Preparation to the Lesson
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Lesson on the Topic, “For Every Penny Joins Into a Great Amount”
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Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Teaching of Kabbalah and Its Essence”
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Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Vol. 1, Part 4, Chapter 1, Item 11
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Selected Highlights
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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How do you explain war to a child?“
Children can understand war because they also fight with each other. The human ego, which makes us want to primarily enjoy ourselves without considering anyone else, operates from a very young age. So we need not hide anything about war from children.
Indeed, if we fail to raise children correctly, teaching them how to rise above the human ego and positively connect with others, then just as children play—wanting to take things away from each other in order to please themselves, and sometimes resorting to bullying each other—then this is how they continue into their adult years, which is why we end up with wars. Grownups no longer have sand shovels, sticks and toy guns in their hands, but weapons capable of doing serious harm.
Therefore, we should explain to children that they need to become accustomed to communicating, making peace and learning how to compromise. By doing so, they will not end up with terrible problems like those big people who go to war.
They should not be told about the enemy and the hatred in the conflict, and who is right or wrong, as they have no concept or basis for it. Rather, they understand words like giving and taking, wanting and taking, not wanting to give what they have to others, etc. and it is possible to explain war to children in such terms. Nevertheless, give-and-take relations are at the basis of war and all kinds of international relations. War is a dangerous and terrible outcome when these grownups could not reach any peaceful compromise in time.
Therefore, we should teach children from as early as possible that disputes should not be resolved by force, otherwise we will destroy each other. Disputes can be resolved by discussing how to reach peace together, with mutual concessions, rather than with an approach of “I am right and you are wrong, and now you will understand it.”
The most important aspect in education is learning how to compromise. Otherwise, what is all this education for? To teach how to hit first, harder and to inflict as much damage as possible? No, we need to learn how to stop and compromise. It is extremely difficult to do, especially for children, because they have a very direct and straightforward egoistic approach to life, shamelessly wanting things for themselves without any concern for others. Therefore, education should consist of explaining such concepts, learning them together with the children, and seating children in circles to engage in practical engagement on such topics. That is, if a dispute arises among children, then it is time to sit down and sort it out. They should develop such templates from their youth on how to not resort to fighting, but to resolve disputes through conversation and compromise. It is a very long process, but if it is not implemented at these early stages, then it will only get worse later.
Such education is not only necessary for children, but for teachers too, the adults. It is the same human ego in both children and adults, and it requires the same kinds of explanations and training in order to rise above it and realize that conceding for the sake of peace is much more worthwhile than going to war.
Based on the video “How to Explain War to a Child” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Semion Vinokur. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why is the world facing so many crises and problems?“
We are undergoing a cleansing process. It is as if we are inside the drum of a washing machine, and our attitudes to each other, to life, and our worldviews, are tumbling and turning.
It is indeed a sign of our times, and as a result of this cleansing process, we are supposed to revise the way we relate to each other, to the world and to nature—to reach a clearly defined inner frame of reference through which we view everyone and everything.
We need to go through a process of revealing just how uncertain and incomplete we are within ourselves, how far we are from any kind of objective view of reality, that everything in our worldviews has been imposed on us and is subject to change according to the various influences we encounter throughout our lives.
In order to overcome our constant drifting in our worldviews and attitudes, we have to zero in on life’s ultimate goal. When we grab hold of our life’s purpose in such a way, as if harpooning it, and then it will start pulling us closer, and we will constantly progress toward it.
Our life’s purpose is to reach a clear perception and sensation of the laws of nature, laws of love and bestowal, by equalizing our qualities (egoistic) with nature’s (altruistic). We will then experience an eternal and perfect state of existence, and likewise exist in harmony and peace, free from the accumulating crises and problems we currently experience.
We will then see that nothing else actually exists. That we currently find ourselves in a state of exponentially-increasing crises and problems is already the beginning of such a state of being.
Moreover, we approach the revelation of the final state of existence scientifically, by means of experience: research, reviewing and reproducing the results, like scientists. We go through this process quite naturally, through trial and error, with various experiments, seeing what works and what does not.
In aviation, there is a mechanism called a gyroscope that maintains the aircraft’s orientation in space. It is a motor with a clear aim, for instance, at the North Star, and therefore, regardless of how it rotates, from any direction, the motor aims precisely at a certain set of coordinates with its inner axis.
The result of the accumulating crises and problems we are experiencing are thus in order to develop within us a similar inner device, an inner attitude that relates to everyone and everything with our final purpose in mind—a state of absolute love, bestowal and connection that we are bound to reach.
