From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 3/20/20

The coronavirus pandemic we are now experiencing will go down in history as a very unique period. A state of emergency around the world and the paralysis of our economic and social structures have come about all due to one tiny and hardly visible virus.

Other than the coronavirus’ health risks, it endangers the systems that human society was constructed on. It makes no distinction between economic and social status, whether one is a simple worker or a president.

If we thought that we had strong economic and social infrastructures, we quickly saw that a microscopic virus could pull the carpet from under our feet. Countries left, right and center are closing their borders and requesting their citizens to stay at home other than leaving for essential needs.

Therefore, we see how one little virus came along and dismantled the materialistic connections that we created between us, connections based on making money, exploiting and competing with each other.

The Coronavirus: An Example of Human Imbalance with Nature

Nature constantly aspires to restore balance: a state of well-oiled interdependence based on everyone considering the common benefit of all. Our egoistic nature, on the other hand, opposes such mutual consideration, as the human ego strives to use anybody and anything in order to benefit itself.

It follows that we brought about this virus by driving our egoistic connections to unparalleled heights. Consequently, a biological particle surfaced that has the strength to shatter our egoistic connections.

Other than the coronavirus, we encounter countless problems on personal, social, global and ecological scales in the modern world, and it is all due to us trying to build our success on the ruin of others.

In recent times, the human ego passed all limitations. The integral mechanism of nature could no longer bear the soaring levels of exploitation, manipulation and abuse among us humans, and it thus reacted with the coronavirus.

In nature, the human level is its most influential. It affects physical and biological connections on its lower animate, vegetative and still levels. As such, negative human connections give rise to negative feedback toward humans from biological phenomena at lower levels.

However, pandemics are nothing new to our world. We experienced many more deaths in other pandemics of the past, when the ego was much smaller than it is today. We have been though pandemics so relentless that they even discarded with populations of entire cities. Moreover, the coronavirus’ mortality rate is relatively low, and by comparison, the seasonal flu has caused more illnesses and deaths. What, then, is so unique about the coronavirus?

What Is So Unique about the Coronavirus?

The coronavirus’ uniqueness is that, despite the highest level of progress that we have ever achieved in our world, it shows us how we are unable to get our life in order.

With full material well-being, we lack positive human relations. And we can only point the finger of blame on ourselves, or more accurately, on the egoistic human nature involuntarily lurking beneath our every thought and action.

Through the revelation of the coronavirus, nature shows us that we need only cure the ego, i.e., that we need to change our approach to the world from “how can others benefit me?” to “how can I benefit others?” That is the deeper meaning behind the pandemic.

We live in a global and integral world, and the coronavirus pandemic clarifies that our ego-based connections in an interdependent world are faulty and dangerous.

Nature has brought us to the realization of our total dependence on each other. From this realization, we are given time to examine how can we relate to each other and to nature differently, with attitudes of mutual support, encouragement and consideration replacing those of exploitation, manipulation and abuse. If we use the time we have now to impact this shift, we will come out of this pandemic into a new and balanced world, and experience our global interdependence harmoniously.

(Reuters: University of California, Berkeley Professors Lisa Wymore (L) and Greg Niemeyer look at the Zoom screen showing students in their online Collaborative Innovation course in Berkeley, California, U.S., March 12, 2020. REUTERS/Nathan Frandino)

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What is the reason for the spreading of the coronavirus? We must understand that this is a reaction of nature. Nature obligates us to realize that we are in an integral system.

If we disobey the laws of this integral system, its basic law of mutual responsibility, which connects together all parts of the system, then the system responds with blows.

So far this is just the beginning of the coronavirus epidemic and we must take it and other viruses that are yet to be revealed as a signal of our incorrect connection with each other.

We must learn that we exist in the integral system of nature where all parts are connected with each other and there is only one disruptive force in the entire system—the human being.

