Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Does the global support for Israel following the start of the Israel-Hamas war encourage the people of Israel?“

Indeed, more than 80 countries expressed their support for Israel following the tragic events of the 7th of October, but as to whether such support encourages us, I’d have to say the contrary: it weakens us.

The strength and the future of the people of Israel does not depend on how others relate to us, but on how we relate to each other.

I do not feel any assurance from an upsurge of global support for Israel. We need to secure our future by ourselves through building relations of love, closeness and mutual consideration among each other. It is this construction of positive unifying relations that made us a nation in our very beginnings. We were originally not a nation, but a group of people who gathered under an idea to achieve love above our differences, and it was this form of connection that made us a nation. If we realize such attitudes to each other today, then no one will have any complaints against us.

Moreover, it is incorrect to think that the global support for Israel following the initial Hamas attacks on Israel’s civilians will help the world better understand and feel Israel’s side in the ongoing conflict. People can empathize with others when they can incorporate in their feelings, but the quality that made the people of Israel a nation is beyond our inborn nature, and thus nobody can incorporate in it. I thus also have no criticism on how people in the world relate to the people of Israel.

In order to truly receive a favorable response from the world, it is written, “When the Lord delivered them from Zion, it seemed like a dream. Then they said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them’” (Psalms 126:1-2). In other words, our unity draws a special force that comes to protect us, and when this force dwells in our connections, we draw a supportive response from the world.

We thus need to unite in a way where we are always there for each other. Such unification will draw a force that will protect us, and we need not be concerned about anything other than uniting and drawing this unifying force.

Based on “An Inside Look” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi on October 15, 2023. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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The horrors of this war have revealed how unhealthy the state has developed within our people, and our separation is the reason for what happened. Our duty is to correct ourselves and the whole world together with us, that is, to direct it toward unity.

The understanding must come in every heart of the people of Israel that unity is above all other calculations, above who becomes the head of government and what demonstration to attend. We have received a terrible blow, but it will quickly turn into mutual accusations, litigation, and disputes, and will provide plenty of food for the press.

Therefore, it is impossible to return to the same state that was in the people. We have already seen what this had led to and we do not want this to happen again; we want to enter a new world, that is, a new relationship, as it is written in the Torah: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

All sacrifices that accompany the long-suffering history of the Jewish people must not go in vain. Let them become the payment for our unity and correction of the whole world, and let them help all people understand that everything depends on their heart.

Our main weapon is our heart. If this heart unites with the hearts of friends, and if we direct this common heart to the Creator and give Him a place where He can enter, we will turn the whole world in the direction of complete unity between everyone. We just need to start, and then the Creator will finish this work for us.

We cannot blame each other and push each other away. On the contrary, we must feel that we are one person, one heart, one people, one group. We are together in one shelter from which we can leave only if we have reliable weapons. And this reliable weapon is our unity, with the help of which we can expand the walls of refuge to the entire width of the globe and turn all of humanity into one person with one heart.

We are talking about internal and not external unity. That is, not that we are on the same territory, in the same country, but in the same heart. And as far as this heart becomes a common one, the Creator enters it.
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From the 2^nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/13/23, Writings of Baal HaSulam “Introduction to The Book of Zohar“

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Question: What should be the preliminary preparation in order to come to the prayer that will be a real weapon?

Answer: It should come from the heart. The power of prayer depends on the strength of the connection between us, on how much we will be as one man with one heart, on how much your friends will enter into you, join your heart, and from this common heart you turn to the Creator.

Question: Should we convey to people that hatred should not be for the enemy, but for the war?

Answer: Hatred should not be toward the enemy or the war but toward our egoism. Only toward it.
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From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah lesson 10/15/23, Writings of Rabash “What Is, ‘Calamity that Comes Upon the Wicked Begins with the Righteous,’ in the Work?”

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Question: We study what the inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human levels of development are. At what level will we be able to fulfill the commandment “Love your neighbor as yourself”? If we are on the animate level, what level are those who kill and rape today at, and how should we learn to love if the Creator is everything?

Answer: We must accept everything that is happening as coming from the Creator and try to imagine above everything that what we see and feel that all these actions are His; He does them on purpose so that we rise even higher and treat each other with love, and from this stage of love between ourselves we would move to love for the Creator.

It is impossible to understand it just like that, but when you start working on it and delve into it, then the entire thought of the Creator is revealed to you.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/11/23, “Growing Stronger in There Is None Else Besides Him”

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October 7 will be etched in people’s memories as the day of the most brutal terror in the entire history of the State of Israel. This is the most tragic day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. More than 1,300 people were killed, most of them civilians, and more than 3,000 were wounded. A real “pogrom” was staged.

Young people came to celebrate at a festival of peace, but they were condemned to death. Entire families were killed in their homes without any mercy for children and babies. It always happens that the best are the first to be hit.

