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Michael Laitman, On The Times of Israel: “When You Fail a Grade, You Must Retake It”

Recent studies have shown that there is a “democratic recession,” as one paper called it. Another study moaned, “To the surprise of many in the West, the fall of the USSR in 1991 did not lead to the adoption of liberal democratic government around the world … In fact, authoritarianism has made a comeback, and liberal democracy has been on the retreat for at least the last 15 years.” Speaking of 15 years, Chinese president Xi Jinping has secured a third five-year term, shunning his party’s tradition to step down after two terms. Additionally, President Jinping has “promoted allies who support his vision of tighter control over society.” Since we did not learn how to use freedom, we will have to retake the class, and perhaps the entire school year.

Every nation has its own character, and not all nations can handle liberal democracy. If you take China, for example, I do not believe that democracy is the right regime for it. With over 1.4 billion people, liberal democracy does not seem like a working arrangement for China.

Also, the mentality of the people leans toward being rank-and-file workers. This by no means implies that Chinese should be mistreated or exploited in any way, absolutely not, but only that they feel more comfortable than others under restrictive conditions. This is why the Chinese government has succeeded in imposing longer and tighter Covid lockdowns when others did not.

The problem, therefore, is not the retreat of democracy, but the resurgence of despotism. Several major powers are currently run by tyrants, and those that are considered democratic are less so today than they were a decade or two ago. It appears that humanity has become disillusioned with democracy, or that humanity is failing to hang on to it.

A nation whose regime allows freedom should use it for one and only purpose. When it fails to do so, freedom is taken away and pressure increases in order to impose that same purpose. The purpose of human society is not for every person to do whatever he or she wants. That would not be a society but anarchy. The purpose of humanity is to unite until we all care for one another more than we care for ourselves, until we are all “as one man with one heart.”

Sadly, nothing seems more repulsive to the ego than to care for strangers more than for myself. Nevertheless, the world is doggedly moving toward more connection and more mutual dependence. Because we resent connecting with others, the increasing, yet undesirable connectedness feels like a punishment, and subsequently, conflicts ensue.

The trend of shattering relations because closeness feels claustrophobic affects every aspect of our lives. It is dissolving the family unit, the resilience of our communities, the tolerance of our leaders, and the relationships among countries.

Where will this end? This depends on our decision. Not on the decision of this or that person, but on the will of humanity. We can choose to embrace connectedness and enjoy its benefits, or try to reject it, fail, and find ourselves embroiled in World War III. There is no third way.

By learning that we are headed toward increased connectedness and mutual dependence because this is the unalterable direction of evolution, we will start looking for the benefits in this compulsory situation. When we do so, we will find that there are countless pros to it, and literally no cons. We will find that our livelihood is secured, and our personal expression encouraged when it contributes to the common good. We will not need policing or the military, and there will be no depression because people will care for one another. As a result, people’s health and longevity will increase, and they will feel happy and content.

This description may seem utopic, but every journey begins with the first step, and we have yet to take it. When we begin, we will discover that the road to our new state of being is much more pleasant than the road we are on today, which leads to guaranteed dystopia.
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Nowadays the world is undergoing radical changes that are turning it from the world of the 20^th century, which already is in the past, into the world  of the 21^st century, a new era, with a new structure. We are yet to see where history leads us and what kind of development process humanity is going through.

It seems to us that global world events are not really influencing a person’s individual life, but it will gradually become clear that these changes are increasingly affecting each of us individually. Eventually everyone will come to the end of correction and to the correct form. But at the moment we do not know what that form will be or how everyone will be able to complete each other. We ourselves need to change in order to see everyone as ready for correction.

Our duty is to help everyone in the world develop in a good way, similar to the way we help a fruit-bearing tree grow by fertilizing it and protecting it from pests. Wars are the incorrect way because we are not completing each other, and therefore we only prolong and multiply our suffering.

The forces of nature are trying to grow the fruit to be healthy and ripe, and war kills people and interrupts the development of their souls. We need to help all people understand the program and purpose of creation, and how to achieve it in the fastest and most positive way.

