Entries in the 'Daily Kabbalah Lesson' Category

Turning On The Light For The Whole World

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: When we are talking with people, they agree that the whole problem is lack of unity and lack of connection. But they don’t believe that it is possible to attain connection and reach peace. What can be done with this remarkable lack of faith?

Answer: Everything is attained in the form of “from your deeds we shall know you.” If during a discussion in a circle, a feeling of warmth, closeness, a new feeling that was never felt before, is awakened, then we see a new force being born here. So why can’t it warm the person at least for a few hours or days, obliging him to relate differently to other people, to the reality that surrounds him?

This is called, “from your deeds we shall know you.” The Creator shows us his presence, even though in the meantime this is concealed and limited. But we already feel that He exists within our circle: born and revealed.

People don’t believe that this is possible, whereas we prove this is possible by moving them through these feelings. Come, let’s make an exercise and prove with this how this force begins to act. It must be like a laboratory experiment leading to this discovery.

That is how every scientific discovery is achieved. Before, this phenomenon was unknown to us, and now we discover that it is known, and thus we see it. With the help of a unique instrument called a “circle,” we discover a new phenomenon in nature. And if we use this new force correctly, then we can succeed in everything, correct everything.

This is to the way that electrical power was discovered: First they discovered that amber can be electro-statically charged by rubbing it with wool, and then small objects would be attracted to it. But look at what kind of results we have reached through rubbing some amber? Electricity is around us everywhere now.

Such advancement was attained through the discovery of a force that a few hundred years ago was unknown, and after that we began to work with it. Today, it is already impossible to live without electricity.

But we don’t see this force itself, rather only the results of its activity. The same thing happens with the Creator. Don’t call this force “Creator” if it confuses you. This is simply a force that appears within the connection between people. This is called a true Creator (Boreh), meaning Bo ve Reh (come and see). As with electricity, there is no mysticism in this. The Creator is concealed like electricity, nothing more.

The difference is only in that to discover the force of the Creator, the emotional participation of the person is required. In the meantime we can become emotional only about troubles, negative pressure, and through force. So let’s invite positive emotions into us. If one evening the entire nation were to sit in unification circles, then we could create such a power station for the higher power, that tomorrow all of life would be different.

Come, let’s try it! We would have such an intense power station like one that gives electricity. Through this force we could change the whole world: We would turn on the light all over the world. This is in our power, in our hands, and we don’t have the right not to use possibilities like this.

This succeeded with Abraham, also with Moses, so why wouldn’t it succeed with us? It is said, “When will my deeds reach the level of the deeds of my ancestors?” Well, then, we simply need to realize it.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/17/14, Shamati #68

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Ideologies Are At War, Not Tanks

Dr. Michael LaitmanEvery new day is a new level of our development; days don’t just go by one after another. We see at what speed things are changing in our time; the whole world is changing.

It could be that people still don’t understand this and are not paying attention, yet immense changes are happening in the world: leadership is changing and passing from the hands of the rulers to the hands of the people. The government and other power structures are trying to control through mass media that have become international channels of communication, yet the higher power is working through the people so that from here on they will declare their state, their decisions, their opinions, and all regulations by themselves.

The world of today is passing through revolutionary changes. Even wars are different: instead of murder and destruction, war is directed towards the molding of social opinion; the opinion of the people determines the success of the war.

This means that the war bears a completely different character unlike what it was previously. We win not by means of military power but by the power of influencing the hearts and minds of human beings. This is a real weapon.

And we are prepared to participate in this war because we have the most enormous power in our possession. So it is impossible to think erroneously that we are dealing with a tangible, physical enemy. Our enemy is the degree of concealment within us. And this is not even an enemy; rather it is a “helpmate against us” so that we will correct our perception until we feel that a higher plan is at work in everything. And this perception must extend among all who belong to the process of correction, meaning among all the people of Israel who are found in the land of Israel.

