Opinion (Vladimir Kerees, political analyst): “Decision makers are guided by a picture of the world that exists in their imagination and is not based upon actual reality. This is possible because of the lowering of the level of the consciousness of the masses. It makes no difference what fantasies they promise us about ‘fresh spring air coming in through the window’; it is impossible to open the portholes in a submarine.

“People don’t understand the consequences of their actions. There has been no ideology in society since the collapse of the Soviet Union. We are living in a world of principles from the victorious period of the Enlightenment; this was an idea of progress in science and society, individual freedom, quality of life and security. There are no other ideas. But the old liberal principles work badly: The economic crisis is liable to grow into a super-crisis, fanatics are destroying civilization, half of the population of the Earth lives in poverty, and ecological problems are taking on a global nature. We must let go of the fantasies of people and realistically evaluate what is happening, without illusions.

My Comment: But how is it possible to realistically evaluate what is happening and make the right decision if the future is hidden? After all, in the past there was no need for consciousness because everything moved only according to direct (egoistic) development. We, the egoists, were like our world.

But today the world is becoming global, instead of a straight line; it is a round sphere in which everyone is mutually dependent. In such a system with many unknowns, we cannot find the right solutions.

Kabbalah advises us to transform ourselves to be like our own world, meaning integrally interconnected, and then we can find the correct solutions to the problems that arise. But to become voluntarily connected, we must want it. Or else problems will arise until actual wars will force us against our will.

In any case, the world is becoming closed globally, and we will be obliged to come to the same form of connection between us.
[169594]

Related Material:
The Transition Of Society To A New Quality
The Crisis Means The Birth Of Something New
The World Economy: On The Threshold Of Drastic Changes

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization - No Comments →

Comment: There is a lot of talk now about the terrible bureaucratic situation in the healthcare system in Israel.

Answer: Doctors are generally the weakest organizers and business managers.

So, the treatment of people becomes a problem too because everything depends on proper organization. The healthcare system must administer the business, then everything will be better. A free or semi-trade union for the healthcare system is not effective.

Question: Won’t paying for medicine cause a public uproar?

Answer: Instead of general population paying for their healthcare, I would charge healthcare system for every shekel invested into it, so that they truly work for the benefit of people and treat them the way they should. This would be much more effective.

Today, our world is organized according to egoistic principles, and the healthcare system must be reorganized precisely according to that. Otherwise, we won’t achieve anything. If we were to introduce socialist principles into an egoistic world, they immediately would devour the entire system.
[170555]
From KabTV’s “Conversations with Michael Laitman” 11/18/15

Related Material:
Under The Authority Of Money
Medicine: A Profitable Business
Healthcare For One’s Pocket

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization, Health, Israel Today - No Comments →

Question: In an article published in the media it stated that ISIS and Al Qaeda have created a sophisticated network platform that is capable of identifying weak points in every nation. In contrast, the Western nations are struggling against terrorism separately and don’t coordinate their activities.

How can Israel and other nations contend with the terrorism that is encompassing the entire world today and defeat it?

Answer: It is only through unity! You cannot do anything against this force if you don’t connect and unite with others. Every nation will lose separately. The terrorists will choose targets to blow up in every nation and attack the central cities of Europe, and we cannot do anything about it.

A spiritual force must act against them. After all, in material terms, we are very weak. Today, taking into consideration their armaments and their communications media, we cannot deal with them.

We must search for how to neutralize them through the inner forces of nature, meaning only through unity. They are working with the force of hatred, so they can be overcome only by the force of unity.

If Europe were truly united—through education, the rapprochement of individuals and peoples, through the union of hearts, not through a common market and the control of the banks, if they were to give an example to the entire world of how to truly connect and unite, then no one would cause harm there, and the world has been attracted to them for the best for quite some time.

Question: So, how would you suggest that the nations of Europe struggle against ISIS?

Answer: They cannot deal with ISIS if they don’t begin to unite so that unity will become their highest goal.

