Entries in the 'Inner Work' Category

What Will Make Me Love Others As I Love Myself?

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”: It is said that anyone who buys a Hebrew slave, it is as though he buys a master for himself. It means that if one happens to have but one pillow, … one must give it to one’s servant.

“Love thy neighbor as thyself” is the second rule that we face after we have learned not to do to others what we hate. This condition has especially high demands.

At the stage of “love thy friend as thyself,” it is not enough to refrain from criticizing or considering your friend as lower than yourself. You must raise your friend above yourself so that he will become the most important thing in the entire world for you. From now on, I must worry about him first, like a mother who devotes herself naturally to her child and renounces herself in order to provide him or her with everything necessary. We must relate to everyone this way.

Of course, we are not able to even think about that. This condition is so hateful and repulsive to us that we can’t even imagine to ourselves how we would come to realize it.

However, the Light that Reforms exists in the world. It operates at its own pace, according to the plan of creation, and it draws us closer so that we will accept this condition. Whether we want it or not, in the end we will need to fulfill it either willingly or through pressure by suffering. One way or the other, we are speaking about the law of nature that today is bringing everyone to the first stage of the spiritual path, to the principle of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

We all need to feel that we are together in the same system, we are mutually connected to each other, understand each other, and are dependent on each other. The integral system unites us in all intentions and meanings. We yet will discover that each desire and thought of a person is connected to the rest of the souls.

Of course, we are not able to fulfill this condition, and we surely don’t want to. Instinctively, we reject and ignore it. I don’t agree with this condition to such an extent that I immediately forget it. So, what am I to do?

One needs to carry out exercises in a group by which he will want it nevertheless. No one tells me that I need to realize the condition that I forbid myself to do to others that which I myself hate. I can’t perform that against my desire, and even more so I can’t love others as I love myself. It is impossible to force me since I have no control of my heart. However, I am  able to perform actions that will change my heart.

Questions arise here: How can I want something like this? What do I need it for? This is where a point of choice is: I can invite the Light that Reforms for either good or bad, one of the two. In the end, I will want it to come, but what will cause me to want it?

On one hand, we can build an environment that will impress me with the greatness and importance of the goal and will direct me to bestowal and mutual love. Under the influence of the friends, I will want even what is not important to me now. Then, the Light will come.

Or on the other hand, we can feel the lack of our efforts as suffering, even a world war, until in the end, we will need to ask for the Light that Reforms anyway, to ask for correction, and ask for good relationships between fellow men.

For example, today, Israel’s existence is under threat, and this negative situation should awaken us to correction. Do you want to get rid of the threats? Invite the Light that Reforms, and it will do everything for you. Nothing will help except that. After all, a hero doesn’t win by force.

We only need to unite. Our unity will attract the Light into the world, and it will correct everything. It will do so gradually, in accordance with its program that we don’t know. But in any case, the manifestation of the Light in the world will bring us to good.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/30/2011, “The Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”

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Hillel’s Rule

Dr. Michael Laitman“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” The sage Hillel formulated this rule for those who wanted to rid themselves of their egoistic intention, to come closer to the spiritual world, and to understand the revelation of the Creator and the benefits it brings.

Man is confused. He does not know how to approach this, and he usually relies on being able to use his current qualities and desires that pertain to our world. After all, he has learned things, received an education, and achieved something in life. He thinks that the ascent to the next degree is realized by following the same canon. And this is the problem.

We have become accustomed to the relationship mechanisms familiar to us from early childhood, their recognized laws and traditions. The body subconsciously directs us and brings us to thoughts, actions, movements, and solutions set by the system. We do not understand that the spiritual world requires absolute reevaluation of all foundations. I do not continue the previous path. Instead, I end it and rise to a new vector, a new dimension that I could not even imagine before. This is not just a turn, it is a leap into the unknown.

