Entries in the 'Kabbalah Dissemination' Category

A War With No Winners

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe current situation of the Israeli nation is different than it was in the past. We were spoiled by the impressive victory of the Six Day War, and we were very proud of our strength. That’s the way it has been until recently, but in the last operation “Pillar of Cloud” has made a correction for us; for the first time we didn’t come out as winners, but rather confused, perplexed, and beaten. It is a very important lesson, a great correction that occurred in each of us. We have to feel it deeply and not try to erase this unpleasant feeling.

We already understand that it doesn’t matter how we carried on this operation, it could not have ended successfully. It is totally useless, and we are only making the whole world turn more and more against us. For the first time we are starting to understand that we are helpless and cannot do anything. Next time, when things get worse in a couple of years, it will be even worse. This is a conflict that has no solution here and now.

It is good that we have reached this understanding that now forces us to find the real answer. We cannot win by using the same force that those who attack us are using.

I hope that now people will begin to listen to us, since they have no more solutions. Otherwise the situation will simply be hopeless. This problem has no rational solution that is based on sound logic of this world. But eventually, we will be threatened not only by our neighbors that are surrounding us on all sides, but by the whole world that would rise against us and take their side. Even now everyone is supporting them and we are not wanted at all. So what will we do then?

We will have to listen to what the wisdom of Kabbalah says, which explains that the solution is on another plane. It is impossible to solve this problem by conventional means, but only by the help of the upper force. This is why the problem is being revealed!

Everyone must experience the defeat deep in his soul, as if to go through a “washing machine” that washes away the last remnants of pride. At the same time we still acquire a wisdom that enables us to understand that the solution is on another level.

Now we can already turn to the nation openly and say: “Look, we are up against a wall! We can either break it (and the wall is inside us), or this will be our burial place. The situation is the same as the situation before Mt. Sinai where we accepted the condition: Connect as one man in one heart and by that reveal the upper force among us or that here would be our burial place.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/23/12, “A Speech for the Completion of The Zohar”

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Social Tension

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Steen Jakobsen, Chief Economist and CIO, Saxo Bank): “We have been surprised how little impact the strikes on the streets of Greece, Portugal and Spain have had on policymakers. But this is finally changing: Eurogroup considers direct transfers to Greece.

Policy makers are finally realising that social tension can overtake much needed reforms and financing needs by virtue of rallying the voters. Note that the groups of people demonstrating across Europe are no longer just unions or public employees. This is now a national issue for many countries. One generation of youth has already been lost, with all the negative consequences expected for productivity, innovation and pure outlook on life. …

“What comes next is one of two things: Radicalisation – Fascism & Communism?

“IF – the policy makers ignore this call for ‘change’, then the voters will be radicalised, moving to the extreme left and right politically. We are considering having an Outrageous Prediction for 2013 that include a serious move back to Communism in Eastern Europe and towards more autocratic states in Southern Europe. …

“In times of crisis people go to extremes – and this is now a full blown crisis, as we have a banking, economic, political and social crisis in place. It can’t get much worse actually, which is probably a good thing.”

My Comment: But is it possible to cause the necessary need for change not by suffering, not by crisis, but by increasing awareness of the need for change long before it manifests itself, according to the rule “The wise see beforehand.” The wisdom of Kabbalah encourages this by offering the method of how to change man and society long before nature forces us to do so by suffering.
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No Time To Wait

Dr. Michael LaitmanIt is time to explain openly what the mission of the Israeli nation is, the foundation of this nation according to which it has existed so far, and what our goal is: to pass on the method of correction to the entire world. This is the only way we can explain where anti-Semitism, the tension, pressures, and war in Israel stem from.

Only the wisdom of Kabbalah can provide such an explanation. Otherwise, people will not understand how the idea of connection will help us solve this problem. Suppose we were stronger if we connected? But, ordinary strength will not help us against the threat that is being revealed now. The fact that we have more missiles armed with nuclear heads will not save us, and, in any case, we will not be able to use them. We will not be allowed to do so.

We were placed under such conditions in this struggle that we find ourselves with our hands tied, unable to do anything. What have we achieved in the last operation? Tomorrow, things will only get worse. With this ceasefire agreement, we have only chained ourselves more tightly, and we are more obliged than before. That’s the way it is after every war, after every operation, which means that it doesn’t lead to any correction.

There is no logical solution to this problem. Clearly, next time, the attack will come from every direction, and no anti-missile device or “iron dome” will protect us. Everyone understands that everything leads to this: We simply will be faced with the options of either leaving this land of our own freewill, or an atomic bomb will be thrown upon us. Perhaps not right now but in a couple of years, our enemies will have such a bomb.