Question: How will this influence ISIS?

Answer: According to the nature of things, on the inner plane, ISIS would begin to weaken from this. They suddenly would feel that they have no power to do anything. That is how they would feel!

In nature, there are forces that activate us. Do you want to intervene in all these forces? Please, you have the opportunity! However, this is only on condition that you come out with the positive force, with the force of unity. This is the force that is capable of defeating them!
[170059]
From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM 11/15/15

Related Material:
In The Wake Of The Tragedy In Paris, Part 1
The Secondary Growth Of Terror, Part 1
Europe Under Extremist Attacks

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization - 2 Comments →

Question: Why has the world turned out to be so vulnerable to terrorists? The strongest nations, possessing the most powerful weaponry, are unable to cope with a handful of terrorists and have allowed them to exist for so long.

Russia bombed their positions, and the coalition nations imposed airstrikes, but the result is that the situation is becoming worse and worse. What is happening is absurd!

Answer: The world is not ready to unite against the terrorists. After all, in fact, the people have no sense they are facing an evil that they must eradicate from the world. Everyone agrees that it is necessary to fight them and destroy their positions in the places where they are so that it will not spread throughout the world.

However, in principle, no one is opposing them. If they lived within the borders in Syria and in Iraq and didn’t crawl outside, they would be left alone. People don’t feel that ISIS is the cause of suffering throughout the world. It is different in regard to Israel, about which there is a general agreement that the Jews are to blame for all of the troubles.

After all, anti-Semitism is a phenomenon that is inherent within human nature. Therefore, opposition to Israel doesn’t require the creation of coalitions and the acceptance of special decisions, and so everyone agrees.

We see the moment that something happens in the world, immediately they begin to look for how Israel is involved. They are already beginning to mention Israel in connection to the tragedy in Paris, no matter how paradoxical this is.

And it is not a paradox. This hatred is inherent in human nature and in the nature of the world because, in fact, it does depend on the general condition of the people of Israel.

This is a natural hatred, and people are not to blame for the fact that they feel this instinctively. We need to treat this phenomenon as real, rational, and begin to correct it. Then, we can transform this general hatred toward us into love.
[170208]
From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM 11/15/15

Related Material:
In The Wake Of The Tragedy In Paris, Part 2 ‑ What Are The Terrorists Preparing For The World?
In The Wake Of The Tragedy In Paris, Part 1
Terrorist Attacks In France: An Attempt On Its Foundations

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization, Israel, Israel Today, Nations of the World - No Comments →

Question: The Internet exhibited a chilling video about how the members of ISIS killed hundreds of children all at one time. It resembles a picture of Hitler’s genocide.

Is it not time for Israel to intervene in what is happening in Syria to try to stop the terrorism? We blame the world for being silent and not protecting the Jews during the Holocaust: Why are we ourselves now silent?

Answer: Israel is not able to be involved in what is happening in Syria because this conflict is an internal Arab matter. This endless war has continued for their entire history, but it will seem like an innocent prank in comparison to those actions that they are preparing for the world.

The scheme of the Islamic extremists is very simple: either all the infidels will disappear from the face of the Earth as if they never existed or they will agree to become Muslims. On the way to attaining this goal there could be different accounts.

They could wait as long as there is a chance that you will agree: they could pressure you and encourage you. It could be that in the meantime it will be possible for you not to become a Muslim on condition that you will regularly pay them a large ransom.

Question: Do you think that they are preparing terrorist activities that will be crueler than what we have seen in Paris?

Answer: If terrorist activities sometimes happen in the streets of Israel, it is clear to everyone that many more actions had been planned but were thwarted and uprooted by the security forces. Otherwise even more terrible events than what happened in Paris would have occurred in Israel. But they don’t tell us about it so that the people will not become frightened.

Question: They say that the Israeli army warned about the terrorist action that was about to happen in Paris.

