Entries in the 'Mutual Guarantee Movement' Category

At The Round Table

The “Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)” movement has produced a series of programs under the general title of “The Round Table.” This show provides a place for multilateral discussions, and all the participants express their opinion equally. The discussions are directed by a moderator who raises a wide range of social questions among activists, representatives of public organizations, experts, and people who support various points of view and belong to all social strata.

“The Round Table” began to function a few days ago; however, already it has been attended by Charlie Biton, a social activist, one of the founders of the “Black Panthers”; Dr. Esther Eilam, the founder of the Israeli feminist movement, as well as the movement “Achoti” and one of the leaders of the tent city on Lewinski Street; Dr. Ishak Saporta from the the Recanati Graduate School of Management at Tel-Aviv University; Shira Ohayon, a specialist in education and public activist, one of the leaders of the tent city in the “HaTikva”district; Ilya Marshak , a representative of the Revolutionary Youth Coalition (a Facebook group, connecting 43,000 participants); Eyal Mautner, the coordinator of the movement “Dror Israel”; Professor B. Davidson Arad from the School of Social Work at Tel-Aviv University; Dr. Tamir Leon, an anthropologist; Ron Cobi, a chairman of “The Middle Class Revolution” (a Facebook group, connecting 12,000 participants); Ron Sasson from the forum “Strategy,” and other participants.

The objectives of the “Round Table”:

  • Expand cooperation among various individuals and organizations through civilized dialogue,
  • Focus on social issues and problems,
  • Present different views on the situation in the social sphere,
  • Talk about possible solutions to social problems we face,
  • Encourage partnership and mutual understanding between all those who are active in the field.

In our eyes, the approach is no less and perhaps even more important than the goal itself. We believe that mutual communication and constructive cooperation sometimes plays a greater role than the final decisions. We see our task in supporting the debate in a pleasant, business-like manner so that the participants show respect towards each other and open the “umbrella” of mutual guarantee, like at a family meeting.

During discussions, we encourage consideration and attention to the needs of others so that everyone perceives the problems of others as their own. The idea is to learn to care about each other despite different personal views, positions of various organizations, and problems of individual communities and social strata, as if we are one family.

Program format: Discussions are held from 8:00 until 9:30 P.M. at the round table on Rothschild Boulevard next to the “Mutual Guarantee” movement’s tent. The discussion involves six or seven people who listen to each other and take turns expressing their opinion. The program “The Round Table” is broadcast online on the “Mutual Guarantee” movement website, as well as on its Facebook page (in Hebrew).

Each participant gets enough time to express his or her opinion, present ideas, and respond to the views of other participants. The general public from Rothschild Boulevard and from the Internet are also invited to the discussion. Part of the public response is streamed live. The discussion is filmed by a team of professional cameramen with the support of sound operators and lighting professionals.
[52057]

Related Material:
The New World Needs A New Economy
From Vertical Power To Round Table
Caring For Each Other

Take Care Of The Tycoons, You Just Might Need Them

Dr. Michael LaitmanA person should use his innate capacities given to him by nature to their fullest potential for the benefit of others. But then, from where will one draw his satisfaction? It will come from using themselves to the utmost to serve others.

After all, when I make a profit, I receive a personal gain. I engage my ego to serve myself, selfishly using the qualities and abilities that the Creator gave me, although He could have given them to someone else. So, it turns out that people with means or with advanced capabilities, which the Creator has given them, are causing more damage when using their capacity for personal gain. However, this fact must manifest full force in order for everyone to understand what is going on.

This will be revealed in a state where we’ll see that the integral system must be engaged full force, and all are equal in it. Whatever qualities may have been given to me, I see myself as part of the common mechanism, the part that must diligently do its job to the utmost.

In this way, I am not different from anyone else. If both of us are doing what we are supposed to do, then, in spirituality, we are absolutely equal. There are no differences between us. We were simply born different. Hence, we have a different impact, but its efficiency quotient is the same.

This refers to the effort that each of us is capable of inputting, rather than to the qualitative indicators of the output. We evaluate a person not by the results that appear to our eyes, but only by his specific efforts.

This does not mean forcing people, as was done in Soviet Russia where the government took away businesses from the talented individuals who owned them, and thus destroyed the country. If you kill or exile such people, who will manage the industry and the economy?

So, we definitely must protect the tycoons and provide opportunities for them to open as many businesses as possible. They are the ones who can do it.