We must correct ourselves because nature will nevertheless force us to improve our relations with each other until they become so good that the virus will disappear.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1212 —Mutual Responsibility,” 3/10/20

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We live during a very special time, which will be remembered in history as the “coronavirus pandemic.” The worldwide emergency has been that has become global. And it is all because of one tiny virus. One can hardly see it, yet it has managed to produce an enormous revolution and paralyze our entire life.

Besides the danger that this disease entails, it destroys all systems that human society is built upon. The virus threatens everyone from a simple worker to a prime minister.

It seemed to us that the structures we built were powerful and unshakable, but it turned out that a microscopic virus can undercut the entire system at the root. Countries are closing their borders and asking their citizens to isolate themselves for a long period of time. The entire world is hiding at home and locking itself up.

So what is happening? Here comes one little virus that breaks all profitable connections that we have built between us so that we make money from others, exploit, and compete with each other. Obviously, this was not a good state because nature always aspires to restore the correct balance inasmuch as it is able to withstand our egoistic nature that strives to use everybody.

It follows that we engendered this virus ourselves by driving our relationships to an unprecedented egoistic level. Consequently, there appeared a virus, a biological particle able to break down all the egoistic relationships we have built.

There is no end to strife in the modern world where everyone wants to use the other or even destroy him. Egoism has crossed all limits and as a result, the virus appeared. The integral mechanism of nature could not bear such a level of human interactions and it has reacted with the coronavirus.

The lack of positive connection between people gives rise to the biological phenomenon at the lower level. Human relationships represent the highest degree of nature that affects the physical and biological connections below them.

Epidemics are nothing new to our world. In the past, the epidemics were so severe that they emptied entire cities. What is so special about the coronavirus? The mortality rate is not that high; inevitably a certain number of people die every year the seasonal flu.

But the problem is that despite the highest level of progress that we have achieved, we are unable to get our life in order. With full material well-being, there is the the lack of positive human relations. That is why we cannot build a normal society and educate our children correctly.

It is all the fault of the human ego. Nature shows us that only our egoism needs a cure and that is why it reveals the coronavirus for us. This is the inner meaning of the crisis.

We live in a global world and the pandemic makes it clear that our global connection might be dangerous. However, we have no choice: human development brings us to the realization of our connection and total dependence on each other.

By trying to thwart the pandemic, the countries are trying to close themselves up and isolate people by breaking down the connections. But ultimately, we will only realize that it is impossible because by this we doom ourselves to a miserable life as if returning to primitive times.
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From KabTV’s “New Life, 1211,” 3/10/20

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Thrive Global published my new article: “Coronavirus: Opportunity to Change Our Social Infrastructure”

If we help and support each other, we will have what it takes to make it through this transitory period into a whole new, balanced and harmonious world.

An empty Times Square is seen following the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in New York City, U.S., March 18, 2020. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon

We can find many reasons to complain about the disruptions in our lives since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. However, if we take a closer look, we will see that we are in the midst of a rare opportunity to change our social infrastructure for the better.

The coronavirus’ worldwide rippling effects have provided us with a unique perception test: Whether we view the coronavirus pandemic as crisis or opportunity, disease or medicine, virus or vaccine, isolation in our homes or new stage of human connection, depends solely on our attitude.

Nature develops everything and everyone to more and more connection. As such, nature’s innate quality aims to mend and heal any tears and divisions that surface within it.

The parallel races we were running for excessive consumption, materialistic status and exploitative power, where we had setup our lives to outcompete others in one or all of those areas, came to a sudden halt with the onset of the coronavirus.

If we thus step back and view humanity as a single organism for a moment, we can then see how the coronavirus came not as a disease, but as medicine: to heal the body of humanity from the egoistic, consumeristic and materialistic addiction of its cells—us.

However, since we became accustomed to looking through narrow egoistic lenses, where we each seek self-benefit at the expense of others, creating and abiding by social infrastructures that function accordingly, we then find it very hard to see the positive impact of the restrictions that the coronavirus has brought to our lives.

