New Life 284 – The Evolution Of Emotions
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Emotions are a part of our desire to experience pleasure and evolve from the level of animal to the level of human or Adam. The mind or brain helps us fulfill our evolving emotional desires. We desire food, sex, and family within our animalistic bodies and money, honor, and knowledge in a more abstract way. The development of knowledge brings pain rather than pleasure as the masses begin to question what they are living for and can no longer find fulfillment. A growing sense of emptiness and depression pushes us toward the attainment of the upper degree. We experience the greatest pleasure when we rise above our own lives and attain the root or source of all life.
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From Kab TV’s “New Life 284 – The Evolution Of Emotions,” 1/7/14

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In the News (The Guardian):  “Prisoners could be handed the keys to their cells to incentivize good behavior, as well as a series of other benefits, under government plans that call on governors to put more emphasis on rewards and less on punishments.

“Ministers want to give prison chiefs the power to begin allowing inmates who follow the rules more time out of their cells, the freedom to cook their own meals and more time to spend in the gym, as well as the freedom to choose when to shower and more time to meet visitors. …

“Officials cited evidence summarized by the government last month that positive reinforcement was more effective as a means by which to change behavior in the long term. And they stressed that those who did not abide by the rules could still lose privileges. …

“The policy also called for prison staff to ‘consistently use verbal reinforcement for good behavior and challenge poor behavior outside formal reviews’, and handed prison chiefs the ‘freedom to increase the amount of time out of cell for recreational activities or exercise alongside education and work programs’.”

Question: What do you think about this system of detention?

Answer: In principle, the Torah and especially Kabbalah feel that incarceration is not a correction. We see that it corrects nothing. On the contrary, people leave prison even more angry with huge malicious egoism that they again begin to use in everyday life among people.

Prison is not education. Education must be organized differently.

In the past, a few thousand years ago, there were cities of refuge where people were deported and looked after. They had to remain inside the city and had no right to leave it.

When the ones supervising them (educators, etc.) saw that a person was functioning normally, they could gradually take him beyond the boundaries of this system.

Remark: It is also said in the Torah that the guilty ones were sent there so that others could not take revenge on them.

My Comment: Yes. It was all organized very seriously for the mutual benefit of both these people and external society. Later they returned.

I would advise this. They should feel free and change gradually.

Remark: But still the idea of the accusers and those that endorse incarceration is different, “They must be humiliated, locked up.”

My Comment: That is natural because we do not have a system of education; we only have a system of coercion and punishment.

Question: Does the system of punishment not work?

Answer: We see that it does not work. Moreover, the rest of society becomes infected by these thoughts. We see proof of the insufficiency of the punishment system in the ones who return to the streets, destroy everything, break store windows, set up barricades, and so on.

Question: Do you think that even the most inveterate criminal can be re-educated?

Answer: I think that it is possible to re-educate them and give them an opportunity for self-control in these cities. They can establish such an order that all others will envy because there is a concept of honor among them. We must understand that they are serious people who can establish order.

Question: What should change in the way of thinking of law enforcement agencies and prosecutors?

Answer: I think they should be locked up instead of these criminals. Then their way of thinking would change. It is impossible to be on one side and think for the other side. Of course, I mean this as a joke, but there is some truth in it.

Remark: You always say that the system of judges used to be completely different. Judges were those who simply could not accept a bribe.

My Comment: Being a judge was the highest position. In principle, to this day it is considered that a judge should receive a good salary, should be protected and independent. But what kind of independence can there be today if all judges obey governments, all are in collusion with each other, “one hand rubs another,” etc.?

Remark: Previously judges did not need to be paid a lot.

My Comment: This is not the point. They really were independent.

Question: How was that possible? What is this ideal image of a judge?

Answer: A judge greatly valued his position. He cherished the public opinion that was constantly tuned in such a way that a judge was above everyone, even above a king. A judge was on the same level as the Creator. It is possible to see this in the Torah, in the Book of Judges. This is the highest position in the country.

Question: Is it possible to raise such people in our egoistic world?

Answer: For this, it is necessary to educate them. We need an education system, not a penal system and not this public one that is a mess. But it is possible.

Question: Do you think that what they want to do in Britain is a step toward education?

Answer: Let them try. But in order to build a correct system, the right people must build it. I do not hold out hope that they will succeed. People with a different way of thinking should create such a system.

Question: So, is this a dead end?

