Question: The European Association conducted a study of the parameters of Jewish communities’ life in 12 European countries. Security, the fight against anti-Semitism, religious freedom, government support for Jewish communities, and provision of cultural development were studied. Based on these and many other data, they have built a rating system and determined that Belgium and Poland were the most unfavorable countries in Europe for Jews to live in, and Italy and Hungary were the most favorable.

What do you think about the research on where it is good for Jews to live?

Answer: I think the researchers are right to study this. We need to study this. There are so many different objects and subjects of study, so this one will be there too. In general, I have nothing to say. I do not encounter such phenomena at all. Therefore, I do not know.

Comment: But surely all research must have some specific purpose.

My Response: Of course, there is a purpose. They want to paint the map of Europe in different colors, where it is easier for Jews, where it is harder, and so on because there are always such contrasting conditions regarding Jews.

Question: Do Jews generally have a place in Europe or not?

Answer: I think there is no place for Jews anywhere. This is why they live like this.

Comment: What about America or exotic countries? Nowadays Jews live even in those countries with which they historically had no contact at all.

My Response: I have been to Latin America many times and met Jews there. There are huge communities there. I personally think there are problems everywhere, but it depends on how much the Jews living there can put up with them.

Question: What is the spiritual root of the dispersion of Jews around the world? There is a time when they disperse and there is a time when they should gather. What is happening now?

Answer: I think that soon we will come to a state where Jews will be gathering. This period has not yet come. It is in dynamic equilibrium. Thus, everything is still ahead.
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From KabTV’s “Kabbalah Express” 8/5/22

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Comment: In the Ari’s methodology there is not a single word about love, about unification. It is a purely dry language of Sefirot.

My Response: Yes, the Ari says almost nothing about feelings, only about actions. But this is conveyed in the language of Kabbalah, the so-called language of the Sefirot.

Besides this, there is also a second language of Kabbalah, a sensory one, where a person begins to attain the upper world through sensations. There are no barriers, no boundaries, to feelings. He understands that he enters the state of the Creator’s boundless love and dissolves in it.

This was described by Rabash in his articles about the group. When you study them, you should not just come to the class, put a book in front of you and read the names of lights and worlds, but there should be a certain mood in a person.

To do this, he needs to work in a group, to try to unite with his friends, to receive certain desires from them, to reveal these desires, to come to lessons with this, and to study directly the system of lights and screens. Otherwise it will be just a theory, and Kabbalah does not welcome theory.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 8/2/22

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The Creator is the Nature surrounding us and nothing more. Write “Nature” instead of the Creator, but still with a capital letter, so as not to attribute it to something purely mechanistic.

The Creator is the upper degree, the upper light, and the quality of bestowal in relation to us, who represents the quality of reception. That is, everything is based on very simple concepts that are close to each of us.

The only thing is that we are all very confused. After all, the attitude to Kabbalah throughout the centuries has been deliberately confusing and impeding. We are also confused by all kinds of external customs, items, and objects,  as well as the appearance of religious Jews, as if it has anything to do with Kabbalah. In general, all this is so heaped up that it is, of course, very difficult for a person to understand.

I can see how hard it is for my students in different countries of the world who belong to different religions and races. I see what a huge amount of work they are doing internally and will have to do for a long time.

A person brought up in a different religion who belongs to a different race and thinks in a completely different way, with an opposite mentality and a different language, and one must overcome all this. This quality of the soul is necessary for its correction and not that it is in a more favorable or less favorable state relative to others.

This is how we are separated and distant from each other. I see that many of my students from all over the world would really like to be here next to us. Just tell them it is possible and that a thousand people will come here at once. But they have to overcome huge problems within themselves, big internal disagreements.

When a person suppresses something in himself, since the truth has not yet been fully revealed in him, he is in a kind of semi-compromising state: “Well, what can I do? I will not pay attention to this, as if I don’t see it, do not understand it, and do not observe it, as if this is not in me. I will leave this aside.” It is very hard. But that is the way to live.

This is very similar to how Jews live among other nations. Exactly the same feeling: “We are opposite to them, but we want to be like that. Can we or can’t we? How do they treat us and how should we treat them?” All this omission, this kind of special attitude, is exactly what a person who comes to study Kabbalah goes through.

I understand this. There are many problems. The world is still in such a transitional state.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Criticism of Kabbalah” 2/20/13

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Question: What does it mean: “One should see the manifestation of the Creator in everything, except: “Leave”? But is “leave” also a manifestation of the Creator?

Answer: Yes, the Creator specifically says to obey Him in everything, except for one thing: when He allegedly offers you to leave.

A person often has the feeling that, obviously, the Creator does not want to deal with him, move him forward, help and prompt him, but gives him continuous disappointments. “Nothing can be done, probably not for me this time,” and so on.

