meaning of the two mountains or two approaches: Ishmael—Esau, the property of mercy—the property of wisdom. And when the combination of these two properties occurs, the sweet will become the truth because you have corrected yourself so that both properties coincided in you. It is about the internal development of a person. Only that.
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From KabTV’s “The Power of The Book of Zohar” #9

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Question: When a person studies music he first learns to read musical notes and only after prolonged exercises on the musical instrument does one acquire the ability to play, and by reading the notes he already feels the tune. I think a similar process happens when studying the wisdom of Kabbalah.

When we study the Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah (Pticha) we engage in the intention, and the “musical notes” that should remain in our thought, but they evaporate for some reason. We have been studying for many years and we still cannot remember the dynamics of the spiritual objects.

Is it necessary first to acquire the basic knowledge of The Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah, i.e., to get to know its dynamics, the interaction between the spiritual objects and their changing states, before we begin to translate it to feelings?

Answer: No, there is no need for that.

Try to picture what Tzimtzum means, then the light leaves you, the feeling of shame and the decision to receive the light only for the sake of the Creator. This is the beginning of the “musical notes” without which it is impossible to learn how to play, which means to receive the light, to reject it, and to receive it in new clothing, etc.

We are already on the verge of entering spirituality and we need to begin to feel it and begin to play. Theoretically, we have already played this many times, but we have not combined our feelings with the words and did not give the words feelings, and therefore, we have not entered the upper world and have not touched our soul. Now we must do that.

We need to try to summon this in us somehow, and then you will begin to feel the extent to which you are part of this process or not. Care about this, work on it more actively. Some of you may leave this because you will not feel the need for it. Some of you may not perceive it emotionally and will continue to study only mechanically for a few more years and only then will you join the group in its sensory movement.

So, we should not banish anyone nor force anyone nor reprimand anyone. But I will advance in the study because I focus on the advanced part of the world group. I believe that there are people in every group around the world who are already in a state in which they can begin to think sensorially; they do not simply read words about actions and objects in our world, but are actually in upper spiritual sensations.

Question: When we go through a state of emptiness or feel a state of descent, how can we keep the balance between the ascent and descent, between emptiness and the filling?

Answer: You can do this only in the group, because when you are in the group in such a state everything is balanced and complements itself between you. You can undergo different states, but they will never harm you, they will not throw you off track, and will not detain you. Part of the “notes” will be added to others and there will be harmony.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah” 4/4/19

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Question: Does the manifestation of freewill in a person increase with his spiritual development and integral skills?

Answer: I think that it is the wisdom of Kabbalah that enables a person to achieve absolute freedom of will when, in addition to his original nature, which is an egoistic desire to receive and be filled, he acquires the altruistic desire to bestow.

Between these two directions, called lines, he forms his personal vision of the world and consists of both sides—reception and bestowal.

Therefore, his freewill is realized in full measure precisely by understanding that he is a combination of both properties of nature: minus and plus.

Therefore, by achieving general freedom, general knowledge, penetration into the depths of nature—which is unlimited—and into oneself, into the general force of nature, is called the Creator.
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From KabTV’s “Integral Course” 3/19/21

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Question: Philosophy justifies egoism. It is no coincidence that one of the theorists of the modern postmodern paradigm, José Ortega y Gasset, said: “I am I and my circumstances.” Ninety-nine percent of people now live by this formula. How do you think about this?

Answer: I try to live not according to circumstances, but according to the way Kabbalah interprets it. It shows that the world is undergoing very serious changes. We see this every day.

But the question arises: What can we change? On one hand, circumstances give us some framework within which we can act. On the other hand, we have no right to agree with them because otherwise our egoistic nature will lead us into such states that we may not get out from.

Therefore, according to the wisdom of Kabbalah, we must still fight with our nature, that is, understand it but not agree with it and be creative about the egoism that underlies it.

Kabbalah shows a very simple way to this, which we have never used. If we try to connect correctly according to certain laws, we will come to the point that our individual vectors will join together and become one common vector.

In the Torah this is described as follows. There was once one great soul of Adam. But the fact that he allegedly ate the forbidden fruit from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, that is, let egoism inside himself, he shattered into tiny parts—all his thoughts, all desires. Naturally, it was not a person, but a common image. And we are his children, so we are called ” the sons of men,” the sons of Adam.

This means that in each of us there is a small soul (soul means desire and intention). But all our souls are divided: egoism has gone inside this huge, massive structure, has torn it into parts and is between them, like the sea, whose waters cut the earth and form an archipelago. That’s how we are separated from each other.

If we want a different future for ourselves, an exalted, spiritual one, then we must turn this sea of egoism that separates us from each other into the opposite, into connection between us. Then we will reach another dimension, another world, in which our egoistic intentions and desires will not separate us, but, on the contrary, will altruistically connect us, and we will again gather into one single image of a Human with a capital letter.

This is what we must come to. And our nature pushes us precisely because it constantly proves to us that in our present nature we will find neither peace nor rest.
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From KabTV’s “Together about Important Things” 7/18/18

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