From my column in Ynet: “Yes, We Live in a Virtual Reality”

“Many scientists, philosophers and businessmen believe that it is highly probable that people are living in a virtual world which is simulated by a computer,” says a surprising report published by Bank of America. Could it be that we are living in a kind of matrix? Rav Laitman speaks about the origin of such theories.

The report, which was sent to millions customers of the second largest bank in the US and which was also widely covered by the world press, surprised everyone. Although its goal was to explain why we should invest in the area of virtual reality, the existential questions it brought up have intrigued the masses and started a debate on an issue that has almost faded out since the long-forgotten Matrix films.

The inspiration for this unusual theory is based on the ideas of entrepreneur Elon Musk, astrophysicist Neil de Grass Tyson, and Professor Nick Bostrom from Oxford University who claim that it is highly probable that our world is actually a simulation.

Are we actually living in a virtual reality, or are we perhaps part of a cosmic experiment? Is our universe nothing but giant computer software, a three-dimensional simulation of a reality in which matter, energy, electrical charge, our thoughts, and desires are merely the outcomes of complex mathematical calculations?

100 Percent Virtual Reality

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, the “unique” idea of virtual reality is not surprising at all. Kabbalah has been engaging in it ever since the beginning of creation. Browsing through ancient Kabbalah books written more than 2,000 years ago, such as The Book of Zohar, reveals that it is not about a twenty to fifty percent probability that our reality is virtual, but a 100 percent certainty!

In fact, it is impossible to calculate the probability of whether or not such an immense reality exists. All of its details are totally controlled by clear and absolute laws like the laws of physics and chemistry, which cannot prove the actual existence and purpose of this reality, but only characterize its different components just as scientists do with regard to every little detail in our world. Kabbalists are the ones who decoded the concealed goal behind this “computer output,” which has spread before our eyes with all of its details since the Big Bang 14 billion years ago. Rav Kook wrote in his book Shmona Kvatzim “for greatest that have attainment, the tangible and temporary world does not occupy any place. They don’t consider or value corporeal life, as the people of the world that see this fixed image of the world. The constant problem of the greatest is eternity. This surrounds their soul and fills all their existence.”

Kabbalists tell us that the enormous matter that fills and surrounds the entire universe all the way to infinite distances is merely one thousandth of the matter that is revealed to us, and there is nothing real about it. So, we must explore not the revealed matter but the network of forces that are spread in the huge space and are concealed from us. These forces operate the software of the reality we live in, and the moment that we reveal them, just as thousands of Kabbalists did before us, we will be able to know where we came from, understand what the goal of creation is and how it is expressed in our world. Accordingly, we will be able to plan our future and manage our lives for the best.

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, the software that manages the perception of the reality of our lives throughout evolution is called egoism. This means built-in self-caring, an inclination that is evil from our youth, a desire that is solely meant to find a bit more pleasure, even at the expense of others. The negative force of our egoistic nature drives us throughout life in an endless chase after satisfaction, and for which it operates all of our five senses and makes us labor all day long, from birth to death.

Windows 2016

Our world is developing rapidly, and the technology that is becoming increasingly more sophisticated is an indication of this. At the beginning of the 1980’s, the first computer operating system was cumbersome, and based on one window and an obsolete graphical interface. A few years later, a new version already supported numerous users, numerous languages, and numerous options. Today, operating systems are even faster, more stable, more secure, and use very little of the system’s resources. Most of them are on the way to cloud computing, a service that provides access to information from anywhere and from any device. The difference between the different versions is only in how they can upgrade and improve our lives and to what extent they can offer us a better, cheaper, more convenient alternative. In fact, it is also all we ask for in life.

Try to remember your first computer. What would have happened if we had installed new advanced software on it? A bug. A crisis. It wouldn’t have worked. This is exactly what happens with the operating system of our lives. The egoism software that has been motivating us for thousands of years is no longer compatible with the new software that has entered our lives at the beginning of the 20^th century, a global reality in which all of the components are interconnected and totally interdependent. The more we care only about ourselves, using the obsolete egoistic software, the more we operate totally in contrast to the new global reality, to the operating software that is being installed. The clash between these two opposites is destructive, painful, and expressed by infinite troubles, problems, wars, and different crises.

How do we upgrade the software?

The software for creating spreadsheets (Excel, for example) is made of the same components that make up the software for processing documents and textual material (such as Word), and the only difference is the way the components in each of the software programs communicate. The same goes for the software of our lives. All of the bugs that are created are the result of the lack of the right communication between us.

Changing our software means changing our relations. Instead of caring about ourselves, using others, and living in a doomed virtual reality, we must do the exact opposite: care about others, connect with them, feel what they need, and fill them with the positive force and love. Only when the software is upgraded to a more advanced version will a whole eternal reality open up before us.
By using the code that operates the software of our lives, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” a rule that includes the whole Torah, can we bring about a meaningful change in our lives. Rav Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) says that the entire creation is prearranged only in order to reach this goal so that mankind will develop in it and become more virtuous until they are able to feel the upper force just as they feel each other. The virtues they acquire are like the steps of a ladder, arranged step by step until a person is whole and attains his goal (The Writings of Baal HaSulam).

In the new reality, we begin to feel the goal of the operating software according to the level of our concern for others and the way the entire computer system operates us. “When a person grows tired of receiving, he becomes free of all the restraints of the creation and roams freely in the Creator’s world; he is guaranteed that nothing will happened to him and that he will not be harmed or hurt forever” (The Writings of Baal HaSulam).

Different from the egoistic software, we are given full control of our lives for the first time, the ability to become the programmers and improve the software so that it will produce an even more perfect reality for us. Then, we will clearly see and feel the true software of reality by ourselves, the reality for which great scientists and philosophers have been searching for decades with only a twenty to fifty percent success rate as the report presented by Bank of America says.
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From Ynet: “Yes, We Live in a Virtual Reality” 10/27/16

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The Jerusalem Post published my new article “Trump’s America Can Be Good For Jews“

But only if they choose to reexamine their attitudes towards their own Jewish identity.

The election of Donald Trump for president has exacerbated the split in American society, but even more so, the inner contradictions of its Jewish citizens. Of the over 70% who voted for Clinton, most feel angry and downright frightened of their upcoming president and the wave of anti-Semitism they are experiencing. Other Jews who voted for Trump for his pro-Israel agenda, argue that the supposed rise in anti-Semitism since the elections is merely putting the focus on something that was evidently widespread before, albeit in different form, as in the case of American campuses which are awash with neo-liberal, politically correct thinking. They understand that anti-Semitism exists both in the hard right and the hard left, and so do not believe either choice would have secured their safety. And then there are the Jews who are themselves split in half between their American liberal upbringing and values, and their inclination to do what is best for the state of Israel. These differences can be easily solved, if we step back and see what is truly at stake.

