Michael Laitman, On Quora: “TV is a very powerful communication medium. Why do we use it to spread such unimportant information?“

Television is a source of information for the masses, and since the lowest and basest desires are what the masses have in common, then television mostly caters for such desires.

The problem, however, is not with the level of the masses.

If those behind TV programming would think about how to elevate the level of the masses, instead of being led by the lowest and basest desires, then it would become a great and respectable educational tool.

Instead, however, TV is mostly used to sell what the masses like, catering to their most common desires. The top priority of those behind TV programming is to profit as much as possible, which is achieved through selling as much as possible. Therefore, there is little to no consideration about the education of society and raising the consciousness of the masses.

If the people behind TV’s programming would consider humanity’s future, and together with psychologists and education experts, think about how to increase the consciousness of the masses, then TV would become a major means of raising a more harmonious and happy society. In fact, we can place our hopes for a better future into using our communication means in order to raise human consciousness. Authorities should ideally put an end to such a lowly use of the means of mass information as it exists today, and seek to replace it with programming aimed at raising human consciousness. The course to humanity’s positive future depends on the expansion of such education, which TV and other mass media can aid if their owners so choose.

Based on a Q&A with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on September 9, 2006. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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In the News (BBC.org): “Solving climate change would be ‘the most amazing thing humanity has ever done’, says the billionaire founder of Microsoft.

Question: If you would write him a letter, what would you say in it?

Answer: I would tell him this: “Bill, you are a good American guy, and I am glad that your heart hurts for the future of humanity once you are no longer alive. And you are not trying to fly far to other planets like Elon Musk to create some colonies there.

But you see, everything that you propose must be based on the change of man. Change the world, we have come to such a state when changing the world depends only on changing man. Directly! One to one.

So, you want the climate to improve? Change the person. You want less emissions—oil, gas and so on? Change the person. You want people to have less AIDS and all sorts of other diseases? Change the person.

You must put this in your head as the true, real, primary cause of everything because a person can do everything in the world except change himself.

How to change yourself? There is such a technique. It must be taught, it must be put into practice. Then we can actually change the world. Changing the world is in changing the person. Only!”

Question: So you propose to start studying your science?

Answer: I propose the study of the science of Kabbalah and to try more and more with its help to see how we can actually change the world. And changing the world can happen only by changing the person.

For example: if tomorrow you make some new discoveries and can neutralize half of all emissions into the atmosphere, it will not change anything in the end. It will not change! It seems to you that this will be a huge leap forward? No, it will not. You will see; everything that we do on earthly level will not help. It is necessary to change the person himself.

And this is already a complex solution. Only by bringing a person to a state where he can realize which of his actions are fatal to humanity and which are to its benefit can you change our future.

Otherwise what? Will you forbid everyone to use the oven, microwave, or own a car? It is impossible. It is necessary to change a person, his attitude toward himself, toward the environment.

A person should feel that if it is harmful, it should not be used! And he has practically no such prohibitions today. With him, all these prohibitions amount to: “more expensive versus cheaper.” So through all sorts of taxes, by anything, you will not achieve a thing. They will slip away anyway.

Comment: Still, he is not a stupid person. I think he would have asked you: “Dr. Laitman, you yourself say that this is human nature. If this is human nature, can it really be changed?”

My Response: This is the only method, and Kabbalah offers it. A method for changing, truly changing, a person. Therefore, it is the most ancient, the toughest science. But it is the only science that can actually cope with a person.

Question: What should a person understand?

Answer: Man is the center of this world. He can destroy it, he can destroy himself, or on the contrary, he can revive. That is, we need to make sure that a person understands that it is in his power and where he leads this world with each of his actions.

This is education.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/5/21

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Comprehension of the Creator and Physical Sensations

Question: What physical sensations accompany attainment of the Creator?

Answer: There are no physical sensations in attaining the Creator since this attainment takes place at the next level of our perception. This is a sensation that shines on a person in reflected light. A person perceives it only in the quality of bestowal.

Question: But perhaps when attaining the Creator, does a person’s heart rate increase or does something change in the normal functioning of the body?

Answer: I did not measure my blood pressure or pulse, but it is quite possible that there are such external changes. However, a person does not pay attention to them; he is above physical sensations.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah” 6/23/19

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Question: There is kosher and non-kosher food. What does it mean?

Answer: Kosher means usable, suitable, for human consumption. It represents the absorption of the upper light. Therefore, this food must be kosher, that is, special, prepared in a specific way. This refers to the next level of a person getting closer to the Creator.

Kosher are those types of domestic animals that have an inner loop of digestion. By swallowing food, they go to a repeated round. This suggests that any food they have does not slip from top to bottom, therefore they symbolize the right intention.

All actions of the upper world are reflected on the animate level. A person who is at the level of spiritual attainment, can look at a fish or some kind of animal and immediately tell whether it is a kosher or non-kosher animal.

Question: If we say that food symbolizes an abundance of upper light, then can I allow myself some forms of pleasure from the connection with the Creator and some forms I cannot?

Answer: Yes, non-kosher food represents such forms that it is impossible to accept with the intention for bestowal. That is why we do not use them.

Comment: It is said that it will be possible to eat everything at the end of correction.

My Response: Absolutely everything. Therefore, this will be the end of correction.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 7/9/21

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Question:  Does evil bounce back to the person who perpetrates evil: kills, maims, and hates? There are so many evil-doers in the world! And they do not suffer, but to the contrary, they only get richer and live happily ever after. And we are barely making ends meet. Where is justice?