When I heard about this catastrophe, I was overcome with enormous, endless, unimaginable grief for the victims. But on the other hand, it is so painful to see that we have fallen into the hole that we dug for ourselves and that we brought ourselves to a terrible state. The Creator, the upper force, turned away from us, and that is why this happened.

We need to take away from this the moral that if there is no connection and unity between us, then such disasters happen to us. This has happened in the past, and this is happening today. If we understand this, then it will never happen again in the future.

It is impossible to believe that this could happen, that there was no army, there were no forces to protect people. But there is simply no unity among the people, which has always been our main strength. Always, when this unity did not exist, catastrophes occurred.

We need to sternly examine our souls, why did this happen? And we need to ask forgiveness from the Creator for not listening to His voice and reaching such disunity and hatred for each other.

I really hope that we can make a great correction by recognizing what happened and making sure it does not happen again. There is only one possibility for correction—connection above all calculations. The same force that the people had in order to go to the streets and throw out their hatred for each other must be turned to the awareness of unity as the only means of salvation. Only unity will help us become the strongest.

I really believe that we will correct our state and understand that we are obliged to return to life the condition we have received to be like one man with one heart, and we will gain the strength to stay in this unity so that we will never be separated again, and especially to such an extent as this happened recently here in Israel. May the Creator help us. Amen.
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From KabTV’s “An Inside Look” 10/15/23

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Question: We are currently unable to feel that there is none else besides Him in our hearts. If we insincerely link everything that is happening to the Creator, to the notion there is none else besides Him and He does all this for our benefit, will this lead us to a feeling in the heart?

Answer: Yes. If we strain ourselves and imagine in any circumstances that everything that happens to us comes from the Creator, and despite the fact that we are in unpleasant states where we worry and suffer, if we still believe that there is none else besides Him and everything comes from Him, then we must attribute everything to the Creator and think that since we are not connected and are not coming closer to Him in the state we are in, this is our problem.

Therefore, all we can do is to further strengthen our unity. By doing so, we will overcome all the unpleasant consequences of what is happening.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/9/23, “Reinforcing Ourselves with There Is None Else Besides Him”

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Comment: What is happening in the country [Israel] now, of course, causes pride. In response to the complete lawlessness of the terrorists, an army of 360,000 people was assembled in a matter of days. People left everything and went to recruiting stations, and they came from abroad. They left all their business.

Everyone has a feeling: “This is my house, and the house is in danger.” And everyone came.

We see how everything changes. Just prior to this, someone was left or right—now they are together, going into battle. There were different views; now there is one view. Such is the real unity of Israel. Meaning, the grief has connected everyone.

My Response: We must completely neutralize Hamas and destroy this organization to make sure that there is a normal life in the Gaza Strip as it once was.

Once it was even possible to enter the Gaza Strip. People went there to do shopping or to repair cars. They lived a normal life. And then because of this organization, Hamas, Gaza became the absolute enemy of Israel. So what we need to do is restore normal communication.

Question: What about the fact that the atmosphere of searching for the guilty is beginning? How do we live with it now?

Answer: There is no getting away from it. We need to look at things realistically. It lives in people. When there are so many lives lost and so many problems, it will not go away by itself, and time will not erase it. Therefore we must understand that we will have to deal with this for a long time.

Question: So if this feeling “how could this have happened” arises—and it arises in many people of course, since they see that things were missed here and there—then is it not necessary to suppress it within yourself?

Answer: No, you can’t suppress it. We just need to sort out all the plans for the future well.

Question: When did you utter such a phrase, “Everyone should have a sense of guilt!” How should we understand this?

Answer: We allowed ourselves to do everything possible to weaken the state with endless demonstrations and clashes among ourselves, and this gave the terrorists the opportunity to do what they want.

Question: So you don’t retreat from this phrase?

Answer: No, of course not. We are to blame for this.

Question: Are you saying “we”? Not the ones who went out on the demonstrations?

Answer: No, no. I also do not absolve myself of any responsibility. There can be no double standards here. Everyone is to blame.

Question: And how should we live with this, with this guilt?

Answer: How to live with it? Well, don’t live.

Comment: But when you see what happened there and you still feel guilty, it’s not that simple.

My Response: So what can you do? Close your eyes and say, “It’s not happening”?

Question: I can’t anymore. Is it possible to turn it all around? Is it possible now to get out of this feeling into another one?

Answer: Only if you constantly work on it. I mean, we have to restore the right relationships between us so that we stop these stupid demonstrations, which, in principle, do nothing but weaken the state and only benefit organizations like Hamas.

So we have a problem here.

Comment: Today we see this unity, all this help, mutual guarantee. We gather together during wars.

My Response: I don’t know. I personally am not sure that the people can draw such good conclusions from this. It will all pass, it will all change quickly, and it will be forgotten; they will hide their head under their wing and that’s it.