An American Jewry in Decline

Jews who are protesting Trump may claim that their resistance to this change is actually an upholding of their Jewish values; however, what we must see is that American Jewry was about to disappear thanks to the period of affluence, acceptance, and equality that had brought about assimilation, intermarriage, and low birthrates. Surveys show a very grim portrait of the health of the American Jewish population, as Jack Wertheim, Professor of American Jewish History, puts it, with rapid assimilation sweeping through every branch of Judaism except the Orthodox. Its ties to Israel were also fraying. It is the recent elections that brought the entire liberal system to a halt, in the aim of turning back its destructive route in terms of the economy and utter instability the world had come to, but also shocked the basis of the Jewish community which was happily losing its identity in return for its success. For Jews, the election brought out the ancient conflict between being successful individuals and a people that remain faithful to their roots.

History Repeats

Throughout history Jews have been going through the same pattern, assimilating in part into a foreign culture, be it Greek culture in the days of the Maccabees, that of Spain before the Spanish expulsion, or 1900s Germany before the rise of Hitler. In these and many other cases, our people realized in terrible ways that becoming part of the herd was always rewarded with a great surge of anti-Semitism that would force them back into their Jewish identities and their own culture.

For centuries Kabbalists have known the reason for this terrible backlash. They understood that Jews, divided as they may seem, actually hold within them an ancient promise to pave the way for unity and peace for all of humanity.

American Jews who are struggling with the election results are now facing this same historical conflict between fighting for their place in a foreign culture and seeking new answers within their own heritage that could truly transform reality. I urge them not to wait for anti-Semites to label them as Jews, but rather know that they are the ones who hold their future in their own hands, as well as the future of America and the world at large. It’s not about Trump or Bannon, or any of the repercussions we are seeing as a result of this election. The key to calm, peace, and to the values they wish to uphold is within our Jewish identities and connection to the state of Israel. For within our people is an ancient wisdom and capacity to become the example of the relationships we all want to see in modern societies.

The Outcry of Our Sages

In the early 1900s, Rabbi Kook and Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) tried in vain to warn the leaders of the great Jewish communities of Eastern Europe of the terrible outcomes of their exile, both physical and spiritual. My teacher, son of Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, Rabbi Baruch Ashlag, told me of the times he had visited Israeli Prime Minister David Ben Gurion together with his father. He witnessed his father’s attempts to convince the prime minister of the necessity to unite the different factions of the Israeli society, which was divided even then and of the importance of achieving the correct relations with our Arab neighbors. He explained that the method that would allow this to happen exists deep within the Jewish Nation, in the authentic Wisdom of Kabbalah; that it is our only hope of achieving peace amongst ourselves and with the rest of the world, and by that, become a light unto the nations.

Unfortunately, Ben Gurion never accepted these recommendations as guidelines to his path, and we suffer the results to this day.
As we now step out of the neo-liberal crisis, we find ourselves in a world that is searching for a cure for its deep divisions and strife. This dire need humanity has come to is of no coincidence; neither is it a coincidence that Israel and Jews have always been put at the center of all misfortunes in the world. The reason is that Jews have the power to heal and prevent these crises by modeling and transmitting the inclination to be “as one man with one heart” and to “love your neighbor as thyself” to the rest of humanity by their own example. But they must first discover this truth about themselves. Kabbalists have tried to explain again and again that it is the lack of this understanding that keeps the nations of the world demanding of Jews to change their ways, as it is written, “No calamity comes to the world but for Israel (Yevamot 63). This is the reason for the seemingly unfounded hatred, which ironically, is forever keeping Jews from running away from their unrecognized role.

Standing at the Crossroads

The Jewish people have never been able to escape their historical mission. Paradoxically, it was the enemies of Jews that kept Judaism alive. But it doesn’t have to be that way forever. This election brings the possibility for change from a path that may have seemed comfortable for the time being, but was effectively bringing American Jews to extinction and the world to utter chaos. At this critical crossroads, we must choose to break the ancient pattern that makes sense to a western liberal rationale, but is actually illusionary and detrimental to the Jewish soul. By opposing Trump, Jews are not opposing racism or hatred, they are merely trying to go back to a system which allowed them the liberties to escape their destiny. They must choose to reconnect to Israel and to the true destiny that it holds as a light unto the nations. This is the only way they will ensure that Trump’s presidency steers away from the far right and unto the middle path, becoming an historical opportunity for reshaping the failing relationships and attitudes of the past, bringing about security, well-being and prosperity for all.

Michael Laitman is a Professor of Ontology, a PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah, an MSc in Medical Bio-Cybernetics, and was the prime disciple of Kabbalist, Rav Baruch Shalom Ashlag (the RABASH). He has written over 40 books, which have been translated into dozens of languages.
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From the Jerusalem Post, 11/24/16

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From my column in Ynet: “Anti-Semitism in the US? History Repeats Itself“

Throughout history, the Jews have tried to hide their identity and assimilate, but they never succeeded. Hellenism led to the destruction of the Temple, conversion to Christianity led to the Spanish Inquisition and persecution in Europe. What can be learned from the rising anti-Semitism among American Jews? How much is Trump responsible for it? And how do we stop the rising tide? Rav Laitman offers a way to deal with a changing world.

Steve Bannon, chairman of the news website Breitbart News affiliated with the “Alt-Right” movement, served as campaign chairman for Trump and has been newly appointed chief strategist and senior advisor in the Trump administration, upsetting America in general and the Jewish community in particular.

On the one hand, Jewish Republicans who worked with Bannon throughout Trump’s election campaign say that he will indeed be “good for the Jews” and especially for Israel, and we are about to see before our eyes how Donald Trump will become the first “Jewish” president in the history of the United States. On the other hand, most of the Jewish liberals of the United States, around seventy percent of whom opposed Trump, attribute  anti-Semitic and racist opinions to Bannon.

Bannon is just an example of a storm that is raging among American Jews. Whether a dedicated supporter of the nation of Israel or a distinguished enemy of the Jews, a good future in America is still not assured for the Jews. The Jews are a unique phenomenon in the world. They are a collection of people possessing a particularly well-developed ego, aiming to benefit maximally from every opportunity in all fields, all the time.

The first time that the Jews succeeded in rising a little above this deeply inherent, innate characteristic and consolidate into a single people, was around 3,800 years ago in ancient Babylon—a tribal society with an abundance of nations and cultures. A little like the America of our day.

