Entries in the 'New Publications' Category

“How Can I Overcome Manipulations?” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “How Can I Overcome Manipulations?

I received the following message on social media from Dimitriy that expresses pain in how politicians and propagandists know how to manipulate societies who follow them, often to slaughterhouses…

I have been enraged lately. Why do we succumb to politicians and propagandists who are throwing us off? They are the reason there is so much grief. You see clearly blood spilling, people killing each other, and hating each other. It is all because they are egging on, but everything is, after all, illusory and fake. We die for this lie while they get fat. They make lots of money off this bloodshed, their children roll in luxury, and they too are doing well. Why are we giving in? Where is our basic reasoning? Where is the fear?

Indeed, people in such power positions take advantage of our little egos, our desires to enjoy ourselves at the expense of others, and thus entire populations succumb to their control. They work together with various specialists who understand egoistic human nature quite well, knowing how to steer it in directions that they wish.

The question is whether there is a solution to this situation. It can only be if we truly understand our nature, how its reins are pushed and pulled in various directions, and then be able to see how these politicians and manipulation specialists operate on us, and not be on board with them.

Ultimately, however, we simply need to understand that a positive unified atmosphere and good human connections are above all other benefits they try to bribe us with. If we cherish positive human relations, then they will be unable to make us deviate into all kinds of directions.

The aspiration to positively connect should bring us to the realization that it is best to live peacefully with our neighbors, which means anyone in our vicinity through to those in other countries.

On one hand, it is no secret and people generally understand that it is good to be at peace with neighboring people and countries. But these are just words. When it comes down to the crunch, there are several ways of pitting one country against another, and it becomes very hard to stop those avalanches after they start rolling.

We should nonetheless try to imprint on ourselves the primacy of living peacefully. Indeed, we have the ability to embed this principle into society so that if certain people want to lure one society into war against others, they will fail. We can achieve this heightened level of awareness throughout society; it should be our most important aspiration.
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“Alexander the Great’s Meeting with Shimon HaTzadik That Saved Jerusalem” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Alexander the Great’s Meeting with Shimon HaTzadik That Saved Jerusalem

It is written in the Talmud about a significant historical encounter between Alexander the Great and the high priest Shimon HaTzadik. Alexander, having conquered half the world, marched on Jerusalem. The Talmud recounts the moment when, under torchlight, Shimon HaTzadik, accompanied by elders, confronted Alexander, and the formidable conqueror knelt before the high priest and abandoned his planned assault on Jerusalem. From that moment on, the name “Alexander” was included in the list of Jewish names.

Alexander the Great felt the higher power. After his many conquests, he never became blind to it and when he felt that power in this elder, he thus climbed off his chariot and bowed before the great wisdom that he felt in this man.

Alexander the Great was a noble and smart man who did not just seek to conquer the world. Rather, he wished to fill the world with science and enlightenment, and to do so first and foremost in those cities through which his troops passed. He did have a wish to make the world Hellenic, but as a means of raising the pagan world to a level of enlightenment.

The high priest had an obligation to remain in Jerusalem. He had nowhere else to go as his mission was completely different: to fill the earth with spirit. The meeting of the high priest and Alexander the Great was a meeting of strength and intelligence, where with mutual understanding and respect of one another, they decided to save Jerusalem.

What is the spirit that Shimon HaTzadik had the mission to fill the world with, and which Alexander the Great recognized? It is the higher force of love, bestowal and connection, the source force that dwells in nature above and behind our inborn egoistic forces. It is a force that any person can access depending on how much we wish to elevate such a lofty spirit above our innate self-serving one. For instance, we could say that Hitler was incapable of doing so, but Alexander the Great could. Therefore, to this day, Jews often call their children “Alexander” in honor of Alexander the Great. It is indeed a unique case like no other in history.
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“Does Attitude Shape Behavior?” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Does Attitude Shape Behavior?

There is an allegory of a sage who sat at the city gates as a man passed by. The man turned to the sage and asked: “Tell me, what kinds of people live in this city, good or bad?”

The sage replied: “Tell me about the city you’re from, what kind of people live there?”

“They are evil, cruel, and selfish,” the man replied.

“The same people live here,” the old man answered, and the man left.

Later, another man approached the gate. He asked the same question. The sage replied in the same way: “What kind of people live in your city?”

The man answered: “I have a lot of friends left in the city, and the people there are good and kind.”

The old man said, “You will find the same people here.”

In general, the kinds of people and their behaviors in our vicinity depends on us. That is, the first man stated he saw bad people, and he was told that the same awaits him in the new city. And if he had seen people as good, then he would find similar good people in the new city.

