Comment: Viktor Frankl, physician and psychotherapist, survived inhumane conditions in four different concentration camps including Treblinka, Theresienstadt, and Auschwitz. He and others survived thanks to his theory of how to survive in inhumane conditions.

But the most interesting thing is that he did not try to test it himself, but passed everything on to other people. He did it all for them—how to survive—and a lot of people survived. He wrote about it in several books. Please comment on his points on how to survive in inhumane conditions.

The first point, and this is the main point for him, says: “Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”

My Response: Why is the goal. And how is already the achievement of the goal.

Question: But how can one slip out from under the weight that has fallen on a person, the hopelessness?

Answer: By always figuring out how to get closer to the goal. And that keeps you going. The goal attracts you, it shapes you, it sets out how to live your life, and every moment of time you know how to use it.

Question: Should these be some kind of intermediate goals?

Answer: This is the ultimate goal, which is being determined every single moment of time.

Comment: The second point: “In inhumane conditions, only those who are looking to the future, who dream of fulfilling their destiny can survive.”

He hits this point all the time.

My Response: Yes, it is natural.

Question: If I am looking to the future, I what? I do not notice what is happening around me?

Answer: No, you look at everything around you as conditions for achieving that goal.

Question: So you are kind of saying that this is what is given to me in order to achieve the goal?

Answer: Yes. And this is all I need in order to formalize the final goal.

Question: So at some point you can even be thankful for the most terrible obstacles?

Answer: Of course. You feel and eventually reveal that everything that happens is just for you to achieve—you, personally—your goal!

Comment: The third point: “No one has the right to commit lawlessness, even the one who suffered from lawlessness, and suffered very cruelly.”

My Response: There is a global law of the universe, and you should therefore treat everyone at a given time as a person who is fulfilling his higher destiny.

Question: Even an enemy?

Answer: Even more so. And then you will do the right thing, survive, and achieve your goal. Meaning, you create it yourself by your correct attitude to everyone: to the enemy, to a friend, to everyone. You shape yourself internally by this, you correct yourself all the time and thus approach the final goal—the kind that you should eventually find.

Question: Is it possible at all?

Answer: This is in general, in other words, our path.

Comment: “Every person is irreplaceable, and his life is unique. And therefore, each person’s task is as unique as his ability to perform this task is unique.”

Answer: Yes.

Question: Is this how to look at yourself and other people? Is that the right way to look?

Answer: For each person, yes it is something unique.

Question: So I cannot take one’s life or rape in any way, nothing?

Answer: You cannot do anything.

Question: And what relationships should I be in, in this case, if it is unique? My life and his life are unique.

Answer: You should look at it as if you are in exceptional circumstances in every moment, which you must use according to the rules of absolute cooperation, that is, for the absolute balance of you and the world around you.

Question: And what should you do during war when there are countless victims?

Answer: Even more so. Then those feelings intensify.

Question: So both the person who kills and the person who defends come somehow to this state?

Answer: Not everyone. But if a person thinks about his real true realization, then he comes to the conclusion that every life is unique and individual.

Comment: The following principle: “The meaning of my life is to help others find meaning in theirs.” That is what you usually say.

My Response: This is absolutely ours.

Question: But he was not a Kabbalist, how did he come to this?

Answer: You do not have to be a Kabbalist for this. You just have to be a person who is looking for the essence of life. And then he sees that the essence of life is to reveal the essence of life to other people.

Question: Tell me, when does a person come to this height? Usually a person lives in order to find the meaning of his own life.

Answer: This is how the search for one’s life leads a person to the fact that he sees that he can realize it through the meaning of others’ lives by giving them the meaning of life.

Comment: “Love is the ultimate and highest goal to which man can aspire. The salvation of man is through love and in love.”

My Response: Yes. This refers to love, understanding the essence of nature, which consists in such a connection of all people when they do not feel that they are separated. This emerging sense of community, being in one desire, is the achievement of the goal of life.

This one desire, the connection of all into one desire, this is love.

Comment: “Even the helpless victim of a hopeless situation, facing a fate he cannot change, may rise above himself, may grow beyond himself, and by so doing change himself.”

My Response: When a person stands in front of the absolute, in front of the fact that he cannot change anything, then he understands the need to change himself, that this is the only way to do something, to continue the correct existence in the world in general, in the fact that I change myself. From this moment on, to the following, to the next, and to the next, step by step to live your life in such a way that you change yourself at every moment.

Question: You welcome dead ends, right?

Answer: How can you do without them? If a person does not feel a dead end, then he is not moving forward.

Question: Is a hopeless state a way out for you?

Answer: Yes, it is like a toy car. It bumps into something and starts turning. If it bumps into something again, it has to turn again. And so it searches all the time until it discovers from all the possibilities that there is a way out.

Question: As a result, does a person who moves from a dead end to a dead end necessarily find a way out?

Answer: Certainly. Everything is programmed.

Question: So I, in principle, as a person should sing a hymn to a dead end?

Answer: Of course! This is the strength of our formation.

Comment: But I always want to avoid dead ends. Man wants to avoid them.

