Entries in the 'Globalization' Category

Society of the Future: Preserving National Values

268.01Question: Baal HaSulam, in the article “The Last Generation,” writes that all of humanity should come to an altruistic society, not just one country, because today we are all interconnected in a global system. But some countries adhere to a nationalist trend, separate themselves from others, and try to create an independent economy, and some of society wants to have a global system. How do you see it?

Answer: I believe everything will gradually become a global system. Our interdependence will lead us to this.

Question: Does it mean cosmopolitanism is the correct form?

Answer: Yes.

Question: But if you look at the body’s structure, each organ still has its properties. How can we avoid losing the national values inherent in every nation?

Answer: Each nation will keep its own, and no one will interfere there. We are referring only to the proper redistribution of income and wealth between segments of the population and between countries.
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From KabTV’s “Era of the Last Generation” 8/8/24

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The Meaning of Congresses

947We have already reached a state where everyone feels that we, the inhabitants of the Earth, are at a dead end. Nature deliberately drives us into a corner so that we can find a way out of it. The Earth’s population is considering how to get out of this descent, impasse, and crisis.

And we recognize the crisis as the moment of the birth of a new state. That is how the word “crisis” is translated from Hebrew. The crisis is a place made of special stones on which a woman sits and gives birth. You understand how interesting and confusing all this is.

It is explained to us that this is our moment, our time. It means that we have gathered at a time when we are about to give birth to an entirely new state of humanity.

Therefore, we need to organize a ten that will implement this, demonstrate it, and be able to lead everyone. As soon as a higher illumination appears in us, earthly people, all of humanity, will follow us automatically, like children following an adult. To do this, we need to unite correctly so that the light begins to manifest itself in us.

That is the meaning of congresses. We must think of the light manifesting itself in us to lead humanity forward and, on the other hand, to bring pleasure to the Creator. And we are in the middle, fulfilling our role. We do not need anything else. We are like an adapter, a connecting link, between all humanity and the Creator. And humanity needs it.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/24/20, “Preparation for the Convention”

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Can Israel Survive on its own?

417Question: As we know, American universities are rocked by anti-Israel demonstrations. We are disliked at American universities, particularly prestigious ones: New York University, Yale, Columbia, Harvard, UC LA, UC Berkeley, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, etc.

In other words, at expensive universities where well-to-do, intelligent, thoughtful students study, anti-Israel sentiment flourishes, that is one thing. But at the same time, as has been the case throughout the centuries, there are strange accusations about everything you can imagine. How does this align with intelligence, development, and sophistication?

Answer: It aligns very simply because one has nothing to do with the other. There can be very serious, educated, intelligent, well-rounded people, and at the same time regarding Israel and the Jews, they…

Comment: Will repeat the most terrible, most absurd rumors about leprosy, poisoning wells, and so on.

My Response: Exactly. They will repeat anything you can think of.

Question: Can you explain what this is? How do all these absurd accusations align with a person’s intellect and reason?

Answer: They do not fall within the same domain as human reason. Completely different centers are activated, and a person begins to shift to a completely different mindset and starts listening to and believing what they are told.

Comment: Predominantly, the sponsors of these universities are Jews and Jewish organizations. In principle, both the administrators of these universities and the students understand that they would not have scholarships, for example, if Jews stopped supporting these universities. There would be no salaries for teachers, and so on. What is happening to reason here? It is like I am biting the hand that gives.

My Response: No, I do not think they are so afraid that these donors will stop funding them.

Comment: Really, even though they declare that they do not want to accept donations from anyone connected with Israel?

My Response: They wish to “cleanse” themselves.

Question: Is this above money, above everything?

Answer: Yes. They think that this call will affect those who are still donors, and they will give even more to show that they belong to a different kind of people.

Question: Are you hinting at Jews now?

Answer: Yes, at Jews of course.

Question: So Jews will pay for anti-Israel propaganda?

Answer: Of course.

Question: Where is the logic here? We keep circling around this, that there is no logic here either.

Answer: There is no need for logic.

Question: What am I “cleansing” myself of? I continue to pay to Harvard University, let’s say, I am a Jew…

Answer: Yes. You think this is a good university, and it produces good specialists, and you are for pluralism.

Question: I see. So I am for democracy, freedom, and so on, right?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: Now please tell me. I am Jewish, I am studying at this university. Everything around me is full of posters and demands for the destruction of Israel.

My Response: It does not affect you; you walk with your nose held high and do not notice these posters.

Question: Is this me, a Jewish student?

Answer: Yes.

Question: But is this a good situation? I mean, I go on and still feel like a Jew, and I go…

Answer: I don’t know how you feel like a Jew. Even if you feel like a Jew, you must show where you agree and disagree with the Jews.