Answer: Yes. Until they turn to Kabbalists nothing will help them. Good luck, British ladies and gentlemen!
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman”, 7/16/19

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New Life 142 – Israelis Must Spread Integral Education To The World
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

The Israeli society is responsible for spreading integral education to all of humanity. Humanity is in a global industrial, political, and economic crisis that is advancing at an exponential rate. We lack direction and need simple versions of the method of correction to be distributed to everyone at all levels of society, according to what we can hear. Israelis need to find the niches in which the secular, religious, right, and left become weak and fill them with hope based on the new paradigm of mutual connection. Israelis need to form a world university for all the nations to learn this new system and trend. They need to develop materials, workshops, and creative ways to distribute the message, like in movies and TV series. We are moving toward a world in which people will not work and will no longer need to worry about their animal bodies, but will spend their time learning to feel and reveal the upper force, the power of bestowal, upon which all of nature is founded. It is up to Israeli society to be the pipeline of this force for all of humanity.
From Kab TV’s “A New Life 142 – Israelis Must Spread Integral Education To The World,” 2/17/13

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New Life 1154 – Experiences In Life
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

The ultimate experience is to discover the Creator, the upper force, which is the source of all reality. It is worthwhile to prepare and educate children before they go through experiences and summarize afterward so they can learn how to protect themselves. They need special treatment as they go through traumatic events like domestic violence. These days, people are constantly seeking out new thrills; however, the wisdom of Kabbalah raises us to a higher degree so that worldly experiences become like a grain of sand. In the process of spiritual development, our soul becomes our guide to attaining the truth and perfection of the upper world.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1154 – Experiences In Life,” 8/13/19

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Question: You talk about the education of a single European, a single person. What will be the basis for the upbringing of a new individual? Is Kabbalah the method that you propose? Where is the basis, the concept of your proposed path?

Answer: You just need to open the books of the wisdom of Kabbalah where everything is written, and read them.

Question: Who is the Creator? Something not from this world? So how can one induce Him for anything?

Answer: The Creator is not from this world, that is correct and accurate. He is the highest power of bestowal and love. He can bestow to you only to the degree that you want to instill the properties of bestowal and love in you. If you want to acquire the attitude of love and bestowal toward others, then you must turn to the Creator.

Question: What does the fulfillment of a desire mean?

Answer: The fulfillment of a desire means getting what I want. In our state, all of our desires are egoistic, and therefore, we do not receive their fulfillment. Even if we do get fulfillment, we discover later that we have become even emptier. This teaches us not to want to be fulfilled egotistically.

Question: Could the Jews have awakened without anti-Semitism?

Answer: Certainly not! That is why the Creator urges us to fulfill our destiny by inciting hatred toward Israel.

Question: What should little children of two or three years of age be taught first and foremost?

Answer: At the age of two or three, it is certainly too early to teach them anything. But you can try to teach them to be connected well with others.

Question: How does the Creator respond to your teaching us? Do you feel His response?

Answer: The Creator fully approves of me, He responds very well, and I feel this perfectly. I am not joking! You can do the same and discover it.

Question: I am an artist. Please tell me, why are visual arts necessary and will they be important in the future?

Answer: No, they are not very important and will not be important in the future. This is because people will discover an inner spiritual vision that cannot be expressed in any way but solely and only through our soul.

Question: Why should you care for others if you yourself need love? What I mean is, should I not care about myself first and foremost?

Answer: In this case you will never be able to satisfy yourself and you will never feel love. If you are in need of love, you must love others. Then you will begin to feel love for you.
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From KabTV’s “Answers to Questions from Facebook” 3/10/19

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New Life 1153 – A Puzzle Of Experiences
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

Every experience leaves an impression on a person and these accumulate to build his overall outlook on life. Each one goes through his own, egoistic experiences to complete his unique place in the total human mosaic. We were created differently so that we will reach the experience of divinity connected with the upper force of bestowal and love. The experience of divinity is not mystical but the general attachment of all parts of the puzzle into one. That is how we ascend above this world in which everything is felt separately, to eternal unity.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1153 – A Puzzle Of Experiences,” 8/13/19

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Remark: In Japan, any physical punishment of children will soon be banned. The ban on physical punishment of minors applies to parents, social workers, and teachers.

My Comment: How can I express my dissatisfaction with the child’s behavior if it goes beyond what everyone says is acceptable for society, the family, and so on?

Let them give me a full distribution of the influence on children in order to educate them. Because education implies limiting.

You must express your discontent so that the child understands. And he would understand that it is for his benefit. That is, you do it not because you are annoyed and full of nerves, but because you wish for his good. This is of utmost importance in education.

