Question: In his book Give and Take, psychologist and professor Adam Grant divides people into three groups: takers, givers, and matchers. “Givers like to give more than they get, paying attention to what others need. Takers like to get more than they give, seeing the world as a competitive place and primarily looking out for themselves. And matchers balance and give on a quid pro quo basis, willing to exchange favors but careful about not being exploited.”

What do you think about these three groups?

Answer: Most of all I like the matchers because they lead to contact, to mutual, good, kind contact. This is the most important thing. It is not about the fact that you can give away as much as you want. It will not do anything. It is the same with receiving if someone gives something to you.

Exchanging, however, causes mutuality, and by this you can correct a person, you can change both yourself and the other, and create communication between you; this is the most important thing. The goal is to create communication.

A giver will not do anything. On the contrary, he can cause hatred if he gives all the time. It does not mean anything.

Comment: So you are a realist. You give me something, I give you something? Exchange pleasantries.

My Response: Yes, but by this we teach each other that he can do the same thing that I do; by giving to him, I open myself in order to receive something from him. And so on. The most important thing is mutual exchange.

Question: Isn’t our world today built on this, “You scratch my back and I will scratch yours”?

Answer: The world is built on mutual exchange.

Question: Does it mean that you are satisfied with what is happening in the world today?

Answer: No. This does not satisfy me because the current exchange that exists in the world is only to take and not to give.

Question: What is the next stage after matching?

Answer: This is written in Kabbalah: mine is mine, yours is mine, and then yours is yours, and mine is yours.

Question: That is, you come to an almost impossible state. To something that is impossible to imagine: mine is yours and yours is yours, right?

Answer: Yes. Such relationships are the most correct ones that are justified by the upper nature, which is opposite to our nature. This is what we must come to. Together with this, a completely different space is revealed to us, an eternal world.
[284678]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 6/24/21

Related Material:
The Four States Of An Egoistic Society
Neither Me For You Nor You For Me
Models Of Behavior In Society

Filed under: Crisis, Egoism, Globalization, News | Add Comment / Ask Question →

Prophets, Joshua, 6:26-6:27: And Joshua adjured them at that time, saying, Cursed be the man before the Lord, that rises up and builds this city, Jericho; with (the loss of) his first-born shall he lay its foundation, and with (the loss of) his youngest son shall he set up its gates.

So the Lord was with Joshua; and his fame was throughout the entire land.

To this day, the city of Jericho is located below Jerusalem, on the bank of the Jordan, but Jews do not live there.

After Jericho fell, the people followed the Creator in everything, and the Creator gave the city to the Israelites. But the laws were not fulfilled in full.

The people of Israel were told: take everything from the conquered city of Jericho, only do not take the forbidden. And yet some of them secretly took the forbidden. Therefore, when Joshua sent his men to capture the city of Ayya believing that it would be easy and fast since the Creator was with them, suddenly, an unexpected thing happened.

Prophets, Joshua, 7:5: And the men of Ai smote of them about thirty-six men; and they chased them from before the gate to Shebarim, and smote them in the descent; and the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.

The heart is a combination of properties of strength (Gevura, courage) and mercy (Bina). Therefore, the heart contracts and works like this: from one property to another. This is how we exist.

And the sons of Israel took properties that cannot be corrected, that are forbidden.

Question: And that is why they were punished?

Answer: Not that it is a punishment, but it is a natural consequence of the fact that they used properties that cannot be corrected.

Therefore it is written: “And the hearts of the people melted, and became as water.” This means that they still have the pure property of I, but without strength, without any force inside of it.
[285401]
From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 4/27/19

Related Material:
The Time Of The Last Generation Is Coming
Being Worthy Of The Land Of Israel
Sodom, Egypt, And The Land Of Canaan

Filed under: Spiritual Work, Torah | Add Comment / Ask Question →

Everything Is Evaluated Not by Its Appearance at a Given Moment, but According to Its Measure of Development.

Everything in reality, good and bad, and even the most harmful in the world, has a right to exist and must not be destroyed and eradicated from the world. We must only mend and reform it…” (Baal HaSulam, The Writings of Baal HaSulam Volume One, “Peace in the World”).

We must treat everything that exists as something necessary for our lives. Nothing exists in vain, although sometimes it seems to us that nature is full of all kinds of pests in the sea, underground, everywhere and that it wouldn’t be harmful to get rid of them.

But with each passing day as we explore nature more and more, we begin to understand that everything that exists is created by necessity. And the wisdom of Kabbalah gives us an absolute understanding of this.

Every species of plant sprouts and every species of animal exists only due to necessity. The natural levels of the still, vegetative, animate, and human must live in mutual harmony and share in everything.