Answer: There is no justice in our everyday, egoistic concept. And there is no need to expect any of this: who would take revenge on someone and make all these sinners burn while I watch and gloat.

There is no such thing! Because all this is done by the single upper force in order to bring everyone to an equal state so that the evil that was revealed would be balanced by the good and not disappear in exchange for some punishments. Everything is necessary.

Question: And what should I do when I see evil? This indignant person who sees a terrible, huge evil in the world, can he cope with his feeling?

Answer: First relate it to the Creator and not to people. And then relate it to yourself. Because if you had the right intentions, desires, and properties, you would see not evil but good. You should have seen the opposite world.

Question: We should take these two steps: attribute everything to the Creator and then attribute it to yourself? And the picture will begin to appear?

Answer: If only it would appear so quickly and simply…

Question: Does it actually take years?

Answer: It depends on the person. It depends on how much a person, despite his egoism, wants to glue himself to the truth.

Question: If he blames the world all the time, then this will not happen?

Answer: Of course, by this he accuses the Creator.

Question: And if he wants not to blame the Creator but to find himself in this matter?

Answer: Then he will reveal the right attitude.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman”11/26/20

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Question: If there are obstacles on the way to achieve a material goal, how can we understand if it is a hint from the Creator to stop or to continue pursuing it?

Answer: If we are talking about moving toward a material goal, then you must act following what exists in this world: either avoid obstacles, or jump over, or stop. This has nothing to do with Kabbalah.

You cannot now, with the initial knowledge of Kabbalah that you have, begin to realize material problems in any way.

Do not confuse one with the other. You are engaged in studying Kabbalah—study it. Do not try to bring something from there into your life. Life is still separate from Kabbalah for now.

Gradually, with development in the spiritual ten, you will see how you are changing. Then your attitude to the world will change and so will the problems, including material ones.
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From KabTV’s “Videoconference”

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Preparation to the Lesson

Lesson on the Topic “Annulling Before the Upper One” 

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”

Lesson on the Topic “Preparation for the Convention”

Selected Highlights

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Question: How can I properly love my neighbor as myself if I understand that I am naturally subject to the Creator?

Answer: If you understand that it is impossible to love your neighbor in any way because you love only yourself and the Creator gives you everything, then you should turn to Him. That’s all.

Only the Creator is to blame for what is happening in your country and in the whole world in general. He does all this so that we turn to Him and ask Him to change our nature.

After all, with the change of our nature by the Creator, at our own request, there is the attainment of the highest degree of governance from where all the signals descend. Thus, we rise higher and higher to His level of governance. The Creator is a global law, a global force of nature, that includes everything in itself, generates and controls absolutely everything.

By ascending to Him, we can feel the lower layers in ourselves that we rise above. That is why He arranged everything. That is what it is said: “I created an evil inclination, and you will figure out where it came from, and who can fix it.” Any evil, any bad manifestation, comes from the Creator only in order for us to start turning to Him.

It’s very simple. We just need to get together and start implementing it.

Moreover, it is very difficult for one person to do this; he must be in a group of like-minded people. After all, with the support of the group when everyone pushes and correctly directs each other to the Creator, gathers in tens, and forms a common system between you, you will be able to squeeze out such an appeal to the Creator that will force Him to change His attitude toward you.

The Creator specifically gives us problems so that we ask Him to change us. And He Himself cannot change, He is the absolute. He can change us so that we begin to understand His nature and His attitude toward us as good and kind.

To the extent that our egoistic nature changes to an altruistic one, we begin to see the world, ourselves, and everyone around us as kind, pleasant, and united. But, first of all, we must support each other in turning to the Creator, and only in order for Him to correct us.

Usually, the Creator is asked to change Himself and treat us better. And Kabbalah teaches us how to turn to the Creator so that He corrects us. And then we will understand that He treats us correctly and well. As we change, we will begin to feel it.

For example, a child does not like how his parents treat him, all the time limiting and instructing him. But when he gets smarter, he understands that this is for his own good and he accepts everything correctly. So let’s try to be good children.
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From KabTV’s “Videoconference”

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Prophets, Joshua 7:11-7:12: Israel has sinned, and they have also transgressed My covenant which I commanded them; and they have also taken of the consecrated thing, and have also stolen, and also dissembled, and they have also put into their vessels.

And the children of Israel shall not be able to stand before their enemies; they will turn their backs before their enemies, because they have become accursed. I will not be with you anymore, if you do not destroy the consecrated thing from among you.

“They have also taken of the consecrated thing.” That is, they took all kinds of jewelry, vessels, and valuables, which symbolize uncorrected desires. Therefore, the Creator says: “I will not be with you anymore.”

Question: Does the whole world practically lives off the accursed?

Answer: This all exists inside us. We must clearly separate one from the other in order to work only with the properties of bestowal. This will gradually happen. You just need to know that this is how it should be and wait for it to happen.

Arise, prepare the people, and say, Prepare yourselves for tomorrow; for thus says the Lord God of Israel, There is an accursed thing in your midst, O Israel; you will not be able to stand before your enemies, until you remove the accursed thing from among you.

And it shall be, he that is taken with the accursed thing shall be burned with fire, he and all that he has; because he has transgressed the covenant of the Lord, because he has wrought an infamous deed in Israel. (Prophets, Joshua 7:13, 7:15)

Question: Why are the children of Israel constantly given such severe punishments?

Answer: These are not severe punishments. Everything happens in accordance with what is inside them. If a serious egoistic property awakened in them that they still could not reject and they kept it inside despite the prohibition, then now they must somehow uproot it from themselves, bite into the heart, and squeeze it out of there.
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 7/12/21

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