There are many such moments when one is disappointed and wants to leave. This should not be done in any case. They are specially brought to a person. It is okay that they exist, but it is desirable that they last no more than a moment. As it came, so it went.

Question: Isn’t it beyond the control of a person?

Answer: When it comes, it is out of control! But in the next moment it should already be evaluated, and in the next there should already be a reaction.

Question: Do similar things happen at your degree too?

Answer: At all degrees. At my degree, the feeling of falling is much stronger than at the beginning. The difference between the qualities of bestowal, entering the highest degree and falling to the lowest is much greater than for beginners.

Comment: But sometimes it seems that when a person first encounters a descent, he is more “smudged.” After the first descent, people have such states.

My Response: They do not yet have the freedom and the ability to move themselves, to be above themselves.

When I come to the lesson, you do not feel what state I am in. Ascent, descent, some vague feelings, experiences. You don’t feel it, do you? I’m the same in front of you almost all the time.

I have better states and worse states, but it depends on how I feel, on the condition of my throat because I talk a lot, in general, nothing more. But in fact, inside myself I am in completely different worlds: in the upper or in the lowest. But I am the same toward the students. They can’t see my inner state.

Just like a baby does not understand the mother’s state: maybe she feels bad, is upset about something, is angry with someone, or, conversely, is joyful. She always shows maximum attention, engagement, and responsibility to him.

Question: Does the connection with the group allow you to go through these states faster?

Answer: Yes, it does. But the connection with the group should be a little different, increasingly intense and tighter.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Confessions of the Kabbalist” 2/23/13

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Question: Do you think there may come a time when students will be able to see you as a friend?

Answer: I would like that, but it is unlikely. I do not see this yet, and I am afraid of spoiling the energy for the students that gives them a special idea about me.

The fact is that when a teacher becomes the same in the eyes of a student as the student himself, a problem arises. He loses the energy of movement; there are all kinds of doubts about the knowledge that he receives from the teacher; he disregards him. In order to feel close to the teacher, the student must be ready for the state where he deifies his teacher. This is not easy.

I know this from my own experience—when you cook food for the teacher, go to the sea with him, to the sauna, take care of him in the hospital, and he is sick and helpless, and you have to feed, wash, and clean him. Rabash had both hands and face burned, and I was with him for several weeks.

These are all complex processes for the student and teacher that come from above, and they must work with each other in this way and understand why they are given this. The teacher understands. For a student, however, this is a terrible problem! We need to understand what happens at this time, what thoughts, tips, and preventions are given to the student.

Comment: Our entire world is built on hierarchy—the president and his entourage, for example. But their relationship is certainly different than what you describe with the teacher.

My Response: With a teacher, you are given such thoughts, desires and circumstances that you have the full opportunity to disregard him. It is very hard for you to tune in to something good. Very hard. This is work, and this is a struggle.

We say that in the group you need to elevate your friends, the ten, and the Creator in your eyes, that the importance of the goal determines the energy that you can expend on moving toward it. But with a teacher it is even more difficult. The reason is that in the group you have the support of your friends. Regarding the Creator, you also have the support of the group. With regard to the teacher, it is not enough to see from the friends that they exalt the teacher.

Moreover, it depends on how the teacher behaves. Some do everything to attract people who would idolize him, respect him, and be attached to him, which is a purely Eastern technique of cunning in processing a person. This is an anti-Kabbalistic entity.

I do not do that. I studied with Rabash who was an absolutely simple person that walked freely through the streets of the city at a brisk pace; in no case did he break away from the people, as they say.

Next to him, I felt that this is exactly what a person should be. There is no other way if we are all equal under the Creator. And I respected him for that.

However, there were those who said: “Well, what is this? Is this a rabbi? Is this a respected spiritual leader?” Where are these hundred and fifty kilograms of weight, where is this importance and slowness in communication? Where is his splendor in conversation when you ask, and after five minutes he slowly turns to you, answers a couple of words, and you are already satisfied that you heard some kind of response from him? There is nothing of this! Because everything is based on actions.

It was the same with Baal HaSulam, because we are dealing with nature, with science, with the methodology of changing a person. There is no relation to religion, no manipulation; you are given a technique, and you are taught how to use it. That’s all.

Comment: Still, many people treat you with great reverence.

My Response: I am trying to transform all this into clearly businesslike ways of changing a person in his work on himself. Let him respect me only to the extent that he needs to listen to what I have said. That is all. I do not need anything more from him!
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Confessions of the Kabbalist” 2/23/13

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Preparation to the Lesson

Lesson on the Topic, “Reinforcing Ourselves with There Is None Else Besides Him” 

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Shofar of the Messiah” 

Selected Highlights 

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Do bacteria defend themselves against viral infections? If so, how?“

There is research showing how bacteria defend themselves against viruses. One of my students who was impressed by such research recently asked me how such tiny bacteria could be so smart in order to mobilize against various viral predators.