Jewish Uniqueness

The wisdom of Kabbalah recounts that one fine morning an egoistic nature broke out among the Babylonians, undermining the tranquility that dwelled among them until then, and strengthened the sense of “self” in each one of them. The egocentric surge created many conflicts and disputes that worsened the relationships between the Babylonians and threatened to break the society apart, similar to the crisis that American society is experiencing. The frustrated Babylonians searched for a way out of the social crisis they had been thrown into, and it arrived in the person of Abraham, a great Babylonian priest of his generation and a leader of public opinion who gathered them around him, taught them the wisdom of Kabbalah, and educated them about connection and love of others. The community of Babylonians who had once been alienated, connected among them “as one person with one heart,” and were called Yisrael, for their desire to directly (Yashar) resemble the Creator (El), the characteristic of the singular, whole and eternal power of nature. In another place they would be called Jews (Yehudim) because they were working to become united (Yichud) and in harmony with nature. From the moment the people of Israel were founded, they only had one purpose: to serve as an example of unity for the rest of the separated parts of humanity, to be a “light unto the nations” (Isaiah 49:6).

The Jewish people passed through many vicissitudes. After the destruction of the Second Temple, from the moment that brotherly love and the supreme value of unity ceased to illuminate the spiritual vision, the people were scattered for two thousand years of exile and wandered from place to place. However,right after the Jews settled as a small community and began to organize and earn everything that they needed for a good life, as befitted the egoistic nature that dominated in them, the social consolidation weakened and solidarity dissipated. None of them maintained its nature, its religion or its culture, in the best of circumstances, and they rapidly assimilated and returned to being the same Babylonians they had been. In the worst of circumstances, they lost their direction completely and even began to shoot arrows at their own people. That is what happened again and again throughout all of history.

New Converts

When the Jews first met with Hellenistic culture in ancient Greece, many Jewish families rushed to become Hellenized and change their religion. First names and languages were exchanged, Greek customs were adopted, the Torah was translated into Greek, and a general cultural assimilation of the Jews into Greek culture began. Accordingly, the values of unity and mutual responsibility that typified and protected the people of Israel throughout the years were abandoned, and egoism, the worship of the “self,” and ambitiousness and aggressive competition were enthusiastically adopted. Tiberius Julius Alexander, the son of the head of the Jewish community in Alexandria, whose father donated gold plating for the gates of the Temple, became the symbol of Jewish anti-Semitism of that period. Tiberius was appointed advisor for Jewish affairs in the government of the Roman emperor Titus, the warlord who subdued the great revolt and destroyed the Second Temple.

A similar process began in Spain a number of years before the establishment of the Inquisition. Researcher of Jewish history at the University of Wisconsin Professor Norman Roth detailed in his book that “in the 14^th and 15^th centuries, thousands of Jews converted to Christianity, particularly of their own free will and not as a result of pressure. ‘The new Christians’ thereby aroused sharp hostility against them, that ultimately added up to a war. The anti-Semitic racism swelled, and for the first time in history, positions of ‘blood purity’ were established (distinguishing between those who had pure Christian blood and those who had converted Jewish or Muslim blood). Ultimately, the Inquisition was revived, many of the ‘new Christians’ were falsely charged and burned at the stake. Specifically for the Jews who continued their lives as Jews and their normal relations with the Christians as in the past, nothing happened. What this means is that as long as the Jews remained faithful to their heritage and didn’t try to integrate or assimilate into foreign cultures, they were welcomed, or at least were left to themselves.”

Precisely as in the last days of the Second Temple, Jews who had changed their religion, stood among the leadership of the Inquisition. It is known that the grandfather of Tomas de Torquemada, the “Grand Inquisitor of Spain” and the chief supporters and activists in the expulsion of the Jews from Spain were also Jews.

American Jews

An additional example of the assimilation of the Jews and their rejection happened in Germany before the Second World War and during it. Beginning from the 16^th century, along with the Renaissance, German Jews enjoyed relative quiet. They didn’t receive equal status or citizenship, but the authorities let them manage their lives relatively without interference and separate from the rest of German society. Even though life was comfortable, the moment they had the opportunity, the Jews began to mingle and assimilate into German culture, in a way similar to that in Spain that inflicted disaster upon them.

Toward the end of the 18^th century, the Jews were eager to become an integral part of the Christian society and were ready to do everything to be accepted by it. The German Jews were ready to remove all references to the many years of longing for the old homeland in the Land of Israel from the prayer book. So Reform Judaism became a symbol for the readiness to trade in an ancient tradition in exchange for civil equality and social acceptance.

After the consolidation of Reform Judaism as a central force in Germany, it spread to a number of nations in Western Europe and to the United States. While in Germany, it was forced to defend itself constantly from the Orthodox establishment and interference from the government, in the United States there was no government supervision over religion and the Jews could operate in it as they wanted. Reform Judaism adopted the land of unlimited opportunity to become a leading and influential force in the areas of economics, entertainment, education, and politics in the nation.

The Jews became integrated into every corner of public life in the United States. They control the media, determine the public agenda, and influence the opinion of the world community. Considering the dominance of American culture throughout the world, for the first time in history, the Jews have taken perfect starting positions for the role for which they were chosen, and if they would only want to, they could lead the way to meaningful changes that would have the ability to influence the entire world.

The Hollywood: Up or Down?

America is still the greatest power in the world, and as such it dictates to the world the movies that are watched, the music that we listen to, the news that we consume, and even which websites and social networks we surf. Success in the American market is considered to be success in the world, and specifically American Jews, because of their high status, bear much responsibility for providing the world with what it must have, according to their role in humanity. Otherwise, the reminder will come in unpleasant ways….

Only this week we were informed about a number of disturbing incidents: a swastika was sprayed on a dormitory door in one of the universities, another swastika was painted on the entrance to a residential building in Manhattan where a Jewish senator lives, and in the social networks stream racist and offensive reactions to Jewish journalists and activists. The anti-Semites in America always hover like a black cloud, even before the Trump’s election to the presidency, as attested to by the prominent and worrisome data. A dramatic rise in the number of cases of attacks on campuses and colleges in the United States have been recorded since the beginning of the year.

Further anti-Semitism could lead the American community in two possible directions: coming closer and uniting as generally happens in times of adversity, or it could cause the Jews to distance themselves from their identity, to assimilate and to begin developing hostility and becoming critical toward the nation of Israel, in other words, to become anti-Semites themselves.

Throughout history we have seen that it makes no difference how much the Jews try to hide themselves; they never succeed in becoming detached from their identity. As soon as they assimilate among other peoples and sever the threads that connect between them and their role in humanity, they merit a tough response that directs them toward realizing their spiritual destiny.

