Question: How can you give children the right direction if they do not want to listen to you at all?

Answer: It only seems that way to you because there is really nothing you can tell them. How can you convince them? With your tattoos, your gadgets? They have all that too. Only something that is above this world will attract them, and nothing else. Look how many young people are coming to lectures and Kabbalah lessons; look how they are drawn to it.

Comment: But I am talking about small children who grow up in our community. It seems to me that Kabbalah does not interest them at all, and they are just obliged to stay in this environment.

My Response: Go to their classes and see how they think and reason. They just do not fit into your rigid mentality. For them you are a dinosaur, you cannot understand them. And I cannot either.

But we need to understand them. There is no other detector here except if a child of fifteen to seventeen years of age stays here and does not go to any other community. This environment is the most suitable for him.

Have you ever seen sixteen-year-old boys sitting next to their fathers, organizing groups similar to those their fathers are in? This existed a few hundred years ago when we were on a primitive level of development. But now, after the turning point that we went through in the twentieth century, look what is happening.

But the goal is different now. Back then it was just an animal imitation of parents: father is a blacksmith, I will be a blacksmith too; father is a farmer, I will be a farmer, and so on. But now it is different. My father is engaged in spirituality, and I am too because in principle, I cannot find anything else. Would you be able to keep these sixteen-year-old boys next to you if they were not interested? No one could. It is obvious that they come by themselves and sit next to their fathers.

For me, this is clear proof that the example we set for them and the material we give them truly stand above the entire nature of man.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Children of Israel, Part 1” 10/1/10

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Question: Is there no artificial coercion in the system of integral upbringing and education, unlike what exists in the modern educational system?

Answer: In the system of integral upbringing, there can be no coercion, only the awareness of necessity. The goal that stands before us is completely undesirable to us; our egoism is absolutely against it, but we have no escape. Gradually permeated with this necessity, we suddenly begin to find merits within it: “Let us think, what do we attain through this? Let us assume that it is possible. Perhaps it is utopian, but let us play a fairy tale.”

We begin to explore what actually happens in this case. Is a person fulfilled through it? After all, we want only to attain fulfillment. In what, with what, and how? To what extent does a person become satiated by all of his needs, all of his desires? How many desires in our present state can we satisfy?

Comment: Not many, about twenty.

My Response: Correct. And even then, we immediately and instantly begin to feel a new emptiness, and once more we must run after their fulfillment, rush toward some new sources. But what is integral fulfillment, or what does it imply?

Here we begin to reveal an entirely new form of existence when I, by including myself in others, in connection with others, begin to gain the ability to be filled, to be satiated, to constantly experience literally a sensory and creative “orgasm.” It exists within me and grows continuously.

This is a tremendous shock. And it is constant; it does not tire or repel you. You are no longer drawn to try something else: “Now I would like something a bit spicy…,” because both qualities are present together: the egoism and the attainment of connection above it.

Thus, we begin to reveal a completely new level of sensation of life: sensory and cognitive. We penetrate a new layer of nature and start to become acquainted with the single force that governs all of nature. If God exists (as people usually say), then we practically become equivalent to God. The sensation of time disappears—past, present, and future.

I rise above the flow of all existence. By integrating with others, it forms an eternal, perfect picture within me that constantly changes, shimmering with all its metamorphoses. And at the same time, I continuously enter into ever-greater attainment, satiation, pleasure, cognition, and revelation.

I suddenly reach a state in which my body seems to distance itself from me. It becomes secondary, and the sensation of it disappears to such an extent that even if it dies, I do not feel it. By mastering the entire system, by including myself in it, I do not feel how my animal part dies.

Just as on our current animal level when cutting nails or hair of the vegetative level, we feel no loss or pain, so here, having risen to the next level, Human (Adam), I feel no loss from the death of the animal body. I do not even feel that it happens, to such an extent do I detach from it and adapt to the new level.

