Entries in the 'Conventions' Category

A View From Above

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Is spiritual advancement possible without having a deep knowledge of psychology?

Answer: Basically the Kabbalists did not learn psychology, after all they began to teach it around 50 – 70 years ago. At the beginning of the last century psychology as a science didn’t even exist. And even today it is difficult to call it a science because it is impossible to learn and to investigate the human while we are found on the present beastly level of development. To be able to investigate and learn something, we need to be one level higher.

Therefore it is possible to perceive the human and his psychology, which is to say, the structure of his soul, only within the wisdom of Kabbalah. Psychology is the soul. Who can learn and investigate the soul? Everything that we learn are all kinds of bestial reactions: either instinctive or the result of the influence of the environment or the human society on each other.

Psychology as a science ended around 20 years ago. We stopped understanding each other and therefore nobody can seriously be involved with it. Psychologists talk about this themselves. Since the beginning of the nineties of the last century, no new discoveries have been made in it, not even dependency has been defined, the human has become unrecognizable, one person cannot know another person.

For this sake we need to rise to a new level. Through learning the wisdom of Kabbalah it is possible to understand human psychology, his soul, because everything is established there. How is it possible to understand a person if we don’t know how he is managed, from where, what for, for what need, for what purpose does he go. The goal is what establishes all of his responses.

We see the person only in his everyday worldly life when he only organizes himself to live the seventy years of his life. This is not psychology, rather a normal level of animal existence. Therefore, only by learning the wisdom of Kabbalah is it possible to learn psychology.
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From the Conventions in Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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In Spirituality An Individual Is Not A Warrior

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Every morning I wake up with the thought that everything depends upon me, “If I am not for myself who will be for me?” And I make great plans to do something wonderful, huge, and helpful. After that all kinds of things distract me, and in the evening I discover that apparently I didn’t do anything. But I understand that “There is none else besides Him”; that is, it is the Creator who arranged all this for me. I go to sleep, wake up in the morning completely renewed and everything begins anew. How is it possible to break out of my “deceptive” system?

Answer: I think that this happens because you are planning your personal egoistic spiritual event in the morning. Instead of this, you need to plan group events and then the whole “deception” will disappear and fade into being forgotten. Together with the friends you will be able to remind each other about things that need to be done.

Spiritual action can only be in a group, only together, at least with one other person. Even if in the morning I promise myself that I will do something, succeed in this, and in the evening feel like a hero: “Today I thought all the time and held onto it intentionally!” This is worth nothing if this was not connected to others!

It makes no difference what I thought about others if in this activity I was not together with them. Therefore, for many years we promise ourselves about something every morning but we don’t get results!

Spiritual work can only be in a group that is composed of at least two people, where we join together and do some kind of activity; otherwise, it isn’t spiritual. It’s desirable that we will depend upon each other in this activity that we are included together. I am happy about what my friend does and he is happy about what I do, so both of us depend upon each other.

And the main thing is for whom is the work intended? It could be from me and from the friend for a group and from there for the Creator. Can we convey our mutual joy from us to them, are we giving contentment to the Creator with this? Extending yourself into the characteristic of bestowal cannot be the work of one person, there must be at least two.
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From the Conventions in Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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The Future Society: Spiritual And Material

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Which principles must be found in the future society, do they have a reciprocal connection with the spiritual world?

Answer: In the future society exactly the same Kabbalistic principles apply as in the spiritual world. This is the same Kabbalistic system of mutual connection of the corrected parts of creation of corrected souls, only it is described and explained in ordinary materialistic language and no more than this.

Either I say that we need to gather according to the Kabbalistic principles of “faith above reason,” “nullification,” “first restriction,” “second restriction,” “Returning Light,” and so forth or I say the same thing in a simple language—that people need to begin to connect despite their ego and then they will sense the discovery of a unique collective force among them, which in fact is the upper Light.
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From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/14/13, Lesson 4

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The Summit Which Will Not Yield Without Preparation

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe have been organizing conventions for over ten years. The first convention that was held in Israel was initiated by the Moscow group and since then the tradition developed when friends from different countries come together. So, we are more familiar with our brothers who live around the world.