How does this mechanism work? It is based on our attitude toward society. How we relate to society is how we feel. Even if people hate us, then why do they hate us? Hatred does not just appear out of nowhere. It is rather a result of our behavior. Therefore, if we see people who hate us, we should introspect as to why that is the case. Without such introspection, we then simply justify ourselves.

We should, however, aspire to find positive feelings in ourselves and the same ones in others. Therefore, if we find out why others hate us, within ourselves, and try to change something about ourselves, then we will find how the haters themselves will change. Another way of putting it is that if we seek to help, support and encourage everyone around us, then we will see positive changes in them too.

We all play host to egoistic natures, where we each prioritize self-benefit over benefiting others, but we can seek how to show examples of an attitude that is above egoism, where we try to flip our priorities to primarily benefit others.

However, what happens if we might become infuriated at a certain act of hatred toward us and want to respond accordingly? The advice is not to do so—to rather let that rage extinguish within. It might sound forced, because despite the fact that we want to respond with our rage, we do not. In the end, though, not responding in such a situation will have a better outcome.

There are sayings that if we repress these feelings of anger and not respond in such situations then all that rage springs back much harder in other ways later. But that is when we do not apply effort to process the situation by understanding how nature is operating through the it. If we apply ourselves to such exercises consistently, then we will prevail to see more harmonious and peaceful outcomes in human behaviors thanks to an upgrade to more mature human attitudes.

We should thus develop habits of self-examination and introspection in order to develop a mature attitude to people, where we learn to forgive them, and then we will see how life will work out much more positively.
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“Can everyone heal others?” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Can everyone heal others?

There is a phenomenon that when we are close to someone we care about, our breathing and heartbeat can synchronize. For instance, when someone we care about is feeling unwell, we can hold their hand and it will alleviate their suffering. In such situations, the inner energies of one flow into the other through tactile contact, regulating their energies.

One of the important points here is that specifically a loved one can affect such a state. “A loved one” can mean in spirit, temperament or inner connection. If the two people are not close, then it is unlikely that they can operate in such a way.

Therefore, if we want to help people who are ill, we need to first attune ourselves to viewing them as close. We have it in our powers to do just that. Doing so requires feeling their inner world, the places where they are imbalanced, and trying to influence their return to a balanced state.

The healthy person in such a relationship is the one who is responsible for the one needing help. All the latter one can do is comply – an action that is also not so simple. The rest of the relationship, however, depends on the healthy person. In short, there is one whose job is to ask for help, and then the one who can help should do everything in their power to help.

One of my students asked me whether we could expand this concept to humanity, whether we could somehow help humanity through the tough times it is experiencing. It is indeed a problem. To start with, how do we know if pulling humanity out of its current state is for its best? If humanity has entered difficult states, it is for a reason. We should think about how humanity can be guided to a much better state, but exiting the descent it is in might not be the best course of action.

In the meantime, we continue studying, teaching and sharing the wisdom of Kabbalah. It offers a way out of suffering by providing the possibility to ascend through reaching out to and supporting each other. We need nothing else. If we mutually support and encourage each other, we can rise up to a new life together.

Kabbalah’s core principle is “love your neighbor as yourself,” which is also its toughest point. It means that we should increase our connection to others voluntarily, as if in the dark, i.e., when our self-serving natures feel no need to make us want to connect with other people. However, if we fail to actively seek positive human connection above our divisive drives, we are doomed.

The very moment we restrict every resistance we have to positively connecting with others is the same moment we rise above suffering. If we lag in our voluntary efforts to urge our connection above differences, then suffering will force us. The latter is like a person getting hit by a stick over and over again until he eventually lands on a path to happiness.

The wisdom of Kabbalah explains the integral laws of nature and the human being’s role in it. By learning the wisdom of Kabbalah, we can draw nature’s forces of connection that help us rise in connection above our differences. Doing so advances human consciousness ahead of the so-called “steamroller of evolution” – the natural evolutionary trajectory that leads to more and more suffering.
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“What Does ‘To Love’ Actually Mean?” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “What Does ‘To Love’ Actually Mean?

There is a saying about love: liking a flower means picking it, while loving a flower means watering it daily.

But what does it truly mean to love, to nourish a flower, so to speak? It means understanding the needs of your loved ones and fulfilling them, i.e., “watering” them. Love is about identifying what others need and providing it.

Imagine encountering a withering flower. We can revive it easily by giving it water, and then witness it perk up and come to life. Yet, what about love that seems to completely fade away, like a flower that dies? Do we lose hope, or do we continue to water it? In such a case, true love demands that we persist and continue to nurture it.

While many might argue that we need to leave the withering flowers alone, I hold that we should sustain hope and continue watering them. It is because nothing disappears in nature. Nature’s own cycles present examples of barren lands that suddenly sprout with life.

Therefore, even if we face death, a deflated existence, we can overcome such a state. How? It depends on expanding our inner feelings.

