Comment: The Day of Atonement is coming—Yom Kippur. I would like to talk about it precisely this year when you see everything that is happening in the world.
My Response: I think the world should at least already feel the need for this.
Question: So, after all, the Day of Atonement is special this year? It is believed that this is one of the most important holidays in Judaism. It is when people read prayers of repentance, ask for forgiveness, and generally prepare for the fact that the seal will be placed in the Book of Life. And, as I understand it, you are now going to say that it is an important day for the world too?
Answer: For everyone.
Comment: This holiday is always perceived with some awe. At least here in Israel everything stops. Silence, religious, non–religious, everyone is in some way afraid, let’s say trembling, facing this day. Tell us a little about this holiday.
My Response: Actually, it is hard to call it a “holiday” because a holiday is something fun, light, and bright. I think that Yom Kippur is precisely that: a Day of Atonement, when we can really rejoice that we are able to redeem ourselves.
Question: So it is still a joy?
Answer: Joy, this is a day of joy. And then, I do not know how people actually celebrate this day. It seems to me that they should, of course, be scrutinizing themselves. As it is said that a person should think about how he lived throughout this year, how he aspired to be kind, to do good, to be a conduit of the good Creator in the world.
Question: Is it desirable for a person to think about this on this holiday?
Answer: One should, yes. I think that ordinary people, in principle, are not so immersed in evil; therefore, there is nothing to fear from in the Day of Judgment. What can they be judged for? Evil was born before man, evil, envy, and other negative qualities. So, a man is a man. What else can be said about him?
Question: Please tell me then, what is this holiday for?
Answer: I think that this holiday is most likely about a person thinking about why he was created in this way. And how he would like to correct himself a little. Although creation is the creation of the Creator, let’s assume that a person has the opportunity to correct himself a little. How would he do it, in what way?
Question: That is, his intention is in some way for good, for warmth, for love?
Answer: Yes.
Question: Then why does he ask for forgiveness? There are a lot of prayers; this is called Slichot. “I am sorry! I am sorry!” All the time “I am sorry!” To forgive what if man was created this way?
Answer: I am sorry that You made me so nasty, mean, insignificant, and harmful, that I bring only evil and misfortune to everyone. And I ask You very much, help me straighten up, improve, and be at least a little better.
Question: That is, man’s aspirations are not to ruin another, but on the contrary, to nevertheless become better?
Answer: I think that if a person would seriously think about everything that happens to him, how he was created, and what he could be, then he would ask for correction of what God created in him.
Question: There is such text in the prayer of the Day of Atonement; it is very vivid. “And all creatures will fear You, that is, the Creator, and all created ones will prostrate before You, and they will form a single union to do Your will with all their hearts.”
Explain please, is it still necessary to be afraid?
Answer: The fact is that it is very difficult for us to understand this imbalance between the absolutely good Creator and the absolutely evil person created by the same good Creator. Why? It is in order for a person to realize the reason for such creation and to want to be like the Creator.
Question: What is the reason?
Answer: The only thing is to want to be like the Creator.
Question: So I am so far away from Him and I want to be like Him?
Answer: Yes.
Question: Am I intentionally far away from Him?
Answer: Initially.
Question: And then “they will be afraid of You”—what does that mean?
Answer: This is already an appeal to the Creator. When people feel that all this comes from You so that they will be afraid and beg You for correction.
Question: And when it is said “and they will prostrate themselves before the Creator,” what does it mean?
Answer: They will wish to subjugate to the good inclination of the Creator.
Question: “And all created beings will prostrate before the Creator and form a single union to do Your will with all their hearts.” What is this—this last part?
Answer: This is when everyone will help others so that everyone together will be in goodness and in love for the Creator and for everyone.
Question: What is the peculiarity of today’s Day of Atonement, Yom Kippur, for you? How do you feel?
Answer: We see that the world is not getting better, that is for sure. People are not getting better; they are just tired. They are tired of this world, of this life, and of what is happening to them; they see that there is nothing good in the future for children, and therefore, it is impossible to slander a person. This is him, he was created that way: an evil, indifferent person.
Comment: And you do not slander a person.
My Response: I do not slander either the person or the Creator. It is just a given that we must clearly realize and then begin to ask—ask for the correction of a person and the whole world.
We still need to realize that this evil is a consequence of our relationship with each other. We cannot rise above ourselves in order to wish well for everyone. We cannot. This is the reason for our impatience with each other and everything that happens to us.
I hope that these recent events, the fact that we are now discussing what is happening to the world, to a person, to each of us, I hope that they will eventually lead to the realization that we need to correct this world. And it depends only on our desires.
I think that the Creator deliberately unravels all this in front of us so that we realize the need for changes.
Question: Can we not wait for this Day of Atonement, but do it during the day, do it now, suddenly decide and do it? Is it possible?
Answer: Of course! We do not have to wait for anything.
Comment: But people usually wait for this day, prepare for it.
My Response: They postpone, it is not good. We should consider every day as a day suitable for apology, for redemption, so that we change our attitude toward everyone and everything. It all depends on us.
Question: One more question: what is this holiday for the world? We started with the fact that Jews have such a holiday, a very special one. And what does this holiday mean for the world?
Answer: It means nothing to the world. Most people do not know what it is about at all. And it doesn’t mean much to Jews either because they think they are afraid, they each care for themselves and not for everyone.
Question: Should there be a thought for the whole world, for everyone?
Answer: Absolutely for everyone! Good, bad, all people. Not even just people, but for the whole world, for everything that exists. It should be a universal thought and a universal prayer of everyone and everything. This is the Day of Atonement.
The Creator has specially given us such conditions so that we feel the need for our change toward the world.
Question: What would you wish people on this day?
Answer: Only to realize that they can change this world for the better through their appeals to the Creator, to each other. I do not wish anything else for them. And I hope that they will eventually understand.
Because, in principle, such serious actions are coming, sensation that the world will have to realize the personal participation of each and everyone in why the world is like this.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 9/18/23
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