There is no reason to wait until the next tragic event; we are at the last stop. Even if a small part of the eight million Jews living in the United States unites “as one person” and begins to radiate the values of mutual responsibility and connection upon which the Jewish people gathered, American society, which is today seeking a new vision, will behave like them. The spirit of unity could spread; the Jews would be a “light to the nations” and would lead to a new version of the American Dream.
From Ynet article 11/22/16

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From my article in Ynet: “Smiling Outwardly, Hating on the Inside” 

The phenomenon of political correctness ranks high in American society, but it seems that, for the first time, millions of Americans who despise this phony culture are daring to say, “Enough!” There are also those who are taking advantage of this and may become president on the back of this “rebellion.” Rav Laitman talks about the politically correct culture.

Which of the following expressions would you use in conversation with people? An adult, elderly, or senior citizen? Full or fat? People with special needs, people with disabilities or disabled? Black, colored, or Afro-American?

“Politically correct” is an approach whose goal is to prevent the usage of phrases that express discrimination, racism, or emotional injury regarding religion, sexual orientation, national origin, gender, and more. Supporters say that, even if it takes time to change attitudes and speak in a new language, in the meantime, public awareness rises, social injustices are gradually corrected, and only good will result if we think twice before we blurt something out. Opponents claim that it is hypocrisy, a distortion of reality, and contradicts the principles of freedom of expression.

The History of Laundering Language

In the past, there was no problem of political correctness. The human hierarchy was clear, and every person recognized his social status and accepted an expression that designated him or his occupation: noble, lord, aristocrat, servant, vassal, and common citizens. Language was laconic, direct, and “uncultured” relative to today, and nevertheless, a person was not offended by being called a servant or a prostitute, just as long as this was his social status.

It seems that, for the first time, millions of Americans who despise this phony culture are daring to say, “Enough!” And there are also those who are taking advantage of this and may become president on the back of this “rebellion.”

People were related to according to their status in society, just as, in the army, a person is related to according to his rank, or as in Indian society, according to the caste to which he belongs. It is possible to criticize these hierarchies and social labels, and say that they are incorrect or unjustified, but that is how things were, and the human species agreed with this reality and accepted it as something natural.

The French Revolution at the end of the 18^th century became the symbol of radical changes in the social order and government of that period, and after it, the change began. The egoistic nature of humanity evolved to gigantic dimensions and distanced people from each other, until the feeling of social affiliation faded. A movement from villages to cities began, from farming to professions like science, education, and culture, and within a few years, a son of peasants became a doctor. The model social order that had been kept throughout history changed, and people refused to maintain their inferior status. They demanded respect according to their new status and the education they acquired. 

Storming of the Bastille. Painting by Jean Pierre Howell, 1789.

Equality became the name of the new game. Leaders and citizens, the educated and the common people, men and women, black and white, were all equal. There was no difference. Thus, we apparently became more “liberal.” Gentle, considerate, and mostly hypocritical, we no longer said directly what we thought about others. We concealed the truth. Lying on the outside, we continued to think and feel differently inside. Acting falsely, we erased the gaps between us, and all in all, we found a new and easy language for managing “politically correct” conversations.

So, what is politically correct for me now?

You will ask, but what is bad about living in a society where all of us are equal and acquire respect for each other? Isn’t this what we have aspired and struggled for throughout the generations?

There is nothing bad about living with equality or wanting it. The problem is different: we are not naturally equal at all. We are not equal in our genes, in the character traits with which we are born, skin color, IQ, the amount of money we earn, or our unique worldview. Or, as the sages said, “Just as their faces are different, so their opinions are different” (Berachot 58b). However, the culture of political correctness proves to us that we have an enlightened desire within us for equal opportunity, social justice, and a fair society for all of its members. So, from where is the drive toward equality derived?

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, in the collective unconscious of humanity, all of us aspire to equality and are drawn against our will to the single and perfect state toward which all of creation is heading. Many nations in the past rebelled to gain liberation from colonial dominance or struggled against the worldwide phenomenon of racism. To live in real equality, not just to express it in nice words, we must emulate the natural system that connects everything in harmony and balance, each one remaining as he was born or educated, weaving a tapestry of mutual connections that will create a feeling of wholeness between us. What this means is that we reconcile all of the oppositions and differences between us, and peace will dwell among us. Only through this mutual interdependence and responsibility will each individual remain valued and important in their wholeness, the same for everyone without exception. As in a circle, each has his unique and extreme point, but in relation to the center of the circle, all of us are equal.

Taking Off the Masks

Were we only to be connected among us “as one man in one heart,” we would discover that human society is richer and more varied than it seems to us, but instead of correcting the faulty system of relationships between us, we correct our language. “Political correctness” is a covering for our true fear. It blocks our opportunity to discover how egoistic, evil, and cruel we are toward others, and it limits the ability of humanity to evolve.

Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, was the first to say that all of us censor our violent and sexual impulses that bubble up within us. As they break down, the more society goes out of balance and become more dangerous, as evidenced in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. Although Freud detected a bit of the evil that is hidden in humanity—that we are egoistic creatures by nature, aspiring to dominate others and oppress them—he didn’t provide an answer for this.

The wisdom of Kabbalah is a method that can teach us how to connect among us above all of the differences and to correct the source of evil. It is the hope for changing the face of human society. With its help, we will succeed in reining in our egoistic nature that is liable to bring about the fall of society. Our egoistic nature is an immense negative force that threatens to erupt against others and work to our detriment. To neutralize it, we must balance the relationships between us using the positive force, the power of connection.

Equality as a Test of Reality

Kabbalah teaches that the feeling of true equality and love can only be built as an additional floor over inequality and hatred, a formula that is called, “Love covers all transgressions” (Proverbs 10:12).

In every stage of our lives, the ego exposes another of its pieces expressed in feelings of detachment, rejection, and hatred toward others. There is no need to blur or to change the hatred; it is an organic part of creation. “As the Sages said, (Tractate Kiddushin 30b), ‘I created the evil inclination; and I created the Torah as a spice for it,’ meaning that the illumination in the Torah reforms” (The Writings of Baal HaSulam). All that is incumbent upon us to do is to connect between us above the hatred, and that is how we arouse the positive force, the power of the “Torah,” the power of connection and love that has the ability to bring balance, equality, and social justice.

The more we invest efforts in connecting to one another with the help of dialogue, discussion circles, and shared acts of connection, so we will arouse the power of connection and love that will make it possible for us to be “as one man in one heart”.

