Question: How is money related to spirituality and how does it help us advance?

Answer: Money (Kesef) is a covering (Kisui) over my egoism. It is a force enabling me to cover my egoism, to fulfill it, or to use it for fulfilling others. Money gives me the opportunity to work with my egoism—either for its benefit or against.

Therefore, in the integral world, money has to be used only for the sake of connecting between people. A person has to leave only the necessities of life for himself and give all the excess to the world’s correction.

In the generation of the future, in the corrected world, money will disappear. I will receive everything I need from society, so why would I need money? If the whole world will be corrected and every person’s necessities will be provided for, and in addition no one will need excessive fulfillment, then what is money for? There won’t be any need for it.

It will be necessary to somehow regulate the processes of exchange and transfer from one company to another and between factories in order to provide for the whole world and to attain the corrected, perfect form, but this won’t happen by way of paper money any longer. We will have to somehow measure the connection between us. We will, indeed, assess it by “money,” but it won’t be the same money that is in circulation today, but the degree of one person’s bestowal to another.

If we shift to bestowal, then we also need “money.” However, it acquires the form of a screen which is measured by the unity to which it leads.

“How much did you pay?” The answer is: to the extent of the unity that emerged! In the meantime, today the price I pay is determined by how much I will receive for myself by detaching from others and thereby creating separation between us.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/1/11, Lesson on Money

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Baal HaSulam, “Peace in the World”: Do not be surprised if I mix together the well-being of a particular collective with the well-being of the whole world, because indeed, we have already come to such a degree that the whole world is considered one collective and one society.

Meaning, because each person in the world draws his life’s marrow and his livelihood from all the people in the world, he is coerced to serve and care for the well-being of the whole world.

We don’t feel this to the full extent yet, and that’s simply because egoism conceals the true picture from us. Nevertheless, we have entered a new era even without feeling this transition to our total dependence on the whole world.

Just yesterday we held a “domestic household,” having all the vital necessities in our own countries, whereas today we won’t be able to produce food, nor clothing, nor anything at all separately from the world. Suddenly we will discover that we do not have the necessary food components, machine tools, and so on. A fundamentally new situation has arisen: Now there is not one detail in the world that could be honestly written down as being your own without a thought about others.

Today it is impossible not to be connected with everyone. And that means we have to create the corresponding relation system because the well-being of the individual and the world depend on one another.

Through the prism of egoism it seems to us that we might be able to get rid of half of humanity without much damage. This is possible technologically, and besides, several billion people appear as nothing but a useless burden. However, it is necessary to remember that we do not see the general picture. In reality, we have a “family situation,” similar to how the elderly have already provided for the young generation and are unable to work any longer, while the youth grows up in order to later accept what has been prepared for it.

The same thing is happening with the whole world, although in a different form. Even if a person does not do anything and only lives off of begging, or even if he lives off of some miserable pittance in some remote place in Africa or India, he is still part of the common system and we are yet to discover how important every person in it is. Even the details that seem useless from our point of view are important and necessary for the whole.

The human body also contains many organs and systems whose functions we have not completely deciphered yet. But gradually we will discover that not one detail can be written off as unneeded.

Therefore, we have to use every object according to its vital purpose without destroying anything. Any other approach will turn out to be destructive, especially for the person who will resort to it.
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From the lesson on “Peace in the World” on 2/4/11

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In order to be in balance with nature, it is necessary to consume intelligently, meaning to the degree it is necessary, depending on every person’s needs. Baal HaSulam writes about this in the article, “Peace in the World” and in other articles.

However, this practice cannot be imposed through terror. It can only happen by means of education! Yet in their times the Russian revolutionaries took a different path, having discarded the principle of education.

In addition, this was taking place in an underdeveloped country, with the most underdeveloped population that to this day is used to living in practically feudal conditions. Today the people of Russia, who are good-hearted and kind, still agree to the feudal conditions in which Russia exists to this day. This is not a capitalistic, but a feudal country with its customs, structure, corruption, and all of its social relations. It is feudalism.

It might seem to us, “But how can that be? This, in modern society? Isn’t it long gone? In the West, Feudalism hasn’t existed for 300 years already.” True, in the West it hasn’t existed for 300 years, but in Russia it still exists. That is to say, every person still agrees to it. The people still haven’t developed above that level.

Only a small portion of the population, about 10 – 20%, cannot tolerate these conditions, while everyone else agrees to live in them. They don’t care that they have a master, that they have to submit to someone without law and order, that everything can be bought and sold, and that the rich are powerful and right. People agree to this! That is why it is still deemed a feudal level of social development.

Marx absolutely did not suppose that this kind of country would try to implement his idea. He practically laid out Kabbalah in the form of economic laws. But the egoism of the post-Soviet realm is completely different. This egoism is feudal and not yet ready for serious development.

