In the News (Jerusalem Post): “The Social Democratic mayor of Jena, Albrecht Schröter, on Friday accused Israel of partial responsibility for the Syrian refugee crisis and called on Germany’s foreign minister to ‘show less restraint’ toward the Jewish state. …

“Schröter told the Thüringische Landeszeitung newspaper, in connection to the Syrian refugee crisis: ‘The US policy of hostility toward Islam bears its fruits.’ He called on his party and its Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier ‘to change the role of Germany in the Middle East conflict. Germany must break with restraint toward Israel as an occupying state.’ …

“The otherwise obscure mayor in Jena, a university town with nearly 110,000 residents, caused controversy in 2012 when he urged a sweeping boycott of Israeli products. He joined the anti-Israel Pax Christi Catholic aid organization in a petition calling for goods from Israel to be boycotted. Kevin Zdiara, the then–deputy representative of the German-Israel Friendship Society in Erfurt, the capital of Thuringia state, where Jena is located, said Schröter’s action recalled the Nazi slogan: ‘Don’t buy from Jews!’

“The Post sent a press query to Schröter seeking a comment.

“In 2012, Schröter said, ‘I firmly reject the malicious accusation of anti-Semitism  against me.'”

My Comment: There is no doubt that all problems, from small to great, will be directed towards Israel and the Jews for one reason: The world situation depends on our unification into a single whole, and the method of unification of the world is the wisdom of Kabbalah. The people of Israel mastered this wisdom more than 3,500 years ago. So the moment that it is bad for the world, they instinctively blame the Jews. And to correct this is possible only through using the method of unity, beginning amongst the Jews themselves and after that, spreading to all the nations of the world.
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Baal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Book of Zohar,” Item 57: …Imagine that there are people who study Kabbalah and attract the light of Infinity, lead the generation after them and the people follow them, and then all will be sure they will never err on their path. But if, instead of Kabbalah, people prefer to study other parts of the Torah, no wonder that the whole generation errs through their fault. So deep is my grief that I am unable to continue speaking about it.

Why did the generations in Israel descend lower and lower, and go further away from the interior of the Torah?

After the destruction of the Temple, there were still many people in constant attainment. Not all fell at once into concealment.

In fact, with the Shevirat ha Kelim (the breaking of the vessels), the highest Kelim descended below all, and those that were not as high don’t fall as low. Besides, there is also significance to the general mixing. Every Kli that falls drags the others after it and pushes those that fell previously even lower.

As a result, the original whole Kli,  all parts of which were as a single person with one heart that revealed the Creator, in the shattering gradually lost the revelation as the vessels fell from their previous height. The Study of the Ten Sefirot (Talmud Eser Sefirot) talks about this in Section 7.

History, too, serves as an example. We see how the destruction happened gradually, stage after stage, layer after layer, and continued for a long time. Accordingly, after the destruction of the Temple, for a long time, the spiritual illumination still hadn’t disappeared. After more than a thousand years, during the time of the Ari, many people still maintained the consciousness, the spiritual sensation. It is possible to explain this partially through the great troubles of the exile that held people above the Machsom (the barrier).

Later, after the time of the Ari, a new awakening began, an ascent, a slight call for correction from the side of the Reshimot (remembrances). And therefore, the Baal Shem Tov conducted his work.

It would be possible to ask, “Who gave him permission to do this?” However, the Ari called for correction and suggested his students to “go up to Jerusalem.” Rabbi Chaim Vital also writes about this in Sefer HaHakdamot (The Book of Introductions), and in our day, Baal HaSulam wrote the Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot on the same basis.

So, for the Baal Shem Tov, there was a basis for beginning to act and awaken the people to inner work and corrections. He began to speak about the five spiritual worlds, about the Partzufim, about the Sefirot, about the Creator that is clothed in them, and so forth. Why did he and his students disseminate the new message among the people? It was because the crisis had ended by then.

Since then, since we are late with our corrections, we haven’t realized what has been given to us from above, just as we have encountered problems of a different type that have come from below.

