How To Survive The Loss Of A Loved One

961.2Question: There is a letter from a person close to you and me. He writes: “My wife and I lived for many long and happy years, then she got cancer and fought for life for two years. At some point we thought we had won, but cancer is such an insidious disease, it lurked and then struck with renewed force. My wife was no longer moving after chemotherapy, she kept asking, ‘Do I deserve this?’ And I want to ask you, dear Michael Laitman: why did He create us to be such sentient creations? Why didn’t He give us power over our feelings?”

Answer: He has given us power over feelings, but only if we gain this power for a purpose higher than just feeling. This is when you will rise above your feelings and control them, not turning them off with painkillers or drugs, but when you can use your feelings in the right way. Fear and pain and all other unpleasant sensations are given to us for this purpose.

Question: And we need to go through these states that he went through when he saw how his wife was suffering?

Answer: And this also needs to be passed. And we will still, unfortunately, observe all this on everyone around us, and we will be among them ourselves.

We will not be able to turn off our feelings in any way, we just have to learn how to manage them properly.

Now humanity is slowly approaching the state when it will see global cataclysms that are coming closer and ready to crash on us and are already falling on a part of humanity. And those who have not yet fallen under this wave see what is happening and have to change themselves quickly, to become in complete harmony with nature, that is, to rise above their egoism, to get closer to others, and just “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Question: You are practically saying what humanity is going to face. And I want to ask: at that moment when a loved one is suffering in front of me?

Answer: It is too late. We still have to do something, try to still fight this wave of grief, illness, pain, and so on and so forth. But in principle, we need to act prior to all of this happening.

At least, bow your head down and do everything based on the fact that it comes from above, and you, in general, agree with this upper judgment.

Comment: That the loved one has been taken away from you? It is not easy.

My Response: This is a tragedy! This is a disaster! Especially people who have lived together and lived for many years. It is incredible! It is easier to die yourself!

Comment: Yes, that is the feeling he had: “I would prefer so that it would have come to me! Why did she have to suffer?!”

My Response: Yes. But it won’t help. This is the easiest solution.

Question: What is the main solution at this moment?

Answer: Bow your head down and do whatever you need to do. Fully agree with the upper force that does this to us, and try to annul yourself in this state so much that you agree to accept everything.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 8/12/21

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The Four Attributes Of Upper Governance, Part 4

220The Path to Correct Connection

Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”: Thus, we should scrutinize and examine those four properties in order to thoroughly understand what we have been given thus far, and by them know what aid we should hope to get from them in the future.

Here is where mutual work takes place. On one hand it involves our attempts to identify the properties of mercy, truth, justice, and peace inside us, to develop them, and then start to compare them.

On the other hand, through our work with them, we need to see in what way they are helping us. How can we use mercy, truth, justice, peace, and their opposite counterparts in order to connect?

Today the world is going through a state of complete collapse and everyone is distancing from each other. People understand that they cannot be together in the family. Countries cannot keep their citizens inside the country. Countries themselves are disintegrating, scattering to no one knows where. That is, the entire world is moving away from each other in all possible degrees of freedom.

As a result, we gradually come to realize that what we lack is the correct connection between us, that is, the correct use of the categories of mercy, truth, justice, and peace. After all, only in this case will we reach the absolute perfect state.

Then we will not simply have peace on Earth, good relations in the family, and so on, on the contrary, if we advance correctly, then nature, the Creator, will be pushing us further to negative qualities, showing us even greater deficiencies.

As, for example, an adult compared to a child, it seems to the child that if he is holding a toy in his hands, the world is perfect and he does not need anything else. An adult, however, needs more and more. So do we.

Therefore, we should not assume that negative qualities that life presents to us are something negative. They are forces guiding us to the purpose of creation. If we work with them correctly, we will move very quickly and correctly to the goal.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah” 7/28/19

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Do Not Pull Out The Weeds

629.4Question: There was a man who took great pride in his beautiful lawn. One day, he saw dandelions growing in the grass. No matter how hard he tried to fight it, to his dismay the dandelions continued their rapid growth. He turned to a sage and asked: “How can you help me clear the field of dandelions?” “You need to start loving them,” said the sage.