However, when we work with each person individually or with our groups in Russia, we see an astounding result because the people have points in the heart. They are very responsive and goal-oriented.

The question is: Will the society be able to understand that it has to unite, but not by the laws it was brought up by in the Soviet regime? The unity has to happen by laws where everyone is equal, conscious, and unites consciously. The people of Russia are not used to uniting consciously. Will they reach this, will they be able to do it? That is, indeed, a question.

Therefore, our groups in Russia are very dear to us. I personally know this nation very well since I grew up there and my native language is Russian. But can we look at Russia as the country that has the ability to easily realize the Kabbalistic principles? That is something I do not know.

On the other hand, in Europe, despite the fact that the people are very different from the Russian image, all they have to do is overcome a certain external opposition, a certain shell or casing. After that, as soon as this idea penetrates into people’s thoughts, they realize that it is true and are able to realize it inside of them through their development.

In Russia it is easy to come close to the individual. But in Europe it is much more difficult! Yet I think that if we penetrate inside the individuals in Europe, they will find the forces and abilities inside of them to unite. Their conscious collectivism will emerge.

On the other hand, in Russia collectivism does not emerge despite this. There the society is not developed collectively. I think that it is not yet able to do this.

Nevertheless, notwithstanding all of these surmises, we have to develop Kabbalah and disseminate it everywhere. Of course, there is a great boundary in the countries that were once socialist. But this should not stop us. We shouldn’t give any thought to where it’s easier and where it’s harder, why, and how. We should work, and that’s all. I never make any calculations. We do not know what is better and what is worse, and how everything will occur.
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From the 3rd lesson at the Berlin Convention on 1/28/11

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Question: There are several dozen of us in Holland getting ready to take part in the European Convention that will be held in Berlin. For most of us this will be the first time attending a Kabbalah convention, and some of the students still don’t realize what the point is of the convention and why is it so necessary to attend. How can we prepare them for it?

Answer: Europeans have to understand that their continent is in a very dangerous state compared to all others. Out of the whole world, Europe faces the greatest and most serious problem, which, if they explode, can escalate to a third World War.

The Europeans are in a very unstable situation precisely because they decided to unite, but on the other hand their union is egoistic. If one egoist separates from another with a boundary, then they are still able to maintain a connection through that boundary according to set rules. But if there are no formal connections and everyone comes to the common market with a common economy, and with the huge problematic reserves that Europe possesses, then I don’t see it having any opportunity to exist and thrive in the world.

After all, how would that be possible? It would go against the laws of nature. Therefore, Europe will face increasingly more serious problems unless Europeans recognize that it is necessary to correct their ego. They have placed themselves in a situation where they simply have no other choice.

Europe is precisely the place that now serves as the practical laboratory for actualizing the method of Kabbalah because it desired to unite, but did so based on egoistic profit. Now from one day to the next, it is bound to reveal that this is the most horrible evil there can be and the worst possibility of all.

That is why Europeans have to attend the convention where we will all unite together, attracting the Upper Force and desiring for it to influence this part of the world in order to correct it. Otherwise Europe might bring suffering upon the whole world and that will become our common problem. I am turning to you on behalf of our entire world Kli: We have to do this.

Europe is the most problematic place in the world, along with all of its disintegrating nations and common currency. I do not see any symptoms there of a good future. Even though Europe has a very good foundation, yet the relationships between all of the countries make that powerful potential precisely the factor that can lead to a huge explosion.

Moreover, besides the social problems, there are also natural disasters awaiting us, and we are completely powerless before them. The climate problems are growing worse and Europe is entirely dependent on the Atlantic Ocean, making it vulnerable from all sides. This is a very grave problem. Humanity does not have the powers or methods to withstand the situations that are now starting to arise in Europe, other than to follow the method of Kabbalah.

Our task comes down to one thing: To bring the knowledge of this method to all until it is implemented. Therefore, I am waiting to see all of you at the convention in Berlin! I have nothing else to add.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/9/11, “The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Philosophy”

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In the News: (From WSJ.com): “Traders… are not the only people doing pointless jobs. Divorce lawyers, the makers of advertisements for cars and the manufacturers of very large handbags are among the many who are doing nothing to make the world a better place.

In the middle of last year the chairman of the U.K.’s Financial Services Authority upset many bankers by describing the jobs they did as “socially useless.” A year on, and Adair Turner is placing that judgment in a much broader context during a series of three lectures at the London School of Economics.

Turner’s goal during the first lecture was to establish whether economic growth made people happier. His broad conclusion was that it didn’t.” The richer a society the more people are engaged in performing useless and even destructive activities.

My Comment: Let’s hope that not only this gentleman is aware of the situation and there are others who can help change our society and the world as a whole. Kabbalah teaches us that we have to observe the law of nature and consume only as much as we need to carry on. Anything above this point will return back to us as like a boomerang.
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Question: What should we actually do to counter nature’s blows, such as the fire in the north of Israel that’s happening now?