Once, there was a person who wished to attain bestowal, to go from an egoistic intention to an altruistic intention, from the corporeal world to the spiritual world. He came to Hillel. The person already understood that he was not able to do it on his own and that he could not advance through his own comprehension. After all, spiritual learning is not a university course. It cannot be mastered through books or self-teaching guides.

Hillel’s guest understood that he needed to listen to the sage’s advice and follow it “with his eyes closed.” He understood that this was the only way he could be successful, being that he was unable to see the path unfolding before him, which cannot be seen with egoistic vision. This is why he went to Hillel with his question.

Hillel personifies the collective body of laws, Halacha, in other words, the rules for completing the path (Alicha) toward the purpose of creation. His response was simple: “There is only the main rule: ‘Do not do unto others what is hateful to you.’”

In order to test whether you are on the right track, you constantly, every single moment, need to test yourself in relation to your friend. Can you think about him as much as you think about yourself? Can you pure-heartedly switch places with him and care for your friend the same way you care for yourself? Can you care for your friend the same way you care for yourself? Even if you are criticizing him on the inside, you must rise above it, be above your negative attitude toward your neighbor in all its manifestations.

This is the first half of the way, when you begin to establish contact with the others. This manifests in your ceasing to be a disturbance. You become ready for a connection, but you are simply not yet able to realize it. This way, you evoke the Light that Reforms, and it advances you.

Clearly, the realization of the principle of “do unto others as you would have them do unto you” divides into many stages. Every stage is something different, new, and special. Over and over, you will keep discovering larger fragments of the general picture. Right now, you think that it is enough to just not interact with your neighbor. However, your egoistic desire will constantly touch him. It will touch him a lot. You will want to object to him, contradict, crush, and murder him.

There will be plenty of options. Then, you will begin to attain your inner mechanism in relation to the rule of “love thy neighbor as thyself.” The neighbor is not as much of a problem here as your ascent over your egoism toward the degree of Bina, the state of Hafetz Hesed (delighting in mercy).

Your “neighbor” is your exercise equipment, the sample, the criterion, in relation to which you can control the spiritual approaches, laws, and conditions here in our world. After all, we must reveal the spiritual world specifically in our world, and not far beyond the horizon. Yes, the spiritual dimension will bring new parameters with it, but they will be revealed in the relationships between us, between all the people. This is why it is written: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

This principle is clear to all, and anyone can realize it. It does not have any preliminary requirements for a person. Act as you are. There is a group before you, and you can work on this condition together with your friends. Stop searching for other things. You do not have another method that leads to the revelation of the Creator. Such is the first condition on our path.

There are a total of two conditions, and both are directed toward the “neighbor” before you. The second and last condition is “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
[59221]
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/30/2011, “The Love for the Creator and Love for the Created Beings”

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The Remedy For Helplessness

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: If I read the Psalms or other Kabbalisic texts, I can be moved to tears. These words are very close to my heart. I understand that it is about me and my feelings, and I can identify with the text. Besides, I understand these texts. They penetrate my heart and bring me to tears.

The Book of Zohar, however, is something unclear, dead, colorless, and tasteless, and I cannot be moved by it. So why is The Book of Zohar considered the highest source by which the upper force affects us? It is impossible to feel that.

Answer: It is indeed so. We have to understand the main principle here. It is when I reach a state of feeling totally helpless to reach the spiritual goal and when I understand that all my praying, crying, and begging hasn’t helped that I begin to find the powers hidden in The Zohar and to understand why it was written the way it was.

If certain Kabbalistic sources move me emotionally, these emotions are on the beastly level, not on the level of man who is similar to the Creator. These are typical, corporeal feelings such as, “I feel bad,” “I really want to, but I can’t attain it,” and so on. These are ordinary human feelings that are very far from spirituality.