Here we are talking about the Yeridat HaDorot (descent of the generations). This was discovered in the 19^th century and especially in the 20^th century. Despite the fact that the people received a push to return to the land of Israel, this hasn’t had any internal influence on us to this very day. The descent has continued, and we see how from year to year the people gave up the last connections of unity, even in the worst form. But in spite of it all, they are still holding it together. As of today, the shared values of the roots of the movement have disappeared without a trace, like the Kibbutz movement in the form in which it was born.

Baal HaSulam writes that all of this happens, of course, also among those who study the Torah. Instead of turning toward its interior, as all of the Kabbalists in all generations taught—as it was before the destruction of the Temple, according to the principle, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18)—they were drawn in an absolutely different direction where it was not possible to find love of others, mutual bestowal, and connection.

This is the reason for the situation we are now in. The generations descended lower, but the people still were not awakened. On the contrary, they continued to descend even lower, even in comparison to the state in which it was in the lands of the exile.

Indeed I have known the reason: that it is mainly because faith has generally diminished, especially faith in the holy men, the wise men of all generations. And the books of Kabbalah and The Zohar are full of corporeal parables. …And that is what prompted me to compose a thorough interpretation… (Item 58)

The books of the Kabbalists were written for Kabbalists, and the common man is not able to understand them. So, Baal HaSulam was compelled to write “The Sulam Commentary to The Book of Zohar.” This commentary, on condition that one learns it correctly, makes it possible for everyone to approach a true understanding and gradually advance toward the truth, to bring the concealed layers of The Book of Zohar down until it will begin to shine from within.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/23/14, Writings of Baal HaSulam

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Question: If I arrive at the spiritual land of Israel, I am subject to its laws. Can a foreigner who has never been Jewish can become a teacher like Rabbi Akiva for example?

Answer: Of course, what’s the difference? Rabbi Akiva came to the land of Israel a thousand years later than the people Abraham led out of Babylon. Abraham was called “Abraham Ivri” (“Ever” stems from the Hebrew word “Laavor” – to cross) because he was the first person of the Babylonian generation who transcended the Machsom, the barrier between our world and the spiritual world, and became a Hebrew, a Jew. But the very first Jew, i.e., a person who attained the spiritual world, was Adam.

None of us was born into the spiritual world. We all belong either to the nations of the world or to the Hebrews/Jews, which means those who transcend the Machsom. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that a foreigner who has never been a Jew can become the spiritual teacher of the generation. There have been quite a few such people. By the way, in the past, the nation of Israel lived according to spiritual laws and many non-Jewish people came to Israel, studied, remained here, were incorporated in the spiritual society, and became Jewish. It is because the Jews are not a nation but a group that was established artificially on the basis of a common idea.

Many great scientists, like the ancient Greeks for example, came to study from the Jews. This is the reason that the basics of philosophy, which they later developed, were taken from the wisdom of Kabbalah. When they returned to their homeland they adapted this knowledge to the corporeal world, but the perspective, the view, that has nothing to do with our world is still at the basis of their teachings.
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 5/13/15

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Wisdom of Open Hearts

Europe is the first example of what the entire world might run into. South America is entering the north, a similar influx of the Islamic world will occur. We will see how these waves roll everywhere. And now before us is just the beginning.

Question: Does it mean that the situation with refugees in Europe is irreversible?

Answer: Yes, it will only get worse. Nobody will stand up and say: “No.” Eventually, Europeans will feel it on their own skin. They will realize that it is impossible to continue living as they do now and that they must change their nature. Only then will the Europeans stop suffering and will have to relate to refugees and other foreigners as to their close relatives. Everybody will be together; the entire world will become as one family.

Nature dictates this; his attitude will be the only possible way of treating others. Only then, will people be worthy of correction. And the peoples of the world will realize that correction is associated with the people of Israel and that correction is hidden in the wisdom of Kabbalah, the science of unity that waited for thousands of years for the Europeans to help them become open to all, open to the whole world.

By acting so, not only people will live better lives, but also they will get rid of pressure and slightly open the boundaries of this world. It is said in The Book of Zohar: “Open your heart and I will open the worlds to you.”

