Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What does Amalek mean in the Bible?“

Amalek is a quality that is very close to us. It appears to be absolutely evil, a disturbance that needs to be destroyed, and not only destroyed, but it is written that even its memory should be erased. However, nothing was created unnecessarily. Everything in existence was created solely to benefit our development.

Amalek is a quality that helps us develop optimally, and it constantly guards us. It is as if we walk along a path, and wherever we can fall or deviate from it, thorns appear and send us a “Keep away!” warning signal. That is how Amalek stands guard to guide us in the right direction.

The desire comes from Amalek and unwillingness also comes from him.

In Hebrew, Amalek is a shortened form of the words “Al Minat Lekabel,” which means “in order to receive.” It describes the egoistic intention over a desire—to receive for one’s own personal benefit. It is written about such an intention, “I have created the evil inclination; I have created the Torah, a spice.” The evil inclination (the egoistic use of desire) is positioned directly against the Torah, which means both spiritual light (Ohr) and also spiritual instruction (Hora’ah).

They both operate on us in order to guide us to a balanced state between the two.

We thus need to relate respectfully to Amalek, i.e., to the ego, since it is a necessary quality for us to establish our spiritual connection. The evil inclination—the ego—which resists and incites us against spirituality—the quality of love, bestowal and positive connection—helps us discover our spiritual connection by showing us how to find such a connection where we initially discover the qualities of Amalek, i.e., the egoistic intention.

Amalek is thus a very cunning quality that shows us the extent to which we are immersed in thoughts and desires for self-benefit, and when we see this egoistic intention operating on us, we can then identify how we need to act in an opposite direction.

Amalek, the ego, thus develops our spiritual skills, letting us attain more spiritual qualities of love, bestowal and connection by showing us the opposites of those spiritual qualities within us.

Based on the Daily Kabbalah Lesson with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on April 18, 2021.
Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Question: Did the Kabbalists predict that an information explosion would take place in the last generation and people would not be able to cope with the processing and use of information? What kind of reboot should society make today for the information use?

Answer: We can say that now we are facing another revolution. The fact is that we quite often encounter such states.

When we felt the need for a million horses to transport something from place to place, we invented the locomotive. When we felt that it was impossible to drag what we needed on the ground with the help of a locomotive, we invented other means of transportation, other possibilities, etc. Nature is constantly pushing us to do this.

Today we are at an information impasse. We dirtied the whole atmosphere with all kinds of “likes.” In the end, this is all emptiness. But we are still sitting in this and cannot get rid of it. It’s like we’re stuck in the mud and unable to get ourselves out of it.

I think this will all lead to orderliness, to the fact that we will stop twitching in our information world and rise to the next level. Essentially, it will be important for us to communicate with each other. This is the solution to today’s technological, informational deadlock.
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From KabTV’s “Integral Course” 3/19/21

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What is a good solution to the worldwide drug addiction problem?“

Behind every drug addict are unanswered questions about the meaning and purpose of life.

We are all born, live and die against our will, and we thus all question the meaning and purpose of our lives. Drug addiction emerges as one of the means by which several people try to turn away from these questions. However, the questions will always remain and work away at us no matter what we do to try and distract ourselves from them.

Therefore, I see no solution to the problem of drug addiction other than the need to learn the meaning and purpose of life, the process of our development, who we are, what our nature is, how nature works, what nature wants from us, regardless of our different opinions and beliefs.

If we solve the problems of meaninglessness and purposelessness by learning the answers to these fundamental questions, we will then solve the problem of drug addiction.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash.

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Comment: When a person is engaged in creating artificial intelligence, he is trying to repeat some processes that the Creator Himself did to him.

My Response: Our whole life is practically a subconscious equivalence with the Creator. We are trying this way or that way, although we are not aware of it. Thus, He teaches us, as little children, through small rewards and punishments.

Then this path becomes conscious when I consciously want to be like Him. This is already beyond my consciousness and my earthly mind. I really begin to explore myself, but in principle, just my equivalence with the Creator, in what exactly I am equivalent with Him.

The entire nature is a reflection of the Creator, a reflection of the force of bestowal. We are created on purpose as a quality of reception in order to be able to deal with contradictions, black-and-white differences, and to begin to distinguish precisely ourselves. That is when our mind appears.

In other words, the middle line that we draw from the opposition and our equivalence with the Creator is our attainment.
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From KabTV’s “Meetings with Kabbalah” 1/3/19

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Question: By striving for pleasure and running away from suffering, is it possible to predict your next step?

Answer: You cannot predict the next step because you do not know exactly what desires will awaken in you and what will be needed to realize them. But you will always reflect based on the desires that arise in you how to best realize them: give as little as possible and receive as much as possible in all your actions.