This is our true weapon in this war. This doesn’t mean that people will just hear about the wisdom of Kabbalah, rather they will know what is happening with them. This is important both for the people of Israel and for its neighbors and the whole world. Only in this way can we attain the appropriate result, which is to bring all of humanity closer to the Creator. This is the only true reason for everything that is happening, both in general in our lives and in particular in a situation that is so unique as it is today.

There must be no delay; we must convey this information to the people of Israel and to the whole world in the most direct and open form, without any limits. All of humanity is passing through this new war now in which different perceptions are at war, all kinds of outlooks and beliefs. Ideologies are fighting each other, not tanks.

You cannot attain anything anymore simply by means of a simple weapon. Information and the struggle over broad views are becoming a weapon. And behind all of this stands the Creator who is trying to bring all of creation to Him. So He is causing a conflict between our opinions, arousing ideological wars so that we will scrutinize how to approach correction.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/17/14, Shamati #68

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Descendants Of Abraham, Isaac, And Jacob

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “The Arvut” (Mutual Guarantee): Thus, because of the above necessity, the Torah was given specifically to the Israeli nation, solely to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

This refers to the souls that can be awakened by the Light that was in the state called Babylon.

First, the force called Abraham awakens inside Malchut, and then the evolution and the development of that soul is called Isaac and Jacob. This is only about spiritual systems and parts of the desire to receive, not about historical figures that are the external expressions of phenomena that take place inside the general Malchut.

In order to understand these phenomena, we must look a bit more deeply into how Malchut is awakening to correction. The system of first man was shattered, then it was stabilized in a certain state, and now it should begin to correct itself from a state called Babylon.

The ego develops as a result of a special Light called the Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif). There are parts of the desire that descend as a result of a greater Light, and that means that the ego grows, building of the tower of Babel. There are other parts of the desire that yearn upward as a result of the same Light.

The part that ascended to the top is called Abraham, and, in contrast to it, the part that descended more than all the others is called Terach. The upper Light influences the desire and develops it, and so the movement is both upward and downward, as it is written, “He who is greater than his friend, his desire is even greater.” One is greater than his friend since, like Abraham, he yearns upward, and his desire is even greater like Terach who descended downward. Later, the vessels (desires) that relate to Abraham become clearer. Anyone who is attracted to Abraham as a result of the influence of the Light that Reforms is called Yashar El, Israel (straight to the Creator). Their correction is to “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”

…For it was inconceivable that any stranger would take part in it. Because of that, the Israeli nation had been constructed as a sort of gateway by which the sparks of purity would shine upon the whole of the human race the world over.

The same people, the same souls, the same parts of the desire, have become GE (Galgalta ve Enyaim) with regard to the lower part of Malchut that did not manage to wake up, and are called AHP. This is how the passage of the Light through GE to the vessels of AHP was created.

Now there remains to complete what we have said above (Item 16) about the reason why the Torah was not given to our fathers, because the Mitzva, “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” the axis of the whole Torah and around which all the Mitzvot revolve, so as to clarify and interpret it, cannot be observed by an individual, but only through the consent of an entire nation. And this is why it took until they came out of Egypt, when they became worthy of observing it.”

This means that it isn’t enough that only the souls of Israel that came out of Babylon and ascended upward should correct themselves and observe the Mitzva (commandment) of love thy friend. They must be connected with at least part of the other souls, which means that they went down to Egypt. It is from Egypt that they take out the vessels of AHP of GE.

The desires of GE, called the patriarchs. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, came out of Babylon, and then they received AHP from Egypt and came out with them, are mixed with them, and are shattered. That is, there is the destruction of the first Temple, the shattering of GE together with AHP.

Then, they are ready to be mixed with the rest of the desires of Babylon and reach correction. At the end of correction, we also correct the vessels of GE first, and then AHP. However, here, the stages are different. When the vessels of GE correct themselves, the Light is poured through them unto the nations of the world and begins to bring them closer to GE. So, the more that the vessels of GE correct themselves, the more AHP is corrected.

