My new article on Linkedin “Is Humanity Prepared for the Next Nuclear Disaster?”

A decade ago, the strongest earthquake ever recorded in Japan triggered a tsunami which struck off Fukushima’s nuclear plant, killing more than 18,000 people and devastating entire towns due to the radiation leak. Today, the world questions what lessons were learned from it in order to avoid future catastrophes. Unfortunately, none. Instead of diminishing the potential risks, the world is increasing its warfare in a shortsighted and dangerous vision. Instead of global confrontation, we urgently need to build human connection as the most powerful weaponry for peace and security.

If we fail to implement a change in our self-centered focus, we will continue heading down a path of prolonged suffering. Therefore, we need to realize the corrupt way we relate to each other, and construct new, positive relations of peaceful coexistence within society. The current global scenario is urging us to choose a more civilized, enjoyable, and wise path, a path of mutual support and care that will radiate the entire world as the most powerful force on Earth.

Fukushima was the worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, but it seems this catastrophe has not left a special mark in the world’s consciousness. Because one may ask, what can be done against the forces of nature? And at the end, the Japanese are a special people who have laboriously built a prosperous country despite suffering severe beatings and overcoming them successfully. There was no doubt they would recuperate from this blow, too.

On the other hand, we do not see what unfolds in certain parts of the world as something that may also impact us. But eventually it will, since planet Earth is round and operates as a complex system of dependencies, relationships, and interactions. In fact, if we were aware of our interconnectedness, we would learn from the difficult events that humanity has suffered and would be ready to change our selfish attitude and actions for mutual benefit.

However, humanity in general does not see past disasters or conflicts as teaching experiences. The world has been beaten by multiple nuclear accidents and two world wars, but nothing has changed. Ten years have passed since the Fukushima nuclear disaster and there are still over 414 nuclear power reactors operating in 32 countries. They supply a tenth of the world’s electricity but if there was a true intention from the countries to get rid of nuclear reactors to avoid and mitigate dangers and threats, they would have already looked for alternatives.

Nuclear technology is controversial but cannot be categorized as evil or praised as good, because the main question is about how it is used, the dosage and the intention behind it. A global estimation would reveal that we do not need the current reckless exploitation of natural resources for the sake of immediate profit which affects us in the long term. If we were aware of it we would limit our production systems solely to what is essential to our existence.

Without making up our minds, without a broad vision for the future and the implementation of an international education program that will raise awareness of our deceitful behavior, we will not succeed. And as the world continues its business as usual, the next blow inevitably will come, forcing humanity toward introspection.

The “Green New Deals” proposed by multiple countries promote social justice and environmental equity. But even though there are some positive measures behind those proposals they are only shifting the focus from the main problem. The human being is the most harmful force in nature, even more so than a nuclear bomb, so what we need to fix is precisely human nature.

Mutual hatred overflows at all levels, between people and countries, within societies. Humanity is acting in the opposite direction of nature, which is balanced and harmonious. Instead, we are moving away from each other, developing sophisticated means for mutual destruction. The exponential effect of this division within humanity is what causes wars and global crises.

If we fail to implement a change in our self-centered focus, we will continue heading down a path of prolonged suffering. Therefore, we need to realize the corrupt way we relate to each other, and construct new, positive relations of peaceful coexistence within society. The current global scenario is urging us to choose a more civilized, enjoyable, and wise path, a path of mutual support and care that will radiate the entire world as the most powerful force on Earth.
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Question: Airbnb, a company that books accommodations around the world, has published a report with forecasts for the travel market for 2021. They believe that business travel will not return. Also people will often travel by car and not far from home. Fifty-two percent would prefer to leave their phones at home. Tourists do not want to spend time on photos and posting them on social networks, they are not interested in it and, also, so that no-one would connect with them.

At the same time, the majority of tourists are ready for new trips again, and 54% have either already booked tickets or are planning a tour today.

The first question is this: how can the desire to travel even if you are threatened with infection be explained? Haven’t we learned the lessons of the coronavirus?

Answer: The fact is that we do not live simply because we exist like cats that lie in the sun and bask. We still live by fulfillment.