Answer: Israel even warned in advance about the planned bombing of the Russian airplane.

Comment: Judging by what is happening, the terrorists are inhuman, heartless. Such terrible pictures that they have actually created in life could not have been made in the most morbid imagination.

Answer: The terrorists come out from another part of nature and want to frighten everyone. They aim to demonstrate how decisive they are and that they will not stop at anything. They are not concerned about anything: to live or die, the most important thing is that there is a purpose and it must be carried out. This purpose must be achieved here and now, at any price.

And so we see that more and more people join them every day. This is because people love power, a clear goal, an aim that is worth living for. When a person becomes fanatic, his life becomes very simple. This is because otherwise a modern person doesn’t feel any fulfillment in life, no purpose. Culture, education, and science don’t interest him, everything is in crisis, at an impasse. It is not clear what one should live for. And suddenly something in life begins to shine for them. As a result, many young people from the West come to join ISIS.

It is important for the terrorists to show themselves as strong and violent so no choice remains for a person but to join them. And the more brutally and decisively they act, despising all, the more attractive they become in the eyes of the young.

A recent example was reported in the news that a Russian girl from a good family, a student at a university, was stopped at the Turkish border on her way to Syria, where she wanted to be recruited by ISIS. Not even the attitude that some Muslims have towards women intimidated her.
[170135]
From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM, 11/15/15

Related Material:
In The Wake Of The Tragedy In Paris, Part 3 – Why Is The World So Powerless Against The Terrorists?
In The Wake Of The Tragedy In Paris, Part 1
Terrorist Attacks In France: An Attempt On Its Foundations

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization, Israel, Israel Today, Nations of the World - No Comments →

In my column on Ynet:

Nobody “Deserves” This

The increase in Muslim terrorism is an outward sign further suggesting the world is out of balance. It is important to understand that the more the waves of violence continue, the peoples of the world will point an accusing finger at us. The answer lies in the connection between the people of Israel who are ready to change the fate of the entire world for the better

On Friday the 13^th, in France the penny dropped—this time it is an ideological war, “Islam against the Western world,” the analysts write. And truly, all the symbols of the west suffered one after the other. Beginning with the famous soccer stadium of Paris, cafes and fashionable restaurants, and ending with a popular rock club. The killing map was drawn as if to verify that they would succeed in striking all the symbols of the free world.

Meanwhile, Israel is accustomed to the daily attacks; the members of the Litman family (deceased), a father and his son who were on their way to a pre-wedding Sabbath celebration were murdered by a bloodthirsty terrorist. The other children in the family were saved only by a miracle.

The massacre in Paris caused mixed reactions in Israel. On the one hand, the horror, the pain of loss and bereavement, we are familiar with in daily Israeli life, aroused identification with the French in us. After all, we know the sad cries, the candles in the squares, the young who gather at makeshift memorials.

At the same time, other voices were heard: “Serves them right! Finally, they felt what we feel. Now they understand us.” Some went further and offered to send shipments of food and wine from Judea and Samaria. Yes, the very same products that the EU has decided to label only a few days before.

At the same time, a hidden hope spread among many that maybe now the Europeans “will understand us,” as brothers in times of trouble… But let’s not delude ourselves. Unfortunately, the more that Europe feels under attack, the more it will increase the hatred of Israel.

What is the difference between a terrorist strike in Paris and Israel?

The wave of terror in Paris is the first dark herald of the new situation that the world is entering. In the near future the pressure embedded congenitally in extremist Muslim circles will break out through terrifying attacks. The goal: to impose Islam on the entire world, Europe first.

The Book of Zohar predicted these processes over two thousand years ago, “And in the future the children of Ishmael will provoke great wars in the world” (Zohar for the People, Parshat VaYera). Even if on the surface it seems that the battles are between various Muslim denominations (Sunnis, Shiites), in practice all the dominations bow to the same ideology.

The increase of Muslim terrorism in the world is an outward sign further indicating a world out of balance.