When we talk about something “coming to life,” we mean living at our level, restoring its vitalizing forces. It might sound far-fetched in our current understanding, but we can indeed reverse processes of decomposition and decay through our efforts.

Where can we find the patience for such endeavors? Nobody possesses infinite patience. We can, rather, reach an understanding of the process. If love has dwindled within us, we can revive it over a prolonged period by considering it an investment in that which we try to revive. In such cases, we should not think of the years it takes; they become inconsequential as we already live the outcome. Our efforts that we invest quickly dissolve in the face of the goal of what we try to revive. Our spirit will then penetrate this dead state, and it will sprout.

Moreover, we should never surrender in these efforts, as difficult as they become. It becomes a relentless pursuit, and it eventually turns into a true prayer. I once had a neighbor whose little son was ill with brain inflammation. I remember how, at about two or three in the morning, she knocked on my door and brought me this child, a little bundle, handed him over, and said helplessly: “Take him.” She gave up. We should never reach such a state. By never giving up, we eventually reach a genuine prayer. It is complicated, and there might be instances where it feels too late, but the message remains: never surrender in our love and care for others.
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“What Are the Benefits of Existential Questions?” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “What Are the Benefits of Existential Questions?

A group of disciples once asked their sage: “What happens after death?” The sage responded with silence. The disciples persisted, “Is there life after death or not?” The sage finally replied, “Is there life before death? That is the question.”

This is a usual response that urges us to contemplate our current existence—whether it is truly life or a form of living death.

From a corporeal standpoint, life is defined by the existence of protein matter. Whether it is the pain of being pinched or the pleasure of savoring delicious food, such experiences are part and parcel of life as protein matter.

There is, however, a higher plane of existence beyond the corporeal, where our non-corporeal matter exists. Attaining such a level requires rising above our self-serving nature and embracing the opposite altruistic non-corporeal state. If we reach such a state, then we feel true life.

We attain that non-corporeal, spiritual state when we transition from being receivers, which is our protein existence, to becoming givers at the level of our intentions. That transformation aligns with life’s true definition—one centered on giving to everyone and everything, and ultimately, to the source force of our lives: the quality of love and bestowal that we call “the Creator.”

When this existential inquiry about what happens beyond our lives awakens, we should avoid escaping from it in the myriad transient pleasures on offer in our corporeal world. Instead, we should view it as a wondrous opportunity that we can seize and develop into a whole new perception and sensation of reality. It might hurt at first, but if it gets to us, then it is a sign that we can also get to its core—and there, we can discover a whole new spiritual world of eternity and perfection.
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“Are We More or Less in Danger of Nuclear War Now Than During the Cold War?” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Are We More or Less in Danger of Nuclear War Now Than During the Cold War?

Today, there is talk that the risk of using nuclear weapons worldwide is currently at its peak since the Cold War. The nuclear-armed nations are relentlessly increasing and modernizing their weapons, showing no inclination toward negotiations, peace talks or reducing their nuclear arsenal. We used to hear about this topic a lot more in the 1970s and 1980s, but it has since faded away for some time. But the concern is back and the number of nuclear warheads in the world is rising for the first time since the Cold War.

One of the key differences in the nuclear weapon discussion today is that there is no talk about reaching any agreements, which was the case in the past. The unabated growth of egoism—the desire to enjoy at the expense of others—has made negotiating a pointless endeavor because striking a deal with one country still fails to account for 20 or so others that will not bother negotiating.

It is indeed a grim reality and there is no way out. Everyone is simply sitting on their nuclear arsenal in a state of mutual distrust. World powers continue accumulating weapons, and countries that previously had none also enter the picture.

Is there a way out of this nuclear arms race? The bleak scenario is that we will blow up the entire planet. The more hopeful one is that we will start applying connection-enriching learning to our lives, inverting our egoistic nature of self-benefit at the expense of others to its opposite—a desire to use ourselves to benefit others—and by doing so, we will either destroy weapons made to harm and kill, or repurpose them for peaceful purposes, in the process.

It seems unrealistic to think that everyone will positively connect, and that this is the solution to the increasing nuclear anxiety—because it is indeed unrealistic.

When does it become real? All we can do is keep working on ourselves to become more caring, supportive and loving, and also continue spreading the word about how to rise above our egoism to relations of mutual consideration.

I know that this is how I will live until my dying day, and then life will go on. I trust that more and more people will think in such a way, applying increasing efforts to advance a unified human consciousness until it will eventually all click into place.
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“World Kabbalah Convention, January 2024” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “World Kabbalah Convention, January 2024
World Kabbalah Convention, January 2024

We have just finished our World Kabbalah Convention with Kabbalah students attending from all around the world. Everything we did—the study, the meals, the social discussions and the songs—was aimed at a heart-to-heart connection to reach a whole prayer.