We perceive nature’s positive influence as negative due to our opposite mindset: nature functions integrally, as a single interconnected whole, whereas we perceive individually, seeing ourselves as separate beings from other people and nature.

Also, where nature acts to benefit the whole creation at every moment, leading it carefully and gradually to a state of total connection and homeostasis, we act in an opposite way: selfishly taking into account only whoever and whatever we need for our own benefit and comfort.

There is thus no negative action or attitude in nature. What we perceive as negative is due to our opposite negative and egoistic form to nature’s positive and altruistic form.

Therefore, if we view the coronavirus as nature giving us its medicine—an opportunity to connect more positively among each other and realize our newfound global interdependence in a mutually encouraging way—then we will be able to create a happy and healthy world for us all.

Understandably, in the beginning it is expected to be difficult to overcome the barriers we have established between us. But if we help and support each other, we will have what it takes to make it through this transitory period into a whole new, balanced and harmonious world.

— Published on March 19, 2020

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In connection with the coronavirus epidemic, the Israeli Ministry of Health has issued 11 rules of conduct, which calls on each of us to comply with the “mutual guarantee” law. Since this is a global catastrophe affecting everyone, we must be considerate of each other, which is called a guarantee.

Our mutual guarantee now is not to come close to each other and by doing so taking care of our neighbor. If we really care about each other, and realize that through our behavior we contribute to the common good, we will very quickly stop the epidemic.

The attention-grabbing coronavirus actually seems like a child’s toy, compared to future disasters. For example, a gradual shift of the Earth’s magnetic poles threatens to lead to a sharp change, as a result of which the ice age will return.

Why are we so worried about some kind of virus that is simply nothing compared to the further development of events? But the fact is that the coronavirus hits everyone personally. And if ice is approaching or the ocean rises several meters, I will not feel this effect on myself personally by checking my temperature or pulse.

It all depends on a person’s sensations. If swarms of locusts fly in and devour the entire crop from the fields, then we will come to the store and not see any products in it except that same locust: sugared locusts, salted locusts, etc. Only then we will get worried.

In the meantime, the focus is on coronavirus. It demonstrates to mankind our weakness and connection with each other, which is now manifesting in a negative form, since the disease is transmitted through it from one to another. But it also shows that if we want to act together, thoughtfully and consciously, we can protect ourselves from the virus.

The epidemic also cleanses us of all rubbish: we have stopped flying back and forth, doing unnecessary things. If the epidemic drags on for another year, then our lives will calm down, and we will only carry out necessary actions.

No one will run around shopping, buying clothes. Everyone will live in peace if only to be healthy. The virus locks us and we become good children. It turns out that this is not a virus but help from above.
The epidemic will affect politics and muffle all passions because why should we fight if we are all brothers in misfortune. Over whom should they strive to rule— over people who live on the verge of the most necessary?

And then new blows will come: clouds of locusts, mosquitoes, mice. We will not be able to fight them because of their huge number. And so our life will gradually take on a different look: from this we will learn how to live differently. Indeed, today human society is more like a financial bubble: every second company is an investment fund.

According to the laws of nature, no creature at the inanimate, plant, or animal level consumes more than is necessary for existence. We see predators, a leopard or a wolf devour prey, but they do this in order to survive, and do not take too much.

And a person also has to live, consuming only the essentials, and give the rest to the benefit of society, and precisely what is really good for him, and not confuse society with all sorts of stupid things.

Human society is obliged to come to such a form of material life, which corresponds to the animal level. The animal body must live like all animals, that is, consume only for the sake of survival. And you don’t need to take anything from nature anymore, everything else should be directed only to spiritual actions, to the work of the Creator.

We produce products, 90% of which no one needs. Everything is organized in chains, where each produces its part and transfers to the other, and the very last in the chain throws everything away so that the whole process can be started anew.

The whole modern world is built in this form, otherwise we will not be able to earn. We earn only by squeezing all the natural resources from the earth. You cannot live on like this, we are destroying the environment.