We are in the phase of the end of correction now. We already have been through the destruction of the temple, have been mixed with the vessels of Babylon, and the only thing left now is to correct the desires of GE, and, through that, AHP will be corrected. We will feel that the Light is spreading through us and the entire world begins to behave differently. It will be a real miracle when all this happens.
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From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/17/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 07.23.14

Preparation for the Lesson

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Workshop

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The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts, “The Rose,” Item 2 

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Lesson on the Topic: “The Reason for the Anti-Semitism in the World” 

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War And Peace

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is this ideological war that you are talking about?

Answer: We are in an ideological war against enemies. It doesn’t matter what the politicians think and say from either side.

It is important to explain to everyone that what is happening is not a confrontation between the state of Israel and the Palestinians, the Hamas, or even the world that is opposing us.

All wars come from the Creator! In the meantime, we are fighting against the Creator, but we must transform these wars into peace and wholeness. It must be known and explained to everyone that, in the meantime, all of these states are given to us in the form of opportunities to go in the way of the Light, “I will hasten it” (Achishena), and to not deviate toward the way of suffering, which is the natural process of development, “in its time” (Beito).

We are compelled to disseminate this knowledge to the world. What will happen after that doesn’t depend upon us anymore, but we must do everything that we can. At these times, it is easier to awaken the hearts of the people, because from this point forward, people lose hope in the possibility of solving the conflict.

Before this, we still hoped that, with the modern means of defense, the “Iron Dome,” we would guarantee a good future for ourselves and thrive. In our world today, no hope remains for a material solution. Only thanks to spiritual advancement is it possible to continue to exist.

No military successes will be prepared to “extinguish” feelings of powerlessness and lack of resolution among the people. These feelings still remain in us because we have entered into a new stage of higher management. Today’s war is a war of world views. A weapon is not victorious; rather, it is the opinion, what the world thinks of you and what the enemy thinks about you.

We see that we cannot use all of our military might. Our hands are tied. We cannot throw missiles and do whatever we want because there are people there, and the entire world is watching and following our every step!

So, we cannot afford to fight, and we don’t need to be naive and think that we have military power. We have no power. We are in the hands of the world. We feel and know how it relates to us. So, for the people of Israel, there is only one solution: to explain to the world where we have come and what, in fact, our true situation is.

The entire world also requires a large correction and feels powerless. This is specifically the moment when we must go out and make a dissemination attack.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/17/14, Shamati #68

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A System Of Reception And A System Of Intention

Dr. Michael LaitmanPeople who have a spark, a particle of the higher nature, don’t correct themselves like all the rest of the seven billion people, because through this spark, we can connect to the source of the Light, to the source of bestowal, to the power of bestowal.

This means that we include two systems within us: a system of reception and a system of intention, meaning bestowal. In us, there is a desire that is directed toward ourselves. Besides this, we have a point within the desire, a spark that can be developed into a separate system.

If we develop this spark into the system of bestowal, in other words, if we acquire an intention to act for the good of others, then our deeds will be unimportant. They will always be under the control of the intention for the sake of bestowal.

It follows that this intention for the sake of bestowal will determine all of my deeds and behavior. It doesn’t matter if I receive from others or give to others physically in this world. My intention always will be determined so that all of my deeds are intended for the good of others, and this always is more important than my own good.

Part of the collective soul that works according to this program belongs to the head of the spiritual Partzuf. Through the Light, we can create thoughts, actions, intentions, and plans that are truly for the good of others, and I will use these beyond personal benefit. All emotion and thought, strength and understanding, I put into service for the good of others. I am adherent to others and do everything for their good.

Such changes are possible only through the Light that Reforms. For all seven billion of mankind, the Light only reveals how much they are connected to each other, and then they stop doing evil to each other and become one body, which is still egoistic. All of them act for their own good as one family.