Unfortunately, humanity has not learned from the lessons of the past, from the experience of the First and Second World Wars, but rather, it is pulling itself into the same whirlpool, only even more cruelly and tragically, into nuclear war.

The entire world looks like a rotting apple. The Creator planted a Garden of Eden inside which the tree of knowledge grows. The apple on this tree is rotting more and more, but what do we do?

The people sitting under this tree want to correct this state because they see that it is impossible to continue like this. If we do not start making corrections, then these corrections will come from nature, that is, from the Creator, and force us to gradually change.

Therefore it seems to us that our world is getting worse and worse every day in order to awaken us to correction. It is already pressing on us with such force that it is really time to think about what to do. The wisdom of Kabbalah explains that everything depends on us, on our correct actions that lead to connection. After all, by this connection we revive all of reality.

All evil is within a person’s egoism, in his desire to be filled for the sake of his own pleasure. Egoism receives pleasure even from doing bad things to others. This person must be brought to the form of bestowal so that he enjoys only things that benefit the other. If everyone bestows on everyone and everyone takes care of everyone, then no one will feel any evil.

Imagine a closed, perfect system where each element is connected with the others in order to provide everyone with the force of life that comes through him, and in order to pass along the upper light. The correct, corrected system operates in a perfect form where each part of it is engaged in passing the upper force that comes through him to others, to neighboring elements, and transfers vital energy to them. And each and every one acts in this way, which brings pleasure to everyone.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/1/22, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Peace in the World”

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I am not afraid of any criticism. What can they do to me in this world? Everything goes according to the program of creation; what happens will happen.

When Baal HaSulam received criticism, he said that it meant that this generation is still unworthy to reveal Kabbalah to, and he stopped writing articles on topics such as “The Giving of the Torah,” “The Arvut,” the newspaper The Nation, etc.

But there is no stopping us now. This is a different mass, a different dissemination of knowledge. Today we have revealed almost everything. Of course there will be many possible details for moving forward, developing, and spreading in the world in order to embody this restructuring of human material in the state and in socio-political, financial, and economic arenas. But in general we know what everything should come to; there are contours.

Therefore I do not see that there is anything to be afraid of or anything to be shy about. We are in such a state that there is simply no place, no time, and no serious reason for silence on our part.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Real Success” 8/21/13

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Question: We know that birth is a very emotional, powerful event for a child. After a while, he can already see, hear, smell, and feel. But no one remembers this event.

Not only do we have no memories of birth itself but also not of the first two years of our life, the time when we learned to walk, get to know mom, dad, family, and the environment, and uttered our first words.

We more or less remember all our emotional surges in life, we feel them, but we do not remember this. It is as if this period is completely cut off from us. Why?

Answer: A person begins to feel himself at the age when he really becomes human. This is at the age of 12 to 13, maybe even a little later.

Question: What feelings are you talking about? For example, I remember myself at the age of four.

Answer: Yes, that is true, but it is not a sense of your “I.” It is a sensation that I exist, and you remember some pictures, some scenes from those times.

Question: Are you saying that the “I” grows in a person and at some point it says: “From now on, you will remember everything”? And the “I” that was there when I was little was not the “I” yet?

Answer: Yes.

Question: When my “I” is revealed, what does it mean? What does it require? Why are such bright colors suddenly starting to appear?

Answer: This is when there is a connection with other people and especially hormonal attraction (at the age of 13 to 14). Then a person begins to form completely. All his, so to say, levels are already included in the awareness of the world and of oneself.

Question: Why does this “I” manifest in a person and begin to lead further?

Answer: In order for him to correct himself and to raise himself. In order for him to understand what he exists for. From this time on, you can already start working with a person.

Question: For an ordinary person, is the “I” something completely different?

Answer: It is because we are not being taught!

I was not taught either. But I remember wondering, “What is next?” And there is nothing. That is all. Next, you will go to school, to college, and so on.

Since I did not have an answer to this question, I did not want to study, and I did not want anything at all. I was quite often in a state of apathy.