And then I buy a ticket to somewhere, maybe not far away, but abroad, where something is new, different, and I have a different feeling, and I’m traveling.

Question: And no coronavirus can stop it? Does it live in a person?

Answer: It lives in the person. I think people will start traveling after all. It will be possible to travel to certain countries, and maybe to all of them. And they will come out of this state.

Without travel, there is no way to get any renewal. When you get into an unfamiliar environment, you become a child. And this state of carelessness, surprise, and discovery is very important for a person. Moreover, if he is already in old age (old like a young child), then it is very important for him, it’s renewing.

Question: Are you like a child when you travel?

Answer: Sure. Today we will go there, then we will go here and do something else! This childishness that wakes up in us, some kind of carefree feeling, is precisely what attracts us.

Question: But if we can travel to our inner world, will we see a bright world there?

Answer: In this we will see everything! We will see the most important thing: The cause and effect of everything that happens. I am a great optimist. It will happen and it will happen very quickly, and I will see it together with all of humanity.

We will come to discover the full depth of nature in its true form. We will see all the causes and effects, everything that happens, everything that we produce in nature, what reactions we awaken and why. In general, we will see everything in front of us, all the worlds—huge, huge, and all this will be in our attainment.

This is precisely the inner fulfillment of a person, above this there is nothing, there is nothing more complete than this, and this captures a person so much that he no longer needs anything. This is not a restriction or a stop on the way, it it is really for all that a person is created.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/8/21

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Comment: Young people leave school, enter a new world, and what they are given, they do not want, and they are not offered anything else.

My Response: Our world is the world of egoism. People have selfish power over each other, and such power prefers to operate with force. You can’t do anything here. Power does not ask whether it is good or bad, it is possible or not. If it can win, then it immediately realizes itself.

Of course, I understand the many-sided directions of young people in their desire to see the world for others. But they must realize that, first of all, it depends on how much they can prepare themselves for this.

Indeed, in order, for example, to change life in Iran, or write a good book for the Chinese, or do something else in any country in the world, they must understand what the basic law of nature is and where nature leads us since we cannot act against it.

We see how, for thousands and thousands of years, mankind has tried to follow the path that it invented for itself, believing that this is supposedly a good, right path. In fact, it was constantly wrong. Choosing a new path goes wrong, another new path, wrong again. Like a group of small people in a huge forest. We are in such conditions to this day.

But now the wisdom of Kabbalah is revealed to us, which explains the laws of the development of the world, its program and the goal of development. Therefore, we must first study all this, and then, in order to understand more of this program and adapt ourselves to it, not it to us, but me to it! Because this is the program of nature, we cannot break nature. It breaks us down if need be.

After we master this program and understand it, we need to somehow adapt to it so that we can live in it, develop in relation to it. Then we will get closer to nature and really see and feel what course of life we are placed in and how it wants to change us.

To act in the same direction as nature affects us—this will be our most comfortable, correct state. This should be taught.
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From KabTV’s “Integral World” 7/13/18

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Comment: In Germany, due to the extension of the lockdown, the clothing trade has almost completely stopped. Loss from sales during this entire winter period equals ten billion euros. Half a billion fashion items remain unsold. They must already be destroyed because they will no longer be relevant next year.

My Response: I do not think that fashion will change. I do not think that fashion will exist at all. Therefore, I would not recommend destroying them. Rags are rags. People will not chase after this, as they do not chase after what is available today. It is over.

Question: That is, a person will not follow the season of 2021, 2022 and will wear whatever is comfortable and cozy for him?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: Realizing this, fashionable clothes at the fashion show in China were replaced with protective suits and visors against the coronavirus. High fashion on the catwalk is protective medical equipment and clothing for service personnel and for firefighters. It was the answer to the growing Chinese market.

My Response: Of course, they immediately realized that this is the way things should be.

Question: Who would you now send to the European catwalks?

Answer: I would demonstrate very practical clothes that do not hinder movements, are comfortable, wearable, and that is it, and not flashy.

Question: Do you think there may be a couturier and high fashion for very simple clothes?