If I really yearn for bestowal, connection, unity, and love, which are contrary to all my powers, motives, and desires because I can’t just awaken them by reading a text or be impressed by imaginary images or my understanding of what’s written, then I begin to feel that The Book of Zohar is the source of power that exists namely in the upper dimension, beyond my ordinary feelings, motives, and sensations.
[58892]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/27/2011, The Zohar

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How To Transcend The Boundaries Of The Universe

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn order to allow us to attain the spiritual goal, we are brought to a special place with special books and a special environment. This is because the meaning of life can only be attained when a person transcends its boundaries.

Thus, we have to discover the forces, the abilities, the attributes, and the emotions that are beyond the boundaries of our life—beyond the boundaries of the universe. These are totally different attributes that can only be attained thanks to a special environment in which everyone else also wants to transcend the sensation of this corporeal life.

A person is initially given very little power, a very small desire. In order to transcend the boundaries of this life and to rise above it, he needs great powers. These are not egotistic powers, but rather the powers of bestowal that are contrary to everything that is in him.

So, a person is brought to a special environment in which he builds a special relationship and discovers his desire to bestow. Although bestowal doesn’t seem attractive at first, with time, he gets the right impressions and understands that with the help of the power of bestowal, he can fulfill his desire to feel life outside the body.

In order to fulfill his dream, a person needs to have a great power of bestowal. This is why he is given a chance: “Please, act! You are among other people, you don’t want to have anything to do with them, and you don’t want to bestow upon them. This is clear. So you should regret that you can’t do that because without it, you will not have control over your own life.”

Thus, a person begins to think whether this is a good deal or not. Sometimes, he agrees because he sees that it is the only possible way, and, having no other choice, he is compelled to accept it. He is ready to reach bestowal if only in order to rise above this life.

Eventually, however, one begins to understand that the power of bestowal he receives from the environment is the essence of his spiritual life. It isn’t some down payment that he is ready to make in order to later receive spiritual life in his egotistic desire. No, it is the power of bestowal itself that gives him the upper, spiritual life and new sensations.
[58917]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/27/2011, Writings of Rabash

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I, My Environment, And The Light

Dr. Michael LaitmanMan only advances through the Light. We cannot advance in spirituality through our own efforts.

In our world a person progresses through his mind, feelings, society, books, teachers, different teachings, and learning by example. Although in reality, the Light that Reforms also operates within all this because a person puts effort into development, even if the reasons are egoistic. This way we advanced over thousands of years.

But if we want spiritual advancement, we must consciously awaken the influence of the Light over us. Otherwise, without this intention, we will be advancing in the same natural way as the entire world. This is why it is written that everything depends on the intention.

We need to organize ourselves, the goal, and the means to attain it step by step. On every stage of my advancement there needs to be a change made through the Light that I attract, which operates and changes my inner qualities, desires, and thoughts.

Thanks to being in this world, due to his detachment from the spiritual world and the concealment, man receives the opportunity to be free and to evoke the influence of the force of Light that Reforms through one’s own choice and desire.

This can be done through actions that do not require us to have a correct intention and be in the spiritual world. This is because even if I do not have much of a desire or understand this fully, I can do these actions and organize myself an environment that will influence me. It is specifically through love of one’s neighbor, following the same line, that we attain love for the Creator.

We awaken the Light and come closer to adhesion with the Creator through the strength of our unity. This is why there is no place more important where we can make an effort, but our environment. Even study, dissemination, and all other business are nothing more than auxiliary means, even though they are necessary on the path towards group unity, where the Light will be revealed according to the strength of the group’s connection.

We accelerate the revelation of the Light with our actions in our world so it would manifest sooner than it would if we develop naturally, which is called “at its own time” (Beito). We attract the Light with our connection in the group, and the more we strive to unite, the more it manifests. This development is called “hastening time” (Achishena), according to which we advance.
[59193]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/30/2011, Writings of Rabash

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Even The Wolf Will Love The Lamb

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe matter of creation is divided into several levels: the still, the vegetative, the animate, and the speaking. Within the level of the speaking there are also several levels. There are people who exist passively, similar to the beastly level. There are more advanced people, as well as those who are looking for a goal that is beyond ordinary corporeal life.