Question: Was it because there was no answer? Did the answer arise from this “I” that required growth?

Answer: Of course. What do I live for and why? It was a terrible feeling that it is pointless, useless, and you are being forced.

Question: Is, in fact, our life the formation of this “I”? What does this “I” transform into,? What does it turn into?

Answer: It turns into indifference, into apathy. It exists because you exist. There are people who do not notice it. It is good for them, they are happy to live, acquire, build, give birth, and so on. This is how life goes on for them.

Question: Is there a connection between this “I” and that upper force that you are always talking about?

Answer: Yes. In the question: “What for?” This question is transmitted from above to everyone, but in little doses. The one in whom this question arises seriously, apparently can develop it and receive answers.

Question: Can we think and fantasize about this that these “threads” exist above and come from above to the “I” of a person?

Answer: Yes.

Question: How can one determine when and which “I” will play, when and which “I” will jump out?

Answer: To do this, you need to reveal your soul, that is, your entire connection with the upper degree. Then you will know why you are being pulled this way and not in another way.

Question: Exactly at this time?

Answer: In everything.

Question: Is it programmed which “I” will jump out and which will be dulled a little bit?

Answer: Absolutely everything.

Question: Does it mean every “I” of the entire eight billion?

Answer: Of course! The beginning of creation, the end of creation, and its intermediate states—practically all of them are known in advance. Only one thing is unknown: how a person in his manifestation of freewill implements his personal participation in all this.

Here, the implementation is not prescribed in advance, but is given to a person

Question: Does it mean that, in fact, something still depends on the person?

Answer: Yes.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 8/18/22

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This is what I have troubled to do in this interpretation, to explain the ten Sefirot as the Godly sage the Ari had instructed us, in their spiritual purity, devoid of any tangible terms. Thus, any beginner may approach the wisdom without failing in any materialization or mistake.

With the understanding of these ten Sefirot, one will also come to examine and know how to comprehend the rest of the issues in this wisdom. (Baal HaSulam, “Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Part 1: Restriction and line, Inner Observation).

Baal HaSulam says that Kabbalists specifically took the language of the Sefirot in order not to materialize spiritual objects.

Gradually, by studying Kabbalistic texts, a person will begin to understand the spiritual actions and spiritual concepts behind all the words of our world.

Baal HaSulam recommends that beginners study the spiritual world in Kabbalistic language and not in the language of branches, which was used in the books written in previous generations, so as not to get confused with all those stories.

The fact is that Kabbalists who attained the upper world and more or less understood the inner meaning of Kabbalah still could not clearly state anything because they did not have this language.

It was Baal HaSulam who revealed its correct use. Therefore, after him, we can already generally be sure that we will not make a mistake and we will correctly state and understand everything.
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From KabTV’s “The Study of the Ten Sefirot (TES)” 8/14/22

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What is the difference between male and female leadership styles and how can we combine them both?

If a leader, whether man or woman, does not know about the purpose and program of creation and how to lead in order to progress to what nature requires of us, then nothing good will come of it. First of all, integral education is necessary and as a consequence women will occupy more important positions in society.

Such is the call of the time. Until the beginning of the last period, while humanity hasn’t yet entered the stage of final correction by connecting, studying the science of Kabbalah, organizing in tens, society was ruled by men. But as soon as we begin to spread the methodology of integral education and begin to work in tens, to restore the one common big soul of Adam HaRishon, women will come forward.

Men will be more involved in the organization of tens and the internal structures of society, and women will take on more external leadership. That’s why I keep repeating that dissemination is mostly women’s work.

The same woman who has always remained in the shadows suddenly now has to come to the forefront and engage in the reconstruction of society. And it’s interesting that men agree to this. Nature lets a woman go ahead and no one protests. This is a miracle that has never happened in history. And this process has been going on for the last hundred years.

A woman has always had a penchant for leadership, but before that it was on a small scale and did not go beyond the house. A man is not able to manage the house; he never knows where everything is. His way of thinking is not adapted for such work, and the woman has always been in charge of the house.