We have already seen what happens under socialism. Here is the egoistic desire at work, and it should be handled as sensibly as possible, until a person unilaterally decides that it’s time to become corrected. One way or the other, everything should be grounded on desire.

However, what if people take to the streets and begin making specific demands? The most important key here is to educate the people. Obviously, we have to put the fire out.

Some people actually live in poverty and do need help, but only when the level of our education begins to rise shall we see how things will begin to get better. After all, we ourselves begin to understand that one must give up something for the sake of others.

This won’t be an ideology or an opinion, but a feeling that will permeate us all. Then, we will feel like a nation.

Besides, we will receive the assistance of the upper Light. By the law of equivalence of form, our system will become the garment for the upper Light and we will see enormous fruits of our unification, similar to the fruits seen by the scouts who were the first to make their way into the land of Israel after 40 years of wandering in the desert. We will suddenly discover the energy and the potential that is contained in everything that we are dealing with.

All of this can be achieved only through education. That’s why we need a round table where we discuss issues together and raise the level of interaction and mutual interest among the people. That is all we need. The government, in the wake of our discussion, will take on executive functions.

The round table will be a nationwide debate conducted together with experts who have a critical approach and analysis, but based on common agreement such as in a close-knit family. Then we will succeed. Otherwise, we will fail.
[51997]
From the lesson on 8/19/11, “One Precept”

Related Material:
From Vertical Power To Round Table
On The Intricacies Of Taxes
Common Problems Are Solved At A Common Forum

The New Economic Base

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How do you propose to solve the social problems in Israel, practically speaking?

Answer: First of all, we have to sit at a round table and begin the discussion, strictly adhering to the principles of the mutual guarantee. This is the only way we will find the answer to the nation’s demand for social justice.

At the round table, the representatives of various sectors would speak about the given social problems. Then, having considered the picture as a whole, we would begin to evaluate our possibilities, making use of the services of experts and specialists in their various fields.

However, they must adhere to the principle of mutual guarantee. Practical solutions in any professional field must always be proposed by the experts who are also connected to each other by the guarantee. This is because they differ in their opinions and evaluations.

The economy is molded from our egoism, which we do not really understand. Besides, the necessity to rise above it intensifies our ignorance. In the end, even the professionals are confused; we see where they have taken us and what they have done.

In any case, it is clear that if, up until today, everything used to be based on the egoistic desire of the person, then, from this point on, we have to build a different economy based on our common desire of bestowal, which is called the “mutual guarantee.” That is why making decisions and implementing them surely must be built on the principle of the guarantee. This is the main distinction of the new approach.
[52169]
From the 5th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/22/11, “Arvut

Related Material:
The New World Needs A New Economy
How To Equalize A Boxer And A Nerd
Caring For Each Other

How To Equalize A Boxer And A Nerd

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How will we switch to an economy system based on a mutual guarantee?

Answer: Baal HaSulam writes about this very simply: Everyone does everything he can for his society and receives enough to cover his needs. Therefore, we can draw precise formulas from this statement, and it is, in fact, fair distribution that protestors in Israel are demanding.

Until now, what a person received was equal to how much he stole, lied, and snatched from others. People acted egoistically, used their connections through family members, and exerted pressure through different factors in order to receive as much as possible. From now on, “more” will no longer exist. Consequently, we should reach fairness.

In other words, why do you deserve more than I? Maybe you are smarter than me. So what? Is it my fault that I was born stupid? Let’s suppose that I have grown to be 7 feet tall and 400 lbs, and I’m a boxer. You are just 5’2 and 100 lbs, and you are smart. While I may have trouble earning my $2,000 a month, you are making millions. If I could, I would come over to you now, hit you with an uppercut, and take away your millions, leaving you $5,000 out of the goodness of my heart.

So, which of these two variables is fair? I was given strength, and I use it to live at the expense of others. You were given brains, and you use them the same exact way. This is our society.

Consequently, this system is leading to a general collapse. We simply have no choice but to create some balanced formula that would establish balance between us. The coefficient in this formula will not be my strength or your brains. We need a different, fair calculation here.

Baal HaSulam gives it to us simply, but in the socialistic “package” of his time. Until we utilize this calculation, there always will be people who will be unsatisfied with their share of the “pie.”