It was truly the first convention of its kind in its profound internality. It was something indeed very special, and it now serves as an example for the future.

Around the world, students connected virtually from dozens of countries, and in some cases, students traveled long distances to gather physically in mirror conventions in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, Florida, Toronto, Guadalajara, Sao Paulo, Santiago, Togo, Barcelona, Dordrecht, Vilnius, Minsk, Tbilisi, Kyiv, Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Crimea, Vladivostok, Baku, Budišov, Astana and Almaty.

In Israel, over 1,600 students gathered in our center from all over the country, including many evacuees from the north and the south, as well as many with sons and daughters serving in the army. Along with the difficult states we are experiencing in Israel and around the world, the heartfelt connection we established at this convention was sure to bring great contentment and joy to the Creator. I hope that we continue turning to the Creator, and that we will continue supporting and encouraging each other to positively connect and continue bringing the Creator contentment.

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“Human Synchronicity (The Metronome Effect)” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Human Synchronicity (The Metronome Effect)
The metronome effect provides a striking parallel to the complex tapestry of human interaction and interconnectedness. After multiple metronomes are randomly set in motion, they eventually synchronize on the same pulse.

What gives metronomes their synchronicity? It is their common foundation. Much like these pulsing devices, humanity finds itself moving in diverse directions, akin to metronomes placed on different bases. The fundamental question then arises: What foundation can unify the varied trajectories of humanity and guide us toward harmonious coexistence?

The answer is in the law of absolute interdependence. This law stipulates that every person is interconnected with others, and each action resonates with collective consequences. Accordingly, we view humanity as a global village where everyone is mutually dependent. But how do we translate such awareness into tangible behavioral change?

We cannot force a positive change of our interdependent connections. On the contrary, we need to voluntarily commit ourselves to the law of interdependence, which becomes possible when we see that negative relations in an interdependent world lead us to unbearable consequences.

Our negative attitudes to each other pave the road to a soon-approaching dead end. One way or another, we will need to undergo a shift in our attitudes to each other from negative to positive, or in other words, from egoistic and divisive to loving and caring of each other. If we fail to voluntarily embrace such a transformation, then the laws of nature, which are fundamentally altruistic laws of love, will increasingly tighten our interconnections until we feel that without changing our attitudes to each other, we will simply finish ourselves off.

The more we understand how nature operates on us and where it leads us, the more definitively we should reach the conclusion that we need to embrace a shift to positive human connections throughout humanity. The metronome effect serves as a poignant metaphor, urging us to find a common foundation and move in harmony toward a future defined by mutual consideration and love.
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“Can Our Perception Change?” (Times of Israel)

Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Can Our Perception Change?

We perceive reality through our animal-like senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. To perceive more, we need to explore beyond our five senses’ limits, breaking through into an omnipresent field existing outside of us.

We have made various technical gadgets to broaden our senses, such as telescopes, microscopes and X-ray machines. However, they do not let us perceive beyond our senses because we—their users—translate their extensive ranges into the limitations of our understanding. Otherwise, we would not comprehend what happens with these devices. We thus do not surpass the boundaries of our senses.

It does not mean, however, that we have to keep trying to invent new devices. On the contrary, we should improve and broaden our own selves.

The wisdom of Kabbalah teaches that inquiry into the meaning of life indicates a need to expand our five senses’ perception. It does not mean expanding the frequency range of each sense organ. Rather, it means entering into a new field of qualities and forces.

To fundamentally enhance our perception, we need to shift from receiving to giving, making contact with the environment outside of our senses.

Understanding that our senses limit us, tying us to our animal-like body, how can we ignore our bodies and feel life beyond them? How can we experience life undisturbed by our bodies? If we do so, then we can discuss the objective existence of whatever is out there. That is exactly what the wisdom of Kabbalah focuses on, ignoring what our bodies perceive.

Kabbalah thus dismisses various accounts of out-of-the-ordinary visions and sounds that many people experience, leaving them to others areas such as psychology. The wisdom of Kabbalah has no connection to ordinary desires, qualities and thoughts, since they belong to the quality of reception that is behind our bodily sense of reality.

Instead, the wisdom of Kabbalah concentrates on helping us exit reception and enter into bestowal. It guides us on how to exit ourselves and feel space outside bodily interferences. In Kabbalah, we call it “exiting the body and entering the spiritual world.”

It then becomes irrelevant whether or not our bodies are alive or dead. We start feeling reality with entirely different qualities, unrelated to our physical bodies. The wisdom of Kabbalah thus guides us to perceive the eternal and perfect world, and our adaptation, coexistence and consolidation in such a world also makes us eternal and perfect just like it.
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