The mother of one of the hostages killed in Gaza wrote a letter to the Israeli soldiers who tragically shot her son when they mistook him for a terrorist.

In this letter, she says that she loves them and justifies their actions because they have an obligation to protect themselves from terrorists, they are not to blame for anything, and only Hamas is to blame for everything.

Where does a mother get the mental strength to support soldiers fighting for their country in such a way? I have no words to express my attitude to her action because it is truly beyond human strength.

The Creator will reward her entire family and give them peace of mind. Let us hope that such a tragic mistake will never happen again.

The whole nation needs to learn from the heroism of this mother how to meet the blows of the Creator and blind fate. We have to pay for our lives with our blood.

But you can also replace this payment. If we get closer to each other and unite with our entire nation, then we will not have to pay such a high price.
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From KabTV’s “Sight Inside” 12/24/23

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There is an inner force of holiness in the people of Israel. It comes from the root of every soul connected with the common soul of the people of Israel.

This inner force of ours, the desire to get closer and unite as brothers, will certainly reveal itself and bring us victory. The force of unity will break through from within our people and bring us so close that it will help us reach a common victory and get out of this whole situation.

A soldier who fights for the people of Israel and gives his life for them is called a righteous person, a hero of Israel; he is a great soul connected with the upper force, and he is under the wings of divinity.

Therefore, along with deep sorrow, we can also envy the one who ended his life with such a heroic deed, such a great action.

Israel has a magnificent army. We only need to be closer to each other within our nation, and then all the forces hidden in us will be revealed, and we will be able to defeat all enemies and be stronger than any other nation.

What force allows a soldier to give his life so that others may live? There is a very deep inner spiritual root in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) that will yet unfold and reveal that, in fact, we are all in the deepest and strongest connection with our inner soul. If we unite, then no one can defeat us.

If we want to win this war as quickly as possible and with minimal losses, then we only need to think about connection. We can protect every soldier by enveloping him and her in our prayers—the personal prayer of each individual and all of us together. If we are not yet completely successful in this and there are losses, it is only because we still lack unity.

War comes only to bring us all closer to each other. The people of Israel are obliged to unite so that there is no distance left between us, neither internal nor spiritual and physical. I believe that we can understand and implement this.
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From KabTV’s “An Inside Look” 12/24/23

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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “The Emergence of the Spiritual Land of Israel in the Heart”

In recent months, Israel has been a land filled with expressions of both brotherly love and selfish struggles, playing host to a constant conflict between goodwill and animosity.

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, “land” (Heb. “Eretz”) means “desire” (Heb. “Ratzon”), which is also referred to as man’s heart. In this desire—heart—resides the people of Israel and the nations of the world. These desires, however, like neighbors, struggle to coexist peacefully: either the nations dominate or the people of Israel prevail in the heart.

Initially, the heart was like a wilderness, controlled solely by self-serving desires, which consumed everything within their grasp. Kabbalah defines the self-serving desires as “the nations of the world.”

As humanity evolved, a small desire emerged called “Israel,” which stems from the words “straight to God” (Heb. “Yashar El”). Kabbalah usually refers to God as “the Creator,” and defines it as the quality of love and bestowal that creates and sustains the universe, including us humans. In other words, we initially develop as the nations of the world, i.e., in self-serving desires that make us prioritize personal benefit over benefiting others and nature, and the desire called “Israel,” which means a desire to benefit others and nature, emerges in us at a later evolutionary stage.

Conflict erupted when the desire called “Israel” emerged among the desires called “the nations of the world.” We started fighting with ourselves in order to overcome the heart, to relinquish control from the selfish will and let the higher power of love and bestowal guide us and reshape our heart.

This inner battle persists until efforts to overpower selfishness tip the scales, granting victory to the upper Divine will, letting love and bestowal rule over the heart. With this triumph, the heart becomes “the Land of Israel,” as it then gains the intention to be aimed “Yashar El” (“straight to God”).