See how you sit, as comfortably as possible in the present condition, how you talk, how you behave, subconsciously or consciously, no matter how.

Question: What is wrong with this behavior? What doesn’t work in it?

Answer: In principle, this model itself could be correct. It is aimed at ensuring that we realize ourselves with maximum profit, and at every moment of time maintain greater confidence, security, fulfillment, and advancement.

But the fact is that I am commanded by the values ​​that I receive from society. And it imposes on me things that I do not at all need.

Each of us brings our aspirations for wealth, fame, power to society. And it turns out that I want to use society to make money, to impose on it absolutely not the values ​​that it needs, but what I need to get from it. I invent all sorts of things in order to sell and thus gain knowledge, power, fame, and money.

As a result, I impose my values ​​on others, and since this already becomes a legacy of the whole society, it imposes on everyone else in the form of advertising and everything else. It turns out that we advertise to each other absolutely unnecessary things, on which each of us wants to earn something, either fame, or power, or money. Thus, we sell each other completely unnecessary stuff.

Question: But why are we sure that we need it?

Answer: Because society makes us believe it. If society says that this is good, then striving to win recognition and respect in its eyes, I do what it imposes on me.

For example, now I am sitting in a suit. It would be more comfortable for me to sit in my pajamas. Why am I not doing this? Because society forces me to dress like this, and I want to get approval in its eyes so that they will listen to me, respect me. Therefore, we behave this way, whether we understand it or not.

Thus, society forces us to actions that, in principle, are opposite to my natural impulses and desires. In fact, I would not want this, I would just like to exist in peace. Society is constantly developing in its desires and it forces me to desire what I absolutely do not need. But this is how we go.
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From KabTV’s “Close-Up. Marriage Contract” 8/19/09

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Question: A certain teaching tradition has developed in Kabbalah based on the fact that there is content, but the form, methods, and commentary on it are determined by the teacher himself. In this case, we are too dependent on his personality.

And there is another approach when forms and methods of the work are clearly prescribed, and the task of the teacher is not to deviate from what is offered to him.

Which is correct: to focus on personal factors of a person or on the approved technology?

Answer: I don’t think you can separate one from the other. But since Kabbalah is an ancient science that has been taking shape over many thousands of years, it is natural that we should attach ourselves to those great personalities who laid down this structure.

Kabbalah has developed several trends that have taken shape over the past 500 years in Western Europe, the Baltic States, and the Middle and Near East. Each of these regions includes different sub-areas. They are described in different sources and there is a lot of material on all the branching directions. This regards explanations from the sources to the consumers.

And if the teacher’s charismatic personality also manifests here, then of course, he can change something, compare and apply it. I do not think that the science of Kabbalah is a rigid science that cannot be changed and somehow adapted to the audience, to the teacher, especially in our time. The main thing is to convey its essence, i.e., the revelation of the Creator to every person in our world. This is the subject of its study.

The Kabbalistic methodology is changing and will continue to change, and we must look at it very pragmatically and not go into inertia.
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From KabTV’s “Integral Course” 3/19/21

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Question: We received the question: “I would like to hear your opinion about helping someone—should we help or not? Why doesn’t the person you helped always thank you? After you raised him, helped spread his wings, he runs away and becomes an enemy.

Or maybe we are wrong to expect gratitude? Maybe there shouldn’t be any? Is it egoistic to expect gratitude? Why do you feel empty after helping a person like there is a black hole inside? Or is it not worth interfering at all and trying to help. Let him pull himself out?”

Answer: I will answer you very simply: if you want to help someone, then you must tune into the fact that you are helping. That is, it goes only from you to him, to this person—a man, a woman, a child, an animal, no matter who—but you help without any expectation to receive something in return no kind attitude, gifts, or gratitude. Nothing! Then you will really be helping.

Comment: This, of course, is like aerobatics—not expecting that they will at least say “thank you.”

My Response: One word: “Thank you” can be worth billions. Imagine if a baby smiles at its mother, how gratifying and what a reward it is for her! So, it depends on whether you are expecting some kind of answer back.

Question: Is it possible to be brought up so as not to expect an answer? Is it possible at all?

Answer: This is real bestowal. Otherwise, you do everything for the sake of gratitude.

Question: And then it is not considered that we did something for someone?

Answer: Yes. Check how much selfless help is in your help, what percentage, and what percentage is precisely because you still hope to receive some kind of answer or gratitude. And then you may not have such unfulfilled expectations.

Question: But she asks: “Why do you feel empty after helping a person as if there is a black hole inside?”

