Question: Nowadays we live in a time when a person stops sensing other people. Sociologists and scholars write about this. I don’t see the other, I don’t want to see, I don’t want to feel. What kind of time is this?

Answer: If I don’t feel the other, truly the other, outside of myself, don’t feel myself within them, then I don’t feel the world at all.

Question: So, I must always see myself through someone else?

Answer: Through someone else, yes.

Question: And the fact that we now see ourselves as so ugly, why is that?

Answer: Because we shut ourselves off, close ourselves in, limit ourselves, and don’t want to see anyone except ourselves. That is my world.

Question: So if I don’t let anyone in and I don’t enter anywhere myself, am I ugly? Is that my world—an egoistic one: here I am, alone?

Answer: I see myself.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/7/22

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Question: Why does humanity keep inventing more and more?

Answer: It wants to achieve a serene, good life. But in the end, the opposite happens.

Comment: It is interesting that nuclear energy is used for peaceful purposes, and at the same time, it can sweep everything away.

My Response: Yes. Man cannot invent anything truly good or kind.

Question: What invention would you call eternal and useful for humanity that could ultimately lead it to happiness?

Answer: The correction of the evil nature of a man—only that. There is nothing else.

Comment: But man must first realize he is living with an evil nature.

My Response: That is what drives him to ultimately realize it. The world is in such a state that it does not know what to do with itself.

In the past, we thought that socialism, communism, capitalism, or something else would save us. Some kind of freedom, liberalism, and so on. Now we see that everything quickly leads to the realization of evil.

Comment: You once said that the development of humanity proceeded as  a linear development of egoism. That things would get better, and then communism would follow. Now you claim that egoism has sort of closed in, that we have become interconnected like one village, yet the same research continues, and humanity does not come to the realization of the evil of its nature.

My Response: Do you want them to shut it all down?

I think we will come to a state where humanity will say, “It would have been better had we not invented this.” Can this already be said about the atom today? And it will say the same about everything else.

It is written: “He who increases knowledge increases sorrow.” (Ecclesiastes 1:18) Or “He who increases wealth, increases suffering.”

Question: Do you think this proverb is still relevant today?

Answer: And how much more so!

Question: Can we stop increasing knowledge?

Answer: We cannot. We can stop increasing neither wealth nor knowledge. Egoism will constantly push us toward it.

The goal is to lead us to the realization of evil. That evil is in our nature when we believe that the world we live in is the one we need to improve. But it cannot be improved—we need to rise above it.

Question: That is, to change ourselves?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Will we come to this realization during our lifetime?

Answer: You are already setting limitations.

Comment: Yes, I would still like to see the righteousness of your words.

My Response: I do not believe it.

Question: You do not believe it?

Answer: No, I do not believe that it will happen so quickly.

But personally, it does not bother me. What difference does it make when it happens? In whatever state we will be, it will eventually happen to all of us.
[342731]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/2/25

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Talks about the Steps of the Ladder, Part 101

Chapter 10. Movement and Rest

Effort takes place when we feel an ascent and we utilize it to the fullest extent to intensify the sensation, to increase awareness, and to deepen our understanding of spirituality. This is how we strengthen our grasp on spirituality through using all available means. When we are given even the slightest opportunity from above, we need to exert our own effort.

During a descent, it is difficult to make an effort, and during an ascent, we do not exert effort by our own strength. Instead, we are given an ascent, and so we receive an awakening. If we are not given an ascent, then we do not receive an awakening. So what do we contribute from ourselves? It is not about the amount of effort, but the opportunities available to us. When we are in a state of ascent, we have the opportunity to cling tightly and hold onto spiritual discernments with all of our might, to penetrate them and recognize them more deeply. We need to immerse ourselves in these discernments as much as possible so that even if a descent takes place, even though we strive never to have one, we will carry Reshimot (spiritual records, impressions) with us and an understanding that is already at a different level than before.

In other words, a window is opened for us, and the extent to which we delve into it depends on us. Therefore, all the work takes place during the ascent. During a descent, sometimes we must simply sink, “lie on the ocean floor” and wait, just as one simply waits in a submarine when something unclear happens.

Confusion usually arises when we transition from one degree to another. During this transition, we lose the understanding we had on the previous level, but we have not yet acquired a new understanding from the next level. This is why we feel confused and have no idea what is happening to us.

In such situations, there is nothing to do but restrain ourselves. When a real descent takes place, we need to protect ourselves as much as possible by remaining within the framework on the still level. But during an ascent, we must increase our own effort and really step on the gas.

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Preparation to the Lesson

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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 6, “Confidence”

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2nd part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 16, “But the More They Afflicted Them”

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Question: Will The Book of Zohar remain the main Kabbalistic Book?

Answer: Yes, it is a powerful source of information that is written in a very engaging way. It combines such a combination of styles that I do not think there is anything more attractive. I cannot imagine what else can satisfy a person so much. If one has this book before him, then actually nothing more is needed.

All you need is preparation in order to read it, connect with it, and find yourself in it. But once you have obtained it, it reveals endless depths to you in all its forms.