If all this is gradually revealed to the listeners, they see that nature is not simply pushing us through all these crises to be born on a new level, but is leading us toward something special. And then they develop serious motivations.

Moreover, this justifies their present state in the world, without work, because by attaining the next, higher level, you thereby provide this world with everything necessary, with harmony as a result of which every grain of sand suddenly gives you an enormous amount of energy, literally according to Einstein’s formula.
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From KabTV’s “The 13th Conversation on Integral Education,” 12/18/11

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Question: There is a concept of karma that promotes that there is some kind of burden that prevents me from being happy, but that if I do positive actions or have suffered innocently, then I reduce my karma.

Answer: This is how religious consciousness is structured, as if suffering somehow improves us. Absolutely not!

I welcome any influences on myself, both negative and positive. My problem lies in only preparing myself to perceive both of them as a motivation from above to advance toward unification. And it turns out that, in principle, it does not matter to me what kind of influences these are, negative or positive.

I look at myself objectively. If my egoism is more affected by negative influences, then it is beneficial. This effect is negative relative to my egoism, not relative to me, because I want to elevate my “I,” I therefore have no problems with this.

I do not call for sufferings; I do not pray for them so that I can get some kind of reward for it later, no! They simply serve as the positive reason for me to move forward. But, in principle, I do not welcome them in themselves, and I do not strive for them; that is impossible. Only a masochist could believe that suffering supposedly purifies, that he will be rewarded with paradise or some kind of reward for suffering: suffer here and receive there. This is all wrong!

After all, in principle, nature itself provides for our good progress. And therefore, everything depends on how much we place ourselves above sensations, i.e., view them solely as the cause by means of which we advance.
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From a Conversation about Integral Education 5/30/12

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Question: Today we look at our world, at humanity, and we see that everyone is shouting. Even on television shows. They sit a meter apart from each other and shout nonstop. What should people, humanity, do so that shouting would at least turn into conversation?

Answer: A person sitting opposite me should take my hand and begin to persuade me calmly, in a soft voice, even in a whisper, about what he wants.

Question: And in that case, should he want something for me?

Answer: Yes. He wants to tell me something. His message should be conveyed in exactly this form, in this manner, from the heart so that I can open my heart in response. And everything can flow from one heart into another.

Comment: You are describing an ideal picture of people sitting and wanting to pass warmth to one another.

My Response: And we, the viewers, watch this on television and feel glad that today they invited the right, normal people. We enjoy listening to them. They say very little, yet we understand everything.

Comment: You are talking about an ideal state, not really of our world. As far as I know, you do not particularly watch television. But it is enough just to look.

Answer: I certainly do not watch such programs.

Question: Yes, there are such shows—rings, a fight going on. It is no coincidence that beating someone up is now considered a sport. And here it is the same thing; they are beating each other up verbally. But humanity will not come to anything through this shouting, will it?

Answer: No, of course not.

Comment: Meaning that everyone will prove that they are right and…

My Response: They are not proving anything; they simply do not hear one another.

Comment: Yes, exactly, they do not hear.

My Response: The main thing for them is: when he is speaking, I am speaking. That is all.

Question: I want to understand. I keep asking this practical question all the time: How does one move to conversation? What is required?

Answer: Many more years will pass. Time itself must act. And it will, as it were, explain to both interlocutors, or to a group of people, that this is useless, it is not worth engaging in this. And gradually they will lose the desire to participate in such talk shows.

Then some kind of a turning point will come, and they will stop producing these “circus performances.” That is how I see it. And only afterward will a serious expression of intentions take place.

Question: So, do you think that this fight will exhaust itself?

Answer: This must happen.

Question: Will this come from above?

Answer: Certainly from above. There is no doubt about this at all.

Question: Do you think it will not come from us?

Answer: No, nothing good can come from us.

Question: So it will come from above: “Be silent. Be calm”?

Answer: Yes, let’s sit and be silent. That will be the program.

