Entries in the 'Conventions' Category

Physics And Lyricism

Dr. Michael LaitmanWhen we properly define Kabbalistic terms, we see that Kabbalah isn’t some out-of-this-world science, but that it deals with realistic things: our interrelation and the correction of human nature. It allows us to transform hatred into interconnection and to search for ways to rise above our nature. It also allows us to understand that “God’ is a quality of complete bestowal, and this quality has to reign between us. Instead of sensing only our bodies, which are essentially just bags full of electrolytes, we’ll sense things that exist outside of us.

How will this happen? Simply put, if I direct all of my attention, care, thoughts, and desires outward into the general system, then gradually I gain the ability to sense others. I provide my “animal” with all the necessities, and the rest of me is fully immersed in our interconnection. It’s similar to the way a mother cares for her new born baby: All of her thoughts and feelings are directed at him.

After we reach this state, we are ready to sense the spiritual world. And we really do begin to feel it. That is, we begin to feel things outside of us. Before we only perceived things within our five senses, sensing the world from within. After all, “this world” is drawn on the back of my brain as a reflection of my five senses. In essence, I see myself because I see the projection of my inner qualities. But when the relations between us become more important than my inner sensations, I cross over to an out-of-body perception.

This constitutes the revelation of the Creator or the revelation of the quality of bestowal to a person. One reveals what he has created and built. By exiting himself, a person becomes similar to the Creator or the force of bestowal. A person attains the quality of bestowal to the degree that he builds it, meaning that the Creator reveals Himself according to the level the person has attained. After all, the “Creator” (Boreh) means “come and see.” Come and you will see, feel and measure what you’ve attained.

By perceiving reality and the Creator in this way, we cancel out many stereotypes and preconceptions. We begin to really engage in our inner science in which we are both the researchers and the subjects under examination. We feel the results and become them. We attain the quality of the Creator, which becomes our quality—our adhesion to the quality of bestowal.

Thanks to this perception of reality and to the changes that we must undergo, we completely change our attitude toward pain, suffering, and to the complaints we present to others, to the Creator and to ourselves. We understand that we exist within Nature and that there isn’t anyone to blame. There is no one to search for or hope for someone’s mercy and protection.

There’s only room for a scientific approach: We exist in a system of forces that is subject to precise laws. Kabbalah defines this as follows: “I did not change my Name,” “the upper Light is at absolute rest,” “a judge has only what his eyes can see,” and “the law was given and cannot be transgressed.”

We use the language of emotion and prayer, but if we don’t want to become confused by all this, we must “test the harmony with algebra” and achieve precise measurement of forces, directions and vectors, equations, graphs, and formulas. Only then will we be able to measure our sensations and efforts, our hatred and love both quantitatively and qualitatively through various contrasts. This is the only way we can avoid confusion.

We are sensual creatures, our matter is the desire to receive pleasure. However, we conduct work on ourselves like true researchers. We rise to work above our desires by means of restriction and the screen, and this is called working in faith above reason.

So let’s become comfortable with languages of lyricism and physics. In essence, they both speak of the same things, we only have to avoid becoming confused by them. Then we’ll clearly understand the entire creation.

The science of Kabbalah teaches how to conduct research and create a precise objective language that describes sensations. By doing so, we’ll understand the whole reality and the Creator—the force of bestowal that reigns over the entire reality. We’ll get to know Him completely and then reach the goal.
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From Preparation Lesson, Kabbalah Convention in Toronto, 9/16/2011

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The Creator’s Blocks

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the purpose of the revelation of evil between the friends in the group?

Answer: Evil rules between us. All the connections between us are bad. A broken system is being revealed to us. “Broken” does not mean that the system broke into separate pieces. It means that it works completely opposite to the way it should. In other words, the system itself is pointing to its proper form.

After all, if evil does not become revealed, how will we know its opposite? This is why we didn’t speak about the global, integrated, common, and absolute crisis before the entirety of evil became revealed in our world in the 21st century. The evil, which was gradually being revealed here and there, did not seem to be so bad. Now, this entire system is revealed in complete evil with its different forms, directions, and interconnections in everything that exists opposite to good.

Regarding this it is written: “I created the evil inclination.” As we reveal this evil, we see Who created it. “I created the evil inclination,” the Creator says, “I am playing with you right now. I am presenting you with a broken form. And you need to see that it is broken, opposite to the proper form, and that I made it broken purposefully out of a proper perfect form, as it was before.” The Creator says: “At first there was good. I broke it with Light so you could do an opposite action—turn evil into good using the same Light.”