This book reveals everything about our world. Truly everything: tragedies, comedies, science, philosophy, society, personal life, space—in general, everything. Moreover, it talks in such a way, as if it is weaving a canvas, and you begin to feel such multifaceted and seemingly odd connections: “Where did it suddenly come from?!”

This versatility, the surprise of these connections evokes awe! I do not see this in any other book. Baal HaSulam and Rabash have done everything to bring us closer to The Book of Zohar, but they could never replace it. Thus, you need to understand this book and discover it for yourself.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Zohar is Book №1” 7/8/10

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Question: Let’s say a person studying Kabbalah falls into despair because they cannot understand what spirituality is, and at the same time they feel lost in the ordinary world. At some point they reach a state where they belong neither here nor there. They are almost on the verge of madness.

You say: “That is good, it means the person is ready.” But how can he use that state if he does not know what to do?

Answer: Nothing will happen to him! It just seems so to him. His limited earthly capabilities and sensations cannot yet absorb anything spiritual, so it feels to him like he is being torn apart. But in truth, he is not being torn apart. There is nothing that can break.

I completely understand these states. I have gone through them myself. You just need to expose yourself to the influence of the upper light, and slowly, gradually, things will start to change.

It is evolution! There is no way around it. If our previous development up to this point took so much time, let this also take a couple more years. That is how it is. It might take 10 or 15 years.

And what else was a person created for if not to reach spiritual existence during his physical lifetime?

We think: “Okay, I will just step into the spiritual world and then start operating there.” But why? How do you know how many new abilities, data, and inner qualities are developing in you right now?

It is a vast system that you must absorb within yourself. This system is infinite. You need to gradually adapt to it. You cannot make sudden leaps here. There is a specific order to your development. It just cannot happen all at once.
[342684]
From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. The meaning of existence” 7/11/10

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Once a person is convinced that he has nothing in his hands, that he has a long path to travel, that he has searched, suffered, and tried to make something of himself and sees he cannot, he turns to the Creator.

Question: Where is the element of happiness here, at what point?

Answer: You feel you have nothing else but the Creator. You have to appeal to Him and simply persuade, beg, urge, or compel, and oblige Him.

Comment: To answer.

My Response: Yes, just demand revelation.

Question: Is that moment the moment of happiness?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: So the whole path, we can say it was…

My Response: The whole path was also toward revealing the Creator because all you wanted on your spiritual path was to gain the quality of love and bestowal. Only you couldn’t turn to the Creator.…

Comment: With a broken heart.

My Response: Right, you could not make the correct appeal. And now you have done it. Today, people are already exhausted, and therefore, they can hear it.

Question: So one way or another, people want to come to the true prayer today?

Answer: If we did not fool ourselves with the media and other things, we could slowly explain what happiness is.
[342340]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 1/4/21

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We are created in such a way that by connecting with each other and with the Creator, by complementing it, and being part of it, we reveal perfection to the extent that we can complement this perfection ourselves.

We begin to feel that everything except us is perfect. And when I enter and gradually start filling this perfection in places that remain open for me, like in a mosaic, I begin to experience the highest pleasure because in this way, I attain eternity, the perfection, which I myself create, complete, and realize.

It is an astonishing sensation! We are created to feel this and be filled with it. In truth, we have no other needs. So, by attaining this, we attain everything.

When humanity experiences all of this, when it merges into an absolutely perfect, eternal system, into this wondrous harmony, then beyond this threshold—as Kabbalists hint in their books—lies the next stage of a certain state, development.

We cannot imagine what development means because we currently have no needs that correspond to the next stage. And then suddenly—no, I want classical music now! And then definitely some impressionism, and then something else.

That is, it is quite possible that we will develop other desires. Or perhaps it will not be based on a desire at all. On the desire to receive? Certainly not anymore. On the desire to bestow? I don’t know. This is a realm that cannot be explored by us; we have no instruments or means to study it.

In addition to the so-called sixth millennium, there is also the seventh, which represents complete correction. This corresponds to the Sabbath. And then there are also the eighth, ninth, and tenth millennia. In “The Introduction to The Mouth of the Wise,” Rabash writes that Baal HaSulam spoke about this.

But right now, we cannot discuss it, as it is far beyond us—just like a small child cannot reason about what happens in the world of adults.

In the spiritual world, a person sees only their own level and a part of the upper level. All the previous levels are included within them and form their true integral essence, while the higher level is slightly revealed to them—the one meant to elevate them—like a mother, parents, or our world in relation to a child.

They perceive them, but in what way? Only at the level they are on and slightly above within the possibilities that are made available to them. Nothing else can be perceived! Everything else that exists is nothing to them.
[342631]
From KabTV’s “I Got A Call. Develop Yourself” 7/15/10

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Preparation to the Lesson

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1st part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 23, “What Is, If He Swallows the Bitter Herb, He Will Not Come Out, in the Work?”

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2nd part of the Lesson — Writings of Rabash, Article 919, Concerning the Environment, Article 12, “Concerning the Importance of Society”

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3rd part of the Lesson — Writings of Baal HaSulam, “Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Vol. 1, Part 2, “Inner Observation”

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