But over time there has been a change. And this is a consequence of the internal organization of the soul, which is gradually approaching correction. As a result, the light passed from above through the Sefirot Keter, Hochma, etc., to Malchut and began to reach the woman more and more. Therefore women felt that they understand the changes taking place in the world more and are ready to express their opinions on important issues.

This is no longer limited to knowing where the salt and pepper are in the kitchen. A woman is ready to give advice to men—to her husband, to the government, and to parliament—and offer a solution. This is no longer about how to cook soup, but how to brew politics. And all because the time has come when the upper light has approached Malchut and given her illumination.

Therefore a woman feels able to work with this. She is able to restore order in the world better than a man because she belongs to the last Sefira, and by raising the reflected light, she connects all the Sefirot located in front of her. Therefore she is able to manage them all.

The man remains with his specific role, and the woman gains the power to control everyone, as she does with children in kindergarten. She handles all the affairs.

Not everyone can be like Margaret Thatcher or Golda Meir, but nevertheless, any woman has special abilities in management. I think that in our time it is necessary to replace men with women in parliaments. We know that there will be order in any place where a woman works. The world doesn’t need a man’s explosive power, but rather a woman’s moderate, balanced leadership, free from all the petty calculations that are sometimes characteristic of women.

A woman who can weigh everything well and correctly and perceives her country as her home, important and dear to her, is able to reconcile all contradictory currents and parties and balance everything. Only a woman can do that.
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From KabTV’s “Women in the New World” 7/5/20, Part 1

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Question: Let’s say artificial intelligence cannot exist independently and invent things. It can think everything through very professionally, but it’s all already embedded in its program. It will never have any independent solution, just a program.

And how do we differ from artificial intelligence, from this program? What is not embedded in us so that we can implement it ourselves? And how is that even possible?

Answer: Apart from light, we have everything. Light is the power of bestowal and love, which we do not have initially, and which, through acting on us, causes its own properties in us. We become its bearers, possessors of another power. After all, in addition to the egoistic power to receive, which is in us, another power (or property) to bestow arises in us.

Question: It turns out that in any case we are programmed?

Answer: Sure. Absolutely programmed! When my teacher looked at me, he saw my whole future. Where is Wolf Messing before him?!

Question: But where is the feeling as if you have realized it yourself, and not that the Creator introduced you into these states so that you would come to attain the spiritual?

Answer: Aren’t you now in the same mechanism,  the same matrix?! Aren’t they playing with you now?

It seems to you that you are experiencing it, you are free, and you do anything. And they twist you around here in every way, they make you lie here, do something else there, put some kind of trick here, do a good deed there.

This is how they twist you to take you through all kinds of states and thus hatch all kinds of new sensations in you, so that you analyze everything, feel it, gain experience and are able to be aware, understand who and what, and are ready for free will.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. See What Doesn’t Exist” 8/30/13

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What is a crime?“

Defining crime is very problematic. In Russian, there is a saying: “Show me a person and I’ll pin a crime on them,” i.e. it is easy to prove, in a serious manner, that anyone is a criminal.

We are all criminals because we make the laws of our society and culture. We set the boundaries. That is, certain people decide on a law, and they think one way or another. At the same time, several people might disagree with that particular law, which goes to show that the laws that we make are not accepted by everyone. This makes defining crime very questionable and problematic.

Are the crimes we define really crimes then? We legislate certain laws and whoever disobeys those laws is defined as a criminal. The problem here is the basis of the very laws we set. Do they come from nature—that we have to obey them because we exist within nature’s boundaries, and we thus have to obey them in order to protect nature, human society, families, and so on, and for this entire system of nature and humanity that we live in to protect us? Or do the laws come from self-interested people who place their own well-being over the well-being of society and nature?

Based on the video “What Is a Crime?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Nitzah Mazoz. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Preparation to the Lesson

Lesson on Topic “Standing Between Heaven and Earth”

Writings of Baal HaSulam “Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Vol. 2, Part 6, Item 6

Writings of Baal HaSulam “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”

Selected Highlights

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