Question: So they will already become disappointed with us from above? Why would that suddenly happen?

Answer: No one above becomes disappointed. And who are we to be disappointed with?
Therefore, we will simply come to such a form of program that it will be transmitted through feelings. Not words—feelings. After all, we need to do something with ourselves.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman,” 12/24/25

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Question: One of my patients had diabetes and suffered from depression. She was lonely, so she ate whatever happened to be around, never cooked for herself, microwaved ready-made meals, and ate on the go. I asked whether she had a friend, and after receiving a positive answer, I advised them to cook for each other. They followed my advice and both began to recover. Why is it that a person cannot do something for themselves, but does it with pleasure for another?

Answer: In a woman this is expressed especially strongly, because she has a maternal instinct of care, a sense of duty. A person is too lazy to cook just for themselves. It is well-known that if a woman lives alone, she will never cook. But if she has a family, she cannot allow herself to let things slide.

Why do we become healthier when we care for others? Not even because our systems balance each other, but because we enter into balance with nature, with the vast surrounding world in which powerful forces circulate that strive toward equilibrium. We exist between each other like a dipole: plus–minus, minus–plus, which begins to interact with this enormous field, with this enormous force. And since we strive to resemble it, we draw its positive influence onto ourselves, an influence that heals us.

It doesn’t matter on what level we interact with each other. Suppose two people exchange small pleasant things; it doesn’t matter what. The main thing is that an action occurs that places them in correspondence with this vast field, and then both begin to recover. And it doesn’t matter that one sent the other an apple and the other sent back something equally insignificant; that is not the point. The point lies precisely in the correspondence with the surrounding environment, with what you align yourself: either with corrupt humanity, from which you receive only negative influences, or with the positive influence of the great force of nature.
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From KabTV’s “Medicine of the Future,” 4/7/13

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Question: Why is cowardice so despised?

Answer: It is despised, but you have to understand that it is a human feeling, and a very strong one. By the way, it protects us from many problems that we could cause for ourselves and for others.

Question: So do you not despise a person who admits that he is a coward?

Answer: No, I do not despise him. One simply needs to know how to balance this force and protect oneself in a balanced way to the extent that is necessary.

Question: Is there courage without cowardice? Does such a thing exist at all?

Answer: No, only if it is a pathological condition.

Question: So do you call it a disease when a person is completely reckless?

Answer: Of course. Look at animals, and how they behave. They do not recklessly attack someone. They check, they circle around, and so on. And only afterward, if they decide to attack, they rush forward.

Comment: Yes, that is true. But with rabid dogs this mechanism seems to be switched off.

My Response: Yes.

Comment: So if a person is purely reckless, “brave,” as they say, it is actually a disease.

My Response: That is not courage.

Question: An important question arises: how should we raise children? They tell a child, “Do not be a coward; be brave.”

Answer: You should weigh everything.

Question: Who are you saying this to right now?

Answer: To the child. Weigh all the pros and cons. And only if you are convinced that there is no other choice, then attack.

Comment: You are now addressing the child as an adult, as someone possessing wisdom.

Answer: What can you do? It is the same with adults as well.

Question: But should such an attitude be applied to a child? That you should weigh all the pros and cons, and only after that…?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Is this what is called education?

Answer: Of course.

Question: Can a child do this?

Answer: He can because precisely this caution, this cowardice, can help him.

Question: What age are you talking about when you speak of this upbringing of a child?

Answer: At a young age, from three years old.

Question: From three years old you can say, “Weigh the options”? Sit in front of a child and say in an adult way, “Weigh the options”? Can one already relate to a child as to an adult at this age?

Answer: Yes.

Question: If a parent relates to a child in this way, what does it say about the parent?

Answer: That the parent is teaching the child a balanced attitude toward the world.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman,” 12/5/25

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Question: It would seem that the greater the number of people a person comes into contact with, the higher the risk of catching something and falling ill. Yet studies show that a person living in isolation from others has a much higher chance of dying from disease. Why does this contradiction arise?