The egoism that guides us every moment has led us to such a life that is already impossible to tolerate. We ourselves dig our own graves. The angel of death holds a drop of poison on the edge of the sword, and you obediently swallow it and die.

What is the way out? To study what Kabbalah speaks of, to correct our thoughts, and with these thoughts we will correct the world. When there will be many people with the correct thoughts, then it will be possible to translate them into material actions. But our thoughts themselves already work!

To give to society is first of all to study what genuine bestowal means and in what form the society must exist in order to comply with the law of nature. Everything clears up in thought.

Man himself, through his efforts and self-restraint, must reach the state in which the animals live, that is, not to consume more than vitally necessary for life. And we must direct the rest of our energy and mind to the unification among ourselves.

The coronavirus epidemic and all other problems are the consequence of imbalance in our lives. If we lived in the material plane as animals, not consuming more than necessary for our animalistic body, and all our spiritual efforts were directed toward understanding the Creator, then life would be beautiful.

But we bring in a distortion, striving in our egoism to rule over the whole world, to empty the globe and squeeze out all natural resources from it. And therefore nature, getting out of balance, shows us all these problems: biological problems in the form of a coronavirus, or volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, or tsunamis. All these cataclysms are caused by the imbalance that we create in nature.

We must limit ourselves to use nature only to the extent necessary, as the science of Kabbalah teaches. And all the other powerful forces, time, huge mind, and desire that a person is endowed with, apply only to correct society, to make it a tool for revealing the Creator.

These days human society is acting in the opposite direction from the revelation of the Creator, and by this we naturally cause all problems, and the coronavirus is only the beginning.

The era of the Messiah, in which we are already live, should bring us many new revelations. Let’s hope that thanks to our efforts, these revelations will be good, but so far, unfortunately, it is doubtful…

Let’s try to quickly learn and convey to all of humanity the cause of all viruses caused by the mismatch of human society with the general law of nature, which consists of equilibrium. This is simple physics, not faith, but the law of nature.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/5/20, “The Peace”

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 3/17/20

How to Make Sense of the Global Coronavirus Shock

The Global respiratory disease, the coronavirus, has taken our breath away in a split second. But it can be used as an opportunity to inject oxygen into a new world.

It is well known that people do not appreciate what they have until they lose it. In fact, we would do the world a service to part ways for good with what is gone: our frenzied and selfish old lifestyle.

We might already be asking ourselves what our lives will look like after the coronavirus pandemic is over, which will likely take months. Our way of life will certainly never be the same again. Many businesses are expected shut down: restaurants, theaters, cinemas—entertainment venues in general—will have a hard time recovering people’s interest enough to stay afloat.

The Healing of an Ailing World

So far, following the recommendations of health officials is a means for survival, but gradually, we will start seeing something appealing in our new stripped-down lifestyle. A special taste will be acquired for a simpler and deeper form of existence, in contrast to the endlessly exhausting pursuit of materialistic satisfaction that has characterized humanity until now, leading us to a desperate state of ever-increasing emptiness and lack of fulfillment. New senses will be born for self-scrutiny letting us realize that the virus actually resides in our hearts and minds, in the harmful ways by which we relate to each other.

Just like the serpent on the Rod of Asclepius, the symbol associated with medicine and health care, the coronavirus raises its head and forces us to ask questions about the purpose of life. The virus is, in fact, a medicine infused into humanity to heal it from its destructive egoistic nature, which causes conflict, separation and suffering. Thus, we can choose to look at the crisis as a blow and senseless pain, or instead, we can see it as an opportunity from above to correct our failed path and change direction to a more balanced existence. The recovery process will depend on how we respond to the challenge nature is presenting to us.

In the sense that the crisis is aimed at elevating humanity to a different level, to a new approach to life, it becomes something useful. Nature is indicating to us that it disagrees with the lifestyle we have created: pollution, waste, reckless industrial development—conditions affecting and ruining the planet’s integral system on all of its levels: still, vegetative, animate and human. Also, we need to start fixing the damage we have caused precisely at the level of human connections in order to recover balance by organizing our world more healthily through mutual care and responsibility.