On the other hand, we need to understand why someone else would take the money that I could make for myself. In actuality, no one is stealing from me. We simply must provide for each other like in a family, such as when you give all the very best to your child and receive more pleasure from this than from your own earnings.

Certainly, on the path to such interactions, we need to go through many corrections. We don’t want to implement anything by force as happened in Soviet Russia. However, we really need to create a new upbringing. There is no other choice; nothing will be done on its own. We gradually need to inform people about the fact of the matter, and put it on the agenda of the society, country, and world. Otherwise, we will not take even the first step.

However, when this step is taken, we suddenly will find in amazement that everything is running smoothly and working out for the best right before our eyes. We just need to start.

The final formula seems very harsh now. Without any pressure from the outside, you are obliging yourself to give to others everything other than what is necessary for you, as if they were your children for whom you are willing to put in as much as needed. First, everyone needs to reach this sensation or perception of the world according to their own good will, since there is no coercion on the spiritual path.

We are talking about a deep, difficult, and massive revolution of consciousness. Yet, we need to begin. Otherwise, nature will drive us forward quickly. After all, we are constantly at less than optimal speed. We need to advance on our own, conforming with educating society. The most important thing here is precisely the education process according to which the world will be transformed.
[52158]
From the 5th Part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/22/11, The Arvut

Related Material:
What Is Equality?
You Won’t Succeed Alone
Mutual Guarantee Is The Key To The New World

Why Are “The Russians Not In The Tents”?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: You are a Russian native and don’t speak out on why your countrymen do not take part in the protests which, in fact, you show great interest in?

Answer: “Russians” are smart and do not want to participate in the clearly aimless actions. After all, the right and the left-wing parties have long become the same, and all of them oppose solving social problems. “Russians” are right, saying that everything should begin with eliminating the “Hock Esderim” (a budget law in Israel). But they are right only at our “corporeal” level.

Our movement “Arvut” (Mutual Guarantee) offers (along with the Parliament) continuous discussion of issues by all members of the society, together with experts, with decision-making at the “round table,” but on the condition that decision making will be done peacefully, “like a family.” In this case, we will see reciprocity, understanding, and flexibility, that is, social justice (Tzedek Hevrati).

Otherwise, a tight budget cannot be divided. And most importantly, by “mutual guarantee,” we will gradually teach society to unite, which will bring the people to the rebirth of the “nation” from the fragments of exile (Kibbutz Galuyot) and will draw the manifestation of positive forces, which will neutralize the hatred of our enemies around the world. (See “Introduction to the Book of Zohar,” Item 80)
[51954]

Related Material:
How To Reach Social Justice
The Entire Nation At The Round Table
As One Nation In A Family Circle

All We Lack Is Love

Dr. Michael LaitmanOur world has become global. In other words, the principal law unfolding in the universe is the law of a circle. Global means round, as is the globe of Earth.

We have become interconnected and interdependent. And if so, you cannot get into confrontations; instead, you must reach such an order where people will have warm, cordial relationships and become considerate of one another. In fact, what is mutual guarantee exactly? It is when I sign for you, you’re for me, and everyone is for everybody else. And so it will be all around the Earth.

We are moving toward it very rapidly. The speed with which the world is changing confirms it, and the pace of the changes will keep increasing. Very soon we will reveal that ours is not the only country that can solve the problems by way of mutual guarantee. Moreover, if you resolve them while sitting at the “round table” together with all the others, you feel internal, emotional satisfaction thereby.

They look at you with respect because you have compromised in some small degree because you start to consider the interests of others. A wave of warmth washes over you from within, and you feel safe; you are together with others. This way you begin to reveal the inner power present in this oneness, similar to the upper force.

Very soon, the whole world will see it since in truth, all people involved in protests need only one thing: love. It’s just that they cannot express it.
[51987]
From the Lesson on Weekly Torah Portion 8/19/2011

Related Material:
The Entire Nation At The Round Table
As One Nation In A Family Circle
What Is ”Mutual Guarantee”?

You Won’t Succeed Alone

Dr. Michael LaitmanToday we are living in special times: The world has reached the state when all of mankind feels as if we’re all in one boat. It provides excellent opportunities for everyone to finally start living the common law of nature—the law of mutual guarantee.

A global, integral crisis has overtaken the world. This means that we  are all in the same “boat,” one “ship,” at the bottom of which everyone is “drilling a hole” and doesn’t care about anyone else. And indeed, nobody will get ahold of themselves unless we all get together now and start supporting each other.