Answer: Precisely because you expect that you will get something for it. And therefore, if there is no counter-filling, you get the feeling of a black abyss. It is just our nature. What are you going to do? Get ready to do something truly altruistic.

Question: What exercises should be done in order to tune in to it?

Answer: Only toward it and not reverse. Only toward another and not back to yourself. You must make sure that you have the energy and desire for it. And you definitely do not have it, this energy and this desire to do it, no matter for whom. If it is important to someone, whoever he is, then this is already your reward.

Comment: That is, if I act toward a great person …

My Response: Great, close, kind, good, beautiful, relatively ugly, relatively dirty, no matter what and how.

Question: Am I already getting a reward?

Answer: Yes, on the spot. This must be very explicitly felt in you. It is very difficult.

Comment: You demand something almost impossible.

My Response: Not almost, it is impossible! But this is the truth. This is a Kabbalistic calculation.

Question: One way or another, will we come to realize that this is how we will live?

Answer: Yes, life will gradually put us before such inner psychology, and we will see who we are, that we are disgusting animals and cannot rise above ourselves even if we really wanted to! And then we will all shout to heaven together to give us strength, understanding, and reason how we can do so that all this does not come back to my filthy egoism!

Question: In fact, when you say all the time in your videos: “You must learn how to do good or convey goodness in your thoughts toward another person,” are you actually talking about this?

Answer: I speak from this point of view.

Question: Step by step, a person will slowly achieve this?

Answer: Yes. It will happen.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 1/14/21

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Preparation to the Lesson

Lesson on the Topic “Vexing the Good Inclination Over the Evil Inclination”

Selected Highlights 

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Listen to an Audio Version of the Blog
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My new article on Linkedin “When Power Is the Only Goal, I Worry Less”

A famous Chinese proverb says that “An ant may well destroy an entire dam.” Nothing could be more apropos when describing China’s global policy. One small step at a time, they’re buying their way to world dominance. A food production company here, a port there, a politician here, a hedge fund manager there, the Chinese have all the tools they need: patience, perseverance, diligence, and money, lots and lots of money.

But as ominous as China may appear, I think it poses much less of a danger than other countries with ambitions to take over the world. Even if their plan succeeds, it will be nothing more than economic dominance. They have no religion, they’ve abandoned communism, and they have no other ideology in place besides the craving for power.

But as ominous as China may appear, I think it poses much less of a danger than other countries with ambitions to take over the world. Even if their plan succeeds, it will be nothing more than economic dominance. They have no religion, they’ve abandoned communism, and they have no other ideology in place besides the craving for power.

Over the past several decades, they have amassed gargantuan amounts of money and economic power, which they have translated into political clout the world over. There are great forces at play here, far stronger than China or any other human made entity. These forces, which come from the kernel of reality, are driving China’s dominance forward. I don’t think it’s to our detriment.

In fact, if I needed to choose between being under the influence of an ideological or a religious power, or a power whose ambition is only power, I would choose the latter. Moreover, even the independence we think we have right now is utterly illusory. We are dependent on the world, and on the powers of the world, in every aspect of our lives, so fearing that we might be taken over is nonsense since we’ve already been taken over, we just don’t know about it.

However, if we want independence, we can certainly achieve it. To do this, we have to rise above calculations of power struggles. When these are the calculations, we see that countries rise and fall; it is the nature of reality and history has proven that this is what always happens. On the worldly level, it is certain that America will fall and another country, or several countries, will take its place at the helm of the world. It is simply how things work.

However, when it comes to Israel, we have a choice. If we choose to be Israel, in the deeper sense of the word, we will always be free. In fact, the nations themselves will guard and cherish our freedom.

Being Israel has nothing to do with financial or military power; it has to do with our nature as Israelis. Currently, we are treating each other with selfishness and alienation. This weakens us and degrades us in the eyes of the world. The world examines our every step, but mostly how we treat each other. When we are mean and display deplorable relations to our neighbors, the world despises us and hates us. When we treat each other with respect and warmth, the world relates to us likewise.

We are the nation that coined the proverb “Love your neighbor as yourself,” which, as hard as it is to do, is still the most noble notion that has ever been conceived. And although we are completely opposite from it, the world does not forget where the idea came from and expects us to set an example.

If we, for the first time since the ruin of the Temple, manage to rise above our petty selves and truly feel concern for one another, the world will envy our ability. It will look to us in awe and seek to be like us. We, in turn, will open our arms and hearts to everyone, and become the role model, the “light unto nations” that sets an example of true peace—not truce, but peace!

This will be our true freedom, this will be our triumph over domination, and this will be our ticket into the global family of nations.
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