Question: So I can even join them?

Answer: Yes of course. Absolutely!

Question: Tell me, is there a connection? If I continue studying at this university, does it mean that I support all this anti-Israel fuss there?

Answer: No, not necessarily.

Question: But I continue studying there? Is that right? Or should I leave this university in protest?

Answer: You are asking me about completely different things now.

Question: Yes, it is a different area. I am asking you what is the right thing to do?

Answer: I believe that Jews should not be in such universities. They are exposed to a direction of hatred that will force them to renounce their Jewish identity.

Question: Then tell me, do you think Jewish sponsors should withdraw from these universities?

Answer: Of course!

Question: How do you think Israel should fight this?

Answer: I don’t think Israel can fight it. It is just a phase. I hope that someday it will pass, although it is still unknown when. But if Jews start leaving these places, others will feel it in their wallets, in the support, in everything.

Question: So, you think if you feel it in your wallet, in your salary, in the fact that the university is becoming poorer, your brain will start to work?

Answer: Of course.

Question: So should Jews leave such universities both as sponsors and students?

Answer: Yes.

Question: They should not support them in any way?

Answer: In no way.

Comment: All right. I see that graduates from these universities: Yale, Harvard, and so on will be leading the country in 10 to 15 years. That is definitely in America.

My Response: Yes.

Comment: So in 10 to 15 to 20 years America will no longer support Israel in any way.

My Response: Probably.

Question: Will Israel be able to exist without this support on its own?

Answer: It is certainly difficult. But here arises the question of the survival of the State. I believe we need to turn to the upper force, to the Creator.

Comment: You are saying it will be difficult.

My Response: It will be difficult.

Question: It will be difficult and therefore we must turn to the upper authority?

Answer: Yes.

Question: In principle, this is where things are heading?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: As I see it, America will eventually become anti-Israel. We understand about Europe, too, that it will also abandon Israel. In one way or another, looking at the future, Israel remains alone. That means Israel must become a kind of fortress.

Answer: Yes.

Question: How can it become this fortress?

Answer: By firmly standing its ground.

Question: And what is my Israeli ground?

Answer: It is that I unite around our goal and bring the people closer to the Creator.

Question: What is our goal, the goal of the people of Israel?

Answer: The goal is to explain to the entire world the method, the intention, and the purpose of the existence of humanity.

Question: What is it?

Answer: To attain the upper force.

Question: Is that the goal?

Answer: Yes.

Question: So must the people of Israel unite around this goal and stand as one?

Answer: Yes and then, no matter what happens, they will stand strong.

Comment: And all these enemies around us, and everything they will do…

My Response: There will be none…

Question: So if we connect to the upper, our security is guaranteed?

Answer: That is why we are placed in such conditions.

Question: So you just said that America, Europe, and our surroundings are being pushed from above to make us turn to the upper?

Answer: Yes that is what is said and what is written.

Question: Without such suffering, is it possible to turn to the Creator through reason or heart without being pressured?

Answer: No, it is impossible.

Comment: You have a very firm rule: you always say that without these sufferings no progress is possible.

My Response: No.

Question: So are you a materialist here? Are you saying this material must be squeezed?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: And only then will it…

My Response: Start to move.

Question: Is the movement the address to the Creator?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What do we say? How do we address the Creator?

Answer: We ask for help. Help us unite. Help us be stronger. Not stronger than anyone else, but just by ourselves. We do not need strength to oppress anyone. We need strength to counter our own egoism. Then everything will fall into place.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 7/29/24

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Experience Imprinted In the Souls

294.4Question: According to Baal HaSulam, humanity is divided into the enterprising and the laggards who make up the majority. Regardless of the social system, a small part of the enterprising will always exploit the laggards.

Why is there such a division? How can this be related to the purpose of creation?

Answer: Such inequality is based on the correspondence of a person with those periods that he must go through in his development in order to achieve the goal of creation. It depends on generations, on the degree of connection between people, and is a process of correction.

That is, we must be in different states in order to gain some kind of life experience.

Question: Does it have to be imprinted in every soul?

Answer: Yes, and it needs to be able to be directed correctly.
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From KabTV’s “Era of the Last Generation” 7/11/24

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The Orbit in which the World Revolves

222Many a zero thinks it is the ellipse around on which the Earth travels (Stanisław Jerzy Lec).

Question: Today is a time when it seems that many zeros are sure that they are the orbit in which the world revolves. Why is a person given this feeling of “I am the orbit in which the world revolves. Am I building the world”?

Answer: Yes, I build the world. Why is it given? So that a person realizes what a low creature they are.

Question: That this is not exactly so?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What, in your opinion, should be the feeling of a true leader?

