The Times of Israel published my new article “The Spiritual Root and Corporeal Branches of the Jews”

The wisdom of Kabbalah is a method that was established by Abraham around 3,800 years ago, which guides a process of positive connection among people toward their resemblance with the higher force of nature, one of love and bestowal.

Kabbalah teaches that by trying to resemble the force of love and bestowal through our efforts to connect, we attract it into our lives and it corrects us.

“Correction,” in the wisdom of Kabbalah, means reaching the perception of the uniqueness of the force of love and bestowal, and when we reach such perception, we see how no other force operates in the world.

Opposite the force of love and bestowal is the force of reception—the force acting in the created beings.

The force of reception, which is the nature of the created beings, provides us with the ability to differentiate between reception and its opposite force of love and bestowal, as through the opposite of a certain phenomenon, the existence of its opposite can be perceived.

By existing in an opposite receptive nature to the giving nature, we can connect by awakening the force of giving and love above the force of reception, and by doing so, reach balance with nature, a sensation of harmony, perfection and eternity.

According to the two opposite natures of giving and receiving, humanity divides into two general groups: one is a small group originating in those who studied with Abraham, which directed itself to connect and attain the force of love and bestowal. The other is much larger, holding beliefs in myriad corporeal forms, objects and images.

Abraham’s group received the name, “Israel” (“Yashar El” [“straight to God”]), from their orientation to attain the force of love and bestowal, and in later generations they received the name, “Jews,” from the word for “united” (“yihudi”). People with no such inclination received the name, “the nations of the world.”

According to the Jewish nation’s origin—a unification in a common tendency toward the force of love and bestowal—that same tendency should remain as their primary engagement. In other words, the nation of Israel has no need to conduct numerous physical actions, but need only focus on connecting “as one man with one heart.” That is Abraham’s method in a nutshell.

During its years of exile, the nation of Israel mingled with the nations of the world. Many descendants of Abraham’s group ended up functioning solely with the force of reception, detached from the force of love and bestowal. In the meantime, some of the nations of the world who felt attracted to unity joined the group of Israel.

Those from Israel who failed to unite above the increased egoistic desire that acted in them became idolaters, infusing corporeal forms, objects and actions with spiritual importance.

The two groups exist in a certain blend until today.

The change from being a unified nation that senses the higher force, to becoming detached from the sensation of unity and focusing solely on receiving, took place mainly during the ruin of the First and Second Temples, and intensified in the exile that followed them.

Many people from the Jewish nation started performing a number of actions, seeming signs of spiritual motions that exist separate from the human body and the material world. They thought that in such a way they would be able to somehow protect themselves in a common framework and not disperse.

My teacher, Rabash, called such actions “customs.” Customs have their place, until we will become ready enough to understand what is most important: the work of the heart, i.e., the inner work of unity with others in a common tendency toward the force of love and bestowal.

What we do with our hands, legs and mouths is in order to ultimately advance us to conduct internal actions upon our attitude to others: an inner shift from being concerned only about ourselves to being concerned about others, to a point where we love them.

Until today, humanity finds it difficult to absorb the idea that the Creator is a force. It is understandable, since our entire perception is based on corporeal senses.

Yet, according to the wisdom of Kabbalah, there is nothing holy in a tree or in a stone, nor in blood or flesh. Holiness can only be in the connection between us, differentiated from and above the egoistic force that separates us. Holiness exists in the balance between two fundamental forces at the foundation of nature: reception and bestowal, without canceling either quality or inclination.

That is why the principles of the wisdom of Kabbalah sound complicated and difficult to absorb, even though the main principle is easy to understand: that we need to reach positive connection among all people, a connection that includes each and every person equally. Moreover, in the heart of our connection, love becomes revealed, which is a positive force that covers all division, hatred and conflict, and by reaching such a state, we discover nothing less than perfection and eternity.
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The People of Israel before the Construction of the Temple

Question: After exiting Egypt and receiving the Torah at Mount Sinai, the people of Israel with their newfound unity conquered the land of Canaan and turned it into the Land of Israel. “Eretz Israel” means the desire to be like the Creator.

This entire time, the development and implementation of Moses’ methodology continued. I wonder what people did before the construction of the Temple? After all, then there was no study of the Torah and the commandments. It was introduced much later.

Answer: There was no study because people did it in practice. The meaning of their life was to be constantly in increasing communication with each other and to reveal the Creator in their unity.

They felt this methodology, applied it and implemented it very clearly among themselves more or less. Although, in principle, this was the reason for the war.

Comment: The famous historian Josephus Flavius writes, “It is impossible to describe the differences in the customs and laws of many forms of rule that mankind had developed. Most could be subsumed under the following three types: monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy. And our legislator (Moses), abandoning all of the above, created the so-called theocracy.”

Theocracy is when a spiritual and governmental leader is represented in one person.

My Response: Spirituality rules over the people.