There are many other scenarios of what may happen, but I simply want to show you how desperate the situation is. We have no solution on the level of this world. Next time, the entire world will be unanimously against us, and everything is moving in this direction. What will we be able to do against this?

Even now there are calls in Europe for boycotting Israeli products. Eventually, no one will want to buy anything from us. So, what will we do if our economy and commerce collapse? We already crossed a critical point in 1995, and, now, we steadily are approaching the point of hopelessness from which there is no way out but the method of correction. We must urgently begin fulfilling it.

I don’t want to scare people, but we must open their eyes so that they will see the actual situation. In fact, any sensible person also understands that if this trend continues, there is no future for us and no solution. However, we must find out and clarify this to the end, and show people the only solution there is. Only this can work against this illogical situation since this solution is also illogical.

It is a very quick and simple solution. Let’s just begin fulfilling it. We have a break for several months, so let’s get to work! Let’s devote the time to it so that we all begin to study and implement the mutual incorporation and cooperation of the method of mutual guarantee. We don’t need anything but that!

We will see the results in a couple of weeks. The moment a person is incorporated in this study, his mind, his soul, and his heart all begin to operate differently and turn toward others.

Accordingly, we will feel an immediate positive effect. There is no delay in the spiritual world. We immediately will see how everything calms down, that there are fewer missiles, and that the economy grows stronger.

There won’t be any problems if we begin our self-correction. If we worry about spiritual problems, the corporeal problems will disappear. It is one of the two. Take the internal spiritual work upon yourselves and your entire corporeal life will work out. The Torah promises us that.

We have reached a state where we cannot wait any longer. We must do whatever is in our power to spread the message and begin explaining openly that the solution stems from the wisdom of Kabbalah since it is the foundation of the nation. We must explain this in many different ways and fill the Internet with this information so that everyone will see it.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/22/12, Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot

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A Solution That Has Been Proven Throughout History

Dr. Michael LaitmanIf we want to reach true peace, we have to let everyone know that our people need to unite. Only this will solve our problem. It has been proven by history; after all, once we used to exist only thanks to the connection among us and the ability to reach mutual guarantee, and thanks to that we became a nation.

The people of Israel are not an ordinary nation that exists because it came into being and developed in a certain geographical location. It is a group of people who left Babylon and decided to live according to the principle of “love thy friend as thyself.” It is only thanks to this that they became a nation, and this is our foundation. If there is not this foundation, we are not a nation and don’t feel that we belong to one another. It is only the hatred around us that brings us together and closes us as if in a sack of nuts. But in fact, if everything were okay with us, we would all disperse in every direction.

So we must understand that if it weren’t for our foundation, the general connection and mutual help, we wouldn’t be a nation living in its state. The whole world treats us as if there is something temporary in our country, but this is because we don’t build ourselves as a nation here, and we are not a nation by nature.

It is impossible, for example, to say that a Frenchman doesn’t belong to his nation. No matter where he goes he will feel that he belongs to his country. But a Jew who goes abroad stops feeling that he belongs to Israel to such an extent that he wants to vanish among the strangers and to be like them: a Frenchman or an American.

We lost the connection between us, the mutual guarantee, two thousand years ago. Now, after having returned to this land, we have to behave like we did in the past and only then will we be a nation!

Thanks to that we will achieve a lot. Now the whole world is in a critical state, affected by the general crisis in different aspects of life. The world is not connected either and so it cannot overcome the global crisis. It is already clear to everyone that we must unite. Everyone speaks about it, starting from prime ministers to all the media.

We are so connected worldwide that we will not be able to exist unless we have good relations. The whole world is in a constant decline and everyone is looking for a method that will enable us to connect.

Only the method that our nation has, that it used in the past and reached connection with, will help here. If we fulfill it now among our nation and return to mutual guarantee, we will serve as an example for the whole world.

This doesn’t mean that all the nations have to connect that way; they are already connected naturally. But by that we will set an example for them as to how the whole world should unite. There is no other solution. In order to overcome the general global crisis, we must all unite into one whole and the people of Israel should be an example for the whole world and present the method of connection to everyone.

There is a method of integral connection, which we are working on. This means that there is a solution, and all we have to do is bring it to the people and explain that this method is our salvation, the salvation is not only for the nation of Israel, but for the whole world. Thus we unite the nation not only within the borders of Israel, but we are also an example for the whole world, which is called “being a Light to the nations.”