Why do we receive all these bad states? Because by turning this evil into good now, I attain the Creator, this upper force of bestowal; I become wise, sensitive, understanding, and incorporate all of reality within me. I become like the Creator. I do the Creator’s work, I take it upon myself.

This is why we got a broken system.
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From Preparation Lesson, Kabbalah Convention in Toronto, 9/16/2011

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Tell Us About Spirituality!

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is it like to bestow?

Answer: We cannot ask questions about sensations because if I feel something, I feel it. And whatever I do not feel—I am not yet able to feel. And this is why there is no answer to the question: “What is it like to feel something I do not feel?”

In our world we can ask this question in hopes to receive a clue of something similar, already familiar to us. But it is pointless to ask about a sensation I have never had in any shape or form and have nothing to liken it to. What can I compare it to, what do I point to? Nothing.

I asked Rabash, my teacher, this question. He said the following: “The first spiritual degree is the Light instead of a tiny spark that created this entire world, everything that exists in it, all the pleasure that fills all the matter of the still, vegetative, and animate nature over the entire time of existence of reality, over the course of all generations.”

It can be said simpler. There are seven billion people in the world. All their pleasure put together is a tiny spark in comparison with the Light you attain on the first spiritual degree.

But this is quality wise, not quantity wise. You perceive eternity and perfection in this attainment, and only then you are able to value them. And all of this happens according to the desires you have prepared.

Question: How can you receive all this Light without “exploding?”

Answer: You do not “explode” because you prepare the desire ahead of time. Desire must precede the Light. It is a proper question. If I tried now to consume all of this enormous Light, you would really need to “pick my pieces off the wall,” as if there was an atomic explosion. But this is when we receive within egoistic desires that absorb everything into themselves.

But when I come out of my ego into the bestowing desires, I acquire an unlimited vessel, and the Light merely goes through me towards the others. It does not stop within me. I receive pleasure from it going through me towards the others. I fulfill the desires of others to the extent that I connect them to me, and the Light goes through me without stopping. This is why I enjoy, and I do not have a problem with it. After all, I do not detain the Light, it goes through me and moves on. The Light cannot even stop for a moment; the second it stops, it disappears.

This is why the method of reception of Light is called “the wisdom of Kabbalah,” a science about reception. This is because you can only receive the Light under the condition that you transfer it to others. Then you are not limited and remain eternal and perfect.

Hence, it is impossible to receive the Light egoistically. When you approach it egoistically, you feel even greater darkness.
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From Preparation Lesson, Kabbalah Convention in Toronto, 9/16/2011

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The Creator Is Not A Person

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How does a person form the quality of bestowal within?

Answer: There is no Creator without the creature. And the Creator is that very quality of bestowal that we form. If we don’t form it, the Creator doesn’t exist.

What does exist, then? There is His unattainable essence, Atzmuto, the original root of everything, which is utterly unconnected to us. We form and construct the Creator by exerting efforts and producing the quality of bestowal. We generate this quality by the common work between us. If we actualize and beget it, that is what will be called “the Creator.”

The spiritual Partzuf we construct in the relationships between us is our desire to receive that we have restricted and filled with the Reflected Light, the desire to bestow, and together with it, revealed within the quality of bestowal called “the Creator.”

In other words, “the Creator” is the Light of NRNHY that we reveal in our spiritual vessels corrected to bestow. In reality, “the Creator” is the common Light of NRNHY that we ultimately attain. Baal HaSulam writes that the general Light of NRNHY that fills Malchut of the world of Infinity is called “the Creator.” And that the smaller portions at the intermediary stages are degrees of His attainment.

The Creator is not a person; He has no individual characteristics or image. This is why you cannot turn to Him for you are the one who constructs Him. The Creator has no form—you are the one who gives Him form. Over your desire to receive you place the corresponding desire to bestow, and it means that you have constructed the Creator. There is no other way.

If you think that the Creator has a form before you have constructed it, that means you worship a certain image, an idol. This is the meaning of “alien work” or idol-worshipping.

These are the principles of the right attitude toward nature. This is why you cannot picture various images or resemblances to yourself. This was Abraham’s first discovery, when he “broke the idols,” meaning he realized that he was the one forming the quality of bestowal. And until then there exists only a certain original root that we cannot imagine in any way.
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From Preparation Lesson, Kabbalah Convention in Toronto, 9/16/2011

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“We Are For The World” Kabbalah Convention In Toronto – 09.18.11

“We Are for the World” Lesson 6
Download: WMV Video|MP3 Audio

“We Are for the World” Lesson 7
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How Can We Get A Desire For An Unknown Taste?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the purpose of the circulation of the knowledge of Kabbalah and in what forms should it be carried out?

