Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “On Saadi Shīrāzī’s Verse at the UN Headquarters in New York”

A verse by the Persian poet Saadi Shīrāzī is written in gold letters and adorns the pediment of the building of the UN headquarters in New York.

          All human beings are members of one frame,
          Since all, at first, from the same essence came.
          When time afflicts a limb with pain,
          The other limbs cannot at rest remain.
          If thou feel not for other’s misery,
          A human being is no name for thee.

“All human beings are members of one frame” is similar to what we say in the wisdom of Kabbalah, that we—all of humanity—are a single soul, wholly connected “as one man with one heart.” This soul is called “Adam HaRishon” (Heb. “First Man”) in Kabbalah, a state where we are completely connected like cells and organs in an organism.

Our perception of separation and detachment comes from our egoism. We emerge from “the first essence,” as the text writes, which is our common nature, the desire to receive that we all emerge from.

Likewise, we can interpret, “When time afflicts a limb with pain, the other limbs cannot at rest remain,” that even if one part of our body is affected by egoism—the desire to enjoy for self-benefit alone—then our whole body gets sick, similar to how a cancerous cell acts in a human body.

We can say about humanity today that it is all affected by egoism, and this is actually good. What is good about it? It is that it is very close to the full recognition of egoism as an evil quality that negatively affects us all. There is a saying that the diagnosis of an illness is half of its cure, and accordingly the recognition of us being affected by egoism, feeling it like a cancerous tumor that sickens us and brings detriment to our lives, leads us to seek its cure.

Similar to how an illness in one part of the body affects the whole body, likewise the correction we need to make is one that spans the whole of humanity. It is insufficient for only a part of humanity to heal; it must be global today, since we are a globally-integrated humanity.
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Would Life Be Better without Disagreements?”

It might seem as if life would be better without disagreements because then we would have no wars and conflicts, but it is far from the case. Without disagreements, our lives would be unilateral, one-sided and humanity would be unable to develop.

In his article, “The Freedom,” Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) writes about how humanity advances through disagreements:

“We must be watchful to not bring the views of people so close that disagreement and criticism might be terminated from among the wise and scholarly, for the love of the body naturally brings with it proximity of views. And should criticism and disagreement vanish, all progress in concepts and ideas will cease, too, and the source of knowledge in the world will dry out.”

However, the need for disagreements does not necessitate war. We can settle disputes with other methods, without engaging in physical conflicts.

We end up in wars because we have yet to develop to a level where we can resolve our disputes and disagreements maturely. The way we currently resort to wars makes us look like little children.

Disagreements can serve to develop us positively if we reach decisions on them through civil discourse.

Criticism of the other’s perspective is a key aspect of a disagreement, and it is crucial for humanity’s development, as Baal HaSulam writes about in the same article. Without criticism, we would not be able to develop.

“The more contradictions there are between opinions and the more criticism there is, the more the knowledge and wisdom increase and matters become more suitable for examination and clarification.”

It is difficult for us to accept criticism because our egoistic makeup, which makes us want to view ourselves as superior to others, does not want to be criticized. But we would be very unwise to resist criticism. When we understand that the more criticism, opinions and disagreements there are, the more we can discover who, where, how and why nature formed us in such a contradictory form to itself, then the more we can reveal the truth about ourselves and our lives. In other words, through disagreements and criticism, we should aspire to truth, and we learn the truth by navigating through the intricate web of contradictory states and views.

However, since our egos cannot stand criticism, we often fail to use it constructively. We can see many examples of one side applying pressure to others until they cave in, and if they continue disagreeing, then they erupt in war. That is largely how our world unfolds. Our egos prevail over many opportunities to discuss and grow.

Criticism is constructive and positive when it leads to a mutual discussion, and ultimately, an agreement. On the contrary, when it leads to detachment, even to the point of war and destruction, then of course, it is harmful and destructive.