Above the transgressions and the hatred, a subtle fabric of love is constructed that determines and conserves. “The essence of the vitality and existence of all of creation is through people whose opinions differ joining together in love, unity, and peace” (Likkutei Halachot, Halacha 4). Love is the purpose of our evolution. This is not speaking about a temporary heartfelt connection, but about an obligatory natural law of reality, that ultimately, all of us are connected together in a single, complete system, and there will no longer be any need for political correctness.
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From Ynet article 11/2/16

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From my column in Ynet: “Missing A Common Heart, Not A Common Currency”

In the sea of words that have been written about Brexit, questions pop up like: What will the other countries in the Union do, and how will Britain abandoning the Union influence the world? One must read the global map of the system of nature correctly to get out of the tangle of European relationships towards a new life.

In 1992, a few months before the establishment of the European Union, I took a comprehensive tour of France. The entire length and width of the French republic was deployed then with diverse propaganda accompanied by explanatory material that called for the citizens to support the innovative project of the joint economic and market security. Even then I had a clear sense that the business was hopeless and that eventually the process might lead to the collapse of the continent.

Over the years, I have invested considerable effort in meetings with representatives of the European market, I wrote about it and tried to explain how vital the union was for the integrity of Europe and what the method is to achieve it.

I am not an economist or researcher of international relations, but from the study and constant occupation with bio-cybernetics and the science of connection, which teach the inner connection of natural systems and human society, one thing was clear to me: any attempt to connect that does not take into account the fact that the natural system operates according to global and integral laws is doomed to failure. Like the UK, as well as other nations that connected in the artificial European “Union,” it is advisable for their own good to abandon the sinking ship as quickly as possible. Association based on economic interests alone, led by banks, financial institutions, and industries, and whose whole idea is economic profit through the removal of borders and the imposition of immigration policy—has no chance of succeeding.

Moreover, the resounding failure may trigger a domino effect that will lead to the rise of the leaders of the extreme right to power in various nations in Europe. The isolationist policy could become radical and deteriorate to the point of bloodshed.

How do we neutralize the European ticking bomb?

With the results of the dramatic national referendum in the UK, “Google” unveiled interesting data about Web search results—the two most frequently asked questions were: What is the European Union and what is the significance of its departure?

Real and true union will exist only when the European continent will be connected as one network—one society, one country, one people, not twenty-eight separate nations that are indirectly subject to Germany, which rules with an iron fist at the EU Council in Brussels, but an equal balance of powers between all the nations, strong and weak. “Do not be surprised if I mix together the well-being of a particular collective with the well-being of the whole world, because indeed, we have already come to such a degree that the whole world is considered one collective and one society.” (The Writings of Baal HaSulam).

Mutual concessions, a human approach, and doing for the sake of others are the foundations for every standard system of relationships—like in a family—and they are also the ingredient that nourishes and maintains the connection over time. Mutual responsibility “as one person with one heart” is the goal to which the Europeans must aspire. Only on top of this first stratum is it possible to build the economic, security, political, cultural, and further strata. The European nations are like a couple on the threshold of divorce and living in conflict under one roof and without a choice, without connection and love.

Evolution of Union

Kabbalah is the wisdom of connection. According to it, the system of nature is a complete system, and is linked instinctively as a single organism all levels of existence: still, vegetative, and animate., “And the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid.” When humans interfere with this wholeness, they violate this balance, harm it and inevitably destroy nature.

The laws of balance in the system of nature determine that the egoism implanted in us from birth, “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth,” will continue to divide and separate between us. As long all of us act each for himself, behaving with indifference and cruelty toward each other, we will get a negative chain reaction from nature. We must cling to the force of unity in nature, the force that stabilizes reality. When we adjust the relationships between us to its laws and act with consideration of others, we merit to goodness and abundance.

The very effort to maintain the right connection between people above all the disputes and differences awakens the force of connection between us—the same positive force that is in the depths of the system of nature, and through it, we can balance our relationships and establish peace, as is written, “love covereth all transgressions.” When the organs of the EU– from southern Spain to northern Norway and from eastern Russia to western Ireland—will knit together into a single, living, sustaining, and pulsating body, it will be possible to build a proper society in Europe upon whose basis it will be possible to develop additional systems of connection.

A School for Unity

To avoid additional shocks in the near future, such as severe economic losses, huge waves of immigration, the growth of radical Islam, the rise of Fascism and racism or, God forbid, civil war, the EU need to do a kind of soul-searching and critical clarification: What is union? Why do we need it? How do we reach the right union between us? What is liable to happen if we don’t walk in the right direction?

It is in the hands of the institutions of the European Economic Community. Were the members of the administration in Brussels to promote an educational process for changing consciousness and softening hearts, an emotional revolution could happen within months to a number of years. All of the means for building this connection already exist and the developmental pace is in their hands. Just as brilliant propaganda led to the growth of the EU, clever, consistent, and continuous marketing of the wisdom of connection would make its continued existence possible.

Governmental programs applied in bringing people together, academic courses, and options for the study of human nature, as well as extensive exposure in the mass media that the same force of connection is inherent in us—can reveal to the Europeans an additional and hidden layer of relationships between them that will make it possible to use the infrastructure for countless healthy engagements in all areas of life, let alone to save the European ship that is sinking into the depths.
[189084]
From Ynet: “Missing A Common Heart, Not A Common Currency” 6/27/16

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization, New Publications - No Comments →

In English:

The Jerusalem Post:

“Why We Are Happy on Simchat Torah”
“UNESCO’s Absurd Decision Reflects the World’s Honest Opinion“

Haaretz:

“The US Election: An Outsider’s Perspective”
“Killing Ourselves Softly (With Political Correctness)”
“The Israeli Public’s Blissful Ignorance May Cost Us Heavily”
“The Decision at UNESCO—the Beginning of the End of the State of Israel“

In German:

The Huffington Post:

“Was uns Jona über den Antisemitismus lehrt”
“Das Jahr der Veränderung“

In French:

The Times of Israel:

“La Torah n’est pas ce que vous pensez”
“Un vote contre Israël au Conseil de sécurité de l’ONU pourrait être tout un défi pour Israël”
“La décision absurde de l’UNESCO reflète la véritable opinion du monde“

In Italian:

Blogactiv:

“Ci stiamo uccidendo dolcemente (ma in maniera politicamente corretta)”
“La beata ignoranza dell’opinione pubblica israeliana potrebbe costarci molto cara”
“La decisione dell’UNESCO: l’inizio della fine dello stato di Israele”
“Andare oltre la grande divisione tra Israele e la comunità ebraica americana“

The Huffington Post:

“La beata ignoranza dell’opinione pubblica israeliana potrebbe costarci molto cara”
“La decisione dell’Unesco: l’inizio della fine dello stato di Israele“

In Spanish:

Unidos con Israel:

“Por encima de la gran división entre Israel y la comunidad judía estadounidense“

Blogactiv:

“La feliz ignorancia de la opinión pública israelí puede salirnos muy cara”
“La absurda decisión de la UNESCO refleja la verdadera opinión del mundo”
“Por encima de la gran división entre Israel y la comunidad judía estadounidense”
“Lo que Jonás nos dice sobre el antisemitismo”
“¿Por qué Tishréi significa una nueva vida?“

[196582]

Filed under: New Publications - No Comments →

From my column in Ynet: “Who Is Behind the Revolution of the World to Develop?”