Question: There is nothing more surreal than letting strangers into our houses and hearts, treating them as dear and beloved friends. And there is nothing more disgusting than that picture. Will it truly happen?

Answer: All these events are arranged to overturn our nature and bring us to a state where life seems worse than death.

Question: Does it mean that we are facing a period of darkness?

Answer: Anyone who goes through a crisis considers it terrible. But there is a medication that can prevent the disease and explain the reasons and the essence of the current events. Nature deliberately arranges conditions that might lead us to unity in the world and makes us feel as if we are one family.

It is possible. It is easy. We have a methodology that stems from the very depth of nature. The wisdom of Kabbalah was given to us in ancient Babylon, when humanity first experienced a similar situation.

At that time, people refused to accept this wisdom. Only a small group of people carried it from Babylon to these days. Let’s take advantage of the wisdom now, thus ending afflictions, strife, and wars.

Then, we’ll sense the future reality right here in this world—the “Garden of Eden,” eternal and perfect life.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 8/27/15

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The Tsunami Will Continue

We shouldn’t sit and wait for a “bright future.” We have to help Europe right now. It is already overwhelmed with refugees. This is not just an accidental tsunami, but a series of consequential blows from nature that are meant to trigger changes in humanity as a whole.

It is time to change our nature from egoism to loving our neighbors as ourselves. It involves everyone, but the people of Israel have to be the first in this process.  

If we procrastinate in this stage and don’t work to help the Europeans by explaining to them what is happening, if we don’t explain the essence of the problem and the method for the solution to this disaster, the European tsunami will spread to us as well. The was stated by the prophets Ezekiel and Isaiah.  

One way or the other, the Europeans are at an impasse and until they understand what the true solution is, their troubles will continue. They face a long process full of threats and despair until they realize that only changing their individualistic nature can help them survive and resolve the situation.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” 8/27/15

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Question: Why should I correct myself and reject my nature?

Answer: It says that the Creator created the evil inclination. That is, we originially received the evil nature, egoistic desire that refuses to connect with others.

This is the reason that every person in the world thinks only about himself and doesn’t care about others—that is out nature.

Why should we correct ourselves? The reason is very simple: we are in the program of creation, of the process that leads us to connection and unity, whether we want to or not.

The entire process of our evolution throughout our history leads us only to increasingly greater unity. We see the consequences of this process as the world is becoming global and we find ourselves all mutually connected. The entire world is becoming one small global village.

We depend on one another. See what is happening in Europe and in the Far East. Who could have predicted that hundreds of thousands of people would suddenly leave their homes and swarm from Afghanistan to France? This was impossible in the past, but in our modern world, yes.

No one can stop the masses of refugees. It could be very simple to stop them with an army and that’s that, but you cannot do that. The world has become round and will not accept this. You will not be allowed to do anything against them.

We don’t understand the world we are in yet and the extent to which we depend on one another. No one can do whatever he feels like. The question is what we should do in this case.

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, we are in a situation where nature is pushing us into a ring. The earth is becoming a very small crowded place that ties us together by rigid interdependence, thus becoming a very dangerous place.

A century ago, only three billion people lived on this planet, while today there are about eight billion people, which means that the world population has more than doubled. What will happen in another hundred years, if anything will exist by then?

Therefore we must understand that we have no choice and that we must find a common language. Nature is pushing us into a corner, into a dead end, and is forcing us to find a solution. We see that the EU has led to a complete collapse.

European countries cannot find a common language, and the reason for that is that Israel, the Jews, the ones who have the method of connection and unity, are not realizing it, not by themselves and not by conveying it to the rest of the world so that it could be used correctly.
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From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM 9/20/15

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Question: Why do we fast on Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement)?

Answer: On Yom Kippur we limit ourselves with five kinds of restrictions, not only for eating. All the restrictions apply to the reception of pleasure, but we then want to bestow and not receive.

Yom Kippur symbolizes our willingness to carry out our mission and the same restrictions that we are ready to make to unite among ourselves and unite the whole world.