When we develop such an inner device, we will then see how everything will calm down, and achieve a newfound sense of balance, harmony, peace, happiness, safety and confidence.
Based on the video “Why Is the World Facing So Many Crises and Problems?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Semion Vinokur. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
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Michael Laitman, On The Times of Israel: “Bad Times – Opportunities for Correction”
Today is the 9th of Av according to the Hebrew calendar. On this day, the First and Second Temples were ruined and the people of Israel were exiled from their land. It happened centuries apart, but on the exact same day of the year. On the physical level, there are days that are prone to trouble. The three weeks before the 9th of Av are such days, and especially the 9th of Av itself. However, on the spiritual level, there are no bad days. Every day is an opportunity for correction, and bad days are actually the best opportunities.
Both temples were ruined because of Israel’s hatred for each other. In the First Temple, it manifested itself in bloodshed and slander. In the Second Temple, the hatred became so intense that it needed no reason or reasoning whatsoever. This is why it was called “unfounded hatred.” That hatred, the worst of all hatreds, destroys everything, just as it did to the children of Israel at that time. Because they were consumed by such hatred, they lost the city of Jerusalem, the land of Israel, and were scattered throughout the world for two millennia.
Healing this hatred is the spiritual work we have to do. Every day is an opportunity to heal the hatred in our hearts and turn it into love of others. But days when we remember the horrific consequences of our hatred for each other should give us an extra drive to cure ourselves from that plague. This is why kabbalists do not regard such days as bad days, but as opportunities for
If we treat such days as invitations to correct our hatred and increase the love between us, we will do ourselves and the world a great service, since hatred is the cause of all our troubles. If we heal it between us, it will be healed all around us.
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Medium published my new article “A New Beginning for Latin America Is Possible”
I feel great sympathy for Latin America and my students there; the socioeconomic turmoil they are experiencing saddens me and I share their concerns and pain. While the whole world is experiencing more difficult situations, Latin American countries do not anticipate a good future either, especially with the high cost of living, exacerbated by the increase in fuel prices.
The recent protests in Argentina, Ecuador and Panama, as well as in other Latin American countries, triggered by the economic crisis, are most likely just the harbinger of social unrest in the coming months. It is likely that the governments of the region will not be able to meet people’s demands for a reduction in the cost of living to appease their fears and discontent.
To overcome the crisis, I suggest that Latin Americans try to lower their demands on material life and not introduce every Western pattern offered to them into their way of life. It is good for them to lead a less developed lifestyle, and to be satisfied with what they have.
Western countries should also let them go and not try to impose their culture and consumerism on them, which the West considers a sign of progress and development. Foremost Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag rightly wrote that “we learn what a terrible wrong inflict those nations that force their reign on minorities, depriving them of freedom without allowing them to live their lives by the tendencies they have inherited from their ancestors. They are regarded as no less than murderers.” (The Freedom)
Peace and goodness for these nations will not come through materialistic development. On the contrary, the developed nations are bringing destruction to the authentic nations around the world as once happened to the indigenous peoples in the United States. Latin Americans are no longer able to be satisfied with what they have due to the Western influence and they will not be able to stabilize and remain on the same level of existence as the Western countries.
The greatest danger Latin America faces is the uncontrolled proliferation and commercialization of illegal drugs; this is very unfortunate. These are beautiful countries with good people, but they are being destroyed by the desire to artificially raise their standard of living.
The more a nation develops, the more selfishness it develops, and with this comes distance, coldness and social alienation between people. The natural connection that once existed between people and the rest of the species and all of nature, which is the feeling that everyone is connected in one system, is lost. It must be rekindled through education and implementation instruction to truly experience lasting change for the better.
I really like the character of the Latin Americans. They have a straightforward approach to others and to the world. They are not disingenuous people who talk nicely to you while holding a knife or a machete behind their back, they do not have malicious thoughts. But today, they develop without their beneficent intention, only according to what the pocket dictates, not according to the soul. They need to make an effort and put connection between them to the forefront and exercise the mutual care and responsibility that has been lost in a conscious way.
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Michael Laitman, On The Times of Israel: “On Righteousness and Being Righteous”
Sadio Mane, who was one of Liverpool Football [soccer] Club’s top players and top earners, with a salary of £150,000 per week, was once spotted carrying an iPhone with a broken screen before a game. When asked about it, he said, “Why would I want ten Ferraris, 20 diamond watches, or two planes? What will these objects do for me and for the world? I was hungry, and I had to work in the field; I survived hard times, played football barefooted, I did not have an education and many other things, but today with what I earn thanks to football, I can help my people … I built schools, a stadium, we provide clothes, shoes, food for people who are in extreme poverty. In addition, I give 70 euros per month to all people in a very poor region of Senegal which contributes to their family economy. I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes, trips and even planes. I prefer that my people receive a little of what life has given me.”