The means to achieve this devotion to the Divine will is in the people who share the initial desire to reach a state of mutual love and bestowal among all people, and who are willing to support and encourage each other to combat their self-serving nature. Through the amplification of such an influence, these people come to reach a state of “love your neighbor as yourself” as they let the quality of love and bestowal guide their hearts at every front. When they reach this state of utmost harmony, the entire Land of Israel within will emerge in its purity and sanctity, dedicated completely to the upper force of love and bestowal—to God.
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Returning to Our Roots”

Returning to our roots invokes a profound sentiment, which resonates deeply, stirring an inexplicable longing within.

The wisdom of Kabbalah possesses a principle known as the “law of root and branch.” It asserts that each spiritual root holds a physical counterpart in our world. For instance, Jerusalem (Heb. “Yerushalayim”) stems from a spiritual force rooted in complete awe/fear (Heb. “Ira’a Shlema”), which is a fear for not fulfilling the Divine will. It is a call for us to embrace brotherly love, wholeness, peace and the perfection of our nation, radiating unity to all peoples.

The hidden connection between this root and its branches draws people who are attuned to the higher ideal of Jerusalem toward the mountainous city itself. Upon reaching its ancient walls, a distinct fervor envelops them, influenced not just by the idea but also by the very ground they stand upon.

This union between root and branch was once palpable during the days of the Temple, when Israel diligently pursued unity, attracting the world to learn from the wisdom of connection that the people of Israel upheld. Unity, however, fell short when internal strife consumed them, severing the harmony between Jerusalem’s essence and its inhabitants, leading to their expulsion from this sacred ground.

Even now, although we have returned to Israel, the bond between Israel’s root, its capital Jerusalem, and its physical manifestation, is frail and faded. Our failure to prioritize unity in our return from exile has led to escalating division and animosity, jeopardizing our existence in this land.אפ

We should indeed revere the Land of Israel as an extension of a sanctified root, treating it with the utmost respect, and we do so by cultivating love and connection among each other.

Our attachment to Israel’s root and Jerusalem’s heart determines our belonging to this land. Failure to align ourselves accordingly will likely subject us to another exile, as Kabbalist Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag (the Rabash) penned,

“Exile comes only when one does not cautiously keep the value of the land, and the land is not appreciated as it should be. As a result, the land throws that person out, as it is written, ‘And the land shall vomit out.’ […] May the Creator grant us understanding the great merit of the land of Israel, and to know how to appreciate it so it will not vomit us out.” – Rabash, “Letter 57.”
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Question: War is always some kind of energy accumulator which subsequently enhances the development of the country and changes its course. The problems that before the war were considered unsolvable can be solved because there is energy and strength for this. What do you think this energy could be used for in the future?

Answer: Only for the development of society in the State of Israel. We really miss this! We have some fairly developed individuals, but society itself is in some kind of stupor.

Question: To what goal and by what means should the development of society be directed? Can you just imagine and draw a picture of what it might be like in Israel?

Answer: The way I would imagine it is that there is an external force that could influence Israeli society to such an extent that it would feel an immediate need to solve the problem of the purpose of` its existence. If society were puzzled by this topic, I think it would be able to solve this mystery.

Question: So, this is a mystery?

Answer: Yes, because we can tell ourselves whatever we want, but we still do not realize it, do not understand it.

I believe that a strong internal breakthrough is needed here where each of us, the society, and the state must feel such pressure from above that will not allow us to do whatever we want and think that in the end everything will be fine.

Israeli society is like a young man who grew up spoiled and simply does not think about his future, and believes that everything will be okay. This may end very tragically.
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From KabTV’s “Kabbalah Express” 11/27/23

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Comment: From a letter: “Previously, from your lectures it was clear that the Creator is for everyone. But now it is somehow becoming clear that the Jews are a supernation. Let’s get over it, Mr. Laitman!”

My Response: I would get over it, but what should I do?!

Question: And I also sometimes think: How can we get around this issue, smooth it out a little?

Answer: There is no way around it. A supernation is a curse.

Comment: They think it is a gift.

My Response: There is nothing good about this.

