Audio Version Of The Blog – 2/10/22
Posted on February 10th, 2022
Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
Download:MP3 Audio
Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
Download:MP3 Audio
Michael Laitman, On The Times of Israel: “Inflation – a Testimony to Our Disunity”
The rising prices in Israel mean more than a growing economic burden on lower income groups. In 2011, when the price of cottage cheese became unreasonable and housing prices skyrocketed, people took to the streets in droves demanding social justice. Now, while a boycott has been declared online against some of the major food manufacturers in Israel, there is no open outrage, no demonstrations or protests, no signs demanding social justice, and no fiery speeches about accountability. In fact, the public seems so indifferent that even the government is initiating price hikes.
But the public is not careless; it is simply jaded, disillusioned, and above all, divided to the point of paralysis. The government and corporations, for their part, merrily exploit it.
It is not as if there is nothing we can do. After all, we, the public, are the ones who pay. But if we do not cooperate, we cannot call the shots. When consumers are divided, they are like a herd of cattle being led by those who own it. If we could work together, we could cut the prices of countless products in half or even less.
So why can’t we cooperate? We cannot cooperate because we do not want to have anything to do with one another. We do not want connections and we do not want commitments.
Precisely because of it, the price hikes are an opportunity for us to recognize our real problem, which is our division, and solve it once and for all. By raising prices to levels that make it difficult for many of us to buy even the most basic staples, corporations are inadvertently forcing us to unite. In that sense, these profiteers are doing society a great service by making us look to each other for support.
Now we need to see what we can achieve with our solidarity. Solidarity is not a goal in itself. It is a foundation that enables us to create a society that not only functions justly, but maintains that just mindset through constant work on solidarity and unity.
Once we have achieved a certain level of solidarity, we are ready to move on to the next level. The ego is not passive. It is constantly growing, and today’s solidarity will not hold tomorrow. Therefore, once we have achieved it, we must strive to increase the affinity between us and build our solidarity on empathy and kinship.
As we climb the levels of closeness, the levels below become a given. For example, solidarity is a given among people who care for one another. Therefore, if we achieve affection, we have achieved solidarity.
In the current state of the Israeli society, we are so divided that we cannot speak of any positive feelings. However, if we rally around a common problem, and unjust price hikes are certainly a common problem, we can advance from there to deeper levels of connectedness. As we deepen the bonds between us, we will naturally be fair toward each other and we will not need to worry about price hikes or other forms of exploitation.
[293631]
Question: I feel like I am the weakest and smallest in the ten. How can I protect myself from beating myself up?
Answer: There is no need to blame yourself. On the contrary, you should be grateful that you have been shown who you are. Rabash told me about such states: “Now you are the same rag as me.” Do you understand? Rabash! He told me.
The realization of one’s insignificance and weakness is the absolutely natural, correct revelation of one’s condition. And we cannot be different. Everything we attain is due to the revelation of the Creator in us.
No matter how much we grow, we constantly attain our greater insignificance relative to Him. But, on the other hand, since we cling to the Creator, we already measure ourselves relative to our similarity to Him. And this similarity, of course, is attributed to Him.
[293405]
From the International Convention “Rising Above Ourselves” 1/6/22, “Approaching the Creator Through the Network of Connections Between Us” Lesson 1
Related Material:
When Feelings Are Unbearable
Without You, I Will Not Reach The Goal
Spiritual Surgery
Question: When we feel that actions of bestowal give us egoistic pleasure, should we restrict our desire to bestow?
Answer: In no case should we restrict the desire to bestow if it is not in contradiction with connection.
If I feel that I will not be able to cope with the connection with my qualities, then I restrict them, but to the extent that I can remain in unity. The most important thing is unity, attaining unity, reaching unity. And at what level it is reached is not so important.
Even at its most minimal level, we are already in spiritual world and we are already giving the Creator the opportunity to be revealed between us.
[293260]
From the International Convention “Rising Above Ourselves” 1/6/22, “Approaching the Creator Through the Network of Connections Between Us” Lesson 1
Related Material:
Unity – The Force Of Salvation
Through Connection To Unity
Unity Is A New Reality
Question: How can we help our country and the people living in it move toward connection? And how do we affect them by our unification?
Answer: I would advise you to first of all develop the relationships between you. This is the most important thing. When the spiritual force, the property of bestowal, love, and connection appears in you at least a little, then it will simultaneously emanate from you and outside of you. This is what the masses will feel. But in the meantime, I do not think it is necessary to talk about it, advertise it, or do anything about it.
But spreading the general knowledge that a good connection between us leads to a better life is necessary. This is what we are doing all the time.
Question: How can we encourage each other to believe that it is possible to feel faith above reason?
Answer: This possibility depends only on you and on no one else. And the state of the world is arranged in such a way that if you want, you will necessarily and quickly achieve change. It all depends on the magnitude of your desire. So go ahead! Do not believe anyone that it is impossible, that it is hard. Our main problem in this world is to reveal the Creator, then everything will be clear to us. Good luck with this!
[293230]
From the International Convention “Rising Above Ourselves” 1/8/22, “Going with Faith above Reason” Lesson 5
Related Material:
The Fate Of Kabbalists
The Greatest Means Of Advancement
Turning Fear Into Advancement
Question: In our world, it is accepted that the small is annulled before the great. But in the example of Rabbi Yossi Ben Kisma, this great teacher annulled himself before his students who knew nothing. What did Rabbi Yossi Ben Kisma gain from this?