Answer: He should feel that he does everything to set a correct example for his people.

Question: What is the correct example?

Answer: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Question: Should he live like this in relation to his people?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Have you seen such leaders? Were there ever such leaders?

Answer: I hope so. It is not noticeable from the outside. I think there were such leaders.

Comment: Our kings, who were in their time…

My Response: Maybe.

Question: Maybe Solomon and David?

Answer: I do not know.

Question: I see. But is this a true leader?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Will the future leader also be like this?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Will then the world change immediately?

Answer: Of course.

Question: Will the world also become loving?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Does the Creator instill such leadership in a person?

Answer: Of course. Who else?
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 7/1/24

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No One Needs the Experience of a Civilization That Destroyed Itself

203Question: UNESCO plans to send information about the cultural heritage of humanity to the Moon. They are translating it into 275 languages and significantly investing in this. The capsule will be sent aboard a Japanese automated module. This decision was explained as a necessity to preserve some information about the human race in case of a global catastrophe on Earth.

Do you think anyone will need the experience of humanity that managed to destroy itself?

Answer: No, but that is just what we are accustomed to do.

Question: Do you think no one will need it after all?

Answer: I think humanity is still in such an embryonic state that any possible other civilizations are several levels higher.

Question: So are we some kind of children?

Answer: Yes, therefore it is very easy to scan us.

Question: Are we, as you said, petty egoists on the surface of this Earth and that is it?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: And all the experience, all culture, all the science, all the millennia of development—all of that…

My Response: What about science? Science exists in nature and is open to all. Art is also very relative as it depends on the organs of perception.

I believe that no one needs this. But humanity wants to cheer itself up a bit, to uplift itself, as if to say: “Look at what we are doing, we are declaring to everyone who we are and what we are.”

Question: What do you think if we received a message now that once there were people who created a civilization here, some living beings, and then they killed each other and disappeared, would that study teach us anything?

Answer: No, that is how it was, but it did not teach us anything.

Question: Do we even know why they destroyed each other?

Answer: It is the usual human egoistic nature.

Question: Did this knowledge not lead us anywhere?

Answer: Nowhere, of course.

Question: Why does experience not teach us?

Answer: It is not even in our genes to be afraid of this. There is nothing at all.

Question: Why did the Creator exclude this possibility in us?

Answer: So that we would be independent from our nature.

Question: So if we are dependent on our nature, we learn nothing?

Answer: No.

Question: And if we become independent of it, then who do we learn from?

Answer: That is impossible!

Question: Is it a catch-22?

Answer: Yes.

Question: How can we navigate through this?

Answer: We need to reach the level of anti-egoistic interaction with each other.

Question: What is that?

Answer: As it is said in Kabbalah—faith above reason.

Question: So is all our interaction egoistic?

Answer: It is absolutely egoistic. And we have no possibility to exist if we do not rise above this nature.

Question: On the other hand you say that it is also not easy to rise above nature.

Answer: It is not easy, but it is possible.

Question: Do we need to have a proof of this—that there were people who rose above? We come back again to the fact that people who rose above have some experience?

Answer: No. In principle, we did not have such examples in the past.

Question: Where does your confidence come from that this is possible?

Answer: Because the Torah states so, and it was given for this purpose. We need to use the Torah to rise above our nature.

Comment: Please tell me, you just used the phrase “faith above reason.” This is actually the basis of Kabbalah.

My Response: Yes.

Question: Can you explain it simply to ordinary people? What is “faith above reason”? I live according to reason, right?

Answer: Yes, we live entirely according to reason. But we need to rise to the next degree, the degree of faith above reason.

Question: Does this mean that I just believe?

Answer: No, it does not mean just believing. It means governing yourself from the degree above our egoistic nature.

Question: Should I imagine myself being on this degree?

Answer: It is impossible to imagine. So it is a problem, but it is solvable. I think that ultimately humanity will solve it.

Question: Basically, we understand what faith below reason is. It means that we are told: “Believe.” Is that below reason?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Faith at the level of reason is also more or less understandable. This is science, which says: “I have proven it.” This can be so. But faith above reason, you say, is a degree above reason that we need to reach?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Essentially, is the Creator on this degree?

Answer: I think the Creator is beyond this degree. But to rise to this degree, we need the Creator.

Question: Does He want us to do this?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What does He do to help us rise to this degree?

Answer: He responds to our prayers. If we truly want this, desire it, and ask Him, He will do it.

Question: If I truly rise to the level of faith above reason, if we rise to this level, what does my state become?

Answer: You begin to feel the force of the Creator who fills all of nature, and you are in contact with Him.

Question: What is your definition of the Creator whom I begin to feel?

Answer: The upper force in which we exist.

Question: What is it like?