However, everyone eventually should reach the same goal of creation, and then every person will feel and understand his own special desire. One will yearn for a good corporeal life, while another will want to attain something beyond corporeality, and still others will want to transcend this life. The advancement towards the same goal will be varied since everything, including the human degree, is divided into four levels, which will exist until the end of correction.

Only when everyone is connected will the one perfect common desire be created. In the meantime, during the process of correction, there are great differences among all the parts. Most importantly, each kind and type will discover the goal of creation and will reach its end of correction.

One must connect with others on his level, as the prophets said: “The wolf shall dwell with the lamb.” All of creation will receive such power of unity and bestowal, and there will be peace at all levels of creation. All this will be possible thanks to the correction of man.

This “the love of friends” is not just a nice slogan, but the main place of our work. A person should understand that his struggle, his attack, and the main point of his exertion to attain the goal is “the love of friends.” This is the vessel in which he will discover the upper force, the Creator, the essence of life.

We should focus our attention only on this. Everything else, the studying and the other activities, are only in order to attain this spiritual vessel: the love of friends.
[58910]
From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/27/2011, Writings of Rabash

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The Entire Universe Is In The Drop Of Our Unity

Dr. Michael LaitmanThere are different parts in The Book of Zohar, and we do not know which ones are more effective, and which ones are less. But it is not for us to judge and understand it; this will be revealed only later. That is why The Book of Zohar was not written in one sentence, which could be repeated all the time like some mantra. On the contrary, the Book describes the whole relationship that exists between us from this world and to the world of Infinity, in various forms and manifestations for every soul.

This is called the “Torah” (from the word “Oraa” or “instruction”) because it reveals before us the entire network of connection between all the souls in its corrected form. It describes the desire (vessel) in which the Light is revealed. By revealing the Light, the vessel becomes similar to it in its properties, and that is why it is called the “Torah.” Therefore, when you evoke its actions through this vessel, you receive the Light that Reforms.

All that is written in all the “holy” books (“holy” means “the one who bestows”) is the forms of connection between us, which Kabbalists attained. But what they did not attain was not written, and we will discover this together. They attained this in their personal final correction.

Therefore, everyone updates and writes the Torah himself. And the Torah of one person is not like the Torah of the other because everyone’s desire (vessel) is different, and thus he reveals the form of connection from his angle, from his spiritual spark, the point in the heart, relative to the entire vessel of the collective soul. That is why everyone writes a new Torah for himself and does not reveal the same.

Moses described the general system. But when a person reaches this general system, the general network of connection, and activates it by his desire, his personal involvement, he sees that it sparkles and works the way he sees and reveals it. He does not reveal what happens the way that King Solomon, King David, Rabbi Shimon, Rabbi Akiva, Baal HaSulam, the Ari, and so on did it. He discloses it from his desire (vessel), and he does not have the possibility to dress in somebody else’s vessel. No one can do this.

And what we attain later, we attain due to the unity between us. No one penetrates the spiritual spark of the other. But in unity, all our sparks are so connected that they all seem to reside in one spark.

This does not mean that someone is closer to me, and someone is further like in the field of network. On the contrary, we are so united with each other that this network loses its multidimensional form, and we become one point. If you are connected to everyone via the shortest path, directly, everything turns into one point, one drop. Let us hope that we will achieve such unity.
[59199]
From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/30/2011, The Zohar

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The Time Of Revelation Has Come

Dr. Michael LaitmanBina of Arich Anpin purposefully comes out of its head and descends downward to help the children, ZON. Bina itself becomes filled with the Light of Hassadim (Mercy), which was not restricted, and this is why it is completely free and can be anywhere. ZON clothes Bina, and since the latter has split into two parts, ZON also splits into two parts: an upper and a lower one, GAR and ZAT.