However, so far, we have not used these conventions in the form that should be revealed in the end. A convention is a general gathering, the place of the revelation of the general desire, the collective intention and the interaction (Zivug) with the upper Light to which we are drawn.

We must consider the next convention in St. Petersburg as new, the first of its kind. Its feature is full-fledged preparation. We are not going to a festival, not on a holiday with an easy and enjoyable program. Of course, I am not against “lightness,” but I am against frivolity.

We must prepare for this event extremely seriously. This does not mean that you should walk with grim faces. On the contrary, we all need to be in great spirits but at the same time together feeling that we are just about to gather the forces needed for that general special power by means of which we will be able to realize unity with the upper Light to the extent of our similarity with it, even minimally.

We want to generate at least a bit of bestowal from our part, which the upper Light will be able to correct by giving it the correct form. Then, after the correcting light of AB-SAG, the filling light will be revealed, and we will know the Creator, and all this is in order to bring Him contentment.

The main thing we need to build in ourselves is confidence. It all depends on the preparation, and the result of the preparation and during the action itself, so to speak, there is nothing to do. Figuratively speaking, you have for dinner what you have prepared. It is said, “He who did not labor on the eve of the Sabbath, from whence shall he eat on the Sabbath day?” That is why the main work is carried out not at the convention but before it.

Eighteen days are left before the convention in St. Petersburg. It promises to bring a record number of participants. In addition, it follows right after the convention in Krasnoyarsk, and never before have we had such a dramatic difference between the properties of vessels that are revealed by these two meetings.

In short, we have precise work. We must do the same thing as in Krasnoyarsk but in different internal and external conditions in another layer of the general desire. The difference is clear to us and we understand that we need to neutralize it. If we manage to create the same atmosphere in St. Petersburg, the same unity, the same transparency, as in Krasnoyarsk, we will be awarded a great revelation.

However, I repeat: Preparatory work from every individual and all together is required. If we had a device that measured the level of preparation, I would have put it at the entrance to the convention hall and would allow inside only those who meet the requirements and would send the others home. Everyone should understand that if he does not participate correctly in a common effort, he causes harm that comes back to him to the extent that he prevents everyone else.

This is a very harsh law. So first of all, we must thoroughly check all the participants as to whether they are prepared for the convention.

Besides that, from this day forward, we constantly need to discuss the upcoming meeting, to prepare and distribute materials to create a general online territory where everyone will be able to ask questions in various languages. We will translate these questions and answer them. We need a committee to deal with all the concerns in the framework of the spiritual preparation for the convention. The groups of St. Petersburg and Moscow take care of the physical and organizational preparation, sparing no effort, and that is why we need to help them in other areas.
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From the Talk About the Preparation for the Convention in St. Petersburg 6/23/13

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Mistakes From Childhood?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Lately I have been remembering many things from my youth and feel ashamed of things that I did then…

Answer: You will see what you did again…. The Creator intentionally presents all this to you and you need to understand that it was He who did all this and not you.

That is, you need to understand that everything in the past is what He did with you, “There is none else besides Him.” Therefore, don’t eat yourself up!

If you condemn yourself about the past, then you are condemning the Creator because your entire past was determined by Him. It is only the present and the future which is determined by you.
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From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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Not Negotiable

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: We say that we should feel pleasure in the friend. Suppose a person loves power and revels in his power in the group. Do I have to enjoy this flaw in him?

Answer: If he were a member of your family, your child, would you enjoy the fact that he behaves in this way?

Comment: I would reprimand him.

Answer: A reprimand should be given not directly but by implication, carefully, so that he understands that he needs to behave differently. This would be better for him and for the others.

If he really brings so much harm that it disturbs the group and brings foreign thoughts, foreign ideas, and if he starts to proclaim a new path, then he has no place in the group. Then the conversation is short—expel him from the group.

There are only two reasons for excluding a friend from the group:

  • If he goes against the general flow of the group, against the primary sources or teacher and this spoils the collective work
  •  If he disturbs the unity of the group. In this case, the worst thing is if he separates families.