Answer: He gained being included in people yearning for the goal. And it doesn’t matter that they were on a very small degree relative to him, a great Kabbalist. He gained by annulling before them.
Still he had his own egoism. So by annulling before them and thus becoming included in them, through these small uncorrected souls he was able to raise them along with him to the height of the degree he had reached.
Question: How can we receive the greatness of the goal from our friends?
Answer: I advise you to close your eyes and do everything that is written in the articles of Kabbalists even if you do not agree with it. You don’t need anything else.
The most important thing is to close your eyes, annul before your friends, and go along with them. No matter how big you are, take an example from Rabbi Yossi Ben Kisma.
[293080]
From the International Convention “Rising Above Ourselves” 1/8/22, “Deriving the Greatness of the Goal from the Friends” Lesson 4
Related Material:
The Creator Is Inside The Environment
To Become Similar To The Creator
“The Place” Where The Creator And I Meet
Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How can someone find a sense of meaning from suffering?“
When we—by our actions, by our way of life—will cause such suffering that we will be unable to turn away from it, it will make us think about the meaning of the suffering, or in other words, about the meaning of life, because life will be filled with suffering.
We will then start thinking whether we should live at all, whether we should suffer, whether it all makes sense, and what we should do with ourselves. We will then start asking serious questions about our lives and will try to find their answers.
Then, we will reach the conclusion that our life is incorrect and we must find the correct way of life so that everyone feels good and so that life itself does not end but rather leads us to its optimal outcome.
We will then become ready to start positively connecting to each other above our divisive and destructive drives, and by doing so, we will start attracting the positive force dwelling in nature into our lives.
Our lives will then undergo a dramatic shift to a new harmonious, peaceful and positive form that is more balanced with nature.
Based on KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” on December 2, 2021. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Question: How can I feel that the Creator is behind the group?
Answer: When you reach connection with the group, then you will automatically see that the Creator is behind the group.
You cannot see the Creator Himself except when he is dressed in a group. Therefore, when you connect with the group, you will find that the Creator is in it.
You will never see Him outside of the group. The upper light can be felt only in a common Kli (Vessel).
[293118]
From the International Convention “Rising Above Ourselves” 1/7/22, “Adhering to the Friends” Lesson 3
Related Material:
The Group Is Between A Person And The Creator
The Group As A Spiritual Entity
An Instrument For The Revelation Of The Creator
In the News (“What Companies Want Most in a CEO: A Good Listener”): “Companies are increasingly seeking socially adept leaders—not charismatic smooth-talkers, but executives who listen empathetically, welcome input, and rally the workforce around a common goal, according to a recent study by a team of researchers including Harvard Business School Professors Raffaella Sadun and Joseph Fuller, who analyzed thousands of executive job search descriptions created over a 17-year period. …
“Top executives who demonstrate this kind of interpersonal prowess are more likely to be in high demand, particularly at large, multinational, and information-intensive organizations, the research suggests. ”
Question: What do you think about these conclusions? Are they evident?
Answer: Yes, all this is understandable. Yet why are we starting to understand this today? Time works in such a way that we have different requirements.
Today we do not need charismatic leaders. Now, we need people who understand others. Moreover, I think that they mean those who really understand others. I do not know where they will find them, but with a lot of money they will find them. 🙂
Actually, I am glad to hear this. I mean, the biggest problem of humanity is brought forward—human egoism, which does not allow one to feel the other. And this is necessary. Thus, again, we have come to the same conclusion from different sides.
Comment: It took 17 years for them to come to this.
My Response: This is not so bad, the planet has existed for much longer.
Question: Does it always come to this, one way or another? All the thousands of years?
Answer: Yes, all the time. From the first dinosaurs.
Question: Why didn’t they just write: “A leader must be human”?
Answer: Because “human” is a very vague concept for us. Anyway, what does it mean to be human?
Question: He must be sincere?
Answer: Can you name such leaders? Those who have made their way into leadership so far to date are unscrupulous, egoistic people who can tear apart everything and everyone in their path. They can put everyone down and walk on their heads, over their bodies. Nothing will stop them; they will be only too happy to clear their way.
Question: Does it mean that even this Harvard assumption is a breakthrough?
Answer: Yes! It is very interesting what they will do next.
Question: What else would you add to this? What is your main point?
Answer: My main point is that they will not find such people in their pure form, at least from their school of economics. Because people who have this attitude to life have a different economy—the economy of hearts, the economy of attitude to the world.
They feel that it is possible to earn money and possible to build a world out of another material, from the correct relationships between people.
Question: Are these the future leaders? Is that the most important thing?
Answer: Yes. It still is not very close. But this is the main thing, and we will have to come to this.
[292961]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 12/30/21
Related Material:
Leadership In The Future Society
“What Makes A Good Leader?”
The Growing Role Of A Leader
Preparation to the Lesson
| [media 1] | [media 2] |
Writings of Baal HaSulam “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 16
| [media 3] | [media 4] |
Writings of Baal HaSulam “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” Item 134
| [media 5] | [media 6] |
Lesson on the Topic: “Faith Above Reason”
| [media 7] | [media 8] |
Selected Highlights
| [media 9] | [media 10] |
Daily Audio Version-MP3
Get the Weekly eNewsletter
Follow on Twitter
