New Life 560 – The Holiday Of The Giving Of The Torah
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

What is the difference between giving the Torah and receiving the Torah, how can one discover the good force inherent in the Torah and why is the general rule of “And you shall love your friend as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), the entire Torah on one leg?

Giving the Torah and receiving the Torah are two different matters. The Torah is not a book, but a correcting force.

The Torah is the Upper Light, the Light that Reforms, the force that corrects our egoistic nature to love. In the past we used the force of the Torah and there was love among us, but then we were destroyed through unfounded hatred. Today we are not approaching the great general rule in the Torah, “And you shall love your friend as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18), at all.

The “Torah of Light” is the upper force that influences us under special conditions and can change our nature. The evil inclination in us is composed of 613 parts; it is up to us to correct them into love. This is what is called Mitzvot (commandments). The more we develop, the more the evil inclination, our egoism, grows. And according to the wisdom of Kabbalah, now is the time for correction.

The evil inclination means that I want to harm others for my own benefit. It is written, “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:13) and there is a means provided for correction of the human ego, the Torah, which is connection to the concealed force. The Torah is eternal; at every moment it is possible to connect to the good hidden force; we only need to learn how to do this.

The “circle of connection” is a practical tool for summoning the good force into our lives. The wisdom of Kabbalah is a method that teaches us how to use the Torah, the force of Light, the power that is hidden in nature. The effort to maintain the general rule, “And you shall love your friend as yourself” brings this force to dwell among us.

When we were standing at Mount Sinai, there was mutual hatred between us. We wanted to ascend to love, and we received the Torah. In the divisive situation in Israel today, the wisdom of Kabbalah is revealed as the “Torah of Light,” as a means for correction. Specifically, in Egypt, after we discovered the 49 gates of Tuma’a (impurity), which is the summit of separation, the need for the Torah was created. The Torah is given every day; it is possible to connect to the positive force that will build love for others in us.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 560 – The Holiday Of The Giving Of The Torah,” 5/3/15

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New Life 722 – The Children Of Israel In The Desert
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Hare

The “desert” is a state in which a person feels that he cannot use his former egoism, that has no nourishment. In the physical world, a person has a livelihood, a family, work; everything is okay, but inside he feels that his life is “dry” like a desert. The feeling of dryness brings a person to ask about the purpose of the whole “story.”

Nature is very wise; it creates every detail with a wonderful understanding. But the purpose for which everything exists is hidden.

In the desert, a person lives from a connection with the desire to bestow, with Divinity, so the concept of the “children of Israel in the desert” speaks about correction, about rising above the ego, about the level of Hafetz Hesed (delighting in mercy). The “desert” is a state in which we learn to go on without a reward and without egoistic benefits, but with the higher power of love. The “pillar of fire” and the “pillar of cloud” illuminate the way for a person and direct him toward that upper force in states of night and day, darkness and light. In the desert, a person neutralizes the ego, and when he reaches the land of Israel he has already harnessed the ego to bestowal and love.

The “forty years in the desert” symbolize the inner changes through which the children of Israel pass in the desert. Throughout this period they are actually complaining all the time because the desire to receive is first revealed and only after that is the correction revealed. The complaints are basically the elevation of MAN, a request for the correction of the Kelim (vessels). When the Kelim are corrected, this is a “miracle.” A miracle is the discovery of a new phenomenon, an action that happens not in our original natural egoistic way.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 722 – The Children Of Israel In The Desert,” 4/26/16

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New Life 721 – From Abraham To The Generation Of The Desert
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

Who are the children of Israel who gathered around Abraham in Babylon? What do the hunger and the exile they felt in Egypt symbolize, and what can we learn about our life today from their story?

The same people who wanted to discover the meaning of life in ancient Babylon gathered around Abraham with the intention of revealing the upper force, the force of love and bestowal that manages our life by adapting us to it. There was a great crisis in Babylon, egoism erupted and separated people, and Abraham taught them how to connect. He took this group of people with him from Babylon to the Land of Canaan.

The successors of Abraham’s path are Isaac and Jacob. Egoism continued to grow from day to day and the same people made efforts to overcome it, but were not successful. This created a sense of enslavement and it brought about the awakening of the point of Moses in them, the point of connection that stands against the ego, against Pharaoh, and brings about the ten plagues of Egypt.

The miracle of the exodus from Egypt takes place when the children of Israel escape from the ego. When they reach the gathering at Mt. Sinai they hear that they have to feel love between them and they are ready to do so but cannot, and so they go out to the desert. The 40 years in the desert symbolize the effort they made to at least not harm others if they cannot reach love. The ego is revealed like a snake at any given moment and their effort is to rise above it, not to harm others and to maintain friendship between them.