This separation begins in Bina with the four phases of the Direct Light, where Bina is obligated to separate its lower part, to use it to bestow. The upper part, which wishes to bestow, produces the lower, receiving part, ZAT de Bina, as well as ZON, where this bestowal is realized.

When the Creator creates reception on the first phase, the creature does not agree with it. And when the creature wishes to become like the Creator, in GAR de Bina, it has no choice but to return to reception, but this time at its own will. It begins to use its nature in order to bestow.

GAR de Bina is an independent point that tells the Creator: “I do not use the desires You have given me!” And then it returns and says: “All right, I will use them, but because I choose to.” This is the place of a point where this decision is made—a boundary, a section. This point in the middle of Bina is called the point of freedom of choice: the middle third of Tifferet.

And this is why we also always divide in two, GAR (Israel) and ZAT (the nations of the world), with the section between them. Below are the desires to receive, above are the desires to bestow. This ladder never changes.

In our days, when AHP, the so-called 99%, is beginning to reveal itself, we need to know how to work with it. This is the first time that the full structure of the entire ten Sefirot (Galgalta ve Eynaim and AHP together) is becoming revealed, and this is why the time of correction is coming. Now Galgalta ve Eynaim can actually act because until now it was only the period of preparation, with no opportunity to actually realize it in action.

Galgalta ve Eynaim only exists to correct the AHP. These desires belong to Bina from the beginning, which is called upon to take care of AHP.

We should know about this separation as we use it to attract the upper Light, as well as have a better understanding of what is happening around us. We will soon see with our own eyes how all these things materialize because this upper structure has started to reveal itself in our world in practice. Who knows how long this will take, whether it will be months or years, but we are on this track because the first revelation already happened.
[59124]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/23/2011, TES

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Connection Attracts Light, Separation Darkness

Dr. Michael LaitmanStarting back with the four phases of the Direct Light, Bina divides into two parts: the first part wants to bestow, and the second part decides that in order to bestow, it must receive. And then it creates Zeir Anpin, destined to receive for the sake of bestowal. The action of ZON (Zeir Anpin and Nukva), which come out of Bina, is essentially the realization of Bina’s bestowal.

This is why we, the creatures, are the Creator’s action. We pertain to ZON, and the Creator pertains to the upper one, Bina. In the worlds, this manifests in the Partzuf of Arich Anpin whose Keter and Hochma remain in its head, and Bina comes out of it and descends into the body. As a result, all spiritual degrees divide the same way into Galgalta ve Eynaim and AHP, separated by a precise border.

When we connect AHP to us, we merit for Arich Anpin to begin working with us and to give us the Light of Hochma (Wisdom), the Light of spiritual life, in addition to the Light of Hassadim (Mercy), which comes in response to our desire to connect between us.

We only need to ask for connection. The problem is that we become lost in a multitude of made up desires. But from all these useless desires we only need to select one important and truly eternal demand that brings us to the eternal purpose, and not some temporary impulses that arise in us along the way and throw us in different directions we immediately forget about.

The only demand is the desire to connect. After all, initially we were united in our perfect state, but it broke, and we found ourselves separated. What else can we demand from this broken state to attain eternity? Only connection!

We are not able to connect independently, but only with the help of the Light of AB-SAG that will evaluate and correct our desires. But we must start this action on our own, in other words, try to connect and find out what we can do with our own powers and which part is left for the Light.

There is no other purpose in our world but connection. This is why nothing but unity will help with the crisis that is now being revealed. It is the result of the borderline that has appeared between us, our breaking.

And all other actions will indirectly bring us to the realization of the truth that the only thing we need is connection. But the dissemination of this knowledge will help us to shorten the path towards realization, to reveal the true need faster, and to suffer and wonder on this path less.
[59128]
From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/23/2011, TES

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The World Is Already Mutually Connected, So What About Us?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: We mostly work in our local groups. How can we divide our exertion correctly between the work in the group and joint activities with other groups?