We see that at the end of wars, we in any case reach conclusions that we need to sit and discuss matters. War gives a certain kind of awareness of the evils of our egoistic nature, but it is nonetheless undesirable to reach such lengths of destruction and suffering in order to finally settle matters in a civilized manner. We thus need disagreements and criticism in order to progress, and we should not have to reach wars and destruction in order to awaken ourselves to progress through our own discussions and scrutinies.

If we lived in a world filled with goodness and love, we would still need criticism? Of course we would. There would be discussions and a certain common denominator reached at a level of a mutual love for one another, which would continually advance humanity among a massive number of opinions and contradictions. It is written about such a state that “love will cover all transgressions.”
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “As a Humanity, We Look Like    Playing in a Sandbox with Toys and Dolls”

Throughout human development, nature has always been giving while we have evolved egoistically, taking for ourselves. This is normal, since per nature’s plan, our evolution was meant to be self-centered for a certain period of time.

It is similar to children who grow up by taking what their parents provide. They are content with it. As the children mature, then the parents’ attitude changes toward them: “That’s it, you’re on your own now. Work, take charge of your life and face the consequences for any mistakes you make.”

We have grown up like children over millennia, but today’s world has undergone a significant shift in relation to us. Today’s world has become globally interconnected and interdependent, and it likewise demands adult-like behavior from us, i.e., that our attitudes to each other harmoniously adapt to the global interconnectedness and interdependence. Much like a person aged 20 to 25 starting to work, build a life and engage with the world on a new level, humanity has now entered adulthood.

While our nature is egoistic, prioritizing self-benefit over benefiting others and nature, we have reached a stage where we need to become independent from this nature—to choose to rise above it and construct a new society built on positive connections that we establish above our inborn egoistic ones.

We have selfishly evolved over thousands of years and today we need to connect on a new foundation, by exercising mutual support, responsibility and consideration in our relations. If we remain unwilling to adjust our attitudes according to nature’s new demands for us, then we will face the consequences: myriad forms of suffering entering our lives on personal, social, global and ecological scales.

We have transitioned into adulthood, but we resist this transition. As children, we had no obligations, but as adults, we face the burden of taking responsibility for our lives. However, we still wish to cling to the toys and games of our childhood, and make no progress in upgrading our attitudes to each other. It actually looks quite disturbing, as if we are adults still sitting in a sandbox, playing with toy trucks and dolls.

Also, it is not limited to ordinary folk; the world’s leading and esteemed figures are just as reluctant to outgrow this phase. They claim that there is enough to play with—stocks, money, cars, wine and movies, to name a few: “Why bother with mutual responsibility when we have enough toys to play with?”

This is a major problem. Due to our unwillingness to upgrade our attitudes to each other in order to match today’s new globally interconnected and interdependent conditions, we endure many blows that we would otherwise be able to alleviate. As we continue avoiding this transition, increasing suffering will act as a constant reminder that we will have to eventually get out of the sandbox. It is my hope that we manage to do so sooner rather than later.
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Who Is the Biggest Enemy of Israel?”

There is currently widespread sympathy for Palestinians, which in many cases leads to a one-sided stance against Israel. Several countries have taken drastic steps: some have recalled their ambassadors, while certain large websites in China have gone as far as erasing Israel from maps. In Columbia, there were celebrations staged in support of Hamas. There are even instances like Spain announcing a solidarity strike in their education system for Gaza. After an immense display of support for Israel following the tragic attacks on October 7, how did the tide turn so quickly?

Hatred spreads effortlessly. This trend was not unforeseen; it was brewing beneath the surface. The current actions against Israel in several nations thus come as no surprise.

The question on the lips of many Israelis and Israel supporters is indeed how can this negative perception be altered? The answer is in our own attitudes toward each other.

On the surface, the protests against Israel are in relation to Israel’s offensive in Gaza. However, it is not the core reason. They awaken in such a way because of our inadequate treatment of each other.

Something is stirring within them, an awakening not of earthly origin but seemingly from the heavens. It is a call for us, as Jews, to unite, to stand as brothers, to draw closer together.