The children of Israel receive the manna from Heaven in the dry desert. It is the force that helps them maintain good relations between them. In Babylon the ego was relatively small, but in Egypt it erupted in a terrible way. In this respect our situation is worse today. There is hatred between us; we are inconsiderate on the roads, in the media, in the Knesset, everywhere. If we wish to change that, we must first recognize the cause for this bad situation ,which is our egoism, and then we have to learn how to correct it.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 721 – From Abraham To The Generation Of The Desert,” 4/26/16

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Question: What is the crossing of the Final Sea (Yam Suf – the Red Sea)?

Answer: The crossing of the Yam Suf means that only one who is really able to move to disconnection from any personal interest, from any thought about himself, and who wants to detach Pharaoh from himself, and to run away, escape from Egypt, only for these people the sea parts.

Question: What is the “sea”?

Answer: The sea is those waters, that powerful force (Gevura), and that law of nature that with egoistic thoughts and intentions you cannot cross to the perception of reality that exists in altruistic intentions and thoughts outside of you.

Question: Why this sea is called Suf (end – final)?

Answer: Because this is the end of the power of Pharaoh, the end of Egypt. The end of the so-called “this world”; everything else is part of the future world.

Question: What does it mean that the sea splits into two halves?

Answer: It is really a miracle, a miracle of the exodus from Egypt, because the special force, which is called GAR of Hochma in the wisdom of Kabbalah, is operating here. The waters of the sea, these powerful forces, split in the middle; it means that the force of bestowal passes between them.

We are talking about the internal forces of a person. After all, this is not about people standing on the seashore but everything that happens inside a person. He suddenly feels that here he has an opportunity to get away from the control of the Pharaoh, to rise above him, and then the waters that he sees as a powerful force part in front of him.

Waters are not only the beautiful force of Hassadim, meaning mercy. Waters are also a powerful force. For some desires, the waters part, for others, they close and drown them.

Question: So how does the sea “split in the middle”?

Answer: The sea splits by the force of faith when I am ready to go above my knowledge, above my feelings, when I want to go according to universal bestowal, the all-inclusive force of love, the law that operates in the entire system as a counterweight to my current personal egoistic system.

And suddenly a miracle happens when I really can connect to the common system with my small sphere and see the whole system. And in my small sphere I see a real miracle when part of my desires can connect to the universal force of bestowal, to the common soul, and part of them “are drowning in the sea,” meaning, they undergo a special correction when they “drown,” and then due to it, they awake and begin to correct themselves.

Question: Does the strength of man’s faith force the sea to split?

Answer: Yes. If I agree for this to happen, really agree and am ready to pay for it with my slavery and my escape, then a miracle happens. This is called a miracle because it happens to me, not according to the order of degrees, but suddenly and not according to the order of cause and effect. Although when I reach such a state it definitely happens.

There are laws that apply. You come to a point where if you satisfy these conditions, a miracle happens to you as well, like to any other person. So why is it a miracle? Because you can’t imagine how it happens. But you can reach this point where a miracle will happen.

Question: You were saying that we live inside such a program that draws us like laser beams; all that we see around us, in fact, does not exist and there is only a thought that plays a movie in front of us…

Answer: This is our life, the game of imagination.

Question: What is the crossing of the Yam Suf in this movie?

Answer: It is detachment from our egoism and affiliation with a common system that we see, feel, and become included in. Integral desires, thoughts, and capabilities that are common for the entire system are revealed in us. We understand everything that happens in the world from end to end, how we need to behave, and how from this moment on we reach the goal that is common for the entire system where finally we can answer the question, “What are we living for?” The crossing of the Red Sea is a transition to a new vision of the side of this system that is projecting this movie to us.

Question: What is the condition for a person standing in front of the Yam Suf (the Red Sea) to be able to perform a miracle that the sea will part before him and he will enter this upper thought that projects the entire reality to us?

Answer: The requirement is very simple! He must join Moses, that thought and that desire within him. He must listen to his voice and just be adhered to him without scrutiny, criticism, without anything! Just to follow him!

Moses is the quality of bestowal and love, the union between all, meaning the group where we realize this method. Only unity! With its help we escape the Pharaoh who wants to divide us all.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 4/21/16

Related Material:
Crossing Of The Red Sea (Yam Suf), Part 2
Crossing Of The Red Sea (Yam Suf), Part 1
The Final Sea – Yam Suf

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New Life 727 – Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

We live in a world that is incomprehensible to the human ego that has developed and become imbalanced. Kabbalists advise us to balance the human ego through the wisdom of Kabbalah, a scientific method for revealing the positive force in nature. The first to discover this method was Adam, and Abraham was the one who developed it so that it could be implemented in a group.

