In the News (Arabian Business): “New legislation will grant employees dedicated time to read during working hours, obliges coffee shops to provide reading materials…

“The UAE [United Arab Emirates]on Monday issued the first law of its kind which aims to cement the importance of reading in the country.

“Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the UAE, has issued the legislation saying that reading and knowledge are key for the progress of the UAE. …

“’Our objective is to prepare generations that work for a brighter future of the UAE,’ the President said in a statement. …

“Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, praised the newly passed law, and hailed it as an unprecedented cultural and legislative initiative. …

“’Our objective is to make reading a daily habit in our people, where relevant entities will be required to translate this law into reality,’ he said.”

My Comment: Advancements in the high-tech world and religion require reading and still support the generation’s interest in reading. But in the end, we gradually withdraw from egoistic development. Literature and music are measures of society’s egoistic development since they are created by pure egoism. I don’t think they will remain except for only a few individual groups, but nothing more.

But great musical works, especially operas and literary masterpieces, will remain because they express the depth of human emotions, even though they are egoistic. Classical novels describe a phase in human development and so they will remain part of our culture.

Question: What kind of literature do you think people will prefer to read in the next decades?

Answer: Only manuals for operating computer programs.

Question: So people will abandon romance novels?

Answer: They are already withdrawing from them. The decline in reading novels has already begun. The fact is, the gap between generations is great.

If we want to keep in touch with the young generation, older people will need to get closer to them and not expect the young to do so. When my grandson, for example, plays computer games, I try to play with him. And if I offer to read him a book, he refuses and says: “Grandpa leave me alone.” We have no choice; the older people should follow the young.

Question: What about literature that deals with the meaning of life. Will people still be attracted to it?

Answer: Yes, but it will also change. The meaning of life that the wisdom of Kabbalah tells us about is above time so it should be presented to people in modern language.

If we take Rambam’s collection of philosophical writings for example, Ramhal’s dialogues, Rav Kook’s poetic writings, Baal HaSulam’s writings that are in a scientific style, or Rabash’s emotional writings, they are all very hard to perceive today.

Comment: You simplify the writings of Baal HaSulam and Rabash for us.

Answer: We can still read the writings of Baal HaSulam and Rabash, but the writings of Ramhal and the ARI cannot be understood by our generation.

The wisdom of Kabbalah will be rewritten in a lighter easier language in the future, but this will not be my lot.

It has to be done for the sake of humanity even now, and not only for those who are attracted to the goal of creation, but for all of humanity, so that they will understand what the great Kabbalists say about the upper system of nature, including the method and the science, and everyone should advance in this direction.

I hope that such talents will emerge among my students.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 11/2/16

Related Material:
Reading, This Is No Longer Our Method
Literature And The Wisdom Of Kabbalah
The Writing Man

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New Life 816 – Conflicts In Relationships
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Why are conflicts essential in a relationship? What is the right way of coping with opposing opinions in a relationship and how does it build a new level in the relationship?

We become equal when we reach a mutual agreement that the importance of the connection between us is above everything.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 816 –Conflicts In Relationships,” 1/24/17

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New Life 815 – From Excessive Externality To Love
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

Why do we tend to chase luxuries? How can we see beyond appearances, and how does love enable to us see the truth?
A person is willing to do anything to be appreciated and respected, so we live in a culture of lies.

A certain phenomenon has to intensify so that we can discover that it is negative. Education can help us understand that there are things that seem good and sweet, but they are actually false and harmful.

Only love can be considered an absolute discernment of the truth with which we will align. Love can bring us closer to the truth because it requires our ascent above the ego and working for the sake of everyone else.

The more we advance toward love, the more we will cease to respect people’s external changes. For example, a man who is attracted to a beautiful woman and later discovers that she has used him, will see her as ugly.

We are made of two levels, the animate level and the human level, above which we have to grow.

The education of all of society will help us acquire new values instead of the false externality. The corruption that is being revealed today in the connections between capital and power will force us to advance toward the truth.