In terms of deeper processes at work in nature, such activity has nothing to do with their size, but the bacteria discover a common enemy that they are willing to cooperate against in order to stop it.

They share a certain intellect that makes them feel that there is a force working against them, threatening their existence, and they do the math to defend themselves from that force.

There are several examples of collaborations in nature, such as schools of fish or flocks of birds, where we can see that higher guiding intellect in action. We see how multiple individuals moving at fast speeds never collide and do not have any accidents, because they merely realize the orders upon them from that higher guiding intellect in nature.

However, in relation to us human beings, we have free choice, which is why we do not operate similarly to the still, vegetative and animate levels of nature that display such great feats of collaboration. Due to our free choice, we ourselves need to define how to direct ourselves according to the higher guiding mind in nature.

Contrary to the other levels of nature, we mostly fail to cooperate, because it counters the human ego that prioritizes its own interests over the interests of others. We thus need to reach what is called “the recognition of evil” of our egoistic nature, which detaches us from each other. We will then discover that there is a higher guiding intellect ready to guide us. Doing so requires freeing ourselves of our foolishness that we are the ones guiding ourselves. Simply put, we need to place ourselves in the control of the upper force and then we will succeed.

The higher guiding intellect in nature covers everything, and it gives our every result in life. It acts on us as it does all parts of nature, however we do not want to see its actions. In other words, we do not want to hand ourselves over to its control.

The higher guiding intellect, also called the “upper force,” in nature operates in order to connect everyone and everything. It is ultimately what mobilizes bacteria to defend themselves against viruses, and it synchronizes schools of fish, flocks of birds and so on. More generally, this force desires to build positive connections between all created beings on all levels.

If we wish to introduce this higher guiding intellect into our lives, then we need to place ourselves under the control of that force to guide and direct us in the positive direction that it wishes us to reach—a state of complete harmonious connection. Then, on our behalf, we express our desire to hand ourselves over to the higher guiding intellect in nature by developing positive connections among each other, or in simpler words, wishing to do good to everyone.

Based on the video “What’s Behind Bacteria Defending Themselves Against Viral Predators?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Medium published my new article “If I Had a Billion Dollars”

A few weeks ago, someone bought a Mega Millions ticket at a Speedway gas station in Des Plaines, Illinois. That ticket turned out to be a single winner and the owner won USD 1.337 billion. A student asked me about it. He said that this person probably has many people giving him or her (or them) financial advice of all kinds, and asked what would I advise the winner(s). Here is my answer.

I think it is much more rewarding to use your money to give to others than to spend it on yourself. When you give, your gift lives in others; it cannot be erased. It develops your soul and fills it with vitality.

I do not advise anyone on anything. What I can say, however, is what I think I would do if I won the jackpot.

If I won it, I think I would split the money between investing in young children and in the elderly. These two segments of the population need support and cannot help themselves. The rest of the people can protest or try other ways to improve their situation, but the elderly and very young children are completely helpless and cannot even complain.

I would use the money to build places for children and places for the elderly, different places for each segment. In these places, they will pursue activities that please and help them. For children, I would focus on entertaining educational programs, and for the elderly, I would focus on letting them enjoy themselves together.

Children need to learn and enjoy learning. Therefore, I would offer them free classes in art, photography, sports, and science, as well as games that develop their thinking and collaboration. It is important that these classes are free, just as it was when I was a child, so that everyone has access to them.

I think it is much more rewarding to use your money to give to others than to spend it on yourself. When you give, your gift lives in others; it cannot be erased. It develops your soul and fills it with vitality.

Conversely, when you use the money for selfish pleasures, you are burying yourself. It is literally a spiritual burial, a spiritual death. This is why if I won the jackpot, I would use the money in this way.
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We live in a world where it is very difficult, almost impossible, to distinguish truth from lies. What tools do we have for correctly evaluating this? What is truth from the point of view of the science of Kabbalah?

Truth is a good attitude of one to another. Any other relationships is more or less close to a lie. A kind attitude simply means that I care about the welfare of a person.

In order to come to the truth, it is necessary to build the right environment, a group in which a person can learn from others and show them how much he strives to act according to the truth. And the truth is called love and connection—the good, kind influence of a person on a friend. If we wish good to any person in the world regardless of their gender, race, nationality, or religion, this is called goodness and truth.

However the concept of truth is relative because although absolute truth exists, it is a very high category that is still inaccessible to us that we cannot reveal or even approach. It’s almost impossible.

Absolute truth suggests that a person cares about the welfare of any creation: inanimate nature, plants, animals, and especially people, and wants to treat them with kindness and love. That is the truth!
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From KabTV’s “The World” 8/11/22

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