If we manage to come together, our unity will resonate and calm the opposing forces incited against us. It is not a battle of “us versus them.” It is rather a battle of us against a higher force that seeks our unity.

This higher force, in its intricate plan, desires for us to come together like a single family. If we make no moves in this unifying direction, then adversaries appear as instruments through which the higher force tries to convey this message to us.

One way or another, we will need to realize our unity. The conflict we face is not solely with external threats like terrorists. It is an internal struggle, a battle against our own discord.

Therefore, while we are at war, we need to proceed with what is necessary on the ground. Yet, concurrently, we should focus on harnessing all of our energies to combat anything that divides the people of Israel.
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “How Can Israel Sustain its Newfound Unity after a Year of Division?”

Since the October 7 attack, we are not expressing hatred toward each other because our pain is much greater. But we are not far from how things were before October 7. We could return to that previous state in a matter of days.

It is also important to note that our divisiveness throughout the year weakened us and strengthened those who wished to attack us. A captured Hamas terrorist who participated in the October 7 attacks stated how the ongoing protests and demonstrations in Israel encouraged Hamas during their preparations for the attack.

When outside influences that pressure the formation of our unity move away, internal feelings of hatred resurface. We might believe that coming closer during tough times lets us develop while maintaining that closeness. However, this idea is incorrect.

We need to undergo a reset and rebuild our unity from scratch, without external pressure dictating our actions but out of our own choice to live in a common connection to each other, with a spirit of unity, support, care, encouragement and closeness dwelling in our relations.

When we are in a conflict of opinions, we need to equally respect those who we are against, acknowledging that they might also be right and have their own opinions, and that their opinions represent other people and citizens. Thus, we indeed should take heed to treat each other with more kindness.

Unity means that we are ready to set aside our own opinions in order to unite with others.
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Why Human Civilization With Its Progress Still Hasn’t Resolved Wars and Horrors”

There is a thought-provoking anecdote about the development of human civilization. A plane crash survivor lands on an island inhabited by cannibals. These cannibals, led by an intelligent European-looking chief, plan to feast on the survivor. The survivor, bewildered by the chief’s apparent culture, asks, “Aren’t you influenced by civilization?” The chief’s response? “Sure, I’ve been influenced. When I eat you, I’ll do it with class—using a plate, fork and seasonings. It’ll be quite sophisticated.”

This story makes us think about why civilization has truly failed to stop wars and horrors.

Civilization needs an inside job. That is, to change human civilization for the better starts from changing the person from within. In fact, there are no horrors. The so-called horrors we witness are just people displaying their inherent egoistic human nature, which is enjoyment at the expense of others. That nature is what needs fixing. No matter where we look, on personal, social, international and global scales, human egoism is out of balance.

If people were given the freedom to harm each other, exempt from punishment and with no injurious consequences of their actions, then we would see immense barbarity. Also, together with such barbarity, we would also see people using plates, forks, knives and spoons when they eat, simply out of habit.

Besides wars and barbarism, we see our egoistic human nature playing out in much of what we consider normal and appreciated in our lives. For instance, take a sports stadium packed with dozens of thousands of people, some of them rooting for one team, and the others rooting for another. It shows how we fundamentally stand against each other.

Our readiness to root for one side while simultaneously devouring the other is the point within us that needs changing. I would personally put an end to such events, i.e., any kinds of competitive events that foster hatred and superiority.

I am not against competition in general, just that which breeds hate. We should put our heads together to create competitive events that do not emphasize who is bigger, better, faster and stronger, but that let us seek the success of unity above our egoistic and divisive nature.

If we set ourselves on such a course to compete against our egoistic nature in order to elevate unity above it, then we would eventually find that we have no need for borders between countries or any other forms that segregate people. However, first, within these borders, we need to undergo this correction: that we compete to rise above our egoistic nature, our hatred of others, and create an atmosphere of love, mutual consideration and positive connection above egoism.

Eventually, we would find that we are a single nation spread worldwide. The difference between the way this concept plays out here compared to others who have tried to implement such a vision is that their mistake was trying to build a collective transformation without changing the egoistic human nature dwelling within each person. They ignored the inherent evil within us. We rather need change within us before any collective transformation.