Only love enables us to see the truth since it changes a person’s perspective from thinking about himself to thinking about the wellbeing of the public.
From KabTV’s “New Life 815 – From Excessive Externality To Love,” 1/19/17

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New Life 814 – Revealing The Lie In Our Times
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

Why does it seem that we are surrounded by lies? What can we learn from that about human nature and why is this study essential on our way to the next level of our development?

Today we are revealing the truth that we are living in a lie. The wisdom of Kabbalah tells us that it stems from our egoistic nature.

We developed for thousands of years in egoism, and now the lie in it is emerging. This is very good progress. No one in this world is clean of the ego, so we are all liars. No one can see things objectively.

We will not be able to advance unless we realize that our goal is to reach love of others and that everyone should do whatever he can for the sake of the society.

The media and social networks are full of false information, and each loves his own lie. We need a general social education process through which we will get to know our nature and learn to upgrade it.

Soon all of humanity will discover that the connection between capital, power, and the press does not allow us to function at all.

The evolutionary process forces us to discover that human nature is egoistic and that we have to ascend above the egoism, above the lie.
From KabTV’s “New Life 814 – Revealing The Lie In Our Times,” 1/19/17

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New Life 311 – Stinginess And Generosity
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

How does society relate to the attributes of stinginess and generosity, how do we build balanced connections between people with all their opposing attributes, and how do we educate our children to do this?

It is human nature to enjoy—a person goes closer to what is beneficial to him and distances himself from what is harmful. But each person has different definitions.

One person seems extravagant, another stingy, and a third generous. Each one acts according to his character, according to his rational nature. Every nation has its own definitions of extravagance and frugality.

A good partnership can be built only above our characters. Each side should see the other as a helper, as a provider of opportunities to transcend the ego. The complementing between a couple can only be reached if it comes from each one going above his or her nature. Each one adjusts him or herself to the other.

In general, all the world’s problems today stem from a lack of acceptance and connection between people. A parent doesn’t have to look at the character of his children, but to care for the children’s social ties. In a group that is educated through the integral approach, there is an emphasis on unity and connection between everyone.

When a phenomenon is revealed, the group can discuss what avarice is, what laziness is, what lack of consideration is. How can we be connected even though there are such characteristics? And if later a thought comes to you, “ What a miser! “, then stop yourself and think, “ If that were my child…..”
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From KabTV’s “New Life 311 – Stinginess And Generosity,” 3/4/14

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New Life 310 – Man’s Character
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

What is our character, what is its purpose, is it possible to change it, and what is the way to realize it in order to reach connection through integral education?

Each person is born with a different character

There are four basic character types and each one of them is then divided into four. Overall there are 16 basic character types.

The character a person is born with is the one he will die with. It’s not possible to change it, but one can learn to use it correctly

Each person is composed of many gears and each cogwheel needs to conform to roll with others. Mankind needs to reach completion between these four prototypes to be as one whole person. People are always looking for people to complement them, they are looking for a perfect connection with the environment.

Balance and mutual completion means that we all are both different and equal.

Everyone wants overall completion, even the sad types. For example, in the past there were leaders with “the look of melancholy.” What defines a person’s character is both fate and genetics. You can call it Reshimo (Reminiscence).

There are four internal character layers: a. the hidden layer, b. the known and undesirable, c. the desired, and d. the outer presentation.

Above one’s nature, one needs to reach “love your friend as yourself” in order to reach mutual completion and a good world

The integral approach doesn’t work on individual psychology, but on the development of human connection. Nature created us differently so we would realize ourselves in the connection between us. Connection: each one tries to act for the good of the other, and see whose attributes complement each other beautifully.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 310 – Man’s Character,” 3/4/14

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New Life 309 – The Development Of Earth And Humanity
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Nature, which exists in balance and harmony, requires that we build a system of forces within ourselves that is similar to it. How can we see it and when will we begin to create connection in our relationships?

Life on Earth evolved from matter in which there is a program that operates all the parts

Religion says that the program is run from above; science says it is found in the matter itself. Be that as it may, nothing is accidental. The software exists in nature and promotes the development of the still, vegetative, animate, and speaking. Probably the person that we see today, will develop into something more advanced. From the evolving Earth, we learn that advancement is a combination of expansion and contraction, balance.