Question: How do you keep in mind that you are not unloading your emotions onto a child?

Answer: To do this, educators must be educated.

Question: That is, you can’t do anything with prohibitions?

Answer: You cannot do anything. So what if there will be the law? What, they will be fined, imprison the parents? It will make such a mess in society.

When the state introduces such a law, and in general any laws, it must necessarily teach how to comply with this law and give it appropriate reinforcement.

Question: What is a proper upbringing?

Answer: It is said: “Man is born to small animals.” Gradually, if we do not educate him, he will become a big animal. In order to educate him, it is necessary to apply a certain pressure—simultaneously with his development.

Letting him know that I am putting pressure on him regarding the animal in him and not about the man in him. I want to develop man, and I want to curb the animal… and the animal is wild.

A child should know that he consists of two parts: good and evil, and we must limit evil.

Remark: I anticipate outraged comments on Twitter …

My Comment: It doesn’t matter. What difference does it make whether or not there are outraged comments? Most importantly, say the truth, and then it will become realized after a while.

Question: So your conclusion is that you need to educate parents and educators?

Answer: Of course. It is necessary to raise parents before raising children. Otherwise, parents will raise their children even worse than themselves.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman,” 4/9/19

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Remark: The ten richest people in the world are not going to leave their fortune to their children.

My Comment: The custom of leaving possessions to the next generation has become outdated. People understand that it does not give children any happiness.

That is, a child has to be given a good education, and a minimal, normal right to exist, slightly above average. But no more than that. That way the child will make efforts to achieve more. He will also learn to save himself and his family in order to protect himself from all problems. Without this, one will be all over the place and will not know what to do and where to hurry.

It corrupts people. By the way, the Torah says that a father should not tell his son about his wealth and that it will go to his son.

Question: What about the fact that rich people leave their millions to charities?

Answer:  Where else could it be left? People will donate to research and for the ecology, and little by little it will all be gone. There will be all kinds of organizations that will advise about how to divide one’s money, dissolve it in parts, and that is all.

Question: Is giving everything to charities a selfish act? Some people have earned a lot of money.

Answer: Yes, they earned the money, but now, at the end of their lives, they understand that this money cannot be taken with them, that nothing can be done, and no one is eternal. They hope that in this way they will nevertheless leave their name and themselves with humanity. This is some kind of redemption.

Remark: There is a word: “to perpetuate.”

My Comment: Perpetuate, yes. But I do not envy them. If they still hope that this will proved them with some service after they have already parted with this life, then, of course….

Question: It does not serve them? What would serve then?

Answer: I do not want to talk about this. Let them leave their money to charities.🙂

A man has nothing left! Absolutely nothing but good deeds. Good deeds are only in being able to push this world to unite. That is all, just this!

Only this can somehow really be recorded in a person’s soul. When man engages in uniting the world, he engages with his soul, with his inner property. Therefore it remains in him, and death has no power over it.

Question: What kind of action is for the unification of the world?

Answer: It is a mutual desire of people to help each other, even at the earthly level. The most important thing is uniting to reveal the higher mind, the highest property, the highest power, the Creator, the property of love and bestowal.

If they will direct people to this, then it will in fact remain with them and it will be their eternal great contribution to the development of their own souls.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman,” 3/19/19

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Question: Many people suffer from their shortcomings. How should we work with them?

Answer: It is very simple: you should love the other person so that through the external flaws (physical, physiological) you would see his or her inner value. Then all these external flaws, on the contrary, will emphasize their inner worth.

Question: How can one see one’s shortcomings positively?

Answer: I do see everything in myself as positive. We are arranged this way. Even if sometimes, at some very bad moments of life, I curse and criticize myself, I need to think about who I am criticizing.

Nature, or you can call it “the Creator,” which is one and the same, created you this way. Why then are you cursing it? How do you know? Perhaps you need all these flaws precisely in order to reach the level of the Creator by rising above them? After all, this is our destiny.

Question: How can we use the flaws correctly in order to rise to the next level of development?

Answer: Love. Love them, that is, love them for the fact that precisely by rising above them, by turning them into merits, we reach the highest level of development. It would be impossible to rise without this.

Question: What is the background against which a person will see that everything he has a complex about can be used effectively?

Answer: He should study the wisdom of Kabbalah. He must receive correct examples and strength from this wisdom with which he can try to change himself, to demand, plead, and eventually change.