According to The Book of Zohar, all of us are connected in a single network. In the current situation, the force that flows through this network is a negative force, which drags us into extreme separatism and hatred. In contrast, the positive forces that vitalize the network of connections between us—unity, concern and mutual concern—are concealed and aren’t flowing through it.

Increasing the Positive Force in the World

In contrast to the nations of the world who were assembled on national foundations, the Israeli nation was founded on an ideological basis. 4,000 years ago, in the days of our father Abraham, the original foundation that connected us was altruism. The character of the nation and the manner of its incorporation already dictated a historical role for us: to unite and inject positive, unifying forces into the network of connection among all the inhabitants of the world.

When we look into the dark abyss racing through the world today, the mission imposed upon us becomes clear. A connection between us is the only way to inject goodness into the world, to be a “light to the nations.” Therefore it is the only force that makes it possible to mitigate the evil that is presently expressed in Islamic terrorism. Connection among the people of Israel is able to change the fate of the entire world for the better. This is the real ideological war that is being waged today.

It is important for us to understand that the more that the world becomes flooded by waves of violence, the peoples of the world will turn to us with an accusing finger. The root of the hatred that has been burning in them for 2,000 years stems from an unexplainable feeling that we are the root of evil on the face of the Earth.

The attacks in Paris and Israel are a wake-up call for the whole world, and for us. To prevent the next bloodbath, we are compelled to connect and to stream the positive force, the force of connection, through us, which will counterbalance the negative force in the world. From the moment we begin to get closer to each other, our lives and those of the world will change for the good. The decision is in our hands.

The Appropriate Social Time

Let’s get used to connection between us in daily life: at home, in the workplace, on the street, and even in the supermarket. On the highway, for example, one can give the right of way to others, not honk at each other, and imagine that our favorite child drives the car in front of us.

Let’s begin to look at one another favorably, and the moment we identify our evil inclination drawing us into competition and exploitation instead of friendship and fraternity, we will catch it red-handed and silence it.

The first step is for us to recognize the egoistic nature in which we are acting. After we carry out a number of simple exercises like those that will be further detailed in the next articles, we see how change will happen among us in Israeli society and how the attitude of the world toward us will change.
[170097]
From the Ynet Column 11/16/15

Related Material:
A New Article By Rav Laitman On Ynet—”Hate Is The Terrorist Among Us”
“Who’s Behind The Situation In Israel?”
Ynet: The Boycott Of Israel—How To Cancel It?

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization, Israel, Israel Today, Nations of the World, New Publications - No Comments →

Question: Your post about the weather on Facebook drew a lot of attention. Why have you started writing about the weather all of the sudden?

Answer: The wisdom of Kabbalah speaks about the general system we live in, and we are an integral part of that system. Therefore, one must be related to the other.

Interestingly, the weather deteriorates because of the central point of the system, which is inside man.

Our world is managed according to three lines. If we, the nation of Israel, are connected by good relations, the world will be managed by the middle line.

Question: Even the weather?

Answer: Everything, no matter what, every cell and every atom, and especially a complex system like the weather. It isn’t just the weather, but the entire universe influences us through the sun, the moon, and unknown effects, including different energy fields on our plane. This is a very complicated system we know very little about.

The whole system of the worlds, including our world, operates according to three lines: the right, the left, and the middle line. The right line is the force of Hassadim, the force of goodness and mercy. The left line is the force of evil, Gevura, which is opposite the mercy of the right line. The middle line balances these two lines.

In fact, everything depends on the balance between the left and the right lines, between mercy and judgment. We see that in our everyday lives. This is how we raise our children when we want to direct them to the right path and conduct them by alternating pressure and love so that everything will be balanced. It isn’t desirable for one to overcome the other.

It is the same when it comes to the weather. Normal weather in accordance with the seasons of the year depends on the balance between us.