Answer: Comfortable! Not simple maybe, but comfortable. I love jackets with many pockets, pants that fit comfortably and do not need to be ironed. Something very comfortable that does not hinder any movement. You can sit everywhere, do whatever you want, it does not get dirty. This is what needs to be invented, so that clothes do not get dirty. Even if I fall in a can of paint, I get out of there, take a shower, and it rinses off me even without soap.

This is how it should be! Let them invent! What happens, they deliberately invent things that quickly get dirty or break.

Question: That is, you are not even in favor of having a lot of clothes in a closet, but just necessary everyday things?

Answer: I think that if a person likes what he is wearing, then it makes no sense for him to change it. It is all just empty fashion that is imposed on him.

Question: And nothing will come back? That is, we approached simplicity?

Answer: Nothing will come back! The clearest direction is comfort. So that it does not repel others and is comfortable for you.

Comment: Beautiful and comfortable.

My Response: What does beautiful mean? To make people want to stroke you. Like silk, like wool—something very pleasant. This is how it should be. Clothes that complement a person’s image.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 1/18/21

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My new article on Linkedin “Erasing the (Inner) Distance”

As Jews around the world are preparing for Passover, which celebrates the exodus of the ancient Israelites from enslavement in Egypt, it seems as though the entire world is experiencing somewhat of a “global Egypt.” While Covid didn’t exactly enslave us, it certainly did restrain us. But more importantly, the way to escape Covid is the same way by which the Hebrews escaped Egypt.

Today, humanity is in a similar situation. The story of Egypt should serve as an allegory for us. If humanity chooses the same instrument that the ancient Hebrews did, namely unity, we, too, will be redeemed from the shackles of Covid, and indeed from all the adversities that have landed on us in the past century or so, and that are destined to land on us if we do not choose unity.

After Joseph, who was both the leader of the Hebrews and Pharaoh’s viceroy, died in Egypt, the state of the Jews continually deteriorated. They became dispersed and disintegrated, and wanted to mingle among the Egyptians. “Let us be as the Egyptians,” they said (Midrash Rabbah, Shemot). The Egyptians, in turn, who until then were very fond of the Hebrews, became increasingly hostile toward them. The Midrash continues to tell us about it: “Because of [their dispersion], the Lord turned the love that the Egyptians loved them into hatred.”

In the end, the Israelites found themselves separated, hated, and abused by their previously friendly hosts. They remained that way until Moses, who was both a Hebrew and the prince of Egypt, and grew up as Pharaoh’s adopted grandson, returned to his Hebrew roots and began to fight for his people. His struggle was tough. He had to fight not only against Pharaoh, but also against his own people, who did not want to unite under his leadership.

But once they agreed to start working on their unity, they were liberated from Egypt, fled to the desert, and eventually solidified their bond to such an extent that they achieved an unprecedented level of unity, which made them “as one man with one heart,” as the great 11th century commentary RASHI put it.

Today, humanity is in a similar situation. The story of Egypt should serve as an allegory for us. If humanity chooses the same instrument that the ancient Hebrews did, namely unity, we, too, will be redeemed from the shackles of Covid, and indeed from all the adversities that have landed on us in the past century or so, and that are destined to land on us if we do not choose unity.

While our world has become increasingly interconnected, our hearts have become increasingly disconnected from each other. Alienation and narcissism are pushing us apart and pollute our relationships much more than fossil fuels are polluting the planet. Our self-absorption has become so noxious and so antisocial that it became necessary to separate us from one another altogether. This is when Covid entered our world, forcing a global closure on all of humanity, but mainly on the developed, most self-centered parts of the world, namely the US, Western Europe, and China.

We should have used the timeout from excessive consumerism, exploitation, and mutual abuse to bring our hearts closer, similar to what the Israelites did in Egypt, once they were afflicted as a result of their own social disintegration. We didn’t do it. Instead, we waited for vaccines to be developed and yearned for the moment when we could resume our toxic living. Now we have vaccines, but we will not be able to resume our pre-Covid days. Since we did not work on bringing our hearts closer, our hearts only grew further apart. When we try to resume our former way of life, we will discover that we simply do not enjoy it anymore.