My Response: Can you really make the right decision without a dead end?

Comment: It is unlikely.

My Response: Not possible.

Question: What is the right decision that humanity should make today?

Answer: It is the same in all cases—annul yourself.

Comment: “Annul yourself, “this is clear for your students.

My Response: And for the rest, it should become clear.

Question: What do you mean by the word “annul”?

Answer: It means that I do not decide what to do, I do not decide the goal, I do not depict it for myself and then try to achieve it. I can only do one thing: annul myself in front of others so that they achieve their goal.

If my goal is something other than helping others, then I am standing in their way. If I annul myself, then I help them go to their goal. And in the end, everyone should be busy utilizing themselves in this way—helping others achieve their goals.

Question: What happens to my “I”?

Answer: That is when this “I” manifests itself as a general collective in which the upper force of nature is revealed, the only force that exists and guides.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 3/7/22

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Preparation to the Lesson

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Foreword to The Book of Zohar“

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Vol. 1, Part 2, Chapter 2, Item 5 

Selected Highlights

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Comment: There is a serious initiative founded called the The Giving Pledge that aims to foster a culture of philanthropy among the world’s wealthiest to tackle the world’s biggest problems. It has more than 230 participants.

Co-founder Bill Gates said, “I’ve always believed that if you’re in a position to help somebody, you should do it.” And that the group founded in 2010 will “continue to learn from each other and find new ways to maximize the positive impact of our philanthropy.” MacKenzie Scott, ex-wife of Amazon’s founder Bezos, pledged half of her fortune of $37 billion to charity as part of The Giving Pledge. What do you think about this initiative?

My Response: Money is not a problem. It’s sad just to see how they spend it. The essence of correcting the world is in changing a person. And they don’t know what a person should be like. They believe that we will make some more systems of care, healthcare, education and everything will be better.

But it won’t be better. On the contrary, by doing so they will invoke negative forces that will prove against all charitable systems that we are still acting incorrectly. And they will teach us harshly.

Any good deed, if it is not done to change the qualities of a person, will only lead to even greater suffering. This is what is meant in the Bible that if we do good deeds without correcting the person himself, then he remains in his hell, inside our supposedly correct, good deeds.

Question: Aren’t you excited that we have such initiatives?

Answer: It would be better if they didn’t do it! It is necessary to direct funds only for education, and special education and not to fill ill heads with something, but precisely with the system of correction of a person, on which the system of correction of the whole world depends.

Question: Meaning, if it does not go to the correction of the person himself, his nature, then it is only for evil?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: You said that it is necessary to understand where this money is going, to which fund.

My Response: In this case, to understand where it is going. But by their nature, by their understanding of the world, their perception of the world, they cannot direct the money correctly. That is why it is said: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” So, unfortunately, it would be better if they didn’t.

Question: How does a billionaire or a millionaire who signs The Giving Pledge feel?

Answer: That’s exactly why they do it! They feel their exclusivity, their uniqueness. They feel like the correctors of the world, the righteous of the world. And the whole world, in principle, should understand, know this, and thank them.

Naturally, half of this amount will be spent on advertising. And the other half will be spent on some goals: healthcare, mother-child, something else. But in the end you will see that the world will not be better, but only worse.

Question: Are these precisely those good intentions?

Answer: Yes. The intentions are good, but in the end we will get even more hell.

Question: What would you give money for? If they collected this decent amount, where would you send this money to in the current state of the world?

Answer: We have something to tell people. It is necessary to open such channels, centers that could convey to each person in his language, at his level, the main idea: “Love your neighbor!” Only in this is the salvation of each and every one. And that’s why there’s nothing else you can do.

So, it is necessary to open such centers, explain from all sides, from the point of view of science, morality, and biology, whatever. And to do it in such a way as to gradually raise people to this level. Let there be awards and  scholarships to educate people, to educate them in this way, to give out all sorts of incentive funds, and so on in order for people to study this and talk about this all the time—anything that is possible, for them to be occupied in this.

Especially now we are approaching a state where several billion people will be unemployed! What will they do? Who will pay them? Let these funds pay, moreover, pay normally, decently. We need this.

Question: Such an approach to “love your neighbor,” even a small step, a thought, is this the beginning of a person’s change?

Answer: Yes. But this is only if we create such scholarships and opportunities for people to study, write about, and discuss it, to fill in all the sites with this, all the connections, and make it very popular on the Internet, on television, everywhere.

Question: Is that the only thing you need to give money for?

Answer: Yes, only for this.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 12/16/21

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Question: People who are engaged in spiritual development are trying to move to Israel, they seem to be drawn to this land. However, we do not see that by coming here they become more spiritual. Does it mean that the land does not have an effect on them?

Answer: And it should not. After all, we must make special efforts in order to begin to rise spiritually.

Comment: I thought that the land of Israel influences a person who comes here, and he becomes better and kinder.

My Response: On the contrary! Those who come here are under the influence of certain forces that slow down their development. A person should make greater efforts. But at the same time with their help, he reaches higher spiritual degrees.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 4/26/22

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Question: What is the miracle of exiting Egyptian slavery?