This is very impressive, no doubt. It is rare to find people with such a sincere desire to help.
A few days ago, someone asked me if Mane is a righteous man. Here is where I need to explain something about the meaning of the title “righteous” and the term “righteousness.”
In Hebrew, the word tzadik (righteous) comes from the word matzdik (thinking that someone or something is right). In other words, it is something that comes to a person who debates between two options and decides which of them is right.
Most people are not natural born givers like Mr. Mane. For him, the logic is simple: He grew up poor, he knows how it feels not to have what you need, he cares about his people, so he wants to prevent as many of his people as possible from feeling that scarcity. Mane is not debating between two options; he knows what he wants to do and follows his desire. This is great, but it is not “righteousness.”
“Righteousness” means that you face two options, one of which is very tempting but not good, and the other one is good but wholly undesirable. Specifically, it is a choice between doing what is good only for me or what is good for others. My decision, therefore, is not between two things that feel good, but between what feels good and what feels right.
Since Mane feels good when he gives, he is not regarded as a “righteous” in that sense. A generous person toward his people, certainly, but not “righteous” in the sense that he debated between two options and chose the right one over the pleasurable one. As he himself said, “I do not need to display luxury cars, luxury homes,” etc., meaning he does not want them, or wants them less than to help his people.
There is an idiom in the wisdom of Kabbalah, “There is not a righteous man on earth who does good and did not sin.” Another idiom says, “A thousand times will a righteous fall and rise.” In other words, righteous people are individuals with very strong selfish desires, who have fallen into their selfishness, then chose to rise above it having realized that they need to do what is right, and not what pleases their egos.
On a side note, but even more important, being righteous or not righteous is not the issue in our society. We do not need to look for righteous people or for generous benefactors; we need to make all of society just and balanced, and then we will have no destitute people who are forced to rely on others’ generosity.
To achieve this, we must set up educational systems that will teach us values, not information. Humanity could live very well, without any deprivation or paucity, if only people felt connected and cared for one another. Our problem, therefore, is not that not enough people are as generous as Mr. Mane, but that all of us, almost without exception, are absorbed in ourselves. We need a global education system that will teach us how we are all connected and dependent on each other. Since we are mutually dependent, it is mandatory that we learn to care about each other. Only such a global educational system will enable us to think of each other and build a better world together.
I wish all of us to be wealthy not with money, but with love for one another. This is all the affluence that we will ever need.
Comment: We received a letter from women who gathered in Latvia to support our congress. They write that they also have a strong congress in Latvia, Moscow, and virtually as well, absolutely identical to the male one.
In parallel with our meetings, they have regular gatherings of friends, which are held by women’s groups from different countries. They use them to clarify the prayer and the role of women. They realize that women cannot live and unite for their own sake, but they live and unite for the sake of men, the future generation, and the world.
My Response: I absolutely agree with them. Indeed, we men need to learn this from women. They initially have a more “outside of themselves” nature. And we will try to be similar and correct ourselves.
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From the “Arava” Convention in Europe—Lithuania 2022, Lesson 2, 7/24/22
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Question: Is there a connection between spiritual genes and the corporeal states of my physiological body?
Answer: Naturally, there is. Both of these factors are active within the same person.
There are things that we receive through the corporeal world and there are things that we receive through the spiritual world. Some are perceived by us through study and others are perceived through the surrounding society, relatives, and so on.
Question: So is it possible to change the corporeal states as well?
Answer: Everything can be changed. A person can change himself completely.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 7/12/22
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Comment: We have an instinctive program for the development of the physiological body. And we see how it develops.
My Response: This happens at the inanimate, vegetative and animate levels of nature. At the human level, however, we must educate a person and raise him, otherwise a Man will not grow out of him.
In other words, there is one program that is not related to my awareness of it—this is “animal.” And there is a program called “man within a human” in order to grow a Man out of this animal.
Question: What do you mean by “Man”?
Answer: The animal in which love for others is consciously developing is called “Man.” After all, by cultivating love for others, one becomes like the Creator. “Similar to the Creator” and is called “Adam“—from the word “Domeh.” Therefore, such a man is called “Adam.”
Love for my neighbor is a manifestation of my correct connection with him and the restoration of one common system, which is referred to in Kabbalah.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 7/12/22
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