By that we will see how the world overcomes the crisis. We will decrease the tension and the problems and solve the conflict with our neighbors, which is also caused by the lack of the right connection between everyone. The hate towards us, the forces, and the tension are all a result of the imbalance.
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From Talk 1 “The Solution is in Unity” 11/18/12

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The Only Means Of Correction

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” Item 25: Examine the first question, where they imagine that they can keep the whole Torah without the knowledge of the wisdom of Kabbalah. I say to them: Indeed, if you can keep the study of Torah and the observance of the commandments appropriately, Lishma, meaning only in order to bring contentment to the Maker, then indeed, you do not need to study Kabbalah. This is because then it is said about you, “One’s soul shall teach him.” But if you have been practicing the Torah in Lo Lishma for more than three years, as Rabbi Yosi says, and five years, as the Tana Kama says, then the Braita warns you that you will not see a good sign in this path you are treading! Why delude your souls with false hopes when you have such a near and sure tactic as the study of the wisdom of Kabbalah.

We can correct our desire so that it will be totally aimed at bestowal only by uniting “as one man with one heart.” Then we will become a vessel, a desire that is ready for bestowal, and will eventually attain the goal: adhesion with the Creator.

The question is whether this is possible without studying the wisdom of Kabbalah? As we know, the answer is no, it is impossible because the Light that comes to correct a person is revealed only by the wisdom of Kabbalah. This is what brings the Light to our coarse and corrupt souls, and no other wisdom can help us here.

Besides, without the wisdom of Kabbalah we don’t even know what we study for. This is because Kabbalah includes introductions, explanations about why man was created, why the Torah is necessary, and how to use it correctly—only for the correction of human nature, for establishing closer relations between people so that they will become one whole and thus resemble the Light, so that the partition called “Pharaoh,” which separates us from one another and rules over us, will break.

By studying the wisdom of Kabbalah we will understand what our freewill is and where exactly we should apply all our efforts. But if a person just studies the Holy Scripture: the Bible, the Talmud, and so on, it isn’t enough to understand what is required of him.

At the end of the exile we have reached such lowly desires that even with the help of the wisdom of Kabbalah it is difficult to assess and translate the terms and the definitions correctly, directing it to the person himself, to what is happening inside him. From the part called “The Perception of Reality,” we know that everything is actually inside us. And still, it is very hard for us to change our perspective, to look from the outside inwards, and to see that the whole world is in here, and that this is the place that needs correction.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/22/12, “Introduction to TES“

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Repetition Woes

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”: …this wisdom (Kabbalah) is no more and no less than a sequence of roots, which hang down by way of cause and consequence, by fixed, determined rules, interweaving to a single, exalted goal described as “the revelation of His Godliness to His creatures in this world…

The wisdom of Kabbalah discloses to all of humanity in general and to each of us in particular a mandatory step-by-step pathway of advancement that conforms to absolute laws of nature, and leads us up from our current state to the end of correction. Kabbalah explains which tools help us follow this path and what forces act upon us while we inevitably advance in accordance with the will of nature, as well as when we self-develop due to our conscious, mindful participation and willful contribution to the process. We discover all parts of reality, from the current state to the end of correction, in the system called “the wisdom of Kabbalah.”

Hence, no other science is more important or more important to us, especially now that we have already completed development on the inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels. Previously, we could not learn the wisdom of Kabbalah and use it; that’s why it was hidden from us. However, as soon as we become able to implement it and contribute its natural, timely development in order to accelerate it, in other words, as soon as we voluntarily hasten our growth, understand, and are aware of it, at this point, the wisdom of Kabbalah is revealed to us and obliges us to implement it.

Here of course, we have to admit that we can’t continue developing the way we used to because we have reached the period of conscientious and mindful development in every step of the way. Without our awareness and active participation, we won’t advance from one state to another, nor will we climb to a higher level. At the speaking developmental stage, it’s absolutely impossible to advance “automatically” as on the inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels, when we were growing up under the impact of mandatory forces.

It’s similar to transitioning from the first grade to the second: If I’m not ready for it, I’ll be left for the second or third year of studies in the same grade. I’ll be punished for that, I won’t be allowed to play games, eat cakes, etc., until I complete all the lessons. I have to finish the first grade on my own.

It doesn’t work as at the previous developmental stages, which didn’t require any personal contribution. One must not advance as an animal, but as a human being, acquiring wisdom and the sense of consciously participating in the process.

If humanity continues to act in the old way, it will trigger new disasters so as to finally understand the necessity of conscious progress. We have to feel and understand the rules of our development and see the goal before us, and pursue it.

This is why the world won’t advance without the wisdom of Kabbalah, nor will it develop without picking it up from us and using it accordingly. Otherwise, it just will not happen. Woes will continue and people will suffer until they eventually hear and understand our message. This is the requirement of our era.