So there is nothing harmful on the face of the Earth. And if we see something harmful or bad in its relationship with us, then we need to us to understand that it exists so that through our correct attitude to nature we will bring ourselves to a state that makes it possible for us to see that everything that is found in this world is correct, true, and should exist.
[250886]
From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah” 7/7/19

Related Material:
If You Wish To Fix The World, Start With Yourself
The Law Of Balance Of Good And Evil
On A Swing

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization, Perception, Spiritual Work | Add Comment / Ask Question →

Comment: A young girl writes: “I can draw well and play a musical instrument. I would really like to change the world, give it something. But what is the point if I study to be a musician or an artist if the world no longer needs it. Where can I put my skills, my desire to do something for others?”

My Response: First, there is a difference between a profession and a vocation. A profession is imposed on us by society based on what it needs. Therefore, if once artists, musicians, and poets were held in high esteem, today this is not the time. Maybe soon it will be like that again, but any period can drag on for two hundred years.

Question: So she needs to look for a calling?

Answer: Yes. If, for example, she draws, let her be a teacher of drawing. But the main thing is how she realizes herself internally in addition to earning. She also wants to make a hobby out of her profession. Not many people accomplish that. So maybe she needs to come to terms with it.

In addition, she is a woman, she will have a family and children. All this will overshadow her noble impulses a bit.

Comment: You have just touched on the matter of profession and vocation. Society pushes us to make a lot of money. Therefore, people with a vocation that does not bring large incomes have an inner break. A person does not know how to deal with the desire to make money, to become great, to change something on a global level.

My Response: First of all, making money is one thing. Changing something at the global level is different. Make it your profession? Make it your hobby? The person hasn’t decided yet. Therefore, it is difficult to give specific advice here.

I would advise him, first of all, to decide. He needs good, smart, grown-up people, maybe even a psychologist who would gradually explain to him what is best for him. Together they would “speak through” his inner world.
[279042]
From KabTV’s “Integral World” 7/13/18

Related Material:
My Favorite Job – Vocation Or Mission?
A Person’s Purpose
What Is My Life Mission?

Filed under: Children, Education | Add Comment / Ask Question →

Preparation to the Lesson

Lesson on the Topic “Annulment as a Preparation for Ibur (Impregnation)” 

Writings of Baal HaSulam, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”

Selected Highlights

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson | Add Comment / Ask Question →

Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
Download:MP3 Audio

Filed under: Audio Version of the Blog | Add Comment / Ask Question →

Comment: The Olympic Games motto “Faster, Higher, Stronger” was introduced in 1894.

Now the International Olympic Committee has added the following to this motto: “Faster, Higher, Stronger—Together!”

My Response: This is good. The recognition of evil is already beginning.

This suggests that, theoretically, a turn to “together” is coming. People are aware of what the most important thing in these games is and why we should have them as well as any other event of mankind.

We can compete and think how to beat the others but only so that friendship will win in the end.

I think that this manifests in people out of powerlessness and not out of their determination to get closer. Yet, it does appear.

Question: How would the Olympic Games look like if this together would be filtered through the heart?

Answer: No, this is impossible to imagine. You are suggesting that people would compete not to win but to defeat themselves!

Question: Are the Olympic Games and sports in general suitable for defeating oneself?

Answer: If the Olympic Games were based on the same principle as in ancient Greece—when wars stopped, when everything stopped—absolutely everything! Nothing happened! Only peaceful competitions and, in fact, it practically was not a competition. It was just a demonstration of capabilities of a person who overcomes nature, his internal physiological, physical nature, and at the same time also overcomes his egoistic nature, which is even more internal.

Question: Do you think this is what they had there, even just a little?

Answer: There were at least some rudiments of movement toward each other.

Comment: And now, on the background of wars, troubles, earthquakes, failure to help each other…

My Response: And now, it is because they are being pushed by all sorts of political, economic benefits, and so on.

Comment: That is, if it was aimed at winning over oneself…

My Response: So that all of us rise together. Can you imagine what heights these games would have? We are preparing to demonstrate to the entire world our human capabilities in order to rise above ourselves in spirit. Athletes would be great Kabbalists. I think they are taking some steps toward this. Otherwise, this would not exist.

Question: Are we for adding “together” to the motto of the Olympic Games?

Answer: Yes. We are always for together.
[285878]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 7/22/21

Related Material:
When Will The Olympic Games Take Place?
The Olympic Games Should Be Played Like Giveaway Checkers
Brazilians Want Bread Instead Of Games

Filed under: News, Television | Add Comment / Ask Question →

My new article on Linkedin “The Spiritual Reason that I Took the Third Shot”

A little while ago, I received an invitation from the Ministry of Health to go to a certain vaccination center in my country, Israel, to get my third shot. I stood in line for maybe half an hour before my turn came up, but once I was inside, the whole thing was over in less than a minute. I was told to wait for 10-20 minutes after the shot to make sure I had no side effects but admittedly, I didn’t have the patience. I felt just fine, just a little tired from standing outside for half an hour, so I went straight back to the office to get ready for the daily shows.