In the absence of pleasures in life, people’s depression will intensify and extremism will flourish in myriad ways. Humanity is going to reveal the worst of human nature, until it says “Enough!” and resolves to erase the inner distance among everyone, and build a united humanity.

Just as the consent of the ancient Israelites to work on their unity was enough to deliver them from Egypt, humanity’s consent to work on unity among all people is enough to deliver us from Covid, and from any adversity that is currently afflicting us. As long as we remain on the path of unity and keep improving it, we will go from strength to strength. If we revert to alienation, the plagues will return.

For the first time in history, we have a clear work plan, a path out of misery for all of humanity: Try to connect and you will succeed. Abandon connection, and you will suffer. This is what we will discover if we only begin to work on erasing the distance in our hearts.

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Humanity has gained new experience: what it’s like to live without the “toys” it is used to. Restricted conditions, detachment from work and entertainment, has woken us up to think more seriously about life and to have a different attitude to what is happening. More and more often, we will ask the question: how and what for do we live?

We have to become more serious in our decisions and actions. Like children after being punished, we have to understand that we have to improve and follow the laws of nature, become more united, not inflict harm on one another—since there is no choice: we live on one planet.

There is no #punishment from the Creator’s side. The #lockdown for a year is not a punishment, but correction. Nature wants to teach us to enjoy bestowal and love for the neighbor. For now we lack the understanding and taste for this. Soon we will see that there is no going back to the past. Great changes are coming.
#coronavirus #future

“The suffering of many is half of the consolation.” After a lengthy #lockdown, people’s #joy enhances the excitement of returning to the prior lifestyle. But the Creator will “ruin” this excitement. He will show the path of development to humanity in new forms. #Nature will defeat us— we will follow its laws.
#COVID19

From Twitter, 3/11/21

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Is it possible to exit this pandemic on a pathway to a more decent society?“

“Don’t do to others what you hate” is the foundation of positive human attitudes. With this principle, we drive away any harm, and it is the best remedy that we can generate in human society, and with it, we will defeat the pandemic and return to become a good and prosperous society.

We have reached a state where humanity has become a single globally interdependent and interconnected society, and one of the conditions of our global interdependence is that one person cannot enjoy a good life if others don’t enjoy a good life to the same extent.

We can thus better our world only by increasing our concern for each other. To that end, we need a new kind of education that prioritizes positive human connection, and which is taught to both adults and children. If we establish positive connections in society, then we will be on course to leave this pandemic behind, and enter a new harmonious life that is balanced with nature.

The pandemic has emerged in order to pave a path to a new world of positive human connections. We should not look back at how things were, but focus on the upgrade in our attitudes to each other that we can implement here and now. That is the way to shift human society onto a much more positive path.

The only question is whether we will listen to what nature is telling us through such events as this pandemic and make adjustments accordingly, or whether we will try to continue our lives as before. The former will lead us to a new level of happiness and prosperity, and the latter will lead us to a long path of suffering until we eventually agree to change our attitudes to each other.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Question: Researchers argue that such a concept as “materialism,” which is characteristic of both the rich and the poor, means people’s addiction to things.

The social image and value system created by this addiction is destructive for both society and the individual. Whoever succumbs to this loses the joy of life, peace of mind, brings anxiety, depression, and the collapse of relationships.

Nevertheless, in the past year of the “crown,” coronavirus, people began to demonstrate less materialism. But, on the other hand, now it is already clear that this is the reverse side of the same coin. Why do people love things so much?

Answer: Man is an egoist. He loves to acquire and feel that it is his: “Mine, mine, mine!” We see this in the example of small children, when they grab a toy and do not give it to anyone else. Even if you convince him that this is not appropriate, the child does not understand. He always wants it to be in his hands. That is how he is born.

Therefore, we cannot condemn people for the fact that they have such a craving for acquiring everything they like: “I want this to be mine.” Or even something that he doesn’t like, but the other likes it, obviously, this is good, he also wants to have it.

Moreover, he wants to have this thing himself, while the other child should not have it, and if this is not possible, then no one should have it. That is, this is absolute selfishness, childish and petty that accompanies us all years of our life. You can’t get away from it.

