Dear Michael Laitman,

I am 92 years old. I have been living in Israel for 34 years. I love this country, I love my people. My children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, all are here, no one has left.

Tell me, we have been celebrating Independence Day in Israel for 76 years. We have defended Israel in six wars. Today, we are at war again, and I see that beasts are against us. Hamas are beasts. In the north, there are Hezbollah terrorists. Iran will not leave us alone. There is such antisemitism all over the world! It is scary for a Jew to walk the streets. So many people want our country not to exist, and this worries me greatly.

Michael, tell me, will we be able to celebrate our independence in a year or in ten years? I am not thinking about myself when I ask you this question.

My Response: I understand you, and am very touched by your words. I think that we will still celebrate Israel Independence Day in such a way that it will be a holiday for the whole world. For the whole world!

We will achieve the point where the idea outlined in the Torah becomes the fundamental idea of the existence of humanity “love your neighbor as yourself” first and foremost.

Question: So are you saying that if the country lives by this law we will celebrate these holidays all the time?

Answer: Absolutely.

Comment: But tell me, is it possible that we could be expelled from here by force?

My Response: I do not think that we can be expelled from here. I do not think that difficult times lie ahead. Now we need to think not only about ourselves but also about the world: what we say to the world, what we need to show it, what we need to lead it to. This is how we will defend our independence.

Question: Should we also defend it militarily today?

Answer: Of course! Of course, we must.

Question: Have you no doubts about that?

Answer: No. For Israel, peace is a means to spread the idea of “love your neighbor as yourself” to humanity. We must not forget this and always behave in accordance with this principle.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 5/6/24

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Memorial Day and Independence Day follow right after each other because Memorial Day speaks about who we are and where these special people came from. It is said that the people of Israel do not belong to all other nations that arose naturally, but were created from a group that was gathered by one person, Abraham, the forefather.

These are people who have no other connection between them except their willingness to unite together for the sake of a common spiritual idea.

This idea is abstract, not material, and does not belong to this world, but we see that it holds the people of Israel together and does not allow them to dissolve among other nations. On the other hand, it opposes all the nations of the world and holds it more strongly than any other nation.

This idea is so strong that it gives the whole of humanity the foundations of culture, enlightenment, spirituality, and morality; it is such a strong influence that none of the most numerous nations could exert.

The influence of the nation of Israel continues to this day, and who knows how much more important it will become in the future. This phenomenon seems very strange and unique. And in fact, the people of Israel themselves and even more so the nations of the world do not know what they are really dealing with.

Memorial Day is not only in the memory of the people who gave their lives for the establishment of the State of Israel in our days. It is also dedicated to where these people and the state originated from, what the basis of its independence is, and why it is called a nation although it does not have the usual biological basis like all other nations.

We need to explore our roots based on their knowledge, realize our entire history, and honor the memory of the entire path we have gone through. We may understand what is happening to us today and where we are going.

Rambam writes in the book Yad Khazaka: “At the age of forty, Abraham knew the Creator and began to proclaim publicly to all the people that there is one Creator for the whole world, and in His name it is worth working. And he went and gathered people from city to city, from state to state, until he came to Eretz Canaan…

“And he informed each of them until they returned to the path of truth, and tens of thousands gathered around him. And these are the people of the house of Abraham. And he put this great principle into their hearts, and wrote books about it… And a people was formed in the world who knew the Creator.”

We see that a very special event happened: one man, forty years old, revealed the spiritual message and continued to spread it, and urged everyone who wanted to join him regardless of gender, race, nationality. Everyone who heard and accepted this idea joined Abraham’s group, and so “a nation was formed in the world who knew the Creator.”

This is the whole point of this idea: to bring together people who have a desire to know the Creator of the world. From this, we should understand our roots, our purpose, and the force that holds us together. It is on this basis that we unite as a nation.

Without attaining the Creator as the purpose of our existence, there is no need for the nation of Israel. In this case, we will not receive any opportunity from below in the material world nor permission and strength from above for existence, and we will not find any reason to be together.