Answer: The only thing we need is the common intention, the unity of our thoughts. We need our friends all over the world to think about how our unity with one another will help eliminate all the disasters in the world, including the horrible fire that has broken out in Israel.

You have to include your personal plea into the common plea for the whole world and unite with all of the world’s suffering. That is the only way it works: If you think about everyone, then at the end you can also add “us” – but not yourself! This is the only thing that can help.

It is impossible to fight catastrophes or a crisis using the old methods if you find yourself facing the Upper Light that acts against you. We are yet to see how the financial crisis will come back, even though people have tried to extinguish it using all the possible means. In fact, it will explode much more powerfully than before. And the same thing will happen with everything else. We cannot cope with these problems using the usual methods. We can only suppress them temporarily, but later they will break out even stronger.

Correction is possible only through bringing hearts closer, only through unity. The world has to become global. The force operating on us from Above surrounds us, shutting us in from all sides and becoming revealed as one global force. Therefore, we feel how humanity is becoming as one organism where everyone is connected with each other.

We are yet to see that these very catastrophes will force humanity to unite. Now fire-fighters from all over the world will come to Israel to help fight the fire, and tomorrow something else will happen in another place and the whole world will come rushing there, and later it will be a new place. In this way, through disasters, nature will force us to unite and understand that we need each others’ help.

Nature will become so hostile that we won’t have time to think about how to fight with each other. If we don’t agree to it the good way, the Creator will force us to it. The situation will become so serious that not one nation will be able to single-handedly fight the natural catastrophes. Everyone will have to help each other. And suddenly, everyone will understand that they have to be together; otherwise we simply won’t survive,

Everyone will unite in the face of a deadly threat. But why should we wait for it if we can advance by the good path?
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From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article “Freedom of Will” on 12/3/10

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In the News (from AFP): Nobel prize-winning economist Paul Krugman said in a speech to an international business forum that although the worst of the financial crisis was over, the world now faces a prolonged slowdown like Japan’s “lost decade” of the 1990s. “How do we get out? I think the technical answer is – God knows…” said Krugman, a professor of economics at Princeton University in the United States.

My Comment: Kabbalah is of the same opinion. Only it asserts that people can learn the answer directly from God!

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In the News (from The New York Times): “Europe Relaxes Rules on Sale of Ugly Fruits and Vegetables” Misshapen fruit and vegetables won a reprieve on Wednesday from the European Union as it scrapped rules banning overly curved, extra knobbly or oddly shaped produce from supermarket shelves… The rising cost of commodities also persuaded the European Commission that there was no point in throwing away food just because it looked strange… European shoppers will then be able to choose their produce whatever its appearance.

My Comment: Everything created by Nature is beautiful. It is the genetic engineering that is supplying us with ugly products, and causing cancer and other diseases. However, right now this is the only way we can provide for ourselves.

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The purpose of economics is to bring the entire world to a state of altruistic globalization, where everything will be interconnected like within a family. Some members of the family are small, others are big; some are old and others are young; but they are all part of one system, where everyone receives equal care, depending on each person’s situation.

Question: The modern economic system works to satisfy needs that are not really essential. It’s actually a machine that produces more and more needs, making people earn money they don’t really need in order to buy things they don’t need, things they can essentially do without. Do you support those who want to partially reduce such needs?

My Answer: Of course. A person who works on developing spiritually feels truly fulfilled, and to him, the material level is only there to support his corporeal existence. Thus, a person separates himself from his body, the animate part of him, and therefore he never eats more than his organism needs. He is constantly engaged in spirituality, which is above the beastly level of existence, and therefore, even without trying, he provides his body with just the right amount of whatever it needs in order to survive. When industry, trade, and other systems will evolve and be based on this approach, they will be reorganized in order to meet the essential needs of people.

Question cont’d: But what is essential and what isn’t?

Answer: This is determined by the ratio between one’s spiritual and material needs. That is to say, it depends on a person’s spiritual level, and that is a consequence of one’s education.

It is the people who must regulate the level of what is essential. And therefore, positive changes will only happen with the right education.

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In the News (from The Epoch Times): “G8 Should Restart Growth Says Brown” The world needs to wake up to the scale of the downturn and stay focused on restarting growth in recession-hit economies, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told Reuters on the eve of the G8 summit. The run-up to the three-day summit in Italy has been dominated by speculation that China and Russia want to discuss getting rid of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency.

My Comment: The crisis is not financial, economic, or ecological. The fact is that it’s global and it encompasses the entire human civilization and all areas of life. Therefore, we have to look at the root of the crisis and find the common problem, which is our egoistic nature. This egoism causes mutual hatred among people, and this causes us to be opposite to Nature and to experience antagonism in the form of a common global crisis. Therefore, as long as we don’t agree to change our nature, we will continue to suffer.

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