We must make another connection between us where our intention will be entirely for the benefit of others, as it is written, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” It is not that I just don’t harm others, knowing that, through this, I cause myself harm. I don’t look at this at all as to whether this will come back to me in some way. Rather, I think and act only for the benefit of the other person, without checking how this will affect me for good or bad. This is called working above my ego. This is working with faith, in other words, bestowal.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/13/14, Shamati #60

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Assured Success

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: During a military operation, the daily task is always determined. What is our plan for today? What do we want to achieve?

Answer: The task for today is to disseminate throughout Israel the knowledge about the true cause of our human condition. Everyone must have a single direction: connection, to be as one person with one heart.

It is possible to reach this through the Light that Reforms, and, so, dissemination of this knowledge must come from us so that, through us, everyone will be connected to the Creator.

This is not a short attack. Rather, it is a constant mission, a continuous operation, open to everyone, without any concealment or secrets, without evasion and adornments. The main thing is that the explanation be as clear and understandable as possible for the people, to touch their hearts. It should be clear that this only true solution comes from the wisdom of Kabbalah.

Question: How will the people of Israel feel after they want to be as one person with one heart?

Answer: The people will feel an entirely different state and will finally understand who they are, the role for which they are destined, and what they must do regarding all the nations of the world. It will be clear to them that Israel is the conduit, the adapter, between the entire world and the Creator. And what the relationship must be among the people of Israel in order to be this kind of transitional link in regard to the others, and how to act with them after we are connected inside will follow.

Everyone must know that our success is possible only as a single unit. Only this assures us success in this mission, in this war. If we connect and unite, then we win, and only in this way can we be saved from threats and blows.

There is no other solution, and, the moment that we truly begin to work on it correctly, we immediately will see how much the entire world, including our closest enemies, will be changed. Come, let’s try and see. We don’t have anything to lose! The Torah promises us that either you will be like one person with one heart or here will be your burial place, as it was at Mount Sinai.

These conditions have existed until now, because they are indeed eternal and have accompanied us throughout all of our history. However, now the time has truly come for action, a broad operation throught the entire nation.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/17/14, Shamati #68

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Seven Billion Ants Connected To Each Other

Dr. Michael LaitmanWe can extract a force from nature that will change us so that we will not harm others. We will recognize the fact that we depend on one another and by that correct ourselves. This is how we can reach people and explain to them and suggest a way to establish new and better relations.

We have the power by which we can correct the bad relations between people and thus make our world a better place. If we manage to do that, our life will be good and beautiful.

This change will be done by the force of correction that we bring people, but in order to draw this force, we have to have a totally different intention, an intention of in order to bestow unto others.

The desire to live a good life in the connection between them will be enough for the mass of seven billion people. In order to do that, we have to organize workshops, roundtables, and meetings at homes for them. They will hear how connected we are to one another and how dependent we are on each other, and eventually they will understand that it is worthwhile to change our nature. Otherwise we will be like the scorpion that stung the frog that carried him on her back across the river, and so they both died. We will not be able to do anything good with our egoistic nature; we have to change it.

It isn’t enough to watch movies about how connected we are to one another. We have to change our nature practically. There is a huge gap between a movie and actual fulfillment. We know that we can use nice words during the friends‘ meeting and then go out into the street and behave like ordinary egoists. We have no choice, it is our nature.

But having good intentions are enough for seven billion people. We will reach them with the Light that Reforms by holding workshops, and then, through us, they will receive the power from Above that will change them and correct the relations between them.

But our desire to receive is much greater and we have to really change our intention so that it will be in order to bestow. The difference is that we have to stop being egoistic, and all the seven billion only receive the power not to sting one another because everyone begins to understand that if he stings the other they both drown in the stormy river, like the fool who sits in a boat and drills a hole in the boat underneath himself.