The Inidividual and the Collective Are One and the Same

Every individual and all of us together are responsible for transforming what is now taking place in human society to a better state. This is so because in nature’s integral system, the individual and the collective are equal.

Humanity has undergone a long path of self-destruction and division, and the virus shows us that a breach in our connection is the root cause of the problem. Such awareness helps us start feeling ourselves as one body of humanity. It is bringing the world to a single uniform state, revealing that we truly belong to a system where everyone is interdependent.

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From My Facebook Page Michael Laitman 3/30/20

When Austria refuses to treat patients from Italy, Germany forbids exports of medical equipment, France refuses to provide masks, and the rich northern countries want no burden of dealing with southern debt, we are in trouble.

In addition to the friction between countries, there is a sudden increase in unemployment, and if it reaches a situation where food can no longer be served on the table, then we are in serious turmoil.

Will Europe or countries in other continents descend into another world war?

In the future, a war is indeed possible, even though we definitely hope it will not happen. But in the meantime, war is highly unlikely.

The coronavirus sets appalling conditions for war. The need for social distancing during a pandemic counters the circumstances needed for war, which requires flexibility of motion and the ability to mobilize armies.

Other than risk from the enemy, soldiers would be endangered by the coronavirus itself, as they would need to gather frequently in tight group settings.

Therefore, while the idea of war can be put on hold while we try to deal with the coronavirus, we still bear witness to bitter resentment cooking between countries.

And if we fail to rise above the divisive atmosphere separating us, then we can expect another form of crisis to wake us up to the need to unite above our differences.

Today, the coronavirus shows us a prime example of how it doesn’t discriminate between different people and countries.

If we as a human society step up to the challenge of relating to each other as equally as nature relates to us, where on one hand, we recognize our innately divisive drives that try to separate us, and on the other hand, prioritize unification above our divisions, then we would overcome the tendencies that would otherwise lead us to more suffering, wars and crises.

Moreover, by building positive connections upon our differences, we would discover a new and harmonious world where everyone becomes friends and family. It would be a world where love and care increasingly spread virally from one day to the next, and instead of needing to tighten our lockdowns to be protected from a pandemic, we would willingly tighten our connections to each other, protecting ourselves from any kind of harm.

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New Life 1165 – Shaping Public Opinion
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

Shaping public opinion with egoistic baits is the most advanced weapon. Anti-Israeli opinion campaigns have been launched from abroad. We do not have a war against the left or the right, but we must abide by the law of development that requires overall connection. If Israelis build an environment according to the principle “love your neighbor as yourself,” the nations of the world will be unable to hurt them and the connection between us will make all of humanity connect. Hatred will become love. We need to teach others about nature, human egoism, the law of development, and how creating a connection protects everyone. If we learn how to attract the power of connection from nature, we will have the most powerful weapon for shaping public opinion. Our connection will turn all of human hatred into love.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1165 – Shaping Public Opinion,” 10/17/19

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Question: Let’s say a group of people wants to find the right solution for problems they have. They already have basic knowledge of Kabbalah and they understand that the workshop is a preparation for solving the problem. There are certain rules in this work. Where did they come from?

Answer: We live in a world in which practically no problem can be solved. If it seems to us that today we seemingly found a solution, already tomorrow we understand that it is not a solution. We are constantly deflecting the solution, thinking that we are coming to its revelation.

The wisdom of Kabbalah says that until we connect, reach some common denominator, we will be unable to find this solution. It is within us.

All the problems that occur in a bigger or smaller part of humanity come only from the fact that this part of humanity is disconnected. Otherwise, there would be no problems. After all, they all come from our shattering, disconnection, and mutual distance from each other.

If we gather together in order to solve them, we must first connect into a common collective.