Answer: The force of goodness, the force of care.

Question: Do I begin to flow in this state?

Answer: Yes, it becomes your natural state.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 7/1/24

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The Beginning of the Realization of the Egoistic Human Nature

290Question: Baal HaSulam writes that there are two paths to realizing the idea of Kabbalah. The first is the natural path of development, a path of suffering. The second one is the path when people, after some educational process, will be able to advance to altruistic properties consciously. How can this take place?

Answer: The preliminary stage of the second path of development is realizing the evil of our egoistic nature. I think it is already happening.

In other words, all current confrontations, crises, and wars between Russia and the Western World have to change humanity gradually and show that no one wins anything in a war and there are no victors.

We are practically going through this state. We means all of humanity. That is because at the end of the days, meaning at the end of human development, we will not be dividing ourselves into countries, not even into continents, but instead, we will begin to aspire to rise above our nature. That is much bigger than mutual agreements between people, countries, etc.

Even though we do not realize it yet, I hope we are already starting to learn the laws that will bring us to complete correction.
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From KabTV’s “Era of the Last Generation” 7/11/24

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Two Tendencies of Human Nature

571.03Question: Kabbalistic books describe two tendencies that exist in nature: Igulim and Yosher—circles and a straight line.

Therefore, we see a tendency toward globalization to completely erase a person’s personality so that everything would be one whole.

On the contrary, there is also a tendency toward nationalization, some kind of national values, individualism, and so on. How can both these trends be linked?

Answer: We still have to realize and go through this, but in principle, by no means should we sacrifice the individuality of each of us, but rather we need to allow it to develop.

We must understand that the future of humanity lies only in the complete unity of everyone with each other, but not in the sense that it pressures a person and forces them to be like others. That is, there must be a combination of these two tendencies.
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From KabTV’s “Era of the Last Generation” 7/11/24

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Effective Altruists: Results from Donations

271Question: We know that approximately 10% of the world’s population are altruists. Among them, there are effective altruists who aim to track the results of each donation, every dollar spent, and make it as effective as possible.

How do you feel about this approach to altruism and donations?

Answer: It is good. Naturally, I welcome it. Humanity, at the very least, will know that it is investing in its future, and this future is real. The result is what matters here.

Question: Unlike other types of philanthropic activities, how important is connection to the result when giving? Let’s say I donated money to charity and do not know what happens to it. But my ego is at peace, I have no moral dilemmas about whether what I did is right or wrong.

In this case, however, I constantly have to think: was it effective, was it not effective, did it bring benefits, or did it not? Is this attachment to the result normal?

Answer: Yes, it is necessary. To achieve some more or less positive result, we need to calculate its possibility.

Question: If we talk, not about achieving a result, but about the act of giving, about charity from the point of view of human egoism, is it still normal?

Are additional formulas or calculations needed? Or is it like a regular business?

Answer: I think it is enough to use the principles of regular business. Although, many additional tools will appear to determine the effectiveness of the contribution.

It is still unknown how much investing in science and culture gives a positive result. Here it is necessary to clearly think through how the right answer will come.

Question: In what direction should we at least direct our thoughts?

Answer: In the direction of what we desire from our investment, what the gain should be: in resources, in money, in increasing connections, and so on. We need to clearly define what we consider a positive result.
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From KabTV’s “Kabbalah Express” 6/30/24

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The Essence of Narrow Egoism

204Question: In his articles, Baal HaSulam writes about narrow egoism. He says that there is a difference between the fact that a person just wants to enjoy, which is really our nature, and narrow egoism in which a person wants to enjoy at the expense of others, using them. What is the problem here?

Answer: The problem is in enjoying at the expense of someone else. Generally I feel good when I enjoy myself and maybe even better when I compare myself to others and see that I am better off, luckier, and so on.

This is growing egoism, which depends on the ego of society and the people.

Comment: So this is different from animal egoism, because animals do not have this.

My Response: No, in animals, everything is only focused on themselves.

Question: But in relation to the goal of creation, the development of humanity, what is the problem with narrow egoism? Suppose a person uses another, that is natural?

Answer: The problem is that he does not want to let the other grow and reach certain heights in profession, society, family, but wants to be above him.

Comment: So what is the problem here? We have been developing this way for tens of thousands of years. And what have we achieved? In principle, a normal society—look at the progress. We live tens, hundreds, of times better than a hundred years ago.

My Response: Undoubtedly. But this happens not by decreasing egoism, but by increasing it. There is nothing good about it. Because if I look to the future, it turns out that by being more egoistic, I win compared to the others. I want them to be less egoistic so that I have the opportunity to dominate them.

This discrepancy practically makes people unhappy.
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From KabTV’s “Era of the Last Generation” 6/27/24

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