Initially, the nation of Israel was formed on a spiritual basis, not on a biological commonality like all other nations who came from the same ancestral clan, one village, one territory. The nation of Israel unites completely different, opposite people. This has always been the case, and it will be so at the end of generations when everyone joins in this one goal of revealing the Creator.

These strange, unusual conditions relating to the nation of Israel are not like those under which any other nation exists. It is obvious that our history, laws, fate, and the forces acting on us must be completely different from all other nations. From this, we can understand what the reason for the emergence of the nation of Israel is, what its mission is, its basis, what forces are acting on us, and what our fate is.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/18/18, “Memorial Day & Independence Day”

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Why is Memorial Day observed right before Independence Day? Everything emanates from the upper roots, and in the spiritual work, it is impossible to come to unity, to good spiritual force without rising above the force of evil, overcoming difficulties, problems, and the burdening of the heart.

The advantage of light is only attained from darkness. If we want to advance toward truth, then we must be prepared for the revelation of darkness. Then “there will be evening,” there will be night, and after “there will be morning—one day.”

Evening, night, darkness with all its inherent attributes are inseparable parts of the day. Therefore, Memorial Day is traditionally observed right before Israel Independence Day.

Independence Day symbolizes the coming of the light and the great correction. But before that, we have to uncover in what darkness we exist amidst evil and war, and we are obligated to fight and win this battle in order to come to Independence Day.

“Love covers all crimes.” Since we as created beings attain everything only from the opposite, there must be Memorial Day before Independence Day. Everything we have been through was intentionally sent from above, and all sufferings have a purpose and explanation; therefore, we must perceive them as necessary.

But if through our unity we reveal this necessity in a positive way, then we do not even need to suffer from darkness, misfortunes, and woes. If we are ready for darkness, we accelerate it and can pass through the darkness as a necessary part of our development so that evening and morning become one day, meaning night and darkness are included in the day, in the light.

Kabbalists understand that everything that happens is a part of the development process and therefore justify it as sent by the one upper force that brings us good in every state.

If we try, we will discover that there is only good and no evil. The Angel of Death will turn into a holy angel. With correct preparation, we can go through all difficulties with understanding and agree with them because in both darkness and light we will reveal the Creator’s good attitude toward us.

There are no days of mourning or states of sorrow because everything comes together at the end of correction: all the darkness, misfortunes, and woes, along with the emerging light above them in common unity and love.

If we ourselves seek deficiencies, broken desires, as necessary tools for revealing the Creator in order to bring Him contentment even before problems and woes are revealed, then we rejoice in the revealed sinners.

After all, concealed sinners certainly exist as a result of complete shattering, and we therefore rejoice in all identified shortcomings and regret that we have not yet revealed them all.

If we uncover evil in the light of day, then “darkness shines as light.” Therefore, there is no darkness; everything depends on my attitude.

If I uncover discrepancies between myself and my friend in order to eliminate this discrepancy by uniting above it and covering it with love, then I rejoice in the manifestation of shortcomings no less than in their correction. All work depends on the correct preparation in the group.

Memorial Day is a mournful day. But from the bitter experiences of the past, we need to understand that we can prepare ourselves for the revelation of evil in such a way that we will not see evil! Evil will only be revealed internally as a deficiency in our connection, and not as evil in this world, war, and the hatred of enemies. As it is said: “Cast your eye on them, they become a pile of bones.”

We need to understand that our enemies have power, and they can cause us a lot of trouble. After all, through them, the Creator acts and pushes us toward correction. We will have to seek the path of correction, and it lies only in our unity within the people of Israel through whom the light will flow into the world.

Let’s try, even if just for a month, let’s declare a “truce” within the state of Israel: let’s not quarrel with each other, let’s not hate one another, let’s try to become closer to each other. The love of Israel will protect us from enemies.

Let’s try to establish this love among us, let’s remember what our mothers told us: “Be good children, stop quarreling, be friends with each other!”

