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Endless Confrontation

229Question: The expression “clash of civilizations” is very common in the mass media. There are about ten civilizations in the world, but among them there are two main ones: Western and East Asian.

When you hear that there is conflict and different values between these two civilizations, what can you, as a Kabbalist, say about what is happening between them? What characterizes East and West?

Answer: At present there are no clearly defined civilizations. But if we talk about the East and the West, then Eastern civilizations are characterized by their commitment to religious problems, which they try to put into practice. And Western civilizations are more interested in the problems of their material existence. Therefore, the difference between them is quite large.

In Eastern civilization there are people who care very much whether their spiritual values are preserved, and they are ready to fight for this. Western civilization wants to preserve itself in the form in which it came to exist today. Therefore, it is very difficult for them to establish contact with each other.

Question: The great Kabbalist Baal HaSulam writes that there are two opposing forces in nature—negative and positive. They developed the entire material universe. If we talk about the human level, then these are the forces of good and the forces of evil. So, is war between these two forces the natural state of humanity?

Answer: Yes, this comes from the structure of their souls—Eastern and Western. It is unknown for how long this confrontation will continue. But so far, we see that it does not end.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 10/29/23

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Even if a Sharp Sword Is Pointed at the Neck

222Dana writes:

I began studying quite recently. And today I listened to the morning lesson for the first time. I was very impressed. I have the following question. During the lesson, I heard the following quote from the treatise Brachot: “Even if a sharp sword is put to a person’s neck, he should not despair of mercy.”

I often felt like I was empty, that I had no future, that there was no point in living. It says not to despair. How not to despair? How do you stay in hope even when there is no hope?

Answer: Everything comes from the Creator. This is the first thing. Secondly, everything is for the better. This is absolutely accurate. And in the end, we will all know, understand, and be grateful.

Question: Be grateful for whatever has happened? For something so scary, for even the worst? Even wars, tragedies, everything?

Answer: Yes, for everything. I understand you, and I understand people who are going through suffering and terrible problems, but in general this is how it is.

Question: So a person needs to somehow absorb this?

Answer: Yes. People must attune themselves to the fact that this is how the Creator’s program operates, and hold on. This is called that mercy comes to him little by little.

Question: Another question: why do such states come to us?

Answer: So that we can detect the good attitude of the Creator toward us in any condition. In any condition!

Question: Do you understand how nervous people are listening to you now?

Answer: I understand all this, but there is nothing you can do. This is simply unbelievable. However, I have spoken many times in my life with special people who have experienced great losses, who have wandered through the icy desert. My relative was a pilot and he perished. And they all said only one thing: a person must agree, bow his head, and move forward.

Question: What do you mean by “move forward”?

Answer: Do what needs to be done. We must do what our heart orders, that is, not our living heart, but the heart as a torch that should illuminate our path.

Comment: But the path, you keep saying, is the path, one way or another, to the conclusion that everything comes from the Creator.

My Response: Yes.

Question: Is this really the way? Even though we are always led astray from this path?

Answer: No one pushes us aside from the right path; it is we who want to escape somewhere.

Question: Look what is going on! All the time you think, “How can this come from the Creator? How?! What is this? Mercy?!”

Answer: Who else can it come from?

Question: It is confusing when such questions arise. Should we hold on?

Answer: Hold on to each other, and to the Creator, all together.

Question: When you say “for each other” do you mean for those who are looking for the same thing as we do?

Answer: Of course. And for whom else?

Question: In the article that we read in class, it was said: “Even if a sharp sword is put to a man’s neck, he should not despair of mercy.” It was said that a sharp knife that is pressed to a person’s neck is the selfishness that a person feels; it simply cuts him.

You must not despair of mercy, that is, you must believe that the Creator will give the property of bestowal and love, and one way or another you will come out of this state.

Will every person feel this or is it only given to Kabbalists to feel that egoism is just…?

Answer: I think not everyone feels it.

A person experiences such questions, such problems, such tests in accordance with his or her readiness for these kinds of things. Moreover, the person does not know. He may feel like a weakling, but when problems come, he straightens up.

Question: How do you find the strength to suddenly straighten up?

Answer: You won’t find it in advance. It only comes at that moment.

The Creator does not lead all people to this, but only those whom He wants to bring closer by giving them trials, so that they build a little more understanding of the world.

Question: Understanding that human nature is evil, and that I want to get out of it, and the understanding of the Creator who gives me the strength to get out?

Answer: I ask for nothing more than one thing: to overcome your weakness in whatever form it may be, to move on.

Question: And He gives strength?

Answer: Yes. He will.
[320456]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 10/26/23

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How Can I Feel the Importance of Spiritual Work?

961.2Question: The primary sources say that you need to work from the impression that the work you are doing is great and holy. And if I don’t find such impressions in myself, can I impress others? Or do I have to put myself in a certain state first and impress others from it?

Answer: No, you can try to impress others, and this will give you a clearer sense of what you yourself lack in your heart. Then you will demand with great zeal from the Creator that He explain your condition to you.

Comment: But it feels like a snowball, because you’re not in a good state anyway, and then you go out into the environment, feel the difference, and dive even deeper into your condition.

My Response: So what if it makes you even more immersed? He who has not submerged cannot come up.

Comment: It’s just very difficult to interact with the environment because it turns out to be a complete separation, and you’re afraid to move because every movement seems to confuse you even more.