Answer: There is a reality that we perceive in our desire to receive pleasure, and we cannot disclose it more than we feel it now. There is also a reality that we can apprehend in our desire to bestow. To the extent we desire to bestow we can reveal the upper force, the nature of which is complete bestowal. We can attain only these two qualities.

We perceive our world in our desire to receive pleasure and can develop in it. But essentially, our world is limited by our egoistic desire that absorbs everything “into itself.” Consequently, we discover ourselves existing in a body made of flesh and in the surrounding environment.

Whereas the desire to bestow reveals for us the five worlds and the upper force, where we feel ourselves eternal and perfect like the upper force. But the problem is that in our desire to enjoy we sense a need for this world. Whereas we don’t have any need for the desire to bestow, for the spiritual world, and we have to develop it. Otherwise, we will not be able to attain the spiritual world.

The question is how I can develop a need for something I don’t want, feel, or understand and have no taste for? I don’t have any prerequisites for it; I have never tasted spirituality. What should I strive for?

I can advance towards it by means of problems and blows. But then I will only want to get rid of the blows, to run away from them, pushing or pricking me from behind. And how can I discover good awaiting for me ahead? I cannot see, feel, or taste it.

Thus, we do not have any choice. Blows, suffering, problems, crises, and bankruptcies alone cannot help us: All these impacts will not assist us in reaching spirituality. Therefore, Baal HaSulam states that there should be a preliminary condition for revelation of spirituality—the dissemination of the science of Kabbalah, which is referred to as “the call of the Messiah’s horn.”

I need to disclose to the world that there is something good, pleasant, and worthy that opens everything before you. It should be so attractive that even if I do not feel any lack now, I will suddenly realize that I am missing a different world—the upper one.

How can I get a desire for it? It is possible if I get impressed by the environment that tells me about it. Meaning, I need a good, big environment that “will brainwash me” to such a degree that I will really want something I do not want now. And we can see that the society is able to do it.

Therefore, everything depends on the environment. Otherwise, sufferings will come and will bombard me with blows—until I develop a desire to disseminate and try to disseminate in any case in order to receive an aspiration to move forward. By virtue of this desire I will be able to progress towards the quality of bestowal, towards the spiritual world, and then and only then I will attain it.

Thus, dissemination is an indispensable and mandatory condition for attaining spirituality. In what forms should we disseminate? In any! How can we influence a person? Through all his senses: Let him be impressed, desire, beg, or fear—it could be anything that will make him desire spirituality, as it is said: “I want!” Otherwise, if I don’t wish to advance on my own, only sufferings will come from behind, which is not enough.

We should desire spirituality ourselves and only then we will reveal it. That desire must be complete and reach a full measure called “Seah.” And I can receive it only from the environment. Therefore, you should realize how important circulation is!
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From the New York lecture #2, 9/12/11

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“We Are For The World” Kabbalah Convention In Toronto – 09.17.11

“We Are for the World” Lesson 5
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Kabbalah Circulation: Simply And To The Point

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How can we ensure that our circulation is not met with antagonism?

Answer: The approach is simple. First of all, we circulate the knowledge about the crisis without frightening people, but showing them the real situation.

And the situation is that we are opposite to global, integral nature. We know from biology, zoology, cybernetics, physics, astrophysics, and other disciplines that nature is global and all its parts are interconnected; they all are in homeostasis, balance, and harmony. All, except man.

Man was intentionally directed to the egoistic path of development that lasted until our time. And now we find ourselves in the crisis with regard to nature. In its development, human society became a global system and came into direct conflict with nature.

 

Existing inside nature, we are opposite to it. This is the core of the crisis: We do not correspond to nature. And until we reach accord with it, we will feel bad. This is what happens during any change of parameters be it temperature, pressure, or anything else. Hence, by not adapting to the environment, we experience crisis.

This shows what can be done, how human society can correspond to nature. This correspondence means that we have to be connected harmoniously between ourselves and with nature. Harmony demands of us to receive and give in a balanced way. After all, only two forces act in nature: reception and bestowal.

If we implement this approach both in human society and also in relation to the outside world, our life will be good. Thousands of scientific articles attest to it. We only need to show and explain it to people. We don’t say anything from ourselves; we merely organize the materials and present them: “Look, this is what constitutes our problem. Economists, scientists, and sociologists talk about it. So let us find a remedy according to their diagnosis. Let us cure ourselves.”

We do not employ the wisdom of Kabbalah or religion in our explanations. We only present the available scientific data correctly and bring it to people.