In this manner we discover our uncorrected egoistic desires. After we have examined them, repenting and regretting them during the Ten Days of Repentance, from the beginning of Rosh HaShanah until Yom Kippur, we clarify how much these desires are uncorrected. So we promise to correct ourselves, but the final correction happens on Purim.

From Yom Kippur until Chanukah we correct our desires of bestowal, meaning the first and easiest part of our ego. And so this holiday is called, “Chanu-Kah” (camp here), meaning an interruption, a rest.

From Chanukah until Purim we correct the greater desires. Purim corresponds to Yom Kippur (“Ki-pur” means “Like Purim”). This means that on Yom Kippur we are already preparing ourselves for Purim, for the full correction of our ego, of our entire evil nature, until it is impossible to discern any evil.

So on the Purim holiday we act completely opposite compared to Yom Kippur: unlimited drinking and eating.

But on Yom Kippur our desires are not yet corrected, and we can not be allowed to use. We cannot be happy, cannot eat, cannot drink, cannot fulfill ourselves. This is because all of our fulfillments are egoistic, with thoughts only about ourselves.

But if we gradually correct our desires, then we are freed from limitations and reach a state where everything is allowed for us! This is what the Purim holiday symbolizes, the completion of correction.

We must reach this state through connecting with others. So on Purim it is customary to send gifts to each other, something that testifies to our correction and readiness to relate well with everyone.

It follows that Yom Kippur is the starting point of the process of correction in the relationships between people. And the story of the prophet Jonah teaches about the obligation of the people of Israel, besides personal correction, to bring all the nations of the world to unity.

It is not worthwhile to rely on the possibility of fasting one day per year and through this erase all of our sins and iniquities that we committed throughout the year. It is said that the crimes against others are not forgiven on Yom Kippur if the injured person doesn’t forgive us.

We are all egoists and think only about how to do as much good as possible for ourselves; on account of this, we exploit the whole world that surrounds us; we want to profit and receive from everyone. Only fear of punishment somehow forces us to balance what we receive with those around us. But deep in the soul, we are completely indifferent to them and the whole world could burn, the main thing is concern about ourselves.

And we need to transform this attitude into an opposite attitude, so that we will connect and unite with everyone and things will be better for everyone. Only then will the upper force, the Creator, dwell among us and spread a canopy of peace over us.
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From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM, 9/20/15

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Israel must bring the entire world to correction and the story of the prophet Jonah, which we read on Yom Kippur, suggests this very clearly.

The right to read this story during the ceremony is generally bought at a great sum of money. The richest people compete for the right to read it in front of everyone else; this is the climactic point of Yom Kippur.

People believe that this assures great success to a person for the whole year. They treat this like a simple tradition, without thinking about what is being said in this story.

The prophet Jonah receives a mission from the Creator to go to the sinful city of Nineveh and correct its inhabitants. Jonah the Jew doesn’t want to carry out this mission and bring about peace between the peoples of the world. He tries to flee and embarks on a ship that is about to set sail.

Jonah sleeps in the belly of the ship, showing that nothing concerns him. See how this story is symbolic; it teaches about the present situation of the people of Israel. And so the storm comes, the waves rise and threaten to sink the ship. The sailors draw lots to find out who is to blame for this storm, and the lot falls on Jonah. This is very much the way the nations of the world blame Israel today for all their problems.

Jonah acknowledges that he is to blame for everything, and agrees to be thrown overboard. In the sea he is swallowed by a great fish and remains in its belly for three days. During this time he expresses regret and understands that he is obligated to go to the sinful city of Nineveh and bring its inhabitants back to repentance.

So the fish released him on the beach directly on the way to the city of Nineveh. Jonah goes to the city and convinces its inhabitants to become good people. Then the Creator is revealed to Jonah and tells him that He could not abandon His plan to correct the whole world, for all the nations of the world are very precious to Him. And that is how this story ends happily.

See what kind of a story they give to us for the holiest day of the year, a day in which we must clarify and evaluate our condition, our work and actions throughout the past year, throughout all of our lives.