The worldwide chain of terrorist attacks, the awakening of Islamic extremism, the decline of the European Union, and the deepening polarization between sectors and communities—are revealing that the world is crumbling. The sooner we become aware of this development, the sooner we will be ready for change and thereby prevent disasters.

To initiate effective social revolution, we need only one thing: a desire to instantly change unbearable social interactions.

For the most part, such a change is the result of a demand from a particular social group that attracts the masses toward a clearly defined goal, but not every effort necessarily spawns a real revolution. When does it? It is only after new relationships are created that bring about a reorganization of the social structure and its institutions. When this change becomes permanent, it is possible to say that a revolution occurred. In fact, throughout history, this is the way most of the great revolutions in the world began: the American Revolution, the French Revolution, the Bolshevik Revolution, the “People’s Spring” Revolutions in Europe, and the wave of “Arab Spring” revolutions in the Middle East.

The question is, how should we respond in the opposite situation when revolutions, uprisings, and crises break out that change the face of human society, and for the first time, we have no ability to control what is happening? The result has already appeared before our eyes. The world is crumbling and humanity is sinking into confusion.

A Global Wake-Up Call

Day by day, the world is simultaneously surprised and dismayed by the dramatic events in the international system, in particular by the extreme upheavals in the developed nations: the horrifying terrorist attacks in Europe that are encouraging a sharp rise in right-wing nationalism, the “Brexit” that signals the impending end of the EU, the deepening purges following the attempted coup in Turkey, waves of Muslim immigrants wandering between continents, and the election campaign in the United States that has deteriorated to an all-time low. Global instability has spawned chaos, the expected relationship between cause and effect just about doesn’t exist, and as the pace of strange events continues to grow, it is difficult if not impossible to make decisions.

Despite advanced technology and sophisticated means of communication, it is impossible to foresee an outcome from the beginning, to establish governmental programs, to plan long-term strategies, to budget, and manage. Apprehension about the outbreak of a third world war grips many and is growing in light of past experience that has accumulated and proven that even security alliances, agreements, and treaties may be violated at a crucial time. From incident to incident, the lack of control becomes clear to all the political decision-makers: from the top leaders, advisers, and managers, to the most junior officials. It is clear to everyone that to lead in the twenty-first century is to manage the entire world.

From Linearity to Global, From “I” to “We”

When analyzing the process leading to the current global crisis, consider another player that has entered the field: a global and integral communications network is gradually beginning to transform every element in society, where each becomes an inseparable part of the whole, just like the organs of the human body. This is not a familiar processes of globalization that exists to be used to create international business cooperation; but on a deeper level of relationships between us; the common desire was hidden from our senses and now is becoming clear as a stable and unified network of mutual support.

In such a harmonious structure, the laws of conduct work differently: no one is more or less important than others, no nation is more or less prominent than the other countries. Everyone is considerate of each other and all of them equally, a concern resulting from the commonality between us. Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) writes in the Introduction to The Book of Zohar: “Indeed, when all human beings agree to abolish and eradicate their will to receive for themselves, and have no other desire but to bestow upon their friends, all worries and jeopardy in the world would cease to exist, and everyone will be assured of a whole and wholesome life, since each of us would have the whole world caring for us, ready to fulfill our needs. Yet, while each of us has only a desire to receive for ourselves, it is the source of all the worries, suffering, wars, and slaughter we cannot escape.”

As long as we continue to cling to our natural egoistic perception and fail to adapt to the new global reality, the dissonance will continue to grow. As a result, there is high volatility, the crises strike us one after another, and the only hope left for us is the view finder of world leaders who themselves are powerless, and they cannot predict the developments and take preemptive action.

How Does One Behave in a Connected World?

We must stop burying our heads in the sand. The order has changed, and it is impossible to halt or deny the new reality and the futility of the current system. If in the past, we felt a natural, inner urge for change, and the force of revolution brought the transformation of human society; today the world is pushing us into a corner and pressing us to change and build new relationships: between person and person, between husband and wife, between parents and children, between employee and employer, between bankers and industrialists, and between politicians and citizens.

The waves of crises affecting us in recent years and intensifying in recent months are only a reflection of the egoistic relationships between us. They are an expression of the broken links in the network of connections between us, which we must correct. This is why Communism failed, the American dream shattered, and the European Union breaks down. Every system—including socioeconomic systems—that ever flourished or faded is the direct result of relationships between us.

The turning point of humanity is dependent on an unprecedented radical revolution, but the revolution is conceptual, material, and spiritual, sufficient to cause a revolution in the heart of each and every person. Instead of concern for ourselves, we need to be concerned about others: instead of “I”, “We”!

A Trend Toward Global Unity

“I am glad that I have been born in such a generation when it is permitted to disclose the wisdom of truth. … We deem it as dependent not on the greatness of the sage, but on the state of the generation.” (Baal HaSulam, The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence).

Our individualistic generation is obligated to begin walking the path of unity and mutual support. Only then will we be adapted to the global network of connection that is being revealed. To avoid going over the edge of the abyss, we must pay attention to the warning signs that appear on the way directing us to develop sensitivity to each other and to connect with each other in a mature and responsible way.

The wisdom of connection, i.e., Kabbalah, is the precise answer to the constantly deepening separation between us. It is this method that has the ability to develop in us the necessity for mutual responsibility and for reaching out to one another. Rav Kook writes in praise of this wisdom: “Precisely at a time of great peril and crisis we should take the best of cures.” (Letters, Volume 2). The sooner, the better it is for us to open the books of Kabbalah to learn how to build the right relationships between us so we will act according to the laws of nature, which always aspire to harmony and balance. So we will know which systems of life are essential for our existence and how to build them to make our lives better.
[191555]
From Ynet article 8/2/16

Filed under: Crisis, Globalization, New Publications - No Comments →

From my column in Ynet: “How to Enjoy the Best of Both Worlds?”

It seems that precisely now, when we have everything and in abundance, crises just continue to grow. This is the way of the environment telling us, “Guys, the time has come to grow up!”  Rav Michael Laitman explains how must we deal with the global laws of nature and act according to them in daily life.