Comment: The state formed by the Jews existed for about 200 years without a regular army and without a centralized administrative apparatus. Spiritual mentors from the tribe of Levi were deprived of land allotment and lived in 48 cities that belonged to other tribes. They only taught people.

All the people were literate without exception. Moreover, children were taught to read and write at the age of three.

Besides, the Jews are the people who do not need a king. The first king Saul came after the death of Moses when he began a war with the neighbors. Before that the people managed without a king.

My Response: Spiritual communication was enough for them to exist.

In addition, they supported the Cohens and Levites, that is, all those who taught them and spiritually supported them. After all, the very first authority was based on upper governance.

Comment: Another interesting fact is that a Jewish king could be subjected to bodily punishment for various offenses. If, for example, he allowed himself to take more horses or money, he could be punished.

My Response: Yes. The upper spiritual governance was above the king.

Comment: Also, there was a special attitude to the weak, frail, women, and slaves. It was believed that if you had one pillow, you should give it to a slave.

My Response: That is, relations between people required them to aim for greater understanding, interaction, interconnection, and greater positive interdependence.
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From KabTV’s “System analysis of the development of the people of Israel,” 7/1/19

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The Golden Calf—Symbol of Egoism

Question: As soon as the people of Israel received the method of connection at Mount Sinai, separation between the people began again: the golden calf, the Korah uprising, the complaints of the people, the spies, and so on.

What does the golden calf mean?

Answer: The golden calf is all the egoism that people took with them from Egypt. They cannot get away from it, it is always with them. Sometimes they rise above it, sometimes they do not.

Thus, the golden calf is a symbol of egoism that pulls them back to the same states. It is not about geography, although they want to return to Egypt, but it is about their feelings, at what level of communication they want to exist.

After all, we talk about society. Therefore, the desire to return to the state in which they are separated from each other is the worship of the golden calf, that is, of their egoism.
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From KabTV’s “System analysis of the development of the people of Israel,” 7/1/19

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Difference Between the Method of Moses and the Method of Abraham

Question: What kinds of means were there in the method of Abraham and in the method of Moses who pulled people out of egoism?

Answer: Moses had very simple means. From below, everything depends on the desire of the people for connection, for mutual guarantee (Arvut). To the extent that they aspire to this, they are provided with the upper force that connects them.

Question: That is, the main condition is the law of mutual guarantee. In the Babylonian Talmud it is written, “If you accept the law of guarantee, that is good. If not, here will be your burial place.” Does it mean that nature or the Creator forcibly demand this fulfillment?

Answer: There is nothing else in nature. It is all very simple; there is one law: to bring humanity to connection. In the case that along this path there are suddenly some kinds of interference from people, then nature, as usual, destroys them. It will unite us by force.
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From KabTV’s “System analysis of the development of the people of Israel,” 7/1/19

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The Foundation of the People of Israel

Question: During the First Temple, the Jewish people reached their point of unity. As a result, the Temple was built, a symbol of the union of all 12 tribes. A spiritual decline then began, which entailed the separation of the people. It lasted about 16 years and ended with the destruction of the Temple and the Babylonian exile.

Baal HaSulam, in his article “Exile and Redemption,” writes about this period: “And because they would not do it, but wished to include their narrow selfishness, meaning the Lo Lishma, this developed the ruin of the First Temple, since they wished to extol wealth and power above justice, as other nations.”

But because the Torah prohibits it, they denied the Torah and the prophecy and adopted the manners of the neighbors so they could enjoy life as much as selfishness demanded of them. And because they did that, the powers of the nation disintegrated: some followed the kings and the selfish officers, and some followed the prophets. And that separation continued until the ruin.

What kind of justice are we talking about?

Answer: In this case, the concept of justice refers to the Jewish people since it follows from its very foundation: why and how it was created.

The fact is that they gathered from various small nations that inhabited Babylon during the time of Abraham, and were created on the condition “love thy neighbor” and “love covers all transgressions.”

Therefore, if they adhere to this rule, then they exist as people, and if they take other conditions as a basis for their existence, then from the point of view of the forces that act upon them, they are no longer a people.

Other forces influence the rest of the nations, since each nation is affected by its own strength, its so-called “guardian angel.” In other words, the common power that exists in humanity selectively acts upon each group of 70 nations of the world.

The people of Israel do not belong to them because it is an assembly of their representatives. The Jewish people are very different and opposite to each other. If they gather in order to coexist correctly over their egoism, then they are viable. But if this rule is violated and they stop rushing to unite over all of their problems, then they become a dispersed people.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 7/8/19

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The Method Received at Mount Sinai

Question: The method that the people of Israel received at the foot of Mount Sinai was given to them on condition that they would become “as one man with one heart.” What is this?

Answer: The condition “as one man with one heart” means to be in our connection as similar as possible to one common, unified upper force and to feel that we are unable to do this ourselves. When we invest a certain amount of effort into connecting, we develop a strong desire to become similar to this force.