This is what we call mutual guarantee. I become everybody’s guarantor, meaning that they will not break this law. And every one of them, in turn, signs for everybody else, including me. And then, I find within myself the courage not to hurt another, not to “drill a hole in the boat.”

If in this way, we come to this common law of nature, we’ll definitely feel that we lack nothing. After all, you are equivalent to nature, so what can be better than that? You will feel happy and healthy and completely secure. No one will dare to approach your country’s borders and claim the right to it.

And all of this is thanks to the fact that you are equivalent to the laws that are dictated to us from Above. And all these laws come down to one, “love your neighbor as you love yourself,” the law of mutual guarantee that helps us reach such a relationship.
[51991]
From the Lesson on Weekly Torah Portion 8/19/2011

Related Material:
The Union Of Egoists Is Evil For The Whole World
Take Care Of Our Common Boat
Corrected Means United

From Vertical Power To Round Table

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: I think power should come not from the government but from the people who lead the government to correct decisions.

Answer: It is more natural for the wisdom of Kabbalah and for the new world. In fact, we are transitioning from egoistic relationships to the “round,” global system. The world has become interconnected in all its parts and is taking an altruistic form thereby. This leads to the abolishment of political power, and that is why they no longer know how to run the country or lead the people. This is because their government is a line that extends from the top down, vertical power, backed by military force and money.

But the old order is disappearing, and people are starting to suddenly going out into the streets with various demands. They are pushed by nature: People’s desires are unified in “circles,” and today they are getting stronger, more tangible, and more pronounced. We will see these signs all over the world.

This is the natural course of things, and nothing can be done about it. The people will demand a new order without even knowing what it is. Riots will ignite. Governments ruling by force and by money will fall, while the people will rise to meet the changes. We are headed for this time.

There is only one solution: mutual guarantee. People still have to “take power.” But how will they do it? How will they avoid the mistakes of the previous government and find a new way? We need to unite to meet the “round,” global, and integral world. The method of unification is in the hands of the Kabbalists, and we must hurry to avoid the problems and sufferings that are possible in this way.

For example, if Europe already knew and understood how to unite, and took an appropriate action, it would retain itself. But instead, the European Union is moving toward collapse.
[52000]
From the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/19/2011, “One Law”
Related Material:
How To Reach Social Justice
The Time Has Come To Complete Our History
At The Turning Point From The Past To The Future

Mutual Guarantee Is Born Here

Here are some pictures from the pavilion of our “Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)” movement in the tent city on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel-Aviv.

[51478]

How To Reach Social Justice

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How can we connect the approach to decision-making at “the round table,” as in one family with the basic needs of man?

Answer: In reality, even if some protesters demand diapers, others—cheap cottage cheese, others—affordable housing, and so on, the whole nation is united by the desire for social justice. Every person feels that it is absent, that he is deceived, that he does not get what he is supposed to get compared to others.

The “pie” has to be shared in a way that achieves social justice. But what is social justice? It is when everyone agrees that under the circumstances, this is the only optimal solution.

Everything is always decided at “the round table.” You cannot solve a single problem apart from the others because everything concerns the same limited resource. If everyone sees only his own needs, we cannot come to the right decision, and tomorrow new protests will begin. Everyone should understand that it is impossible to deal with the problem in another way. Justice can be reached only by mutual consent and mutual guarantee.

We are unable to immediately see and hear how deep this principle is, but it changes the whole approach. And it has to be carried out in the nation. It is not so important how much money you take from here or there, but what is important is the feeling that you are really together with everyone.

People are currently living in a downtrodden state. And as much as they need money, it is important for them to feel that they are not ignored or “cornered.”

With this approach, practical decisions change as well. The whole of society and the nation start to think differently, treating the situation at a different level, and understanding that they can succeed only by making decisions at “the round table.”
After all, social justice is not measured by the amount of money received. It is measured by the conviction that we are one family, but due to not having any other choice right now, we share the resources in this way.

We should think about everyone in the same way, like in a family where there are old and young, sick and healthy. Thus, we discuss how to support each member at this moment. This is justice.

There are organizations that can be commissioned to provoke unrest and revolutions in different countries, while we are working to bringing society to an agreement!
[51823]

Related Material:
As One Nation In A Family Circle
The Entire Nation At The Round Table
The People Demand Social Justice