There was a great king who had a son in old age, and he was very fond of him. Hence, since the day he was born, he thought of only good things for him. He collected the finest, wisest, and most precious books in the kingdom and built him a school. He sent after the finest builders and built palaces of pleasure. He gathered all the musicians and singers and built him concert halls, and called the finest bakers and chefs to provide him with all the delicacies in the world.

But alas, the son grew up to be a fool, with no desire for education. And he was blind and could not see or feel the beauty of the buildings. And he was deaf, unable to hear the poems and the music. And he was ill, permitted to eat only coarse flour bread. (from The Writings of Baal HaSulam – “The Essence of Religion and its Purpose”).

Human society in the early 21^st century has not known better conditions since the development of mankind on Earth. Like the son of the king, we have everything that we need to live well, peacefully, and confidently: abundant food, advanced medicine, developed industry, farming, international trade, a transportation network throughout the world, an available Internet, and what not! And despite all the immense benefits and all the improvements placed in our possession, we still continue to absorb blows and endure crises one after another. When will there be an end to suffering? When we grow up….

A New Life Is Coming To Light

When a new baby is born, he is entirely enveloped in warmth and love. His parents take care of him faithfully and conscientiously and provide everything required for his proper development: a roof over his head, food, clothing, and toys. Even as the infant grows, they don’t stop being concerned about him for a moment, and they watch over him until he is able to survive on his own. They continue to take care of him, play with him and support him until his emotions mature and the right connections in his brain are created that help him react correctly to the reality that surrounds him.

Adolescence, the transition between childhood and youth, is a problematic period. The youth tries to imitate the adults around him and does everything to be like them in his external behavior, while still maintaining the same “small child” inside of him that tries to shake off being invested and taking responsibility, he will demand that they continue to take care of him and pamper him as much as possible. But life is stronger and more rigid—living requires work, raising a family requires being a provider, bringing children into the world requires the development of devotion. One can choose to continue to enjoy games and exciting experiences, but as most of us have experienced in our own flesh, the environment will push us strongly enough to motivate us to get up from the comfortable lair, take responsibility, and be concerned about our own needs.

The Age of Maturity of Humanity

Humanity today is developing like an adolescent. For thousands of years nature adjusted itself to us and prepared a comfortable environment for our development. Now the task is completed. The world has become global and interdependence between us has reached a summit. We have grown up; the time has come to change. From day to day the connection between us continues to become tighter, obligating us to learn the rules of the new, global, connected world. Now we need to be independent, to adapt ourselves to the nature that surrounds us, and to begin integrating into the true system of life. This is precisely the present point in time in which humanity is found – “adolescence.”

Like an adolescent who wants to feel grown up and simultaneously remain a child, while the environment compels him to mature and goads him to take action, so humanity has also received everything and now endures one crisis after another. This is the way of the environment, signaling to us that the time has come to grow up….“Nature, like a skillful judge, punishes us according to our development,” writes Rav Yehudah Ashlag, Baal HaSulam, in the article, “The Peace.” “For we can see that to the extent that humankind develops, the pains and torments surrounding our sustenance and existence also multiply.”

The breakdown of social connections in all areas of life and the artificial attempts to maintain the connections between one person and another, between husband and wife, between parents and children, between employee and employer, and so on, fail time after time. And this is precisely the reason that specifically in our day the wisdom of Kabbalah has been revealed. It is the method that teaches the global laws of nature and how we must behave according to them in everyday life. Only its power can help us create a beautiful, good, and safe environment here.

If we build connections between us fit for life in today’s connected world, we will gain an understanding and a feeling that will help us make the right decisions, and we will succeed in all our ways. When we build relationships between us based on concern for others and mutual responsibility, all troubles and annoyances will cease and we will gain all the treasures that nature has intended for us, like that prince in the famous parable.

Rav Dr. Michael Laitman is the head of the world “Kabbalah for the People” movement and provides daily lessons in Kabbalah that are broadcast on [Israeli] Channel 66 and on the Internet. The movement invites everyone to come and learn the wisdom of connection based upon the general fundamental rule of our people, “And you shall love your friend as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18).
[191310]
From Ynet article 8/4/16

Filed under: New Publications - No Comments →

From my article in Ynet: “Have We Lost Our Way as a Nation?”

Is the decision to deny our historical relationship to the Temple Mount only the warning shot before the impending de-legitimization of the State of Israel worldwide? Is the real reason for this decision the conflict between the Palestinians and the settlers in the West Bank, or is it that we have lost our way as the nation of Israel? (Rav Laitman about the true legacy of the Jewish nation).

The great anxiety regarding the fate of the State of Israel does not allow me to sit idly. The UNESCO decision that denies the close connection between the Jewish people and the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is not what bothers me, but the fact that it is a first step and a good way on the road to denying the legitimacy of the State of Israel.

The Jewish people have a long term memory. Our historical connection to the Jewish legacy or to the land of Israel will not be cut off by international organizations and diplomatic declarations. We still remember very well the Holocaust we have undergone, the great tension just before the UN declaration of the foundation of the State of Israel, the great joy in the city squares, and Mota Gur’s moving announcement that “Temple Mount is in our hands,” at the end of the Six Day War. We have forgotten only one important thing: our role in the history of mankind.

The United Nations and the uniting nation

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, the relationship between Israel and the nations of the world has not changed one bit in the last 3,500 years. The Jewish nation was founded in ancient Babylon when different individuals, families, and tribes who were alienated from each other agreed to follow the revolutionary spiritual idea as led by Abraham, the father of the nation. The social division at the time reached unprecedented peaks due to the erupting ego, and the mutual hatred and repulsion became part of daily life. Abraham, a unique Babylonian scholar, refused to accept the situation as inevitable, and began to explore nature and the system of creation. By studying himself and through his deep search, he discovered that humanity is connected by a network of ties, and the basis of this system we can see are only two forces: positive and negative. The positive force is constantly working to bring together and connect all of the individuals into one whole, while the negative force operates to separate and divide them.

Abraham concluded that the internal regularity that exists in one individual is true with regard to the systems of nature. He concluded that the immediate solution for the Babylonian society in crisis was to restore balance to the bad relations between them through strengthening the positive force in nature. Thus, he gradually guided the Babylonians and taught them how to develop the unity between them as the supreme value and to rise above the egoistic nature that separates them. “Abraham began to call the whole nation to let them know that there is one God in the world. Because they used to gather around him and ask him questions, he used to tell everyone according to his level of understanding until he brought them back to the path of truth, until thousands and hundreds of thousands gathered around him, and they are the people of the house of Abraham. And he planted this great idea in their hearts and wrote books, and this idea grew and increased among the children of Jacob and their followers and a nation that knows the Lord was founded in the world.” (Rambam, “Strong Hand”). Thus, the method of connection between people developed: the ancient method called the wisdom of Kabbalah.