We, on the other hand, must show the most friendly, sympathetic, and gentle attitude while presenting a Kabbalistic methodology in various forms of offering our methodology to make it easier for everybody to absorb it. We must focus on the the user, as it is said: “Educate a child according to his own way.”

Nevertheless, until the people of Israel and the whole world closely connect with the wisdom of Kabbalah, disasters will continue in order to motivate everybody to search for it.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/14/12, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”

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What Does Everyone Want From Israel?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: We disseminate our ideas so that the whole world will reach connection, but in the meantime there are many wars and conflicts all over the world. What can we do so that the connection will take place now?

Answer: First of all, we have to bring about connection among the people of Israel. With regard to the correction, whatever happens in the land of Israel, will also happen all over the world. All the problems in every part of the world, whether in Sudan or in the Basque region of Spain, will stop when the problems encountered by the people of Israel stop. This is where the root of everything is, and if we correct it, the whole world will calm down.

This is the reason that all the nations of the world blame the Jews: “Your are to blame that we feel bad.” And they are right. By that we should understand where the correction is: The abundance that the Nation of Israel can draw will flow through it to the world. In this general system, this nation is the link to the Light, but they cannot draw the Light only for themselves, they have to hold on to the intention for the whole world. Then the whole world will be peaceful.

On the other hand, as long as the Israeli nation doesn’t draw the Light, our enemies will not leave us, since the problem is actually not our enemies or our friends, but this is how the Creator awakens the Israeli nation to draw the Light for the whole world. Then the world will become similar to the Creator.

Question: So what do we lack in order to reach connection?

Answer: Just to be a bit wiser. We cannot digest this yet; we don’t see the system that way in order to understand that, we simply have no other choice. The general mutual connection remains invisible.
For example, there are still arguments about cutting Greece off from the EU, and although the Europeans already understand that it will only lead to new problems, they are still managed by financial considerations. They cannot take into account the real troubles that are expected.

Individuals, nations and all of humanity have not yet “digested” the globalization of the mutual connection of the general system. We are the problem, since we cannot disseminate the method correctly. We think that it is enough to simply study. In the meantime the inner fire is growing, and we are nearing an explosion. On a global scale and with regards to the Israeli nation the situation is very worrisome…
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/20/12, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah“

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Everything Is Based On Sensing

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Our way is made of three consecutive stages: knowing, understanding, and attainment. When we turn to the public with the message of connection, people can’t immediately feel or perceive it. Perhaps we should start with some general information, from the benefit in connecting and only then move on to the idea of sensory attainment?

Answer: This message isn’t perceived in the usual way. After all, matter is woven from our desire. The thought actually comes later. First I’m impressed, a reaction within my desire, and then by that I begin to put the knowledge together; this is from where science comes. Thus I’m not just a machine that simply analyzes things and responds to certain data that is perceived by the sensations. It’s true that the senses develop by the mind and the mind is directed by the senses, but the sensations precede the mind.

It says: “We will not know by name or word that which we don’t attain.” This means that first I attain a phenomenon in my sensation and then come the names and the words. This means that first I “taste” and only then stabilize the description.

Question: Does it turn out that by telling about connection as our salvation that I must first make a person feel and only then bring logical explanations?

Answer: As long as there are no feelings, there is no one to talk to; you can’t turn to those who don’t lack anything. You approach a person who feels that he is in trouble. The Creator prepares a “place,” which means a situation in which people suffer. Then we can approach them according to their quality and character, according to their level of suffering, and thereby present them with the method of correction.

But we speak about how to correct their current state and not the whole world. We present a person with the medicine for a specific illness: “Take it and you will succeed, and will be able to overcome your troubles and live a good secure and balanced life.”

At this stage we don’t tell a person about the upper worlds, in the meantime he has to return to normal life and doesn’t need to think about anything else. So he already has the emotion and we have to give him the mind, the understanding but in a way that it’s dressed on his feelings, so that it will become a “head” for the “body.”

This is the art of dissemination, giving a suffering body the right intelligence that can help him. We tell people why they suffer and how to put an end to their suffering. The problem is that we are opposite from nature: It’s totally connected while we are disconnected and so we feel bad. So let’s start building the connections among us and thereby get rid of all the troubles. How can we do that? We do so according to a special method, with the help of the study and certain actions.