Not too long ago, we didn’t have to correct ourselves since the weather did not depend on us, but starting from the beginning of the last decade, we have begun to feel that nature is becoming unbalanced and it is because we are not attaining the balance between us.

It turns out that we are not balancing the world. We are not correcting ourselves, and the lack of balance in the world is revealed to us that way. Instead of Hesed, mercy, in the form of gentle rain, we are flooded by storms.

There will be even greater storms, tsunamis and other problems related to water that are not controlled by the goodness of the right line anymore. We will witness even greater fires and terrible heat waves that will reach fifty to sixty degrees Celsius and volcanic eruptions under the domination of the left line.

We are not balancing of the middle line, so we are thrown from one extreme situation to another.
[169940]
From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM 11/08/15

Related Material:
The Climate Becomes Unpredictable
Tears Won’t Help
Nature Is Our Home

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization - No Comments →

Freedom and Permissiveness

Question: After the terrible terrorist attacks in Paris, which claimed the lives of 129 victims, many say that the Third World War has begun.

Answer: This is not yet the Third World War because it would be a nuclear war that would completely destroy our world.

Of course, I don’t minimize the significance of the tragedy that befell France and all of humanity. Unfortunately, these acts of terrorism have already become commonplace. A week ago, a Russian plane crashed in Egypt. On board, there were more than 200 people.

All of this is not yet World War Three, but these are its first symptoms. If we continue like this, then unavoidably, we will reach it because the entire world is deteriorating further and further downward, closer and closer to disaster.

Question: France is a nation with democratic values like liberty, equality, and brotherhood: the slogans of the great French revolution. How is it possible that, precisely here, the dark forces of evil have arisen?

Answer: Since the French revolution, democracy has experienced so many distortions. Freedom became unlimited permissiveness for all. This is not good. Everything must be balanced because, after all, our world exists on the basis of balance between two forces, light and dark, plus and minus, and cold and warmth.

All of nature is built on the mutual cooperation between two opposites. But if we are talking only about freedom without any limits, then it could bring terrible consequences even much worse than slavery or dictatorship. It is very difficult to stand against those who do evil when they are wrapped in the banner of freedom and democracy. So, all of the best things, even freedom, must be in the right proportion.

We have seen in recent decades that France has become a refuge for immigrants from Africa and the Middle East. In fact, in France, nothing remains of the old European nation, famous for its classic literature, culture, and education that once was. Only memories are left.

The former slogans of liberty, equality, and fraternity have become nice words that are not applied anywhere, and it is doubtful if it is possible to apply them; let’s be realistic. There is a democracy that we can discuss nicely like a theatrical play, and there is a harsh reality in which democracy hasn’t existed for some time.

It is necessary to differentiate between dreams and reality, with the deepest respect that I have for France, which became the first nation that led the entire world to democracy, a new culture and education. It should be noted that this was only a temporary trend. The stormy period of revival that gave Impressionism and all of the revolutionary innovations to the world has passed and ended.

Today, after close to 150 years have passed, we are in an absolutely different age. In our day, force and terrorism dominate. Instead of the colors of blue, white, and red, France has become the color green. This has had a great influence on all of its life. It is impossible to say that France is a French nation if 10% of its population are Muslims who are beginning to dictate their laws to everyone.

The president of France no longer represents it. Rather, it is the force that puts pressure on him. So, France has split into two camps, and the extreme right, under the leadership of Le Pen, want to restore it to its previous form even though they are almost fascists.

But in relation to the fear of terrorism that is now occurring in France, they no longer seem like extremists to the French. The French are beginning to lean toward this. There is no other escape except to cling to the line of the extreme right.
To be continued.
[170049]
From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM 11/15/15

Related Material:
In The Wake Of The Tragedy In Paris, Part 2 ‑ What Are The Terrorists Preparing For The World?
Terrorist Attacks In France: An Attempt On Its Foundations
Listening To The Predictions Of Kabbalists

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization - No Comments →

In the News (Pravda.ru): “So Europe this year will get a million-odd migrant workers with all the surprises it implies. …

“…is it possible to dramatically change the immigration laws in the European countries, to cancel benefits for refugees, and temporarily limit their entry?