Abraham gathered people into a large group divided into small groups of ten called a Minyan. Under his guidance, the members of the group learned to feel the whole system of the upper world. Later the members of the group underwent many changes until they reached a state in which their egoism erupted to such an extent that they could not connect anymore, as described in the story of Joseph and his brothers. Then the same group went down to Egypt where egoism developed even more, and under the leadership of Moses, they exited Egypt and received the Torah, the method of connection.

When the members of the group couldn’t balance the evil force in them and the connection between them was broken, the Temple was also destroyed and they were exiled, exiled from the good force, from the balanced system. In those times Rabbi Akiva taught the method of love and his student Rabbi Shimon, who wrote The Book of Zohar, was the Kabbalist who brought us the practical method of fulfilling the rule of “love thy friend as thyself” in society.

The Book explains how to extract the good force, hidden in nature, which balances the evil force, the human ego. Baal HaSulam wrote the commentary for The Book of Zohar and brought about the revelation of The Zohar to the public in the 20^th century.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 727 – Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai,” 5/17/16

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New Life 559 – Holidays And Festivals: Lag Ba’Omer
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

Meaning of the Lag Ba’Omer holiday.
And the fire of love burns all the transgressions one meets along the way (Rav Baruch Shalom Ashlag, Letter 40).

Lag Ba’Omer is the 33^rd day of the counting of the Omer.

The counting of the Omer indicates the 49 levels of hatred that are inherent in us. The goal is to move from hatred to love, and this is called correction.

The essence of correction is to develop a link of connection and love above the hatred. In this way we become similar to that single force that animates everything and connects all the opposites in nature.

We begin from self-examination. First of all, it is necessary to identify that our relationship to others is egoistic and it destroys life for all of us together.

It is possible to bring the correcting force into our lives with the help of the method of connection of the Kabbalah.

And where is Lag Ba’Omer in this whole story? It is an important stop on the way where it is possible to celebrate because we are sure to succeed. After we have located and corrected 33 layers of hatred in us, we can be sure that we will also successfully contend with all the rest.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 559 – Holidays And Festivals: Lag Ba’Omer,” 4/30/15

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Baal HaSulam honored Israel Independence day very much. He even had a special Shabbat silver knife with the writing “State of Israel” on it. He valued this day enormously. And indeed, Independence Day is a special day because it contains a root of the general correction of the world, of the soul of Adam HaRishon, which begins nowadays. We are inside this drop of semen that begins to develop and realize itself. Therefore this day is so special for us.

Let’s hope that from the birthday of the State of Israel we will come to the day of its real independence. That means we unite so that our connection will spread to the whole world and will oblige all other nations to be in the deep mutual connection as well. And then the entire world will reach independence.

The independence of Israel is a sign and beginning of the independence of the whole world. I hope that we will be worthy of our mission.

We celebrate not an independence day of some country but a beginning of the independence of the entire world from its egoistic nature. The Creator deliberately instilled egoism in us so that we could rise above it and, on top of it, build the image of man, Adam, similar to the Creator.

Therefore while building love for friends we must not forget that we are doing it in the name of the Creator. After all, through the love for friends we build our spiritual vessel. If we succeed to connect shattered parts together, by this we will create a place for the revelation of the Creator.

The Independence Day symbolizes a priceless gift from the Creator to humanity. After all, everything created by the Creator besides this day is produced by spreading of shattered desires from above downwards. Abraham, forefathers, the First and Second Temples that were destroyed, all of it was just a preparation.

The destruction followed by destruction until we reached the last, the longest exile. And finally this exile is over and now begins an ascent that starts precisely from the Independence Day. This is the very first date that was established by ourselves, what is called “from below upwards,” starting point of the correction.

Before that we were all the time just preparing for it by descending from above downwards. And Independence Day symbolizes beginning of the ascent from below upwards and this is why it is such a special day and Baal HaSulam was so happy about it. This is not an ordinary Zionism but a joy about correction of the entire world system.

So let’s wish ourselves not to stop in the middle of the way upwards and finish this ascent at the highest point.
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From a talk during a festive meal 5/11/2016

Related Material:
Independence Day: Unity Is The Strongest Weapon In The World
Independance Day: Where Does Independence Begin?
Independence Day: A Paradox that Leads to Full Independence

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New Life 720 – The Splitting Of The Red Sea
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

The development of humanity cannot be described without the Torah that influences it dramatically. Kabbalists don’t relate to the Torah as a description of the phenomena of nature, but as an inner description of a person according to “A person is a small world” (Midrash Tanhuma, Parshat Pekudei, Siman 3).

The truth is that there is no world outside of a person, everything that we see around us is a projection of our interior. 100 years ago we didn’t imagine that there would be television, and in the future, technology will insert the viewer into the movie realistically. When we approach a spiritual perception we understand that reality is portrayed within us. The wisdom of Kabbalah is the wisdom of perception.