Today, we have reached a stage where we can learn from these past mistakes, that the use of force to build societies leads to nothing positive. However, we have yet to build a true human civilization.

Civilization means realizing the importance of strong positive connections above our inborn egoistic nature. That is the core of it. When we prioritize such connections, we align ourselves with nature’s laws of interconnectedness and interdependence, and we then come to sense a new harmonious and peaceful world open up to us.
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “What Does Unity Mean?”

Unity is a new reality that we have no clue about. It is a new matter that we have yet to sense and it possesses spiritual qualities of love and bestowal. When we incorporate and live in this matter, we start discovering a different new dimension of existence. It is as if we find ourselves on a different planet. However, it is not a physical change of location but the revelation of a new inner quality of love and bestowal that brings about this unity.

Unity thus does not simply mean mutual connection, good relations or a sense of confidence that emerges from being around other people. It is rather the revelation of a new quality that does not exist in our world. When we obtain this quality, we align ourselves with nature’s laws, which are fundamentally laws of love, bestowal and connection. It is a revelation in our mind and feelings, one of our unity with nature.

While people generally think positively about unity, it is still not treated with such a high level of significance. Reaching such a state of unity is the purpose of human life, and it is within our abilities to achieve. About reaching such unity, it is written, “We will do and we will hear.” That is, we can apply certain efforts in order to unite, and by doing so, reach a genuine request to unite. And when we reach such a request, called a “prayer,” then we attain our higher unified state.

Humanity constantly develops to this state of unity, and it will become revealed to all. The new matter that will become revealed within people’s unity is the spiritual quality of love and bestowal. The very moment we discover this quality in our connections, we reveal spiritual existence, one where we unite with the quality of love and bestowal dwelling in our connections.

It might seem far fetched that people who are so different to each other in a multitude of ways end up reaching a state of unity. However, unity precisely plays out above divisions, differences, oppositions and inner distances to each other. No matter what surfaces in our innate desires that differentiate and divide us, we can apply a common yearning to unite above them all, and the more we organize ourselves in such a direction—caring about uniting above everything that separates us—the more we draw the spiritual forces into our world that act positively on us in order to make this unity a reality.
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “Why Does Antisemitism Seem So Acceptable in Today’s World?”

Antisemitism acts as a law of nature. The more the Jewish people are divided among themselves, the more they activate supernatural forces that awaken hatred toward them in people’s hearts all around the world. Such hatred then overshadows any facts and evidence that might seemingly serve to portray the Jewish people in a positive light.

Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) wrote about this antisemitic tendency in his “Writings of the Last Generation”:

“It is a fact that Israel is hated by all the nations, whether for religious, racial, capitalist, communist, or for cosmopolitan reasons, etc. It is so because the hatred precedes all reasons, but each merely resolves its loathing according to its own psychology.

In the same text, Baal HaSulam goes on to discuss how the unity of the Jewish people, and the global spreading of the unity that Jews establish, is the solution to dissipating the hatred toward them, replacing it with a positive unified spirit that leads to global peace and harmony.

The more people feel problems and crises entering their lives in a variety of ways, the more antisemitism rises. It is because the solution to all problems is ultimately the awakening and spreading of nature’s positive unifying force throughout humanity. Antisemitism is thus a form of pressure on a certain blockage that is not letting this unity to arise.

The Jewish people originally became known as “the people of Israel” and later as “the Jews” because they implemented Abraham’s method of uniting above their divisive drives, and in their unity, they discovered the single positive force dwelling in nature. Today, when darkness expands throughout the world in an array of increasing problems and crises, there is a subconscious feeling in many people around the world that somehow Jews are to blame for their troubles, and it stems from this need for unity to prevail—first among the Jewish people, and then in humanity at large. Therefore, there will be no peace until Jews unite “as one man with one heart” above their divisions.