“To do this, the whole of Europe to decide in each country individually to do this is unrealistic. In every country there are certain circles who say, ‘No, you can not close the way these poor refugees.’ That is, it is theoretically possible, but practically it is hardly possible to do it.

“The most effective, but also unrealistic – is to try to arrange the normal conditions in the countries where the refugees are.

“Europe’s population – 500 million people. A million immigrants coming this year – it is not even one percent,  a quarter percent. …

“…. You sucked all of Africa’s wealth – now you have to share with them.

“Europe will have to share their wealth. It is not necessary to destroy the house and the whole country. You want them to have joined the Western European democracy? Here they have it and are attached. You wanted Iraqis, Syrians and others to live the same as in France or Germany? They come to you. It’s just a pity the Americans can not in any way share their way of life with 10-20 million refugees who go around the world through their own fault.”

My Comment: This migration will not lead to the dissolution of the Arabs in Europe, but the “dissolution” of Europe itself. Even Russia will deport them to the West.
[168570]

Related Material:
He Who Is Merciful To The Wicked
Compulsory Unity
Emigrating In The Name Of Allah

Filed under: Crisis, Economy, Globalization - No Comments →

Question: In the Arab nations there were a number of revolutions that occurred with the help of social networks like Facebook, Twitter, etc. Even now, the same thing is happening with us. In other words, our enemies are using the same achievements of the modern world without declaring war on us. Do we need to conduct a cultural war such as this with them?

Answer: You can do anything you want. But nothing will help! Only if there is really a life and death threat, is it necessary to defend yourself without considering anything else. But simultaneously, it is up to you to move the people towards internal unity.

Then everyone will gradually begin to change their opinion about you, because through connection and unity, you will be connected with the whole world. Then you will channel completely new forces of good, mutual connection, and unity to the whole world, which the world needs so much. And without the power of connection and unity, it will move toward war.

Everyone understands and knows this, but they cannot do anything because other than the people of Israel, nobody has freedom of choice. So the whole world condemns the Jews. The peoples of the world subconsciously feel that they depend on us. And it is not just that they blame us for all the troubles, it is an internal feeling of dependence. For example, if I feel that I depend on a particular person, I am afraid of him, hate him, he doesn’t leave my mind, and I don’t know what to do with this connection. This is precisely what the nations of the world feel about us. This is a fact.

Question: So this means that they are afraid of us?

Answer:  They are frightened, meaning they feel that they cannot annihilate us. If they could, they would wipe us off the face of the Earth. They have tried, but it didn’t work. But this is not the idea; rather, it is a feeling of powerlessness before Israel that everyone feels subconsciously. I have travelled throughout the world, given interviews and lectures at dozens of universities, major newspapers, in the mass media, and I have conversed with scientists, politicians, and sociologists. This is what people feel.

Question: Does this mean that the people of Israel and the nation itself cannot be destroyed?

Answer: The people no, the nation yes. We could quietly be expelled from here. In the meantime, a bilateral world still supposedly exists, but we have no need of anyone. If there were no higher management through which we need to unite on this land, we  already wouldn’t be here.

Nevertheless, from day to day I see how the people of Israel are becoming more and more consolidated internally, more sensitive, and understand that nothing will save them except for the connection and unity between us. They are becoming more prepared to understand, perceive, and hear this idea, and our organization is becoming increasingly capable of explaining this and giving an example.
[169125]
From KabTV’s “Confrontation. How it works in reality” 10/28/15

Related Material:
The Enemy Is Among Us!
A Struggle With Internal Terrorism
A New Article By Rav Laitman On Ynet—”Hate Is The Terrorist Among Us”

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization, Group Work, Israel, Israel Today, Nations of the World, News, Unity, World - No Comments →