The Torah describes how the upper thought, the higher program, directs all of the theater around us. A person lives within himself, yet he has the possibility of connecting to that higher thought, the upper force. Some of us believe that there is a higher power that demands that a person fulfill Mitzvot (commandments) and accordingly gives us a reward in this world and in the next world. Others say that the higher power expects us to want to become aware of it, to resemble it, to love as it does.

Those who are concerned about their privacy in this world and in the next world, remain in the ego, with Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And those who are concerned about love of others, to be like the upper force, which is good and does good, leave Egypt. When they want to break away from the control of the ego, egoistic thoughts again “pursue” them, which are called, “He that feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh” (Exodus 9:20), and they seem to tell a person to fulfill Mitzvot, to receive a reward and be satisfied with this.

The Exodus from Egypt reaches its conclusion with the splitting of the Red Sea (Yam Suf), detachment from the egoistic intention. It is called this because it indicates the end (Sof) of the control of Pharaoh in Egypt. The egoistic intentions in a person are not able to agree with disconnection. Therefore they sink in the sea, and this is their correction. The sea symbolizes the waters of Gevura, and they are opened only for those who are truly ready to break away from self-interest and thinking of oneself as a law of nature.

The splitting of the Red Sea describes what goes on in a person internally. The miracle happens through the power of faith when we are ready to go above our reason, and according to the force of love. The splitting of the Red Sea is detachment from the ego and association to the total system, and this is the answer to all the questions of existence.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 720 – The Splitting Of The Reed Sea,” 4/21/16

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New Life 718 – The Exodus From Egypt Is True Freedom
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

What can be learned from the relationships between Moses and Pharaoh in the story of the Exodus from Egypt about the relationship we must develop with the ego, what do the plagues in Egypt affirm, and how do we become free people?

A person who wants to transcend his ego begins to identify how much he is totally controlled by his ego; he sees how the reality of his self-interest encloses him within a “bubble” that doesn’t allow him to feel the complete reality.

“Let my people go” (Exodus 5:1) means the search for how to be freed from the dominance of my own ego. Moses wants to break through the limitations of the narrow perception of the ego and see the illumined world.

The reason for this served to convince the public that his power, that it is up to the good forces under the control of Pharaoh, and show them how weak pharaoh, sod and not really in control.

Moses needed to convince everyone that the power was in his hands to show the good forces under the control of Pharaoh how weak and despicable Pharaoh was and that Pharaoh really had no control in order to elevate the good forces. With every plague Egypt receives, Pharaoh frees additional characteristics that are found under the control of the ego, which awakens more difficult plagues.

The ten plagues correspond to our ten inner characteristics called Ten Sefirot. Each plague represents a blow to the egoistic perception of reality. For example, the plague of blood (Dam) is from the word “Domem” (Still); it symbolizes Malchut, which is the lowest desire to receive and represents stillness.

The goal is to transcend the ego, to stop thinking only about myself and to think about everyone together. That is how we reach the complete perception of reality, unlimited spiritual life, and adhesion with the Creator.

Pharaoh symbolizes the general desire to receive, which includes unique desires called the children of Israel. These desires can leave the control of Pharaoh and the ten plagues help them detach from him. The Creator is the power of bestowal and love that is found outside of the desire to receive. When we depart from the desire to receive, we feel free; this is the future of the human species, this is the correction of the world.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 718 – The Exodus From Egypt Is True Freedom,” 4/19/16

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New Life 719 – Moses And The Power Of Faith
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

How does the struggle between Moses and Pharaoh in the story of the exodus from Egypt illustrate the opposite desires inside us? What is the force that empowers Moses when he encounters Pharaoh, and what is faith according to the wisdom of Kabbalah?

The Torah describes what happens in a person who wants to resemble the Creator. Faith is the force of love and bestowal that a person acquires in this process. It is the ability to act for the good of others and the Creator.

Every person’s nature is self love; one feels that he or she is the center of the world. In some people questions arise about the point of living? Why am I the way I am and what the purpose of it all? What is the benefit that we live and die? What should I do all this life?

Man doesn’t know the answer to these questions because he doesn’t see the whole system. In order to know it he has to get to know the general management software.

These big questions are called Moses, stemming from the Hebrew root “pull – moshech,” as they pull a person beyond himself to the goal of creation. The inner voice of Moses in a person seems to tell him to stop thinking only about his private circle and to relate to the whole general system.

Other egoistic desires rise in a person and confront Moses, pulling a person back to the desire to receive for himself. Then Moses feels that he is enslaved, totally subordinate to the huge egoism inside him. Moses discovers his connection with the upper force that controls the whole general system through “Come to Pharaoh,” and frees the desires called the children of Israel, who learn the way of love of others, from the domination of Pharaoh. The rule of love thy friend as thyself enables a person to get to know the general system, the upper force.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 719 – Moses And The Power Of Faith,” 4/21/16

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