Answer: There were periods in human history when terrible epidemics raged in Europe. Because people lived densely in cities, these epidemics led to real catastrophes and claimed millions of lives. If a person lived in a remote village, they had a better chance of escaping an epidemic.

But today humanity has already passed through this era of major epidemics. Recent studies show that in our time, a sense of connection and happiness has such power that it can overcome all problems and illnesses. After all, we live in a different era.

I read about a study conducted at some university involving three teenagers suffering from extremely severe forms of cancer. They were asked what they would like in their lives, and they were promised that any wish would be fulfilled. One boy wanted to fly in an airplane in the pilot’s cockpit, and one girl wanted to be a queen. All these wishes were fulfilled.

For the girl, a royal reception was organized at the university. Students dressed in historical costumes paid her royal honors. After this, it was discovered that the patients’ conditions improved by 80%.

Of course, it is impossible to treat all diseases in this way alone. There are diseases of different levels—inanimate, vegetative, animal, and human depending on which systems of the body are affected. But cancer in particular is very susceptible to such influence, and it retreats in the face of a feeling of happiness. Happiness heals even in the most hopeless conditions.

In such cases doctors advise patients to do what they enjoy: travel, drink wine, enjoy life. And the most healing thing is the support of one’s surroundings—love, help, and protection. The problem is that people often act in exactly the opposite way, and begin to pity the sick person and cry together with them. By doing so, they immediately bury them.

The further we develop and attain connection with the force that sustains all our life, the entire universe, and all levels of our existence, the better we will learn to heal all problems through the feeling of happiness. And we will understand that happiness is attained only within connection.

That is, first and foremost we need unity. By uniting we reveal the connection between us, within which we feel the force that unites us and gives us a feeling of happiness. And through this feeling of happiness we heal all problems.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 242 – Happiness And Social Ties,” 10/17/13

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Our Children Are Constrained by the Clothing of the Old World

Why is the young generation so problematic?

It is because we are meant to rise to the next level of human development.

And truthfully, even if all the parents, the government, the UN, and UNESCO engage in an educational program, nothing will come of it. I am telling you this as a Kabbalist.

We must understand that the next generation is obligated to be on a different level of development. And this does not mean being more educated, knowledgeable, or successful. It means developing new instruments of perception.

The kind of communication that exists today between people is destroying us. Children connect with one another through computers; they have no need to know anything, they freely draw any information from there. Humanity is obligated to rise above all this and reveal a new world.

And as always, when transitioning from one degree to another, every generation becomes disappointed in everything it has achieved, in what can no longer satisfy it, and wishes to rise above it. And then we trample everything we have and move on to the next level.

So now, too, we must rise to a very important and special degree, to the revelation of a new world. Therefore, first of all we are forced to become disappointed in everything we have in this world. What is most precious to us—our children, grandchildren, the next generation—we see how empty they are, and we have nothing to give them.

We have prepared death for them. Everything we built for the future generation—10, 20, 30 years ago—has turned the world into a place unfit for living. And that is why our children are as they are.

This decline will continue further and further until humanity understands that there is no choice but to rise to another level of perceiving reality and another level of existence. And then they will destroy the entire old world; they will no longer be able to bear it or live in it.

They will throw away all the computers, screens, and mobile phones when they feel that none of this can fill them. For now it still seems to them that it fills them, but gradually they begin to grow tired of these games that are imposed on them. This pain, suffering, and disappointment, the hopelessness of the present state must accumulate to the limit, and then this generation will break all former values and will desire to reveal a new world.

And the revelation of the new world is exactly what the wisdom of Kabbalah speaks about. I very much hope that this will happen soon, and that I will still witness it in my lifetime. I appeal to all parents: we must think about this, and prepare this world, this foundation, from which it will be easier for the young generation to rise to the next degree!
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From Kab  Radio Station 103FM, 1/8/16

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One Swallow Does Not Make a Summer

Question: My daughter is still very young, but I am already terribly worried about what will happen to her when she reaches adolescence. How would you advise me to raise her?