We can only blame ourselves for the fourth wave that’s raging now in Israel. Had we been more united, this wouldn’t have happened. From the spiritual perspective, the virus isn’t a medical problem, but a test to our union, and we are failing it. The rule in spirituality is that if we work together, we will be safe, since our unity makes us equal to the unified force that creates life. In the wisdom of Kabbalah, it is called “I dwell among my own people.”

RABASH, my teacher, had taught me by example and in words that we should obey what the doctors say. If there are disputes, he follows the government’s directive. This, to him, was the meaning of dwelling among his people. RABASH didn’t immerse himself in the intricacies of the medications he was given; he knew he had to follow the doctor’s orders because it was the right thing to do in the spiritual sense.

Like him, I don’t get into the question of whether the vaccine works or not, whether there are ulterior motives behind it or not, or into any other question. All I know is that the Israeli government has recommended that anyone over 60 be vaccinated, and it summoned me to go and do it on a certain day at a certain place. Therefore, I do it, to be among my people, the people of Israel.

To me, it is an expression of my desire to unite with my people. Had we all had the desire to unite, we wouldn’t have come to this; we would have eliminated the virus. It is a test that we are failing every single day. As long as we keep failing, the virus will keep spreading, and no vaccine, medication, or any other measure will help.

If we don’t learn to unite through the virus, another blow will come, more sinister and aggressive than Covid. If we don’t learn from the second blow, a third one will land on us, worse than the former two. When we learn that our only remedy is unity, to choose togetherness over everything and anything else, our troubles will stop.
[285952]

Filed under: Coronavirus, New Publications | Add Comment / Ask Question →

Michael Laitman, On The Times of Israel: “No One (Really) Wants to End Antisemitism”

A few days ago, the BBC posted a story with the alarming title, “Anti-Semitic social posts ‘not taken down’ in 80% of cases.” The story, based on a report titled Failure to Protect, by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), sheds light on the inaction of tech giants when it comes to user reports of antisemitism. The report found that a whopping “84% of posts containing anti-Jewish hate were not acted on by social media companies after our researchers reported them as containing anti-Jewish hate.”

Truth be told, this doesn’t surprise me. It has long been clear that big-tech companies have no interest in fighting antisemitism. Posts containing Jew-hatred bring traffic and create discussions, which is great for them. Therefore, we shouldn’t expect them to act now or in the future. It is not a “Failure to Protect,” as the title of the report reads; it is “No Desire to Protect.”

The plain truth is that if you want to write something against Jews, you have a free pass, but when it comes to any other form of hate, there is zero tolerance. No regulatory measures, or adoption of official definitions of antisemitism, nor any declaration of “war against antisemitism” will eradicate it, or even induce efforts to restrain its audacity on social media.

Instead of these futile crusades, Jews should focus on their inner solidarity; they should not worry about what the world thinks of them, but about what they think of each other. This is our only problem. We have always been a pugnacious people, but in the past, we knew how to unite above our different views, strengthen our solidarity, and benefit from the diversity of our perspectives. This has always been our source of strength. Today, all we have left is the belligerence we turn toward each other. King Solomon taught us that “Hate stirs strife, and love will cover all crimes” (Prov. 10:12). We have forgotten half the lesson: We excel in hating, but fail miserably in covering our crimes with love. When we hate one another so passionately, how can we expect anyone to like us?

Therefore, as our sages have always cautioned, if we focus on our solidarity, everything will be alright. In The Book of Consciousness, Rabbi Eliyahu writes, “We are commanded at each generation to strengthen the unity among us so our enemies do not rule over us.” Similarly, the book Shem MiShmuel asserts, “When [Israel] are as one man with one heart, they are as a fortified wall against the forces of evil.” The sooner we open our hearts to the words of our sages, who wanted only our best, the sooner we will eliminate the nations’ hatred toward us—not by fighting against their hatred, but by fighting for our love of one another.
[285834]

Filed under: Anti-Semitism, New Publications | Add Comment / Ask Question →

Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How will the world compensate for the growing energy needs and resource consumption of developing nations like China and India when nations like the United States consume resources disproportionate to their populations?“

It is impossible to stop the struggle for natural resources used to produce raw materials. This struggle will lead to major problems such as imbalances between countries, and also wars. The extent to which our world lacks balance and equality is only now becoming apparent.

The balance between what we need and how much we can receive from the world is possible if the world will accept the altruistic law upon itself.

What is the altruistic law? It is a law present in nature, which human society is obligated to reach.

The countries of the world will then start sharing everything they have, including their production, raw materials, energy and information—equally for everyone, according to the population numbers, their culture, education and consumption, taking into consideration the conditions of the climate, and so on. In other words, only the realization of the fact that we are in a single global system and are thus obliged to treat everyone accordingly will bring us to balance in how we use the world’s natural and technological resources.

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

Filed under: Crisis, Q&A, Quora | Add Comment / Ask Question →