This speaks about relationships between people. All of the people of Israel must take upon themselves the role and the mission of the prophet Jonah and carry it out, not only to unite among themselves, but to bring the entire world to correction. And according to tradition, we pay a lot of money for this honorable right!

People assume that this action brings great success, and this is truly so, but to be truthful, it is not in the same sense that is commonly believed. If the people of Israel were to unite and bring the whole world to unity, we would expect great success.
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From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM, 9/20/15

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Yom Kippur symbolizes the beginning of the correction of the relations between people. It is common to ask for everyone’s forgiveness before Yom Kippur. This is how we show our desire to connect and unite with everyone, and this means we are ready to be judged.

A person is actually judged according to his willingness and his readiness to connect and unite with others. After all, the goal of creation is to unite and connect all the people back as one man in one heart.

Question: I don’t think we have many chances of being acquitted in this trial. Judging by the news, the state of the Israeli society is getting worse every day.

Answer: All the problems the world is undergoing, and especially the nation of Israel, are a direct outcome of our separation.

Question: Are all our sins forgiven on Yom Kippur, as if the counter is reset?

Answer: We can indeed reset the counter of our sins if we stretch out a friendly hand to one another. If the nation of Israel is ready to unite like brothers and open its heart, we will heal all the problems, become the most respectable nation in the world, and attain absolute security and wellbeing. Everything that happens depends only on our connection and unity.

In the connection between us we discover the upper force of nature, which exists in a concealed form among us. The moment we wish to bring our hearts closer together, we discover the Creator among us.

Yet we mustn’t think only about ourselves, but also must help the whole world unite because the Creator wants everyone to know Him, from the smallest to the greatest. This connection depends on the unity of the Israeli nation, but it has to spread throughout the world.

Therefore, we see the problems the world is undergoing and the rope tightening around Israel more and more. European leaders are already beginning to blame Israel that Europe is flooded with immigrants from Syria.

It would seem that Israel has nothing to do with these immigrants, but we are still being mentioned in this context. Therefore, we should understand that if we do not unite, the problems will increase on all sides, both internally and externally.
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From the Israeli Radio Program 103FM, 9/20/15

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Question: During the holiday of Sukkot, the Feast of the Tabernacles, we build a Sukkah, and the important element of it is its covering. What does this structure symbolize?

Answer: The structure of the Sukkah and all of the materials that are used to build it are according to the method and measurements of the upper attributes that we need to awaken in ourselves.

The roof of the Sukkah is collected from raw branches of trees so that the shade on a sunny day will be greater than the light, and the light will come only occasionally through the branches and leaves.

The roof symbolized the Masach (Screen) that separates us from the upper world, and the light that fills it. But due to that, we form a spiritual Masach within ourselves. We as if neutralize the upper Masach.

The upper Masach is one that conceals, and our Masach is one that reveals. Thus, during the time of the neutralizing of the upper Masach by our Masach, the light begins to illuminate and correct us.

During the seven days, we gradually fill with this light, and on the eighth day, we come to the state of being completely corrected, the holiday of Simchat Torah (Rejoicing of the Torah). This means that the light of the Torah reaches its logical and only end: the filling of the Kli (vessel) of the corrected soul.

Question: We always talk about the importance of spiritual acts and not physical ones. So, why did your teacher, the Rabash, treat the building of the Sukkah so passionately, to such an extent that he checked if the roof was hanging and not connected to any poles and so on

Answer: This is the way a person is. If something is valuable to him, then he relates to it with great consideration, even on the lowest physical level.

If the deep inner motivations are very dear to us, then we maintain the same reverent attitude to their symbols in our world. Of course, what is most important are the spiritual corrections. But when a person begins to work internally, then the inner symbols become an incentive that attract him to suitable external actions.

Besides that, the holiday of Sukkot is simply a good and happy holiday. People gather together in a Sukkah, dine together, sing songs, and are happy.

There will come a time when the entire world will enter a huge Sukkah, and then the entire world will be happy.
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From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 6/18/15

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