My Response: Well, let it be confusing. Then you will feel that you really need help. The main thing is to feel an urgent need for help. So don’t worry that you feel lost, abandoned, and weak; it is all good. It is all right.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/30/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “One’s Future Depends and Is Tied to Gratitude for the Past”

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Based On the Plan of Creation

226Question: Is the plan of creation some kind of goal toward which the entire creation is moving, or is it a thought that is in every part of creation at every moment of time?

Answer: Both. The purpose of creation is the creation of creatures in order to ultimately delight them, fill them with the highest light, and help them reach the level of the Creator. In this way their perfection is achieved.

Question: In every state of creation is there a piece of the plan of creation? For example, in every human thought, in every human desire?

Answer: Yes, in everything. Because all this comes from the Creator’s decision to create a single creature.
[320327]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/5/23, Writings of Baal HaSulamThe Study of the Ten Sefirot (TES)

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Rise above the Ugliness of Egoism

283.01A person who was very ugly came by his way. He told him, “Hello rabbi,” but he did not reply. He told him, “Vain, how ugly is that man, are all your townspeople as ugly as you?” He replied, “I do not know, but go and tell the craftsman who made me, ‘How ugly is this vessel that you have made’” (Baal HaSulam, Shamati 56 “Torah Is Called Indication“).

We are not talking about any external manifestations of a person but about his internal qualities. Ugliness is one of the expressions of human egoism. The Torah never talks about external ugliness, only about internal ugliness, which needs to be corrected.

Comment: When I see ugliness from the outside, wanting to correct it, I catch myself thinking that I justify myself more than I strive for my own correction.

My Response: This is how our egoism manifests itself. Therefore, keep learning, and gradually you will put up less and less with the fact that you see the world as bad. On the contrary, you will see yourself as bad, and the world more or less corrected, normal, good, and kind.

Invest in the ten, get closer to it, and you will quickly get completely different answers from the Creator.

The true correction is that you feel more and more attached to the group and are ready to work and live for the sake of your friends.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/6/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Torah Is Called Indication“

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The Desire to Come Closer to the Creator Determines Everything

962.3The externality are the nations of the world. The branch that extends from the externality is the rest of the nations. They have not been imparted the qualities that make them worthy of receiving the conducts of development of the purpose one at a time. Rather, they are fit to receive the correction at once and to the fullest, according to their upper root (Baal HaSulam “A Handmaid Who Is Heir to Her Mistress“).

Question: What does it mean that Israel, unlike the nations of the world, can receive the conducts of development of the purpose one at a time?

Answer: It depends on how we define Israel. Israel is Yashar El, straight to the Creator, that is, those who are directed at the Creator, no matter whether they are white or black.

When there is no difference between them, then Israel is everyone who has a desire to come closer to the Creator either from birth or after some event in life. Accordingly, a person decides to develop.

The nations of the world are those who have not received or do not want to receive the desire for development in the direction of the Creator.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/5/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “A Handmaid Who Is Heir to Her Mistress“

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Guarantee of Confidence in the Path

528.02Question: When thoughts about myself begin to overwhelm me, how can I not plunge into this baseness?

Answer: We must always hold on to the Creator and get closer to Him together with our friends. Only with the help of your friends can you hold on to Him. But this does not give any guarantee since only from descents do you approach a real ascent.

Therefore, you need to constantly strengthen the connection between each other. If there is a ten in which everyone thinks about everyone, nothing can lead you astray. Nothing. Even if you get ups and downs from above, no matter what, everything will be only for your benefit.

In the ten, every person is important, and if everyone succeeds in uniting with the rest, then this will be able to raise all friends higher and higher.
[320330]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/6/23, Writings of Rabash “How to Recognize One Who Serves God from One Who Does Not Serve Him”

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Material Contact

522.01Question: Usually, when people talk, they make sure to make eye contact. Why do we need to see a person?

Answer: Firstly, a person wants full contact, which is carried out through sight, hearing, smell, and touch. All this is part of our understanding of the subject with whom we are dealing. Therefore, it is advisable to fill yourself with impressions of him. This is our need.

Our common desire consists of Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, Malchut and similar earthly properties: Hochma is vision, Bina is hearing, Zeir Anpin is smell, Malchut is taste and tactile sensations. Naturally, we want to gain all these feelings in order to get to know the interlocutor, to feel him. This is the aspiration of any person.

Ninety-nine percent of our perception of the world occurs through hearing and sight, Hochma and Bina. And tactile sensations, taste, and smell are inherent to us in a very limited range.

The highest information area for us is vision, i.e., against the light of Hochma spreading from the Creator to us. Therefore, it is natural that we are so dependent on it and pay special attention to it when in contact.

How do we usually choose a partner, a person, a spouse? Only through sight! But close your eyes, and you will see a completely different world, you will begin to perceive everything differently.
[319887]
From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Limited Vision and Hearing” 11/29/11

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The Creator Is Behind Every Friend

938.01Question: What are the practical actions aimed at making an individual descent become the ascent of the whole ten?

Answer: It is necessary to combine personal descents with global descents and ascents. If I am able to turn to the Creator and ask Him to raise me from my personal descent to a higher degree, and He does this, then I am strengthened at this higher degree and begin to receive for the sake of the Creator.

Question: And if there is no sense of the Creator, but only a sense of friends?

Answer: Then, you have to continue working until you begin to feel the Creator. Start bestowing to your friends, influencing them, and then you will see that the Creator is hiding behind them.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/6/23, Writings of Rabash “How to Recognize One Who Serves God from One Who Does Not Serve Him”

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