Let’s see what happens after a month of such an experiment. Then it will be easier for us to continue because habit will become second nature. Let’s try and see how the world’s attitude toward Israel changes, how our stocks rise on the stock exchange, how our army strengthens, how our children become better, how the number of accidents on the roads decreases and the number of divorces decreases—everything will start to improve.

Let’s declare a month of unity and then check the statistics: what happens to the people of Israel when they are not in internal discord.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 5/7/19, “Memorial Day & Independence Day”

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Mark writes:

I want to ask about Israel Independence Day. Today, there is so much negativity said about Israel, and there is so much pessimism, doubt, bitterness, and tragedy in the country. Dear Michael, say something encouraging, something uplifting on our Independence Day. People will listen to you, many listen to you.

My Response: I hope that those who listen to me and hear me, hear my approval of our celebration of Independence Day. It does not matter how it was established even though there are many questions here.

I believe it is a necessary holiday. No one can cancel it. There are many who do not welcome it because it is not a religious holiday.

Comment: But it is known that your teacher, Baal HaSulam, the teacher of teachers, a great Kabbalist, celebrated this day. He even raised the “holy” knife on Shabbat that he used to cut the Shabbat Challah, and on it was written: Medinat Yisrael, which means the State of Israel. This was a challenge for Orthodox Jews. He did it. So, did he recognize and fully support this holiday?

My Response: Yes.

Question: How should it be preserved?

Answer: We do not need to preserve it. We just need to constantly restore it. Because as long as we exist, we are obliged to fight to celebrate this day once a year precisely because the people decided that this is their independence and it must be marked.

Question: You said the word “fight.” Does that mean we have to fight for it? Can it be that we finally reach a point where this day…?

Answer: No, that cannot be.

Question: Will it always be through a struggle?

Answer: As long as our world is opposed to the spiritual world.

Question: In your opinion, what does Israel Independence Day mean for the world? For us, it is like our security, our freedom. But for the world, what is it?

Answer: For the world, Israel’s independence is a fundamental date marking the transformation of the world from the ancient world to the modern world, and from a world where Jews existed as oppressed, persecuted, and pressured people to a world where we can exist proudly in our own country.

Question: You just said that this is supposed to be for the Jews. Or did you actually say that it is a holiday for the world too?

Answer: It means a lot to the world too because it is precisely thanks to the Jews, thanks to Israel, and thanks to our independence that we can continue our existence in a way that allows the world to exist.

Question: So do we give something to the world?

Answer: It is not that we give something; we hold the world upon us.

Question: Does this tiny dot that is barely visible, like a pinhole, hold the world on itself and is the center of the world?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Why do you say this so confidently?

Answer: Because it symbolizes that piece of the world that strives to strengthen this world, to make everyone equal and worthy.

Question: And is this Israel?

Answer: This is Israel, of course. Its goal is to make the world for everyone.

Question: The existence of Israel is intended specifically for the world?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Then will this be accepted by the world?

Answer: Then the world will accept this.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 5/6/24

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That is, while the Klipa of Pharaoh has dominion, and a mouth and speech in the exile, still, if they believed in the faithful shepherd properly, the children of Israel would be able to listen to Moses, who is above the mouth and speech.

To be in exile means to be under the rule of Pharaoh, i.e., under the control of universal egoism (Baal HaSulam, Letter 10).

The article discusses a transformation that occurs with the children of Israel when they can break free from this rule and become free from the power of Pharaoh. Practically only connection into one single desire can help one get out of Egypt and draw closer to the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/23/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam Letter 10

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Question: Pharaoh can dress in beautiful clothes, and to us it seems that he is the Creator, but in the end, all the work was for Pharaoh. How do we check our intention to bestow, and how do we develop it?

Answer: Through the friends, then we will avoid mistakes.

Question: What is the root of repentance from love?

Answer: It means that we turn to the Creator, not out of what we lack, but out of our desire to express love for Him.

Question: What does it mean to grab the serpent by its tail?

Answer: Grabbing the serpent by the head or tail signifies the right and wrong attitude toward what the Creator does with us.

Question: What is the blood of Passover and the circumcision blood, and what is the difference between them?