We want to see a certain kind of field, a certain kind of life, but life is full of dandelions. We keep fighting them, but the struggle never leads to anything. Do we have to love them in order for them to disappear?

Answer: Of course not.

Question: What will happen?

Answer: There will be not only dandelions, but all sorts of weeds and thorns. And you will realize that this is what should exist in this field. But you will find yourself in the correct interaction with them. You will see a new life, a new world, in their manifestations toward you.

Question: So my task is not to clear the field of weeds?

Answer: Not to do anything. What appears before us should be appearing exactly as it is. We only take out of it what we need for our existence and leave everything else as is. It will change depending on our inner changes.

Question: So I never destroy anything?

Answer: You should never destroy anything!

Question: What if I encounter evil, all sorts of troubles, haters?

Answer: Do nothing! You cannot destroy anything. You cannot do anything about either good or evil. You cannot even understand what is evil and what is good. This is possible only when we behave correctly, and then through our internal balance between all our bad and good qualities, each within himself and between us, we cause changes in the surrounding nature: animate, vegetative, and inanimate, as well as changes in their balance.

Question: How do I act correctly regarding what I see?

Answer: I must work at the level of “love your neighbor as yourself” and perceive everything around me as a manifestation of the Creator. I should excel at loving all of nature without trying to see something good or bad in it, which I see through my egoism when something seems good or bad to me based on some criteria of taste, or smell, or its usefulness, while something else does not.

I must accept everything as the upper force and try to shape myself as the correct component of this force, to be in harmony with it, and then everything will fall in its place. My views will change: whatever has to leave will leave, and what needs to stay will remain. If necessary, dinosaurs will reappear, but they will be friendly.

Question: So, I am always trying to break this connection with nature. Is this my main issue?

Answer: Not break it, I am trying to cripple it.

Question: And it responds with weeds, each time bigger and bigger?

Answer: Yes.

Question: And if I try to find a connection with it, to resonate with it, then I will practically not notice the weeds?

Answer: I will simply not criticize it. If I need something, I will take very carefully from it, but never harm it.

It all depends on the attitude. Attitude is not a physical action. It happens afterward. It is the feeling of love for everything around me because it comes from the Creator.

I look at everything as nasty, dirty, as cruelty among animals and so on, and I see that it is all nature, coming from the Creator.

And the reason for it being this way is also explained to me in the Torah. If man were kind, then all other parts of nature under him would also be kind to each other. And naturally, the lion would lie down with the lamb, and the little child would play with them, and everything would be fine. It depends only on the attitude of people toward nature. I think we will see this. It is pretty close.

Question: By nature you mean virtually the whole universe?

Answer: The entire universe including our world and all interactions in it. Up to the point that we can change our relationship to nature in such a way that with our good attitude, we will never get a negative reaction from it. On the contrary, if you need to take something from nature—like water or bread—you are welcome to. Everything will grow and bloom beautifully and there will be enough for everyone! All we need to do is to correct our relations.

This is not a fairy tale. I think people will start to understand this. And then they will curtail all their grand plans like flying to Mars or others. They will not need any of it.

The most important thing is to make our life on Earth self-sufficient, beautiful, and to engage in inner contemplation. Not through physical external expansion. We will achieve nothing by it. We will only burn ourselves and exhaust all our resources. But on the contrary: by inner deep scrutiny into nature, we will begin to attain its eternity, infinity, and its altogether different structure. This is where everything is.

I think that people will now go through a certain stage of realizing the uselessness of their scientific and technological development and become convinced of its futility.

We see today that all these years of progress have amounted to nothing. It allowed us to grow to eight billion people instead of two billion in the course of 100 years. But what good is it? Who among these people who were born and grew up are happy or satisfied? What good are they doing for themselves or the world? Perhaps it would have been better not to bring them into the world or develop them but let them exist in a different form, not developing, not being born.

Question: Is it possible to exist without being born?

Answer: Of course. What good is there in them coming to this world? It says so in the Torah, the sages sat and discussed: who is happy—one who was born or one who was not born? And they decided, happy, of course, is one who was not born, but if you were born, you must behave correctly.

Question: So you should still choose the goal of life correctly?