I have heard that these problems do exist and I strongly warn that this must not occur. Do whatever you want but the friend’s family is sacred because the family is the basic unit of the corrected society; it should be corrected, and there can be no excuses.

The violation of these two principles prevents us from progressing because the family is the cell of the group and our ideology is the vector of the group.

Basically, these are spiritual laws. So, keep in mind that if these things take place, then they need to be eradicated soon with no questions or discussions, this is not negotiable.
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From the Conventions in Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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Studying And Teaching Others

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the first half of the 20th century, Baal HaSulam wrote about the unity of the world and the crisis that humanity would have to go through. There were serious times then. Two world wars were looming over the world. In general, the picture was obvious and that is why Baal HaSulam pointed out that starting in 1995 the wisdom of Kabbalah would be required by the masses, that people will study it seriously and in great numbers.

Naturally, it is a long process. It was not exactly in one year that the “bell rang” and everyone rushed to Kabbalah as into the open doors of a store. But still it just happened.

In anticipation of future events, Baal HaSulam wrote his works on the further development of humankind. Of them, the main one  is a very interesting collection, mostly a notebook, which is called “The Last Generation.”

After Rabash I inherited Baal HaSulam’s archive—that which had survived, had not been stolen or lost. I found the fragments of this archive in the basement in such a shape that perhaps not everything could be restored, but some parts could be. Based on them, we created the book, The Last Generation.

In this book, Baal HaSulam describes the basic principle of the life of future society. It consists of sketches and individual records that are grouped in one way or another. Extensive research work was done to collect them. Of course, we do not add anything to what was written there, but in the end we make our own conclusions.

Overall, from this book and other works of Baal HaSulam such as “The Mutual Guarantee” and so on, we understand that there is a need in people to change their world when they become disappointed in their own forces, in their ability to do something with it. When many are overcome by lack of understanding, then comes the time to explain everything to them.

We find ourselves in this state. Every year the world realizes more and more hopelessness, helplessness, purposelessness, and so on.

Accordingly, there are several reasons why we should go out into the world, first, as the Kabbalists point out, because this is the desire of the Creator and we cannot invent our own goals, intentions, and excuses. If it is stated, it is done.

By nature, I would be happy to sit in my office quietly exploring various works and write my own. This is my character. However, life forces and it can’t not be done.

When I wrote my first three books in 1983, Rabash began to treat me differently. He really saw that I not only studied diligently and was constantly with him as a student and assistant, but I made efforts in dissemination. It was a good sign for him. It was not easy in those years. I republished those books in 1990 in Russian in Novosibirsk. They were sold. The fourth book was Attaining the Worlds Beyond and other books followed.

Dissemination is the most important moment for the Creator. He does not consider a person who thinks only about himself. He ignores him; moreover, He despises him.

Conversely, a person who invests strength in dissemination receives special help from Above. After all, he opens the path to others through himself, similar to Bina working to correct the lower Partzufim. That is why he receives everything for everyone, the light, knowledge, and strength pass through him.

Thus, dissemination is our main activity. If we are talking about love and bestowal, what kind of realization of the principle of love for the other as for oneself could be if not through dissemination and teaching the wisdom of Kabbalah?

This is necessary, no doubt. However, this is only for a small group of people who have the point in the heart, the embryo of the independent spiritual vessel (Kli) and independent part of the soul. You will see the system of our entire created desire. Each organ contains these particles. They are few. In essence, it is you and I, as well as all the previous generations of Kabbalists.

However, it is a very small part. Similarly, every point of the body has a tiny piece of the brain that receives and processes information. Every organ has particles that provide communication with the control center and the center itself is in the head. It is such a small “pea,” practically a microprocessor that deals with everything that happens in the body as well as all sorts of connections known and yet unknown to us. Its representatives, scattered all over the body, are the most important for any organ because they activate it.

Thus, we are these parts, and that is why we should not expect that there will be many of us. So, as it is written in the Torah, “You were the smallest of all nations.” It is important to remember that the Torah refers not to the Jews. The Torah refers to Israel and as we know “Israel” means “straight to the Creator” (Yashar El). These people are few.