Answer: The blood of Passover and the circumcision blood are the final manifestations of egoism. If a person overcomes them, they help him break free from the rule of egoism.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/23/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam Letter 10

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Question: The exodus from Egypt is the last material frontier of the egoistic world. Beyond it there is a conditional line, where after crossing it, a person begins to feel love and bestowal of the Creator.

What is this transformation that we are undergoing?

Answer: This is the last correction, which is called the final correction (Gmar Tikkun).

It occurred when a group of Kabbalists led by Moses exited Egypt, united with the Creator, received the Torah on Mount Sinai, and thus attained their final correction.

In other words, all this has already happened. Today, we, under no circumstances, need to go to Mount Sinai and climb it. The only thing we have to do is to be internally and spiritually ready for unity in the movement from heart to heart.

Then, we will feel the state called one nation in one heart. That is where history leads us. Everything that happens in the world is only necessary for us to complete it. We live in the happiest time.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/21/24, Writings of Rabash “When Pharaoh Sent the People”

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Question: It is written, “And the children of Israel sighed from the work, and they cried out, and their cry rose up to God.” Where does this cry come from?

Answer: It comes from a sense of helplessness that people want to unite to succeed and receive fulfillment from the Creator through their efforts, but they see they are unable.

From this, their cry arises, like a drowning person who can do nothing in the sea except cry out for help.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/24/24, Writings of Rabash “The Connection between Passover, Matza, and Maror”

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It says that the exodus from Egypt occurs suddenly, in haste. That means that we must feel together, in our common desire, how much we long for this redemption.

We strive to feel that we simply need to leave Egypt and come to the land of Israel, to the desire directed straight to the Creator (Yashar El). We leave one desire and enter another.

We can only exit Egypt (egoism) in haste; otherwise, it is impossible. We are waiting for a sign from the Creator to tell us that it is time to exit, and we are hurrying to escape.

The exile lasts many years, and suddenly, this escape occurs in haste. After all, we did not know how close we were to redemption during the exile. Now, having received permission from the Creator to exit, we run away.

The Creator gives this permission the moment we are ready to exit in the dark; that is, we do not demand anything other than the opportunity to escape from Egyptian slavery. The entire difference between Egypt and the land of Israel is coming closer to the Creator. A person runs in darkness toward the Creator, and in those desires that he still has, he feels darkness. This is how the exodus from Egypt occurs.

It is impossible to break free from slavery without feeling the darkness, pressure, and fear. These are necessary conditions for escape. It is necessary to feel a sharp need for freedom and a refusal to remain under the rule of Pharaoh.

Pharaoh compelled us to work for him, but provided great egoistic fulfillment in return. It was as if we were living in this world in complete abundance and suddenly realized it was time to escape such a life. We prepare for this escape gradually by agreeing to pay more and more for the opportunity to leave Egypt and come to bestowal.

We can pay with our readiness to adhere to the Creator above all conditions. Then we receive the strength to escape and permission to leave Egypt. The Creator gives us a sign to leave: pitch darkness comes, but we realize that the Creator is going ahead of us like a torch showing us the way.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 4/22/24, Writings of Baal HaSulam “This Is for Judah”

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Question: How does the Kabbalistic explanation of our world and the Passover holiday differ from the usual comments?

Answer: There are several levels of explanation of existence, its creation, development, goals, and tasks of a person in it. For example, you can talk about the Passover holiday about:

1. The historical period of slavery of the nation in Egypt,

2. The “slavery” of man in his egoism—Egypt—Pharaoh,

3. The development of creation—desire under the influence of the Creator’s light and its absence under the influence of darkness—Egypt—Pharaoh.

You can also speak at different levels about:

1. The mechanical performance of rituals, which are commonly called commandments,

2. The psychological fulfillment of the instruction “love thy neighbor as thyself,” as a general (Klal) instruction of the Creator, which includes all other instructions, as it is said in the Torah: “Love thy neighbor is the general law of the Torah,”

3. The Kabbalistic influence of the upper light on the worlds and through them about souls that go through the stages of their spiritual development—correction.
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