Such an aspiration to a state where we together want to become as one common whole awakens the upper light. The upper light affects the person or people who awakened it, and it performs certain spiritual actions upon them; that is, it gives them the strength to connect, to rise above their egoism.

Question: What was new in this method that Abraham did not have?

Answer: Firstly, egoism changed. If egoism is bigger, not in quantity but in quality, then, of course, a different method and other actions are required.

The new egoism requires new means in order to rise above it, to start working with it, and to connect with each other precisely because of it, despite the fact that it separates people.

Therefore, this method is called “the method of connection.” The force that we need to apply in order to connect is called “the upper light” or “the Torah.”
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 7/1/19

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Method of Connection: Before and After the Egyptian Exile

Question: What is the difference between the method of Abraham and the method that the people of Israel received when they exited Egypt?

Answer: It is all about connection.

Abraham also called people to unity. But in those days in Babylon, there was no particular hatred, no one killed each other. The Babylonians simply suddenly ceased to understand each other, which led them to an insurmountable rejection from each other. It was necessary to somehow soften, to overcome this rejection. As it is written, “Love will cover all crimes.” In principle, it was possible for them.

In Egypt, however, people’s egos have grown so much that the inclination to kill was revealed in them. They not only disagreed with each other, but were ready to destroy whoever was against them. So they could not remain in egoism because it threatened them with what is called “the Egyptian plagues.” It was necessary to exit it and rise above it, which in general they did.

They rose above their separation and in order to connect at a new level, they received a method called “the Torah.”
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 7/1/19

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New Life 1198 – The Israeli Bubble
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

Israelis live in a bubble because we do not feel reality as it is. We are prideful and self-centered. We have a strong ego and enjoy looking down on everyone else. Nevertheless, we imagine a picture that we like in our minds and perceive ourselves differently than how others perceive us. Only troubles can get us out of this bubble, connect us, and help us realize our destiny. By nature, Jews are different in that we have a tendency for connection and love of others. We are hated because we are not showing others how to achieve correction, perfection, and connection. If we connect, we will reveal the upper force and every goodness for humanity.
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From KabTV’s “New Life 1198 – The Israeli Bubble,” 1/7/20

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Babylonian Period of Development of Egoism

In ancient Babylon, people lived in harmony with each other, worked, and enjoyed life. Suddenly their egoism began to work so that they started to envy, steal from, kill, subjugate, and compete with each other. As a result of the growth of egoism, they began to hate each other so much that they did not even know what to do next.

Abraham, as the spiritual teacher of the Babylonians, investigated this phenomenon and discovered what was wrong. He believed that it was necessary to transform people, to change them because his role as a priest was to educate them.

He propagated this method in his speeches and spread it among the inhabitants of Babylon. However, people disagreed with him because no one wanted to change themselves, everyone wanted to get what they wanted. No one wanted to do what they disliked. Abraham began to feel that not only the population of Babylon was against him, but also king Nimrod himself, the Babylonian monarch.

In principle, Nimrod was not a harsh king. At that time, the system of communal dormitories flourished. However, when there was an outburst of egoism in Babylon, it required a different force, a tougher hand. Nimrod became the first king in whom a desire to rule completely was awakened.

Comment: In addition, in Ancient Babylon, people had one language; they understood each other and were like one family. However, after the surge of egoism, a strong separation began to appear between them.

My Response: In principle, egoism had been developing since the time of Adam. However, back then it was on an individual level, and in Babylon it became public.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 7/1/19

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Egoism as a Destroyer of Society

Question: The great Kabbalist of the Middle Ages Ramchal (Rav Moshe Chaim Lozzatto) wrote, “There is no other creation that can do harm like man. He can sin and rebel, and the inclination of a man’s heart is evil from his youth, which is not so with any other creature.” (Daat Tevunot, 154, 165)

This speaks about the growth of egoism. What is this quality that was revealed even in those times?

Answer: Usually a desire to enjoy, to be filled, to provide for oneself is manifested in people. It is the same as in animals, only in a more expanded form.

But if animals have mutual rejection to ensure security and safety, and  the desire to provide themselves with necessities, this is their instinctive urge; a person has no limit to his huge egoistic desire to absorb everything, to capture, and to subjugate.

Even if a person does not need this, the quality of envy does not release any person in the course of their development from the desire to absorb everything, to pick up everything and add it to oneself. This is earthly egoism. There are higher manifestations, but this earthly egoism exists in everyone.

Therefore, human egoism is not as instinctive as that in animals which moves them so that they would maintain themselves in a normal, natural state. The person’s egoism pushes him to do everything, and wants to suppress and subdue everything.

We do not call the desires of animals “egoism” because they kill and eat their own kind only when they are hungry. In a person, however, this manifests beyond all of his animalistic needs.

From one generation to the next, human egoism grows unlike that of the animals. Therefore, it comes to a state where it is no longer possible to do anything with the ego, which begins to destroy the connections between people in society, and even in families. Egoism becomes vicious, not an engine that moves us forward, but a destroyer, as it initially was in ancient Babylon.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 7/1/19

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