Question: Do you think that the horrors recorded by the prophets are possible and can come true?

Answer: They are possible. And we must definitely live in this way until we achieve final correction, to be with each other in absolute love.

If love is not above all disagreements, then in the end we will wake up in the sea, thrown out of here.

Question: Love rising above all disagreements—does this depend on us?

Answer: Of course. Everyone should say that it depends on him.

Question: So the differences remain, and I rise above them?

Answer: Yes, correction is precisely in this.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 10/12/23

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The most important thing that everyone needs to know today is that the connection between us, even across distances and borders, must save the world from evil.

If with every falling rocket, hatred and grievances toward friends and the Creator grow within you, you must remember that everything comes from the Creator: all your desires and feelings. Therefore, you need to turn to Him and ask for correction in order to feel love instead of hatred, closeness instead of distance. And thus it will happen to all of us.

We ask the Creator to truly make us feel that there is none else besides Him and that He surrounds us from all sides, supports us, and brings us closer to the end of correction.

To win in the war means, despite all obstacles, to hold on to friends and together to hold on to the Creator.

We need to ask the Creator to give the right thoughts and feelings in the heart of every person in the world, to men and women, so that everyone can calm down, and everyone understands how to unite and allow the Creator to reveal Himself in all of us.

It doesn’t matter when the congress ended and where and when the next one will be; we need to feel in a state of spiritual ascent all the time. And then everything will work out for us. The main thing is not to forget about each other, about the Creator, or about our connection, and through it to the Creator.
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From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 10/9/23, “Reinforcing Ourselves with There Is None Else Besides Him”

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why did Hamas kill so many innocent Israeli civilians?“

In Hamas’ terror attack on October 7, 2023, the group did not just kill innocent Israeli civilians, they also made videos of their murders showing pride in their actions.

One of my students asked me about this: How could people reach a state where they kill innocent people, including women and children, and be proud of it?

The problem is that it does not influence us, the people of Israel. It is not the first time in history that such atrocities have taken place toward the Jewish people, and again, the problem is that we fail to draw the right conclusions from these treacherous incidents.

That people resort to actions toward each other that are worse than animals’ treatment of one another is because we are egoistic beings who enjoy in the suffering of others. Only people enjoy in the suffering of others as a means of raising their own status.

If we thought that today, in the 21st century, we as a human race have developed in our knowledge to a point where we are beyond wars and conflicts, it is far from the case. Where do we see that people today are more enlightened than people of the past? What do we see that people wish for other people in the world in today’s culture and education? We see example after example of people wanting to enjoy at the expense of other people and the world.

In the mid-2010s, ISIS made similar public displays as Hamas’ October 7 attacks, taking pride in torturing and executing swathes of innocent people who they deemed as their enemies. People might pin this kind of behavior to Islamist extremists, but it is a narrow view. For instance, only 80 years ago, we saw such behavior in Germany, a country that was renowned for its high cultural impact on the world.

The murderous inclination exists in the egoistic human nature that prioritizes self-benefit over anything else, but such an inclination is especially active toward the Jewish people. Why? It is because we Jews need to serve as a positive unifying example to the world.

Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) writes about this in his article, “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”: “The Israeli nation had been constructed as a sort of gateway by which the sparks of purity would shine upon the whole of the human race the world over.”

If we do not become a positive unifying example to the world, then the world treats us worse than anybody else.

The ability to unite above egoistic and divisive drives is what made us the people of Israel to begin with. And as it was then so it is today: We need to fix our connections to each other so that we reach a state of “love your neighbor as yourself” and that “each shall help his friend,” i.e., that we build a close, loving and supportive connection to each other above our divisions.

After the tragic events of October 7, there has been an awakening of a supportive atmosphere among and toward the people of Israel. Among the people of Israel, it is due to the fear that a similar incident will occur tomorrow. However, when this fear fades away, the people of Israel will once again become divided.

This is why I and my organization invest a lot of effort in regularly disseminating educational content on the need for unity, with an additional emphasis on the unity of the Jewish people. If we can awaken ourselves to unite above division through education in more peaceful times, then we would see how the world’s attitude toward us would shift from negative to positive, and our unity would protect us from horrors such as those that again arose against us on October 7.
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Based on “An Inside Look” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi on October 15, 2023. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Question: You keep saying, “Unity. We must be united.” Could you please continue and explain? Because? Because of what?

Answer: Because it is our idea, which is above life and death and above everything. The main thing is unity. What for, why, when—it does not matter. Now and forever. That is what should be.

We must be united because this is how we can fulfill the program of creation and only in this way do we come close to the upper force.

We must be united not for the sake of living, or living well or peacefully, but for the sake of our idea, which is to love our neighbor as ourselves no matter what the conditions are.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 10/12/23

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