This raises a question: How do we correct our interrelationships—how to correct man? In response, we explain what’s described in Baal HaSulam’s article “The Freedom” and other materials: Man is a result of the environment, and hence, we need to change the environment so that it affects everybody in a different way. We have to artificially, using games, create among ourselves the correct environment.

The influence of the environment that I build transforms me. Yes, I play, I pretend; in reality I have no desire to be nice and responsive. Yet, I created a big environment that influences me in different ways, and thanks to this I change.

This is what we have to do, similar to how children grow. By building the environment and feeling changes in myself, I get to know my nature and Nature in general. I become wise, like the Creator, and raise myself to His degree. This is our goal: not to solve the crisis and have a good life in our world, but to raise ourselves to the next degree by correcting the crisis.
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From the New York lecture #1, 9/11/11

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Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “Messiah’s Shofar (Horn)”: And the dissemination of the wisdom in the masses is called “a Shofar.” Like the Shofar, whose voice travels a great distance, the echo of the wisdom will spread all over the world so even the nations will hear and acknowledge that there is Godly wisdom in Israel.

And this task was said about Eliyahu the prophet since the disclosure of the secrets of the Torah is always referred to as “the disclosure of Eliyahu.” It is as they have said, “let it rest until Elijah comes,” and also, “the Tishbi will answer the questions and problems.” For this reason, they said that three days (a known intimation) prior to the coming of the Messiah, Elijah would walk upon the hilltops and will blow in a great horn, etc.

You must understand these intimations: The issue of the Shofar is only the disclosure of the wisdom of the hidden in great masses, which is a necessary precondition that must be met prior to the complete redemption.

We can ascend to a higher dimension, see the world from end to end, live in boundless space, become eternal and perfect here and now, and be filled with great pleasures. And this all depends on the dissemination of the science of Kabbalah.

We are talking about beginners who have not mastered the Kabbalah method but are already trying to pass it to others, as well as those who are still in the dark but feel some desire, not knowing what to do with it. Together they—those who want to bring Kabbalah to others and those who are already willing to listen—create this notion: “Messiah’s Shofar.”

Then, the great Light of Hochma (Wisdom) comes and begins to unfold in the entire world. And people’s eyes are opening, in other words, they feel from within that some higher development that is beginning to transpire in the world is built-in here. They find themselves in a multi-dimensional space, where all the souls, all the people who lived, live, and will live are held together. They know now the development of all the souls from the beginning to the end of the world: why and what for. Everything is collected into one tremendous system called “the Infinity,” and everyone begins to feel this perfect reality.

This is the “revelation of Eliyahu.” We are not talking about the name, but about the concept, the Light, revealed within us.

Then we slowly begin to rise above the point, where the Big Bang created our universe. We penetrate in what was before, higher and higher through the all the spiritual worlds of Assiya, Yetzira, Beria, Atzilut, Adam Kadmon, and the world of Infinity, getting rid of all limitations.

Today is the time of the coming of the Messiah—the revelation of the wisdom of Kabbalah to the whole world. These things appear unreal to us for now; however, according to the current events, we can say that everything will happen very quickly. Time accelerates at an exponential rate, becoming compressed, like the divisions of the slide ruler. Each day seems shorter than the previous one: 24 hours, 23.5 hours, 22 hours, 20 hours.… And the difference is increasing. On one hand, we will see this in the development of our world, and on the other, very soon we will find that people are searching inside, and they need a method.

The peculiarity of our time is that the science of Kabbalah is becoming the heritage of the whole world. Indeed, we will not be able to exist without the knowledge of the system of Malchut of the world of Infinity. The science of Kabbalah is revealed as needed, and soon the crisis will be so apparent, while the absence of its solution so obvious, that the need will manifest itself. And once this happens, Kabbalah will be revealed to the world.

The whole problem today is the lack of need. And we can cause it by our work in dissemination, thereby reducing the development time.
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From the New York lecture #2, 9/12/11

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Which Group Do I Choose?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How do I choose a group in order to advance spiritually?

Answer: Today, for a person to advance spiritually, he needs to choose a group that disseminates. In our days, only wide dissemination can lead us into the spiritual world. This situation formed years ago, but it has only now manifested with full strength.

You need to choose a group where people do not deem themselves too important, that understand what they are doing, and follow the example of the central group. It is important that their actions do not lead to separation and that they spend less time settling scores. Instead, they rise and disseminate our message.

This is the group you should choose. Keep away from those who do the opposite and fight. A good group does not look within it, but only looks toward the outside.
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From the New York lecture #2, 9/12/11

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