Audio Version Of The Blog – 1/14/24
Posted on January 14th, 2024
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Is Technology Detrimental?”
Technology serves us with medical breakthroughs saving lives and innovations that aid our professions and our day-to-day living. However, much technological progress wreaks havoc, as it goes into making more and more sophisticated ways of killing, hurting and exploiting people.
How can we then make sure technology benefits us?
On one hand, we are far beyond advocating for stopping technological advances and regressing to a primitive form of existence. We do, however, need to revise the ways in which we take the reins of technological development, and steer our innovations responsibly. If we fail, then we can succumb to a third or a fourth world war, and we might then truly degenerate to a primitive state.
Navigating technology beneficially for humanity does not mean stifling it with rigid rules and moral constraints, which is a point that often arises in relation to this topic. It rather requires its creators and operators to continually strengthen an attitude of mutual benefit, consideration and support for one another.
We should thus encourage connection-enriching learning, showcase examples of care and kindness, learn about the altruistic and integral underpinnings of nature, and seek how we can generate an increasingly socially-cohesive atmosphere that continually fuels people with confidence and happiness.
By doing so, we can tune our attitudes to each other from our inborn self-concern to a much more mature concern for others and nature as a whole. Such a transformation is the key to ensuing a positive path forward for technology, helping us reach states of more balance among each other and with nature.
Our misuse of technological advancements originates from a heart bloated with self-interest motives, lacking the learning of the nature-set need to reach positive connection and mutual consideration among each other. We have let our divisive drives push us to exploit, abuse and manipulate each other, thus using technology to overpower and deceive others.
Therefore, if there is any fear of technology turning against us and bringing about much harm to our lives, we should seek to upgrade the attitudes of those behind technology’s development and use. When we tune our hearts to genuinely wish for the utmost benefit to other people and nature, we will then use technology in a beneficial manner.
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Question: How do we correct the Kelim (vessels) of the Egyptians in practice?
Each of us lives in our own “Egypt” and at the same time we strive to connect with our friends during the lessons. And it is like two different worlds. How can we correct these Kelim?
Answer: Try to connect with other friends with your Kelim and thus feel the common Kli in your unity. And it will already pull you up.
Question: It is said that the best way to increase the desire is to fall into egoism. Where is the guarantee that when I fall Moses and Aaron will come and get me out of there with my big desires?
Answer: It depends on how you work. You must descend into egoism with the intention, with the hope of, pulling out new Kelim from there with which you can move forward.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/2/24, Writings of Rabash “What Is the Need to Borrow Vessels from the Egyptians?”
Related Material:
Why Rush Out Of Egypt?
We Exit Egypt Every Second
The Miracle Of Exiting Egypt
Question: If a friend does not feel any lack in spirituality, then it seems there is nothing we can do to help him. However, Rabash gives advice in his articles that one can always raise his friend’s mood and spiritual state. Do you have any recommendations on how to raise a friend’s spirit?
Answer: For this, you need to show an example and draw him to a more optimistic state. For example, I try to raise the spirit of my students at every lesson.
Question: How did you do this when you studied with Rabash?
Answer: We talked about the good forces in the world and about how much the Creator is waiting and eager to bring us to unity, bestowal, and love.
Question: Can a student raise the spirit of his teacher?
Answer: Yes, because the teacher loves him, the student can raise his teacher’s spirit by his actions when he shows a good progress within the properties of bestowal and love.
Question: Let’s say that when you pass by me you see that I am reading Talmud Eser Sefirot. Will it influence your mood in any way?
Answer: Even if I see that you are reading a book on Kabbalah will raise my mood.
Question: Or, for example, if you learn that I come an hour in advance before the lesson and prepare for it?
Answer: This would be a special attitude to the lesson that will make me want to help you, approve of you.
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From KabTV’s “Practical Kabbalah” 12/19/23
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Practical Advice by Rabash
Question: When commenting on one of Rabash’s articles, you said that loving your neighbor means attaching his desire to yourself and working with your desire to fulfill his desire. How does this happen?
Answer: If my friend in the group strongly desires something, then with the help of my desires, I can try to fulfill his desire.