A person can guard himself so as not to harm others by the force of the Light that he receives. He knows that he mustn’t drill a hole in the boat because then they will both drown in the ocean of their ego.

As a result of integral education, a person begins to feel that all of humanity is one body, and that he has to treat everyone like one family. The Upper Light allows me to feel pain when I prick someone else. I feel it myself and say “ouch,” and it isn’t that he suffers, but I suffer since we are one body, like hitting your foot but feeling the pain in your head.

This is how all the people in the world will connect and will not need to work against their nature. Their work will only be in workshops, and by connecting, they will begin to feel that they are interdependent, like ants that live in one big family, billions of ants in one nest.

That is, they will not have to reach the recognition of their own evil nature. Nature is nature, but only the connection between us grows so strong that we will really feel it. We will see the system of connections between us so clearly that if I do something bad to someone, I will feel bad myself.

This is called love thy friend as thyself, and it is no wonder. It is only the revelation of the natural system in which we are connected to one another.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/13/14, Shamati #60

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What Is Better For Others Is Also Better For Me

Dr. Michael LaitmanAll of humanity is like one body and although our ego grows and forces us to make only egoistic calculations, the connection between us and our interdependence is increasingly revealed. There is no one in the world that doesn’t depend on everyone else, on the entire world. If we don’t reveal this connection today in its full intensity, in the full depth and width of the connection between us, it will be revealed in a couple of years. We are advancing toward this.

We see that there are two trends that bring us to a very unpleasant state. On the one hand, I depend on everyone, on all of humanity, and cannot provide even the basic necessities for myself if I am not connected to everyone

We see that this is actually how our life is managed, and we cannot stop that. If we observe the process that every piece of plastic, paper, wood, electric wire, or metal has been through, we will see that every product has been all over the world in some way and that this dependence grows every day, and the connection between us becomes more and more integral.

On the other hand, it is becoming more and more egoistic, sharp and aggressive, and thus we reach the crisis point, the special turning point. When we reach this point, we can decide that it is better to cut off the relations between us since they are not so good, like divorce in a family or when we cut off our relations with people who treat us badly.

However, if this disconnection is still possible when it comes to individuals or in the family, or in a greater dimension when we speak about countries, we reach a state of war. If we want to cut off our relations and establish a new world order, war is inevitable. The only option is to find a means, a kind of a candy to sweeten the connection between us and make it into a good one.

We see that the connection between us is multilateral and integral. So, we must correct ourselves according to the connection that is revealed to us. In that case, we will not only feel that we depend on one another, but that we want to be connected and are ready to connect willingly. Then, instead of fighting and trying to cut off a bad connection, we will establish a better connection instead.

We can perform the correction of the connection between us that grows stronger every day by using the method called the wisdom of Kabbalah or, more accurately, the method of integral education, the wisdom of connection.

To sum up, we end up with two options as a result of our study of the evolution of man and his nature: We either correct the connection between us, or we will reach great conflicts, violence, and terrible wars, as we already see in different places in the world.

This is the reason that the method of integral education, according to which man must change, is being revealed in the world. After all, as long as man operates according to his egoistic nature, he will act in his own favor. No matter what he says and how generous he tries to be, a person’s intentions always will be only for his own sake and to harm others.

We must explain to people that, today, it is impossible to act for my own sake and to harm others if we are connected. If I depend on you and you depend on me, I have no choice but to think about what is good for you and for you to think about what is good for me. This is how the connection between us will work so that, if I harm you, I harm myself through you. It is the same when it comes to doing good: If I do good to others, I do good to myself.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 7/13/14, Shamati #60

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Daily Kabbalah Lesson – 07.22.14

Workshop

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Shamati #8 “What Is the Difference Between a Shade of Kedusha and a Shade of Sitra Achra”

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The Book of Zohar — Selected Excerpts, “The Rose,” Item 2 

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Writings of Baal HaSulam “Exile and Redemption” 

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Lesson on the Topic: “Time to Work”

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