Answer: First, we have to try to be part of the general plan, according to which eventually all our groups throughout the world have to feel as one big group. The problem is that we don’t have enough people, specifically project managers. We have to organize the work so that every group should take part in the general process, according to the character of the country and region.

Now for example, the world experiences a period of uprisings, and we have to get all our groups to work in response to it. This, of course, has to be done considering the local conditions, gently, reasonably, and in an understanding way. It cannot be that one group wants to deal with it and another doesn’t. After all, it is the present need. If the world already feels that it’s mutually connected, we have to treat it as a group. It may not understand the situation yet, it may be confused, but it has already been formed.

The spiritual system is being revealed today, Malchut of the world of Assiya, and so everyone already acknowledges global unity. Once it was perceived differently, but now it’s exactly this way. Kabbalists used to say that the wisdom of Kabbalah will be revealed at the end of the 20th century because Malchut of the world of Assiya descends into our world. We can describe it differently: It is revealed from inside, like a net that rises from the bottom of the ocean and closes up on us, the small fish that are caught within it.

This is the situation in the world today. We are in this net, but we are in it willingly, unlike the others because it leads them to a crisis. This is why we have to do our best to explain to those caught in the net: “This isn’t the end of the world at all. We can’t escape this net anymore, don’t even dream about it. We can understand its laws and use them in our favor. If we understand the situation, we will attain pleasure, eternity, wholeness, and a wonderful new life. Things won’t be the same. So let’s see what it’s all about. After all, we have no other choice.”

We have to “advertise” the new reality. Today politicians, experts, and leading scientists already talk about it. This is our work with regards to the world and our groups.

Many of us are still worried about our own problems. A person wants to attain the spiritual world and doesn’t see it in connection to others. I remember how I personally found it hard to digest this idea. I heard and read about it a lot and still couldn’t connect it directly to myself. “What’s written there is one thing, and I am another thing.” A person can use nice words externally, but internally treat the world in a totally different way. So only the general force of the group that operates on all of us together can gradually lead us to the right understanding.

Today we rise to a new level. Previously, everyone made his personal calculations: “If everyone studies, I will join them too, in order to attain spirituality.” Then we began to speak a little about the connection in the group, that it’s the only way by which the spiritual world can be attained. This isn’t simple, and we haven’t totally agreed to that either.

Now we are facing a new and more advanced condition, and we can’t slow down the process of evolution. It doesn’t depend on us. We only agree that if the process is headed in this direction, we will go along with it because there is no other choice.

Today the same problem is revealed all over the world. But it manifests differently in the world and seems to turn it in our direction. People are beginning to suffer from being connected to each other. We want it in the group and at the same time can’t reach this mutual connection. It’s the opposite in the world. The connection ties everyone together against their will. If the group also went in this direction, things would be much easier.

But we don’t see that we are connected to each other. We are living like isolated islands in the ocean of humanity. It discovers a tightly growing connection from which there is no escape, whereas we, in the groups, seem to be totally disconnected.

This is how we are obliged to connect willingly and independently and to build the general network between us. I have to connect it myself. Within the huge network of souls, our groups are free of the strings of the general system. Thus, we are given the opportunity to connect to the network using our own powers and to create these connections. This is our work.

Let’s hope that we can explain this better to ourselves, including those who have “moved aside” because they can’t accept this situation. This is why I have great expectations for the December convention. After all, today the whole world is already mutually tied while we aren’t. This means that it is we who have to get ready for the connection and shout: “Let’s unite!”

We have to see that the world is more corrected than we are. Everyone is connected from Above without any preparation. They are simply “caught in the net.” We, however, have to discover this net and to build it by ourselves, and then our “islands” will draw the whole world to them and will teach it how to function correctly in the new spiritual mechanism.

Let’s hope we will succeed in making an important step in this direction in the coming convention.
[59060]
From Lesson 1 at Arava Convention 10/27/2011

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