Question: Which of your qualities or properties that seemed to you not so good did you use for development, for the ascent to the next level?

Answer: I am very jealous. I am very envious, and I would like to be even more greedy. The only thing that I have a great passion for is discovering the meaning of life. This great passion is based on great egoism: “Why do I just exist? I cannot allow this, I do not want this. I must understand why I exist and how can I correctly realize every moment of my life.” This is because of great greed and a big ego!

Although this quality of mine is a very bad one, in general, it is good. Thanks to it, I develop. To this day I am very greedy—greedy to know, to understand, and attain. If I see it in someone, why can’t I do it? Not for some materialistic purposes, but for a spiritual, scientific, etc. purpose.

I am very envious. I watch someone playing a violin or a piano, conducting an orchestra, or singing, and I have none of this.

Question: So, how do you express it?

Answer: I want everything!

Question: What do you do?

Answer: Nothing. I cannot burst out; I work in my field. I decided that this is the only and the greatest treasure and that I must achieve it.

If I had copper, zinc, tin, iron, and diamond mines, which ones would I develop? The diamonds. You cannot help it; they are the most precious.

It is the same here. I have chosen for myself that the most important thing in life is to reach the root of my development, the next level of existence, and this is my only aim.

Question: Does it mean that to have a goal is the most important thing in life?

Answer: Yes. The most important thing is to “Live with the lightning.” “Shine, shine my star!”
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 1/27/19

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Question: Your Instagram readers are asking: “How can we accept evil?” You answered: “There is no evil. Evil simply points out to a person that he hasn’t reached perfection in goodness.

That is, concealed good is felt as evil. It is felt acutely so one will pay attention to what other possibilities exist for him to correct this property and turn it into good.”

One of your readers is asking: “What about rape? Abnormal behavior in our connections?”

Answer: This is egoism, it is excess. Of course, this is evil. But egoism must be corrected, and then there will be no evil. That is, this is an incorrect attitude toward another. The intention toward another is just intention. If it acquires either a positive or a negative form, then we have to discern and correct the “minus” into a “plus.” But the intention itself cannot be changed. In other words, we cannot castrate a rapist; we need to reform him.

Question: But how?

Answer: How to do it is another thing. Actions will not change the world. We have to delve into the root of the problem, into why some people treat other people in such ways, and correct that direction,or in other words, his intention. This is what the science of Kabbalah deals with.

Question: Suppose someone commits violence against others. What does it mean to correct his intention, that the same actions of the same person would be beneficial to others?

Answer: Did he intend to hurt others? No, he wanted to fulfill himself. So let him fulfill himself through different actions: acts of kindness toward others. He needs to be corrected, reformed, and educated differently.

He will then receive the same pleasure, even a much greater one than he would have felt while perpetrating violence. Kabbalah can give him pleasure that is 620 times greater. Instead of violence, it will be acts of kindness toward another person, as that person will be enjoying it together with him.

Question: What accounts for such transformation in a person?

Answer: The upper force, the upper light. This is not a simple matter. Nor can the rapist do much about it. A person must be changed, re-educated.

Question: But what can be done?

Answer: At the very least, do not imprison him. According to the Torah, there is no concept of prison. There is no concept of “isolating one from the society.” In order to isolate him—there were six cities of refuge. That is where one would get re-educated.

Question: What happens to a person when his intention changes, when his attitude toward others changes? At what level does this change take place: chemical, psychological?

Answer: On the spiritual level. On the highest, most inner level. He has to change his attitude, his understanding of where he is: in a society, in the world, his attitude toward life and death, toward the whole universe, everything has to change inside him. This correction takes place under the influence of the upper light.

Question: Suppose a rapist wants to change his attitude…

Answer: Even if he doesn’t want to change, we will gradually influence him in such a way that he will want to change himself, and will be changed.

Question: What does it mean to influence him in such a way that he will change?

Answer: Through examples, education. It is an educational system that has to influence him over a long period of time. People that were sentenced to the refuge cities could not leave. If a person killed or harmed anyone, he could find a refuge there, turn himself in and admit his crime, and then the societies in the refuge cities would work on him.

He was influenced in such a way that the upper light could affect him. One has to put himself under the influence of the upper light. A person cannot do it himself, he is completely corrupt. Therefore, he is aided in such a way that the upper light begins to affect him.

How is this achieved? By inclusion into society. The collective works on attracting the upper light, and a person, by being in the society, whether he likes it or not, receives a portion of the upper light through it, and the upper light reforms him.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/28/19

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