Question: What do you mean by the word “curse”?

Answer: That we owe everything, everything is against us. Everyone thinks we are to blame for everything.

Question: But we also have responsibility, right?

Answer: Yes, we are responsible. But we do not understand this responsibility and do not know how we can justify it.

Question: So, we do not want it, this responsibility?

Answer: Of course!

Question: And we do not want this role? But they insist and will lead us to the result anyway?

Answer: The highest predestination only places us this way, in the middle of everything that happens in the world.

We have the responsibility to set an example of correct behavior for humanity. But we absolutely do not do this! We do not do it at all.

Question: It is good connection between us and love for one’s neighbor, that is all there. Are we not getting closer to this?

Answer: No. That is the curse, that we are not getting closer.

Question: This friend also asks the following question, “It was clear from what you said that the Creator is for everyone, right?”

Answer: Yes, but this does not mean that everyone is equally good or bad.

Question: If He is the one for everyone, then why are there so many religions, beliefs, movements, and each has its own Creator?

Answer: It is in order for us to figure it all out and unite above all religions, beliefs, and everything.

Question: So, the path of all these 800 movements, tons of religions, and everything somehow comes down to the same thing?

Answer: Yes. We must rise above everything, and the Creator will be there. One for all.

Question: There is still a question about the Jews. Will this be an eternal question? Will this ever end?

Answer: It will end when the Jews will want it. That is, when they realize what they need to do and stop hiding, but act openly in front of everyone and show everyone what the method for uniting all people in the world is. This is their main task.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 11/13/23

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Question: What does it mean that there are commandments that could previously be fulfilled, for example, those related to the Temple, but now cannot?

Answer: There is no Temple, and there are no such commandments.

In past centuries during the time of the Temples, we kept the commandments concerning them. But today, there is no need for this. That is why the Temples disappeared. Now, we can do something else that was not necessary in those days.

Question: It seems to me that there may be confusion here between internal action and physical action. As explained in Kabbalah, the internal action of the commandment is a change of intention from reception to bestowal, right?

Answer: Baal HaSulam writes in one of his letters that when the Jews received the Torah as one man with one heart, they first observed the most important commandment: Love your neighbor. But their egoism constantly grew and they were unable to stay in this state; they replaced it with external manifestations.

But the fact is that without physical actions, the intention is dead. Therefore, we must understand that we need to fulfill the commandments physically and internally in our attitude.
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From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 11/21/23

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Comment: Please comment on a verse by the ancient Persian poet Sa’adi. It is written in gold letters and adorns the pediment of the building of the UN headquarters in New York.

Sa’adi writes:

           All human beings are members of one frame,
          Since all, at first, from the same essence came.
          When time afflicts a limb with pain,
          The other limbs cannot at rest remain.
          If thou feel not for other’s misery,
          A human being is no name for thee.

It feels like he was a Kabbalist too.

My Response: Did you and I together visit a Sufi in England?

Comment: He made a serious impression then. Do you mean that he is an Iranian Sufi after all?

My Response: Yes.

Question: “All human beings are members of one frame,” what does this mean?

Answer: One frame is one person.

Question: The entire world?

Answer: The entire world, yes.

Question: Is it all like the organs of one person?

Answer: The Creator created a man, one man, Adam. This is how it is in reality. What we see is our egoism that separates us.

Question: So, is it all, in fact, a lie? Is the truth that we are all connected?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Then he writes: “Since all, at first, from the same essence came.” What does this mean? What kind of essence is this?

Answer: All was created from one single egoism. This is the essence.

Comment: That is, our nature is definitely the egoism of everyone.

“When time afflicts a limb with pain, The other limbs cannot at rest remain.”

My Response: Yes. Even if one part of our body is affected by egoism, our whole body, the whole person, is sick. This is like a cancer cell.

Comment: In fact, now the whole body is really affected.

My Response: Now all of humanity is affected. But this is good.

Question: What is good about it?

Answer: The good thing is that this is very close to the complete recognition of egoism. That is, if we recognize that we are all affected by this, let’s say, cancerous tumor, then we will look for a cure for it.