Answer: Yes. But the one who was not born is happier. And what does he do then? He has a different life we know nothing of in a non-physical form.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/15/21

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Why Are Animals And Birds Dying Out?

720The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is a large, very beautiful bird that has recently been declared extinct. Why did this happen? Why are whole species of animals and birds disappearing?

There are no conditions for their existence, and therefore they disappear like dinosaurs became extinct. Each historical period has its own birds, animals, and people. And just as our life is assigned a certain period, so the species of animals exist for a limited time.

Therefore we need to regret only one thing when we leave this world: Have we used the life given to us correctly? You need to agree with what is given to you and try to do everything that is still possible to do.
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From KabTV’s “Look from the Inside”

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For The Sake Of Correcting A Common Soul

509Then the children of Reuben and the children of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh answered, and spoke to the heads of the thousands of Israel.

“God, God, the Lord, God, God, the Lord, He knows, and Israel, he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the Lord, save us not this day.

If we have built us an altar to turn away from following the Lord, or if to offer upon it burnt-offering or meal-offering, or if to offer peace-offerings upon it, let the Lord Himself require it (Joshua, 22:21-22:23).

Question: Before starting the war in Trans-Jordan, ambassadors were sent there to find out the intentions of the two and a half tribes of Israel, who went beyond the Jordan and built an altar there.

The tribes of Manasseh, Gad and Reuben explained their actions by the fact that years would pass and Jordan would become a border and divide the people. Therefore they were afraid that the ten tribes remaining on the other side of the Jordan would want to deprive them of the opportunity to pray and serve God in a single temple. And just to show that they are one people, they built an altar.

Why were they afraid of what others would think?

Answer: We are talking about the internal connections between all the desires of the broken soul of Adam. For the sons of Israel, the main thing is that they be together, because only then does the personal correction of each affect everyone else—all common desires.

They do not think about themselves, but about the general correction. Everything is only for the sake of correcting one common soul. Therefore any separation and estrangement is terrible for them.

Comment: You also constantly say the only thing the people should do is to wish to reach unity.

My Response: Yes, the most important thing is to come to a common opinion, thoughts, to the Creator, under which everyone can unite and destroy any partitions separating us, so that there is nothing that would separate a person from a person. Only mutual striving for a single goal. Everyone, based on their soul, should try to do this as efficiently as possible for everyone. This is called “one altar,” “one temple.”
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 8/23/21

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Elixir Of Youth

715A Harvard University biologist claims that he has invented the elixir of youth, which reprograms the genetic program, stops aging, and even turns back time, causing grey hair to darken and wrinkles to smooth out. Experiments have already been conducted on mice and human trials are planned soon.

I, however, think that it is impossible to go back in time and there is no need to do that. We should live as long as we are supposed to and enjoy our destiny. Let the upper force control your life. It is risky to transfer this power into the hands of a person. Maybe he can do it with mice, but I do not want to be a lab rat.

There are people who dream of being forever young. But I do not want to be a child because everything has its time. Today I am 75 years old, and I want to continue for as long as the Creator gives me the strength and to end my life when the time comes.

No one prevents you from enjoying life like a child at any age. Cheerfulness does not depend on physical strength, but only on the inner harmony in a person between himself and the essence of life. If I agree with what is happening to me, then I calmly follow the flow of life, realizing that it will continue until its period expires.

Of course this life will end one day, and I do not regret anything. Agreeing is the key to a harmonious life because it gives a connection with the upper force, with nature, the only thing that determines my life.

Nature has arranged it so that we begin life full of energy and we gradually lose it toward the end. After all each stage has ascents and descents, but a person is given the mind and feelings in order to examine and understand what the Creator did and what He left for us to do by ourselves. The more I understand about life, the more I agree with the Creator.

The source of youth is in the heart of a person. Feel young and do not give in to old age. There is no such stage in life when it starts going downhill; life always goes up.
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From “KabTV’s Look from the Inside” 10/4/21

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Fear Comes To Us For A Reason

627.2Comment: Tanya Mararu writes to you: “How can we overcome the fear that tomorrow there will be no money, nothing to eat? At the same time, everyone is alive and well. I am on maternity leave and only my husband works. And I am afraid.”

My Response: It is a natural feeling, and I understand it.