The Babylonians who listened to Abraham’s advice and reinforced the foundations of mutual guarantee and love of others discovered a natural phenomenon they did not know before. They discovered that, when their relationships ascend to the level of unconditional love, a feeling of harmony and wholeness spreads among them, a kind of upper force that connects all the separate individual forces into one, which they called God. The hundreds of thousands of Babylonians who made up this group and were aimed straight to the force of connection that was revealed among them, Yashar El, called themselves the people of Israel.

The force that is concealed in the Jewish nation

Since the day the Israeli nation was founded on the basis of unity, they were given the mission to spread the method of connection among the seventy nations of the world, the Babylonians who chose not to follow Abraham and who dispersed all over the world. Since the entire world is connected by a harmonious network of ties that strives for constant balance, the fate of Israel and the nations of the world—the two opposite parts that operate in the system—are dependent and connected to each other. The part called the nations of the world constantly demands from the part called Israel to be a light to the nations and set a good example of unity above all of the divisive factors “since the secret of the unity of the world is concealed in Israel,” as Rav Kook says.

A lot has been written about the direct and indirect connections between Israel and the world in the authentic Kabbalistic sources and especially in The Book of Zohar, which was written 2,000 years ago: As long as Israel kept the force of connection between them, the positive force streamed through them to the world and it was good for everyone. But when they began to quarrel with each other and lost the sense of unity and mutual guarantee, the nations of the world rose against them with the subconscious demand for the vitality the force concealed in the Jewish nation arouses.

The world subconsciously feels that the source of all of the evil and the root of the suffering it undergoes is directly connected to the fact that the nation of Israel is not fulfilling its role. The fact that Israel are the most hated nation in the world, either for religions reasons, or racial reasons, or capitalism, or communism, or cosmopolitanism and more, the hatred that is at the root of all these reasons is that everyone excuses his hatred according to his own psychology, as Baal HaSulam says. This feeling of hatred is brewing among many and forming a trend reflected in the hostile attitude toward Israel. The UNESCO decisions regarding the Temple Mount may deteriorate to even more hostile decisions and even to the understanding that the world was wrong when it voted for the establishment of the Jewish state in the heart of the Middle East, and that now it is time to go back on their decision and act to deny the legitimacy of the only Jewish state in the world.

Rav Yehuda Ashlag warned us about this a hundred years ago when he said, “We need to give the gentiles the wisdom of connection, justice, and peace since it is only with regard to this that they are our students, and this is what they have been waiting for since our return to Israel. And the wisdom of Kabbalah is attributed only to us, and it shows to all the gentiles the justification of Israel in returning to their land and even to the Arabs. But our return doesn’t impress the gentiles today in any way and we have to hasten because if we don’t, they will sell the independence of Israel to satisfy their own needs, not to speak of the return of Jerusalem.” (The Writings of the Last Generation” by Baal HaSulam).

We determine our own fate

UNESCO, the UN, the EU, and other bodies that condemn us and vote against us are a kind of reflection of our failure in fulfilling our role. In other words, we provide UNESCO with the grounds for their decisions, and the nations of the world only execute these decisions. The world’s attitude toward us depends only on us, and it is up to us to determine whether the world will continue to demonstrate hatred and anti-Semitism, or whether they will understand and respect our presence in the land of Israel!

About two years ago, I met in Paris with Mrs. Irina Bokova, the UNESCO general secretary, as part of my efforts to spur a positive change of attitude of the organization toward the state of Israel. Although I had already foreseen the outcome of the meeting before my trip to Paris, I still felt it was important to try. Unfortunately, the outcome of the meeting proved what our teachers, the great Kabbalists, have said: there is no point in expecting any kind of change on the part of political factors. The decision regarding the future of the State of Israel, for better or for worse, is in our hands.

“And when the children of Israel shall be completed with full knowledge, wisdom and overcome springs to mind over the Israeli border and pour all the nations”

“The aim of Israel is to unite the whole world as one family,” (Rav Kook). All we have to do is decide to make a fundamental change in our interpersonal relations, to connect as one man in one heart, and stop worrying only about ourselves. The positive force that we will create between us will balance the forces of separation, and bring to perfection the network of connections between people. The force of connection will seep into the nations of the world and obligate them to begin a similar process, too, to connect and recognize us as the source of connection and goodness.

The nation of Israel  was made to be a kind of transmitter through which the sparks will flow to mankind all over the world until they develop and are able to understand the pleasantness and tranquility there is in the love of others. “And when the children of Israel shall be completed with full knowledge, the flow of the springs of wisdom will grow stronger beyond the border of Israel and will saturate all the nations of the world” (The Writings of Baal HaSulam).
[195515]
From Ynet article 10/18/16

Filed under: Israel, Israel Today, Nations of the World, New Publications - 1 Comment →

In English:

The Jerusalem Post:

“What Jonah tells us about anti-Semitism”
“Why Tishrei means a new life“

Haaretz:

“Beyond the Great Divide Between Israel and American Jewry”
“What Jonah Tells Us About Anti-Semitism”
“Absolute Truth Is Not Dead; It Never Existed!”
“Selichot (Forgiveness) and the Meaning of Life”
“European Jews Under Siege and Terrified“

In German:

The Huffington Post:

“Das Jahr der Veränderung”
“Wiewird man Israel los”, MittlerweilegestrichenerneuerKurs an der Berkeley Universität“

In French:

The Times of Israel:

“Ce que l’histoire de Jonas nous apprend sur l’antisémitisme”
“PourquoiTishreisignifieune vie nouvelle”
“Les juifseuropéensterrifiés“

In Italian:

Blogactiv:

“Lo que Jonásnos dice sobre el antisemitismo”
“¿PorquéTishréisignificaunanuevavida?”
“Ebreieuropei: sotto assedio e terrorizzati”
“Judíoseuropeos: asediados y aterrorizados”
“Ebreieuropei: sotto assedio e terrorizzati”
“Antisemitismoistituzionalizzatoall’Università di Berkeley: fatti e dettagli”
“La scoperta di Merkel e Hollande: la UE stamorendo“

In Spanish:

Unidos con Israel:

“¿PorquéTishréisignificaunanuevavida?”
“El año del cambio“

The Huffington Post:

“Hemoscrecido, pero ¿hemosllegado a seradultos?“

In Chinese:

The Times of Israel:

“Today is a Holiday – The Journal of a Spiritual Journey“

[195179]

Filed under: New Publications - No Comments →