As it seems, our future form will be one global humanity. The connection between all human beings is a connection that will connect us above all the rejection and separation into truly one body.

Also in human relationships, we experience distancing and getting closer at all levels and in all areas. It is important that there be a balance between two opposing forces, that is, they both operate toward one effective direction. Distancing – coming closer, attraction – rejection, reception – bestowal: balance is needed between the forces.

In human society, the operating force is reception. We must balance it with the force of bestowal to build a system between us.

Even now I am willing to give you something if I get something out of it, but that isn’t the force of bestowal. That is actually receiving.

The world is becoming one small village, we are all interdependent. We must bring balance between us all.

The difference between an animal that wants to be number one in the herd and a person who wants to dominate others is that the human desire to control is unlimited, lacking all restraint, and thus is destructive to the world. It is good to aspire to be king of the world, just as long as it does not come at the expense of everyone else, but for the benefit of everyone.

In a balanced human condition, we get the best from everyone and give all that we can. A touch of eternity, when you reach this level of communication, then we have built a system called Adam (Man) between us.

This is eternal awareness.
From KabTV’s “New Life 309 – The Development Of Earth And Humanity,” 3/2/14

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New Life 308 – The Evolution Of The Universe
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

What is the force we lack so that we can go beyond the limitations of nature, feel and explore it with new tools, and apply these insights to improve the system of relationships between us?

From KabTV’s “New Life 308 – The Evolution Of The Universe,” 3/2/14

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New Life #415 – Marriage
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

Summary

A person is rewarded with a spiritual life in the connection of marriage. How does a couple who have a spiritual connection behave and what is the filling that they both receive from it?

What is marriage beyond an economic agreement?

The thought and desire are powerful forces that operate on our whole reality. So to understand what connection is, we have to add that the goal of the marriage is that our relationship should bring us spiritual elevation.

Everyone buys a partner for the future spiritual state they are about to acquire. This is a spiritual connection. Spiritual means discovering the system of forces that manage the world and discovering the Shechina (Divinity).

A couple becomes one by the efforts of each side to nullify himself with regard to the other. Then they discover that they cannot do it since they are both egoists and they need the upper force to connect them. Then the force of love and connection, the upper force, the general force of nature, is revealed between them. And it is written: “a man and a woman, if they achieved (their goal), Shechina is between them.”
From KabTV’s “New Life #415 – Marriage,” 7/3/14

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New Life #413 – The Game Of Life: “You Shall See Your World During Your Lifetime”
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

How can we enjoy life just as we did when we were kids? What rules of the game should we adopt in our daily life and what new world will be revealed in our lives if we play correctly?

All of life is one big game. Everyone plays different roles in different situations. A young man and woman, for example, play a loving couple, but once they get married the game is over.

Before the wedding, they did not feel committed, so they enjoyed the game. Once they have commitments, the game is over. It is impossible to enjoy life if there is no element of a game in it, no color. If that’s the case, life is death.

Our life is supposed to be a game, a transition to a more sublime state, which is the attainment of a wonderful prize. But if we dry out our lives and hardly carry on, it becomes a heavy burden and we live since we have no other choice.

In order to turn life into an enjoyable game we have to define the goal of life and the prize. Everything we achieve in life fades away and everything ends in death. This is why different religions have invented prizes that we are supposed to receive after we die. However, we can enter the wonderful game called “you shall see your world during your lifetime” right now.

A person can break through all the boundaries and open the upper world for himself. According to the rules of this game, you should change your nature in order to open the new world for yourself. The instructions are simple: you have to change your attitude to others; to love others as yourself. You should play this game in a group of at least ten people. You should try to see others close to you as yourself until everyone melts into each other. In such a connection between us, we begin to discover one force, one thought, one desire—a new world.

Everyone begins to play the upper force for others, to act the love and bestowal. We advance step-by-step until we reach the big prize—eternal life, not of the body but of the self.
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From KabTV’s “New Life #413 – The Game Of Life, “You Shall See Your World During Your Lifetime,” 6/22/14

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