Antisemitism is an eternal and inevitable phenomenon that is impossible to escape. However, if we Jews change our attitudes to each other, becoming more positively connected, loving and supportive of one another, then the forces of nature will influence and change people all around the world in a direction of support and respect for the Jewish people. When people feel a unifying spirit entering their lives, the problems and crises that they experience today will disappear and become replaced with a new positive atmosphere—a thriving, harmonious and peaceful world.

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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “The Power of Unity: The Need to Transform Israel’s Relations Inside and Out”

On one hand, we find ourselves in a situation where after being brutally attacked, we need to retaliate, according to the principle, “If someone comes to kill you, rise up and kill him first.” That is, since we have been struck, we need to defend ourselves and fight back. This is part of our correction.

We have been in a situation of providing for Gazans, and yet it has proven itself to be a flammable and explosive mixture we keep by our side. Such a setup is unacceptable anywhere in the world. The time has thus come to deal with this territory, otherwise in the future, we will have to deal with it on a larger scale.

However, it is just one front against us, and we see nations all around us wishing for our destruction, from Hezbollah in the north, to the Houthis in Yemen, and of course, Iran. So while we defend ourselves in the current state out of necessity, we need to remember that there is ultimately only one action we can do to resolve these many tensions: We, the people of Israel, need peace, unity and understanding among ourselves. We will then cease the tensions not only with our neighbors, but in general, all problems and crises will then disappear from the world.

I regularly discuss the need for the people of Israel’s unity because I trust that it is how we can bring ourselves and the world to a better state.

The core of the terrible pressures Israel face from its neighbors is due to the fact that we do not give the world what we need to give.

What do we need to give the world? We need to provide a shining example of unity.

If we engage in acts of hatred among each other, such as the protests and demonstrations we busied ourselves with all year long until the tragic attacks on October 7, then our internal divisiveness will reflect back to us from other people and nations. In other words, our internal hatred, which flared up before the war, led to this war we are now in and to the way our enemies behave with us.

In principle, our enemies are not enemies. We enable their attitudes and actions toward us through our attitudes toward each other.

We thus need to convince ourselves that we need to reach a common love for each other. Then, there will be calm: no more people or nations will want to rise up against us.

Peace with our neighbors and with the world at large depends on how we, the several million Jews who live here, can construct ourselves into a unified society that blossoms with relations of mutual consideration, love, support and encouragement. The Torah discusses our mission as such, and I have been certain of it for decades.

It is written that “no calamity comes to the world but for Israel” (Yevamot 63). The attacks on October 7 were the worst we have endured since the Holocaust, and if we fail to learn to live with a united spirit dwelling among us—thereby also serving this unified spirit to the world—then we can expect even worse attacks and wars in the future.
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Michael Laitman on the Times of Israel: “What Is the Difference between Eastern and Western Civilizations?”

There are currently no clearly defined civilizations. Broadly speaking, Eastern civilizations are more committed to religion while Western civilizations deal more with issues of their material existence. There is thus a big difference between them.

There are people in Eastern civilizations who care deeply about preserving their spiritual values, and who are ready to fight for them. On the contrary, Western civilization generally wishes to preserve its modern materialistic form that it has developed. It is very difficult for these two inclinations to establish a common ground.

Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), in his article “The Solution,” discusses two opposing forces in nature that developed the material universe:

“There is a positive force, meaning constructive, and a negative force, meaning negative and destructive. They create and complement the entire reality in general and particular through their harsh and perpetual war with one another.”

The spiritual and material inclinations play out in humanity through the Eastern and Western civilizations. It is in the structure of their souls, that there is a certain interplay of positive and negative forces leading to the revelation of higher states of unity and the emergence of new creations.

We do not know how long this confrontation will last, but we see no end to it in the near future. However, Kabbalists describe that humanity, in its future final state, will emerge as a single unified entity in perfect alignment with nature’s laws: a new harmonious and peaceful world with the sublime force of love, bestowal and connection in full revelation to all. Achieving such a state depends on constructing positive connections throughout society above our self-centered divisive drives.

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