Audio Version Of The Blog – 12/18/23
Posted on December 18th, 2023
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Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “As a Humanity, We Look Like Playing in a Sandbox with Toys and Dolls”
Throughout human development, nature has always been giving while we have evolved egoistically, taking for ourselves. This is normal, since per nature’s plan, our evolution was meant to be self-centered for a certain period of time.
It is similar to children who grow up by taking what their parents provide. They are content with it. As the children mature, then the parents’ attitude changes toward them: “That’s it, you’re on your own now. Work, take charge of your life and face the consequences for any mistakes you make.”
We have grown up like children over millennia, but today’s world has undergone a significant shift in relation to us. Today’s world has become globally interconnected and interdependent, and it likewise demands adult-like behavior from us, i.e., that our attitudes to each other harmoniously adapt to the global interconnectedness and interdependence. Much like a person aged 20 to 25 starting to work, build a life and engage with the world on a new level, humanity has now entered adulthood.
While our nature is egoistic, prioritizing self-benefit over benefiting others and nature, we have reached a stage where we need to become independent from this nature—to choose to rise above it and construct a new society built on positive connections that we establish above our inborn egoistic ones.
We have selfishly evolved over thousands of years and today we need to connect on a new foundation, by exercising mutual support, responsibility and consideration in our relations. If we remain unwilling to adjust our attitudes according to nature’s new demands for us, then we will face the consequences: myriad forms of suffering entering our lives on personal, social, global and ecological scales.
We have transitioned into adulthood, but we resist this transition. As children, we had no obligations, but as adults, we face the burden of taking responsibility for our lives. However, we still wish to cling to the toys and games of our childhood, and make no progress in upgrading our attitudes to each other. It actually looks quite disturbing, as if we are adults still sitting in a sandbox, playing with toy trucks and dolls.
Also, it is not limited to ordinary folk; the world’s leading and esteemed figures are just as reluctant to outgrow this phase. They claim that there is enough to play with—stocks, money, cars, wine and movies, to name a few: “Why bother with mutual responsibility when we have enough toys to play with?”
This is a major problem. Due to our unwillingness to upgrade our attitudes to each other in order to match today’s new globally interconnected and interdependent conditions, we endure many blows that we would otherwise be able to alleviate. As we continue avoiding this transition, increasing suffering will act as a constant reminder that we will have to eventually get out of the sandbox. It is my hope that we manage to do so sooner rather than later.
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Question: Is it correct to say that the spiritual miracle of Hanukkah is that the Kelim break the connection with evil inclination, stop working in order to receive, and, as it were, generate the light of bestowal themselves?
Answer: Everything is correct except for one thing: Kelim do not generate the light of bestowal. We are not capable of generating anything.
We can only rise above our egoism by connecting with each other, and then the light of bestowal will begin to manifest within us.
Question: Do the Hanukkah candles symbolize the revelation of the opposite world, which is attained not only in faith above reason, but at the level of feelings in the degree of reason?
Answer: The Hanukkah candle symbolizes the light of bestowal when we desire it to shine in every heart.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/12/23, Writings of Rabash “Letter No. 44”
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Question: If our main job is to connect, then what is the stop during Hanukkah?
Answer: When we fight with our egoism, we begin to feel how weak we are; we cannot cope with it and feel that we need some kind of stop or break.
If we stop and ask the Creator to help us find the right approach to the war against our common egoism in the ten and in the world, then there is hope that the Creator will help us.
This is what Hanukkah symbolizes; it is the week when we stop the war and do not run away; we realize that we need to get stronger and unite even more with each other.
In this case we will be able to return to the fight against egoism and defeat it.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/13/23, Writings of Rabash “Greeks Have Gathered Around Me”
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Question: What does it mean that the Creator puts His soul into our actions?
Answer: The Creator gives you inner strength, understanding, awareness, and advancement toward a state in which He will reveal Himself in you. It is called that He gives a person a soul.
When this will happen depends on you and on the Creator. You have to do your work, what is assigned to you, and the Creator will do His work when He sees fit.
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From the Daily Kabbalah lesson 12/6/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Concerning the Revealed and the Concealed“
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Question: Which is sweeter for the Creator: my intention to bestow or the intention from the united heart of the ten?
Answer: From the united heart of the ten.
Question: How can I and the ten please the Creator?
Answer: By helping your friends. This is your first step, help your friends in everything in order to unite and move toward the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah lesson 12/4/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “From Lo Lishma, We Come to Lishma“
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Question: I often feel sorry for the nations of the world, like as for small children because the Creator has not brought them closer to Himself.
What should I do with this feeling?
Answer: It is our task to bring people closer to the Creator. When we are sure that we understand everything correctly and are already at the minimum spiritual level, then we will be able to turn to the people of the world and try to pull them up.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/5/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Man’s Pride Shall Bring Him Low“
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Question: We feel the quality of Israel in us that pulls us forward. What changes must happen in a person and a ten for the quality of Israel to be a permanent guiding star? Or is it gradually weakening and needs to be nourished?
Answer: The quality of Israel must be strengthened because it weakens constantly. This quality is unnatural for people, so we need to hold on to each other and be an example for each other.
In principle, the quality of Israel is based only on our aspiration to connect with the Creator.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/4/23, Writings of Rabash “The Spies“
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Question: Why is it that in Lishma when we are in adhesion with the Creator, He is considered indebted to us?
Answer: Because a person believes that if he performs an act of bestowal, then the Creator supposedly owes him.
That is an incorrect state, but it occurs when you fall from Lishma (for the sake of the Creator) to Lo Lishma (for your own sake).
A person thinks that he has done something good to the Creator and does not understand that it was the Creator who gave him the thought to perform this action.
Only after he completely corrects the will to receive for his own sake does the Creator cease to be indebted to him.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/4/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “From Lo Lishma, We Come to Lishma“
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Question: How does one work properly with pride on the spiritual path?
Answer: To the extent of a person feeling superior to others, he feels himself in a descent compared to them.
Conversely, as much as he can annul himself, he feels his state to be higher and closer to the Creator. In principle, when we almost completely nullify ourselves, we approach Him.
You do not feel or see the Creator because He is concealed. He does not need your honors and special treatment. He wants you to change yourself, become like Him, and let others not even know about it.
Therefore, the wisdom of Kabbalah is called the wisdom of concealment. After all, a person who wants to ascend into spirituality conceals himself more and more from others like the Creator, and, accordingly, no one prevents him from becoming like the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/5/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Man’s Pride Shall Bring Him Low“
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