So, the International Kabbalah Academy and Education Center will develop further, but you should not wait for a lot of people to begin lining up at the doors. However, in any case, we must develop this system and support it. It is desirable to teach everyone who wishes to study. This is evident.

We do not check people as to whether they have a point in the heart. You want to, study; you don’t want to, don’t study. A person attends a couple of lessons. He did not want it and left. It does not matter; he has something. The doors are open to everyone.

However, only we can carry out the most important dissemination, those who have the point in the heart. We are scattered around the world as in the organs of the human body. We are the “particles of the brain” in its various parts. We were given the task to manage the correction of humanity and we must do it and we must build a new society. We are pioneers, the first generation that studies in order to teach others Kabbalah and integral education. The world needs both.

This is what we need to do, not neglecting our task of studying in order to know and share our knowledge with others in the form in which they want it. As it is written, “Teach the boy according to his way,” that is, according to what he desires. If he does not want to study the system of the upper world, then do not teach him it. However, if he wants to improve his state, his earthly everyday life, this is good. In this vein, it is necessary to teach him.
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From the Convention in Krasnoyarsk 6/14/13, Lesson 4

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I Wish For You…

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In order to reach the “point in the heart” of a friend, it is necessary to open the heart and in order to open it, I need to feel the person. Why does fear appear regarding opening the heart? What creates this? After all, in the past as children we knew how to trust each other and now we don’t.

Answer: We do not have to open our hearts to others not even to a friend. You simply need to be within him and this is all.

Question: And if his heart is closed?

Answer: This is not important. He cannot shut out anything from you. It makes no difference how he reacts, how he behaves, you must be within his heart, within his desires, within his longings. You must help him, wish him well, and identify with him. You want him always to be happy that things will be good for him. This is how a relationship should be in regard to the other. This is a purely spiritual movement.
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From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/16/13, Lesson 5

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The New World Depends Upon You!

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: People used to think that the leaders, the heads of the people, change the social order and economy.

Answer: In general the leaders do this and today the Creator is doing this.

Furthermore, there will be no leaders in our world; their time has passed. A leader is someone who manages the world by force and only a little by common sense. This no longer works! A modern leader needs to understand the new structure of the world that is approaching and there are no leaders like this!

Therefore, the elite are searching. They need you. You will see how you will be able to come to the leaders and explain to them what needs to be done, and they will listen to you. They will implement what you advise them to do through their forceful methods and actively will realize all the integral exercises.

They will begin to manage integral education within the population and in schools and will organize roundtables, give a green light to programs on these subjects through television, in all the communications media, and so forth. They will be forced to do this because the entire economy will begin to collapse. In every corner there will be bloody incidents of violence. People will not settle for this while the leaders have nothing to give them.

Also, only you will be allowed to come and say something intelligible and no one else; everyone will see that the old principles, agreed upon and known to all, no longer work. Therefore, the new world depends upon you.
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From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/14/13, Lesson 4

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There Won’t Be Any Disappointments

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: There are concepts like fairness and bestowal. If I don’t know how to give and bestow materially, can I at least know how it is to bestow spiritually?

Answer: Spirituality and materiality are integrated with each other. If I cannot bestow materially, I will not be able to bestow anything spiritually either. This is because everything is established through desire. It oversees my material activities: I extend my hand, I return my hand, and so forth. It’s the same thing in spirituality. Therefore, in the material world if I harm someone, certainly I am not bringing any benefit in spirituality.

If I will learn to bestow on the physical level, then with this I take a step towards spirituality. However, this doesn’t mean that I enter into the upper world yet because I must be properly organized for this, especially between me and everyone else. And this is what we are teaching humanity.

People can bestow and give to each other, we know about the altruism of individuals and Utopian societies from history, but nothing came from this. In general, clearly this ended in bloodshed because the Light didn’t come among them and disappointments, bitterness, and mutual recriminations came in response to their efforts and expectations. Therefore, it’s necessary to teach people how to unite correctly, and then their movement towards each other will be desirable and will end well.
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From the Convention In Krasnoyarsk 6/14/13, Lesson 4

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