Question: Are we talking about any of his desires or just spiritual ones?
Answer: No, not only about spiritual ones. If a friend lacks anything, you feel that desire and strive to fulfill even the simplest wish.
You incorporate yourself in your friend, and he, understands your action, and carries it out on others. That is how a Kabbalistic group forms by working to instill in each other feelings of love, attention, and mutual assistance. As a result, these feelings unite the entire group and direct them from itself to the Creator.
The group is a training ground that prepares people to turn to the Creator.
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From KabTV’s “Practical Kabbalah” 12/19/23
Related Material:
The Spiritual World Is Felt Through The Desires Of Others
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The eleventh commandment is to give tithing [10% of the produce, Maaser] from the land (Introduction of The Book of Zohar, “The Commandments of the Torah,” paragraph 244).
Question: How can one fulfill this commandment today if a person does not work on the land?
Answer: In our time, it is done somewhat differently. But in principle, we should understand that out of everything we receive from nature, we are obligated to set aside a tenth part that is not for our use. In this way, we separate what we can use for the benefit of all.
Comment: So there is a part of me that I cannot correct, and I set it aside in advance.
My Response: Yes, that includes humans and the surroundings, and animals, and plants, everything.
Comment: But physically, people also used to give tithes. It symbolizes that they cannot correct a certain part of their desires, Malchut.
My Response: We still do it now, but we do it in an organized manner as a community.
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From KabTV’s “Introduction of The Book of Zohar” 12/10/23
Related Material:
The Principle Of Tithing
Maaser – The Tenth Part Of The Desires
Who Corrects the Tenth Part of a Desire?
Question: How and with what can we compensate for the lack of feeling that the Creator is our source and constantly turn to Him, like in the example of a mother and child?
Answer: If we want to connect with each other to exit the control of egoism and we make efforts to do so, then we are always in connection with the Creator, and we can turn to Him and demand spiritual ascent.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/1/24, Writings of Rabash “What Are the Light Mitzvot that a Person Tramples with His Heels, in the Work?”
Related Material:
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Our sages said, “He who comes to purify is aided.” The Zohar asks, “How is he aided?” and it replies, “with a holy soul (Rabash. Article No. 41, 1990. “What Are the Light Mitzvot that a Person Tramples with His Heels, in the Work?”).
As a result of all his efforts in spiritual work, a person gets help from not turning off the path and adhering to the rule “just do not leave.” He cannot leave the group, the ten, and continue to move forward.
Question: What does it mean he is helped with a holy soul? What happens to him at the same time?
Answer: He opens his eyes a little and rises a little higher up the steps of the ladder of spiritual elevation.
Question: But is it revealed to him as a gift for his work or from the fact that he made an effort and found, i.e., earned?
Answer: It does not matter, either this or that. We cannot determine exactly why we received this or that attitude from above.
Question: Is the help of the holy soul carried out as a once-in-a-lifetime exit from Egypt? Or can it happen systematically?
Answer: No, it happens at specific points along the way.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/1/24, Writings of Rabash “What Are the Light Mitzvot that a Person Tramples with His Heels, in the Work?”
Related Material:
Hold on to Every Moment of the Path
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We Can’t Be Robbed Of Freewill
Question: What does it mean to fulfill the desires of the friends I have incorporated in?
Answer: This means that you can make calculations on how to fulfill the desires of your friends, then make Zivug de Hakaa (coupling with striking) with the upper light, and fill these desires with it. It is not an easy job.
This is how you connect with all your friends. They feel that they exist in one desire, and from this desire they come into contact with the Creator. That is, you all perform a common action together.
Zivug de Hakaa is the result of the fact that you want to receive all the light into all the Kelim of the group with the intention for the sake of the Creator.
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From KabTV’s “The Study of the Ten Sefirot (TES)” 1/3/24
Related Material:
Directly Through The Friends To The Creator
Understanding The Friend
Love Of Friends Is Our Common Treasure
Preparation to the Lesson
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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, “What Is the Meaning of Suffering in the Work?”
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2nd part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Vol. 2. Part 6, “Inner Observation,” Item 16″
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Selected Highlights
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