How to overcome fear? Be more connected with those people who think about the future. Calmly, dispassionately, they try to be connected with each other and try to find a connection with the upper force that determines everything in the present and in the future.

Question: Why does fear come when everything is fine?

Answer: It is all purposeful, it is all very good. Without fear, man would be a wild animal.

Fear limits our ego. Fear is a very good feeling that protects us, otherwise we would just go insane. We need to learn how to use it properly. And then we will not be afraid of it, but will bless it.

Question: What is the purpose of fear?

Answer: The purpose of fear is to correctly direct us toward the true path of development, to find the highest force of bestowal, love, and connection in the relationship between us. And then we will really not be afraid of anything.

Question: And you are referring to an ordinary person?

Answer: Today, it is already for an ordinary person. We see that the whole world is in fear. And only a person who does not understand where he is at all can claim with bravado that he is not afraid of anything. It is not from having a big mind. And that is why we need to bless the fear, because it correctly directs us toward the right goal.

Question: Toward each other, you mean?

Answer: Yes. We need to understand that fear is given to us on purpose. It is a very good asset.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 8/12/21

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Man And Woman: Attitude To Life

560Comment: At present, the representation of women in areas that belonged exclusively to men 15 to 20 years ago has significantly increased.

My Response: This is not a result of a good life. Talk to business women heart-to-heart and you will see that they do not need it. It does not make women happy. Well, a little more money, a little more something.

A woman treats life more realistically than a man does. She is attached to the world, to the earth, to nature. And those things that are not material enough, that is, ghostly money in the bank or something like that, are not very important for her. She is interested in safety and security, but only as much as they are necessary in the current conditions for her life and no more.

A man chases various toys: ships, airplanes, and yachts. He remains a child. It does not matter to him whether it benefits him or not; he gets carried away with his games and spends his time in this way.

A woman does not need this. She looks at the world more realistically: she needs a home, a family, solid security.

Question: What is the nature of this phenomenon that a man feels self-sufficient? If a woman did not demand anything from him, he would continue playing his games.

Answer: A man should be aimed at the attainment of the Creator, should bring this attainment into our world, pass it to a woman, and with her help reach the Creator because it is impossible without this. A man and a woman together in their joint aspiration, i.e., the male and female parts of humanity, reach the Creator.

Man descended into our world as one being, and then divided into two opposite parts, a man and a woman. Only by joining together (this is only about spiritual, not physical qualities) can we climb up and attain the upper world.
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From KabTV’s “Close-Up. Emancipation” 9/16/09

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Should One Be Proud Of His Last Name?

49.01Initially, the Jews were divided into three groups: the Cohens, the Levites, and the nation (Israel). There was a time when a simple Israelite could become a Levite. But earlier, it was all inherited and the Cohens and Levites practically did not come from the common people.

And the fact that now people with such surnames live next to us all came to us from those distant times.

Comment: Many, by the way, are proud of this.

My Response: I have seen it more than once. But I do not think we can be proud of it today.

Before, it was really honorable to be a Levite or a Cohen, because it was a testament to the inner essence of a person who had reached a certain level in his knowledge and internal corrections. And now, everything is so grounded.
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 8/23/21

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Is It Necessary To Reduce The Population Of The Planet?

962.6Question: The world is becoming global. Many economists and scientists write about it. But what does this knowledge give me as an ordinary person from the point of view of Kabbalah?

Answer: This knowledge does not give a person anything if he does not understand where we are going. Globalization suggests that the world is round and that we are all interconnected with each other.

Moreover, there are two types of relationships. We are either connected poorly, egoistically, and then we enter into fights and begin to tear each other apart, or we can somehow find ways of proper communication between us.

Therefore, on one hand, according to serious scientific calculations, it is necessary to reduce the population of the planet by 60 to 70% or the planet will simply not support us.

Or, we can expose ourselves to nature and reduce our population sharply and harshly with enormous suffering, epidemics, or war.

Or, it can be done in a different way by us in no manner diminishing ourselves and even, perhaps developing further—if we find the right connection between us and nature. And nature will not oppose us, but will treat us kindly, just as we treat it.
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From Kab TV’s “Close-Up. Reference Point” 9/9/09

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