Then, within a week you’ll see that the method works. What’s more, we will not just create a good and friendly society, but will also see how other problems that plague us today subside.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/18/12, “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah“

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What Does Our Life Depend On?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: If I understood you correctly, Kabbalah is a science that helps us advance. Can we say that everything is in our hands and what happens tomorrow depends on us? In other words, life doesn’t depend on chances, but rather on our efforts, intentions, and work.

Answer: There are no accidents in life! The more we penetrate into this world the clearer we see that nothing is accidental. As little children, we simply don’t know the laws of nature when we exclaim, “Oops! It suddenly fell and broke!” It’s not an accident; it’s a lack of knowledge since we are unaware of the circumstances that caused this occurrence.

So, there is no such thing as an “accident” in nature, starting with the smallest particle and ending with the most complicated structures. Everything is predetermined and compliant with the laws of nature. We should learn and follow them and then everything will be good.

There is a very simple solution to this problem. Nature shows us the problems of our imbalance with it in the form of crises. Problems! Let’s say, I have high blood pressure; it’s a problem. There is a normal condition and there is an abnormality that I can measure and compare with normality and balance them out. We call it treating a disease or regaining balance, even if it is done artificially.

Same applies here. We are in a state of imbalance with nature, which we regard as various crises: in science, culture, finances, economics, human society, terrorism (you name it!), including the ecological crisis. We have to balance ourselves with nature, it’s absolutely the same system: “What is inside, same is outside.”

Kabbalah teaches us how to stay in balance with nature. We certainly observe harmony in nature, but Kabbalah helps us learn faster, nothing more than that. “Cutting” off (getting rid of) afflictions is the only problem being solved here. We’ll arrive at this point anyhow. However, the problem can also be resolved in a very dramatic way that’s much more intense than the hurricane we just survived.

Imagine that a hurricane happened in some other place, not in New York, but let’s say in one of many underdeveloped countries. How would that country cope with its aftermaths? It would be thrown back to the middle ages and it would be impossible to help them. Maybe they would get a couple of airplanes with flour, that’s it.

We should think about these issues. It’s a pity that people do not realize how effective “spiritual medication” can be in fighting serious symptoms of the disease.
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From the Georgia Convention 11/5/12, Lesson 1

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Derech Eretz Warmed By The Light

Dr. Michael LaitmanThere are many levels of understanding and attainment of the system in which a person is in mutual cooperation with the upper force. It is very hard to discover this path of suffering that is called “400 years of exile,” which are unbearable. If the two forces, receiving and bestowal, the Creator and the created being, frontally collide, the created being will have to go through this whole path again starting from the four phases of the direct Light, the whole process of development. This is a horrible path.

But we are in a system that operates according to a certain upper plan in which there is already the final outcome, the starting point, and the final state. All the Kabbalists that operated throughout all the generations and all the books that they wrote are incorporated in this system. There are people who have attained the Creator living in concealment among us in this world who are working to bring humanity closer to these ideas.

All this brings us to what is called Derech Eretz (the way of Earth) something that is between the path of suffering and the path of the Light, which allows us freewill. If we were to advance only by the stick, we would have no way to develop our mind. We would be busy only trying to avoid the next blow that may come on one side or the other.

But if we receive all this through the system in which there are both judgment and mercy, the combination of these two forces allows us to develop. Like a baby whose parents develop him, so do we receive help in our spiritual development. Imagine what would come out of a baby who developed without the help of his parents. Even if he could survive, what problems and sufferings would he have to go through; the most he could attain would be a simple animal existence, to somehow live and die.

This is a life of an animal. A man’s life is based on receiving support from the previous generations, as each of them develops and completes the one that preceded it. Human desires develop from one generation to another.

So today we find ourselves in a state where on the one hand no one wants to receive the wisdom of Kabbalah and doesn’t understand what he needs it for. No one knows this wisdom and imagines some kind of mysticism and miracles instead. Different groups have different attitudes toward the wisdom of Kabbalah, people who are religious or nonreligious, who belong to the Israeli nation or to other nations.

The most stubborn ones are those who already assume that they are dealing with the Torah and don’t need anything else. They consider themselves to be perfect as they study the Talmud and observe the Mitzvot. We can somehow approach a nonreligious person and explain things, since he feels that this corporeal life has no meaning and that he wants to reveal the upper world, the system that manages life.

But in fact, no one feels a real need for the wisdom of Kabbalah, including those in whom the point in the heart has been revealed, and they suddenly light up and want to know about it and come to study. The desire that they have in the meantime is simply a desire to acquire something new and not to change their nature to the opposite form. Such a desire isn’t natural for a person and it simply doesn’t exist. Because between any person in this world and the true science of Kabbalah there is an iron wall, which must be broken.
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/11/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot” 

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