Answer: I cannot advise on a particular case because everyone depends on everyone else. It is impossible to separate one from the others. A person is a product of society and the environment, even when that environment is artificial. The problem is that we lack a program for bringing up the new generation.

Question: This is a painful question for anyone who has children. What can we do?

Answer: I do not think anyone really cares about the kids. Parents shun responsibility and don’t want to hear about the problems of young people. They won’t want to listen to what I am saying now either because it is unpleasant. It is easier not to think about anything, as they say: “The suffering of many is half the consolation.”

Everyone thinks, “My children are no worse than others. Should I raise them differently, they will not be able to live in tomorrow’s cruel world. Better that they are like everyone else.” Indeed, one family cannot change anything; as the saying goes, “One swallow does not a summer make.” We are talking about the entire country.

We need to decide globally on what to do with the next generation. There needs to be a global consensus, a common discussion of what to do. The children are still in our hands despite everything on the Internet that we have given them. This is our problem, and we must find a solution because they are under our care.

This problem should be addressed not only at the level of a single country, but at the levels of UNESCO and the UN. Let them finally stop doing all the nonsense and realize that we are losing the younger generation. Where is education? Where is culture? Nothing is left of them. These huge organizations are not doing what they should be doing at all.

A general, global education program is needed. After all, we cannot shut down the Internet or the country, so we need an international approach. This issue should receive the highest priority because it concerns the younger generation.

In 10, 15, or 20 years, they will take our place and will be in charge of life instead of us. If we want to know what will happen then, take a look at teenagers, at how we prepare them. Unfortunately, nothing good is in sight yet.
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From KabTV’s on Radio Station 103FM, 1/8/16

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Interaction with the Computer Screen

We need to decide how we want to see the next generation,and we should make a list of principles and behaviors, and accordingly create a program to bring them to this state. It is very important to define the right principles because we may be wrong.

I remember discussing the problem of early sexual relations with psychologists many years ago, and they said it was not a big deal if teenagers started having sex at the age of 13. This seemed controversial to me, but no one wanted to listen to me. As a result, this age has dropped to nine today.

The question remains: Is that a bad thing? In any case, this issue should be brought into a public forum.

We must decide whether this is acceptable or not, and within what framework, so that it does not ruin young people’s lives or damage their future, so they feel that an intimate relationship is more than just sex, and family is more than burdensome responsibilities to each other. If young people perceive family only as a burden, they will not want to get married at all.

We need to understand the peculiarity of the generation that we are facing because it all must change its nature. We are experiencing radical changes in technology and in our relationships, and we have moved from human-to-human connection to human-to-computer-screen connections. Through these screens we are influenced from all over the world, not just from our village, city, or small country.

Comment: Psychologists say that the younger generation lacks empathy. It is precisely because connections have become less “humanized” and more computerized that children have lost the ability to empathize. He may be a wonderful child, but he lacks empathy for those close to him.

My Response: This is a consequence of several phenomena that are related to each other and influence one another. Firstly, there is a change in the climate and in how our planet affects humans. After all, man is an integral part of the whole of nature.

Secondly, our ego is constantly growing, and in the last generation it has grown in a very particular way. We have stopped communicating directly with each other and have switched to communicating through technological means, to a completely different type of communication between people.

I am not connecting with people anymore, but with machines. Even when I am listening to the news, reading something, or talking to someone, I am talking to the car. There are computer systems between us that determine how we feel and understand each other. What I see or do not see, what I hear, and how I react depend on these systems.

Machines determine my connection to the world. That is, we exist in a completely artificial system. We must finally determine what we have come to, and whether we still have a chance to change something, or just raise our hands.
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From KabTV’s on Radio Station 103FM, 1/8/16

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