Answer: The miracle is that, in principle, it is impossible to exit slavery. We were born and exist in an intention for our own sake, and only thanks to the help from above, the help of the Creator, this intention can turn into an intention for the sake of bestowing to others. This is how we get out of Egypt.

The miracle is the new qualities of bestowal and love that appear in us instead of the qualities of reception and hatred.

A person must by himself consciously ask for these qualities, and then the upper force of nature will begin to cultivate them in him.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 4/19/22

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Question: Who goes through the plagues of Pharaoh?

Answer: A person who has not yet freed himself from his egoistic intention goes through ten Egyptian plagues. He feels these plagues as punishment in those desires that have not yet been corrected by the intention for the sake of the Creator.

Question: How can I not identify myself with Pharaoh? Let him go through it, let him suffer.

Answer: It is these punishments that help a person not to identify himself with Pharaoh, but to disengage from him. That is, ten blows, ten portions of light are required so that after each portion a person disengages from Pharaoh and looks at him from the side.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 4/14/22

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 5/13/22

As part of a school project on personal involvement, twin sisters in 10th grade met with a seventy-seven-year-old woman and kept her company for several meetings. The project ended long ago, but by the time it was over, the connection between the twins and the elderly woman had become so strong that they kept visiting her regularly.

As the bond grew stronger, they spent more and more time together, eating together and even staying overnight with the woman. The elderly woman said that the girls brought light into her life, and the girls evidently enjoy their connection with the woman.

There is a lot we can learn from this story. Today’s young people have many deficiencies. They feel insecure and do not know how to find their way in life, how to answer their many questions. The elderly, on the other hand, have an abundance of answers and abundance of knowledge, but often, especially the solitary ones, no one with whom they can share it. Their desire to impart knowledge, kind advice, and warmth remains untapped. This is why such a connection between young people who need advice, and older people who have no one to advise, can work so well.

Also, for the elderly woman, connecting with young women energizes her. They make her feel young again. For the girls, it not only increases their confidence and a sense of security, but sometimes fills in for a missing role of a mother or a grandmother.

I think we should learn from this that it is good for young and older people to be together and support each other, especially in families where a structure of several generations being closely connected does not exist. If older women could connect with girls who need a guiding hand, and if older men could connect with boys who need fatherly or ‎grandfatherly advice, everyone would benefit.

Here, I think there should be an organized system that connects elderly men and women on one side, and young boys and girls on the other side. It will do society a world of good. For the elderly, it will give vitality and joy. For the youngsters, it can be a life changing connection, a way out of difficulties and misunderstandings they would not be able to work out on their own.

Therefore, I would recommend that we do it on as broad a scale as possible, for everyone’s benefit.

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Medium published my new article “An Elevator to the World of Tomorrow”

Whenever the world experiences a great upheaval, a desire arises to forge good bonds between all people. Whenever a country goes through an internal crisis, the desire arises to unite all parts of the nation. And yet, despite all this, life continues to lead us from disappointment to disappointment. So, what is it that we are missing on the path to tranquility and fulfillment?

The problem is that human beings are selfish by nature. We think only of ourselves, look out for our own good, and use others for our own pleasure. So even if we think of things like building a mutual bond between people and trying to establish organizations and processes to promote that goal, our results lack the power to overcome human nature, that is, to put love of others ahead of love only of ourselves within our hearts. Because of this, our efforts at bond building never last long.

What we need in order to succeed is a special power, something otherworldly, a kind of miracle mechanism that can elevate us from our selfish nature to a more advanced and sublime nature of love for others, something completely new.

We are in the midst of an evolutionary process. In recent decades, the world has become a holistic system in which all its details are interconnected, interdependent and interrelated. But we human beings, with our inward self-focus, are not yet integrated into the emerging world. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, everyone’s ego is simultaneously growing alongside and pushing us apart. Thus, the incompatibility between humanity and the system of nature is also growing. If human nature does not change, it is only a matter of time until we come to a destructive explosion.

There is a unique mechanism that can spare us this dire fate and elevate us to a new level of interaction, one that is safer and more pleasant. This life saving mechanism is described in the wisdom of Kabbalah, and it is a method for correcting human nature. By and large, the method is based on learning and practicing connection and communication techniques in small groups. One also learns in depth about the integral system of nature and the force that connects all the parts of reality into an integral, perfectly shaped mechanism.

There is a comprehensive system underlying all of nature wherein everything proceeds in connection, perfection, and harmony. This supreme law of nature which demands love absolutely cannot be violated. To the extent that we transcend our egoistic nature towards love of others, the distance between ourselves and others shortens until we literally are able to feel everyone within ourselves. Our mental and emotional calculations become harmoniously connected; the mind and heart unite in a centered line where everything becomes integral and linked.

Such a process of development can lead each of us to acquire true love of others and we are then able to begin to help shape our surrounding environment to also support that goal. This transformative switch from independence to interdependence will elevate our world of woes to the world of tomorrow, a closer and more cooperative world in which all humanity ascends to a prosperous future.
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