Question: Does it mean that Kabbalists do not solve any problems at all?

Answer: No, what for? What problems do we have besides the fact that we are not connected? If we connect, all problems disappear.

Question: So, does Kabbalah solve only one problem: how to connect?

Answer: There are no other problems in the world.

Question: Will other problems disappear as a result of it?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What about problems like health, family, etc.?

Answer: The fact is that problems occur on different levels: inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human. In order to come to the solution of any problem, we should gather together, connect, and in the connection between us, find the solution. We can then implement it to eliminate corporeal problems.

To find the solution itself, however, is only possible when people are mutually connected, understand, and complement each other. Only then does the solution become clear.

Accordingly, the solution will always be correct and beneficial for implementing any plans on the levels that are lower than their human level.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 12/25/18

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Baal HaSulam, The Nation, Therefore, it is a must for every nation to be strongly united within, so all the individuals within it are attached to one another by instinctive love. …

This does not mean that all the people in the nation, without exception, must be so. It means that the people of that nation, who sense that harmony, are the ones who make the nation, and the extent of happiness of the nation and sustainability are measured by their quality.

The force that supports the nation depends on the extent the nation is similar to the upper force, which is one, that is, able to unite. Such nation will be able to overcome all the difficulties because they are revealed as the breakage and shattering within it that require correction.

Therefore, on the path, we will have to encounter many problems in order to cover all the crimes with love by getting increasingly stronger and more united. Only in such a way is the perfection revealed.

Each time more and more sins are revealed, and it is necessary to build the reverse state above them, that is, love, without despair and without giving up. This is how the world is built, and in this way, it must come to correction.

The question is, how can European countries reach unity when they have such a large number of refugees? Yet, in fact, all these refugees only help European nations understand that connection must be above all the differences. It is necessary to see the wave of refugees as sent by the upper force and not as a destructive one. It is destruction, but for the purpose of correction.

Fifty years ago, it was impossible to imagine such a situation of refugees in Europe. Europeans very much protected themselves, cherished the individuality of each nation, the Germans, the French, the Italians. The borders between the nations were very clear and sharp.

Then suddenly everything began to change with great speed. According to the upper program, everyone must reveal the shattering they are in. How else is it possible to discover the need for correction if not by bringing the foreign forces inside? This is why several million people have entered Europe, people who are alien to it in their culture, education, religion, and behavior. There is no more flagrant contrast.

As a result, Europeans are slowly beginning to realize that there is no choice, the only thing they can do is to connect. They have yet to discover how this connection can be achieved. No matter how unreal it may seem because of religious differences, the most acute and irreconcilable, there is no other way.

Europeans understand that it is necessary to find the key to reaching unity and connection. And the key, first of all, is in the integral method of connection, which Kabbalah offers, in covering all crimes with love.

It is implemented with the help of the upper force. We cannot unite by ourselves; we only create conditions so that through us, through Israel, as through a connecting channel, the upper force will begin affecting all the masses of people.

This does not require their consent; they will suddenly begin to speak and behave differently. No matter that yesterday they were fundamentalists, no matter what religion they professed, how they thought, and to which of the seventy nations of the world they belonged. They all will become like one nation.

The main thing is that Europe is experiencing problems, and we must provide a solution. That is why it is so important to unite all Kabbalistic groups in Europe and around the world, especially now before the European Convention in Bulgaria. In this way, we can bring the light of connection and unity to Europe.

Europe is more and more gripped by darkness, a sense of helplessness, hopelessness, and absence of a way out. However, suddenly we will see how contradictions are softening, opinions, thoughts, and desires are changing. After all, everything is resolved in thought, and thoughts suddenly become new.

How is it possible that people who were such fundamentalists, nationalists, who did not even want to talk to anyone a little different from them, suddenly changed so much? Yet, the upper light can change everything. The way it now thickens the darkness, so it will correct it. The main thing for us is to become a conducting channel for it, this is our work.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 9/13/19 “Unification of the People”

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