How can you balance it? Only with the right upbringing. But for this it is necessary to build a system that will work on people and educate them in such a way that they are satisfied with what they have, even in comparison with others. In general, this must be a special education system, otherwise, we will never get rid of materialism.

Question: In essence, materialism is the decoration of oneself. A person decorates himself with something extra. What should replace materialism or will it go away over time?

Answer: I think it will. Instead, a more internal decoration will prevail: the attitude of a person toward others, the attitude of others toward him, but not the replacement of some things with other things.

As a result, a person must come to the understanding that his greatest acquisition is his love for his neighbor as for himself, and even, perhaps, more than himself. This is a completely different ascent of man over his little egoistic nature.

I hope that under the influence of correct upbringing, one will gradually cancel the other.
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From KabTV’s “Kabbalah Express” 2/16/21

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Question: There is something that unites all nations—fairy tales. It is part of everyone’s life. We enter life listening to fairy tales. Some kind of morality is meant to pass on to us through them, so that it is understandable to children. Then we grow up and continue to tell fairy tales, but we call them stories, fables, and so on. Sages also write allegorically and convey a lot through a fairy tale.

What is in the fairy tale?

Answer: Everything! Absolutely everything. There is a woodcutter, a princess, a king, a puss in boots, a pumpkin on wheels, whatever you want. Horses moving their hooves nervously, and all that sort of thing. An unhappy prince who is looking for his princess. Either he is like a frog or she is trapped somewhere in a high tower. Whatever you want, everything is possible. A fairy tale can do anything! And moreover, it manifests itself in a very open, as if naked form.

That is, they love, they want to be together. Someone does not help, someone is against it. Everything is open. That’s what is good about the fairy tale. In our world, a lot of adults enjoy watching real fairy tales. Although they know that these are fairy tales.

Question: Why? Is it an escape from reality?

Answer: This is more real than our life actually.

Question: What is the reality of the fairy tale?

Answer: Justice is rewarded, loyalty is rewarded. But all this has to go through a lot of twists and turns, all sorts of nooks and crannies, mazes of our egoism.

Question: So the fairy tale actually tells about what will really happen? That good will triumph over evil?

Answer: Absolutely. Otherwise, nothing would have started. All fairy tales must have a good ending, because it is already set initially.

Question: And fairy tales with a bad ending, what about them?

Answer: There is no such thing. It means they are not finished.

A fairy tale is written from the end. But the good ending should be in that there is a beginning, a denouement, a climax. In general, absolutely everything and always a good ending. It was designed from the very beginning.

My conclusion is this: a fairy tale should start from the beginning. Then there should be some kind of demonstration process; educational, accusatory, and so on. The heroes have to diverge and be unhappy with what is happening, this one wants to kill and it does not work, this one wants to escape but can’t, they want to get married, it’s not working, and so on.

That is, in all this they cannot find ties between them, and who writes that fairy tale? The Creator! That’s when they gradually despair of solutions, each in their own way: ”What to do?” Then they begin to understand that they are under an upper will, and then everything begins to work out for them, to come together. And it turns out that this upper will, the upper force, leads them to the right decision, to a good end. And good triumphs.

Question: Were you really talking about our time just now?

Answer: It is precisely in our time that this upper force begins to manifest itself in various states, when humanity has no other answer to the questions than to say that it is the upper force

Comment: And this unkind fairy tale, as it seems to humanity, begins to move.

My Response: And then it will be kind! Because it points you to the ultimate solution—the one who conceived it, started developing it and doing it, and now has to finish it.

Question: And we are led to love, to happiness?

Answer: Yes!
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 1/21/21

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No one will give us a break— nature will demand a reckoning from us. We must ask ourselves: what’s the right way for us to go through all the blows. Because only with the help of mutual #inclusion can we rise to a state where all forces of #nature will influence us kindly.

The #coronavirus won’t go away quickly. There is one iron rule that will always safeguard us: if we match the laws of nature, we will be able to eradicate the plague; and if we go against the laws—we will be imprisoned.
From Twitter, 3//21

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