Question: But, in fact, it is written that at least some small part. Does it mean that we are not talking about some kind of cure for one part? It does not seem to be possible.

Answer: No, no, we are talking about the cure of all of humanity.

Question: Does it mean that one part cannot be cured? Should this be the cure for all of humanity?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: Then he writes: “If thou feel not for other’s misery, A human being is no name for thee.”

My Response: Yes. If you do not feel the other’s misery, then you are not human.

Question: Do you perceive this directly?

Answer: Yes. People will see, recognize, and understand that you are like that.

Question: It does not look easy either. Today, the earth is covered with misery by and large.

Answer: Yes, but what is happening now is not the end! I can see by the “holy people,” as they say, how far they are from all this.

Question: But they should carry only one thing, by and large. This is why you call them the “holy people.” What should they carry?

Answer: That the Creator is one.

Question: Is this the message that we need to spread around the world?

Answer: Yes.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 10/30/23

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Question: I often feel sorry for the nations of the world, like as for small children because the Creator has not brought them closer to Himself.

What should I do with this feeling?

Answer: It is our task to bring people closer to the Creator. When we are sure that we understand everything correctly and are already at the minimum spiritual level, then we will be able to turn to the people of the world and try to pull them up.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/5/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Man’s Pride Shall Bring Him Low“
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The Hanukkah holiday is dedicated to a miracle that happened to the people of Israel about 2,000 years ago that helped them defeat the enemies who attacked them. But now we do not see a miracle happening, and our people have to fight a constant war. What miracle can we hope for today to defeat the enemies that threaten us?

There is one miracle with which we can change everything; it is our connection. It turns all the minuses into pluses and leads to victory, but only on the condition that the entire people of Israel unite as one man with one heart. Only the lack of connection between the people leads to endless wars.

Therefore, the only advice is to try to connect and understand that our inner strength and victory depend on the power of our connection.

There is already a certain feeling of connection among the people. But it is caused by negative reasons, by a sense of threat and danger, so out of hopelessness we come closer, huddling together like brothers in trouble.

However, we need a completely different connection in which we understand and are confident that with the help of our connection, we will be able to stand against all enemies. This is a connection between people that unites many different currents together, and everyone is ready to connect as one man with one heart because it is only in this form that will we be able to build a vessel for the revelation of the Creator. When the Creator appears between us, no enemy will rise against us.

This war must take place not only from the outside, with an external enemy, but also inside us. We will be able to fully control our destiny by getting closer to each other and connecting.

The upper force allows us to feel this state today, during the Hanukkah holiday. We must recognize the truth that we are not at war with external enemies, but with ourselves, and we must defeat our inner enemy, our egoism. The real problem is in it, and external enemies are just its projection. The salvation of the people depends on how much we are trying to reach our spiritual root. But we have not had such a yearning for thousands of years.

Therefore, we must explain tirelessly that we can win and we will definitely win, but first of all, we must connect. Everyone should step on their egoism and be ready to embrace everyone, any one of the people of Israel.

All this is possible because, in the end, everything depends only on our intention and our efforts. Only this path leads to a successful resolution of the situation in which our people find themselves now. We do not yet understand the danger we are in. The whole world can turn away from us leaving us alone to deal with this threat.

In order to win the war with our enemies, we need first of all to win the war with ourselves, that is, with our egoism. If we stand up against our egoism, against our separation, we will succeed in everything.
External enemies are just puppets with no real power against us. The main thing is to correct the relations among the people of Israel, and in accordance with this, we will see how Israel’s mortal enemies will turn into our best friends.

The seventh of October made a significant change in the people of Israel, but it is still not enough to bring us victory and to win not by defeating external enemies, but by defeating the haters inside us, our egoism. This will be a real victory that will ensure our peace and security.

If we overcome our egoism, stop pushing each other away, and begin to come closer to each other so that the entire people of Israel become friends, then there will be no force in the world that would rise against us.
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From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/14/23, “Unification of the People (Nation)”

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