“Conquer yourself and you will win thousands of battles.” (Buddha)

Question: What do you mean by “conquer yourself”?

Answer: By conquering yourself I mean that I do not follow my egoistic aspirations and impulses, but still try to arrange them in accordance to the purpose of creation. And naturally, by doing so, I win thousands of battles against my ego, which constantly pulls me in different directions and makes me fail.

Question: So one way or another, the ego plunges me in war the whole time? Is this how it works?

Answer: Yes. And you should be lying on the couch motionless and only contemplate how you enter the deeper layers of the universe. By that, you will accomplish everything.

Question: Enter the deeper layers of the universe, what does it mean?

Answer: Finding the goal of creation and aligning yourself with it in all your qualities.

Question: So this egoism of mine, understanding that I am an egoist, that my nature is egoism, what am I to do about it? Do I try to build something above it?

Answer: Above it, of course. You do not want to follow it, but be above it, above the egoistic nature. When I do not try to meddle in my thoughts, desires, motives, and selfish aspirations, but rather be inclined to see whether this would be good for the whole world.

Question: That is, for others and not for myself?

Answer: Yes.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/15/21

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Question: Passover celebration. It tells how the Jewish people came out of Egyptian slavery. In fact, for Kabbalists, it sounds different. We have our egoism—our nature, and here we talk about how we get out of this egoism.

Now I have the feeling that this is not a Jewish holiday but a world holiday, especially considering the events that have happened in the world.

What does Passover mean for the world? How do you feel about it?

Answer: The world feels bad. But It does not know the reason for it. It also does not know the cure for the fact that it feels bad. Like a child, it feels bad and that is all. There is no recognition of evil, that is, the cause of the suffering.

The reason for suffering is in the big, sudden increase in egoism, which sometimes freezes a little and then, suddenly grows with a jerk.

Question: So can you say that the world now feels like it is inside the Egyptian slavery, under the slavery of egoism?

Answer: It just depends on how people feel. They just feel bad.

Question: So, has the Passover celebration reached humanity yet?

Answer: I do not think it is quite right to call it a celebration. The world does not feel that its egoism is the cause of all its suffering.

This is necessary! If we begin to look closely at our egoistic nature, at how we treat each other, then we can conclude that our whole world is evil because we are so egoistic, because we wish evil to each other, we are in opposition, in contradiction, in conflict, with each other: internal, external, and so on. We are in the slavery of this egoistic force that guides us, twists us, and pushes us.

To realize the evil of our nature is the most important thing. Because after that, we can already come to an understanding of how to get rid of it.

Question: If we assume that a person begins to feel this, what are his thoughts? How does he get rid of this? Except for the inner cry: “I want to get rid of it! I do not want to be egoist!” What else does he need?

Answer: Nothing! Just demand that nature change us. Nothing else. We do not have to make any extra effort, because there is really nothing we can do. If we are inside egoism, then any of our attempts and actions will still be egoistic, and by this we will only deceive ourselves.

What we can do is get together, discuss our condition, come to the conclusion that it is simply terrible, and there is no way for us to get rid of it ourselves unless we can convince our nature to leave us alone, that we do not want to be dominated by egoism. Take away from us this alien will, this upper force, so that it does not command each of us and does not collide us with each other!

Question: Then, will the person have the feeling that he is under the rule of the Pharaoh?

Answer: Yes. In the slavery of the evil force of nature. Then he will begin to understand this story correctly. He will begin to treat it correctly, that in fact, this evil nature is created specifically, by a positive force, the Creator. Then we turn to Him personally, so that He removes this evil nature from us.

If we convince the Creator to remove this evil egoistic force from us that pushes us against each other and does not give us peace, then it will become a truly global celebration in which everyone is interconnected, in which everyone begins to treat each other correctly, with love, with awareness, with the understanding that we are one single system.

Question: What is called “the exit of the people from slavery”? The people—is it the whole world?

Answer: Absolutely the whole world.

Question: Who is the leader that leads them? The Torah says Moshe, Moses—what is it?

Answer: This is from the word “Moshech”—pulling out. It is a force that pulls people out of their egoism. This power comes from above. The power of awareness of the evil we were in, and the power of good, which we can be in.

Question: Do you think that humanity should reach out to this force?

Answer: Everyone should feel that they are shouting, that they want it. Nothing more is needed. There is no need to follow any people, leaders, deliverers, moshiach(s), and so on. Nothing needed.

Question: What is freedom then? After all, this is a celebration of freedom.

Answer: Freedom from egoism, freedom from the fact that you are always under the influence of evil, and it is your inner evil that pushes you to be evil to others. This is all a celebration of liberation. This is the spring festival.

Only egoism is the cause of our suffering. There is nothing else. There are only two forces in the world: positive and negative.

Question: Why don’t we just hit this point?

Answer: We do not want to, we put our hands and feet up, just to avoid getting close to it, because we are all egoists. Only in egoism do I feel myself and the whole world. I cannot imagine how to feel the world outside of this quality.

Question: In principle, does the wisdom of Kabbalah speak only about this—how to feel who you are, your nature, and how to get out of it?

Answer: Yes.

Question: How to get people to start doing it?

Answer: If we do not want to, we will be forced to. But it is going to be all fine.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 3/22/21

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Comment: In Yuval Noah Harari’s book 21 Lessons for the 21st century, he writes that today a computer could cope with the work of a driver, a banker, and a lawyer.

My Response: Absolutely with all problems, because we ourselves are also a computer. If we take away the sensory part, then our mechanical computer will cope with everything else,

Comment: The author writes that in the near future, artificial intelligence will replace humans in medicine, managing transportation, and even will be able to recognize all our emotions and influence them.

My Response: This is already happening today. I don’t even know if it makes sense now to study for ten years to become a doctor because during this time the machine will replace you completely.

Comment: This means that doctors and laboratory technicians will only be engaged in innovative research to create new artificial intelligences and the entire class of maintenance (service) that cannot be retrained will simply disappear.

My Response: It will be disposed of. It will not just disappear as an unemployed class. They will try to make sure it is gone.

Comment: It turns out if before, the future of the person was tied to a profession, today people are in complete confusion since all current professions will cease to exist.

My Response: Yes, the majority of professions will disappear very quickly. People will be replaced with machines. Factories will be created for the production of biomass from which everything you want will be produced. If you want a steak, steak will be made for you now, the machine will print it. And so on. The only thing that will remain is the work of attaining the upper force.
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From KabTV’s “Challenges of the 21st Century” 4/24/19

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Question: A writer asks, “Please tell us about suicide among children. How can I explain to a child that it is wrong and that one shouldn’t have such thoughts? At a neighboring school, a girl jumped from a high-rise building. There are two versions of why this occurred: the first is unrequited love, the second is the influence of the Internet, and that she was driven to it. How should we talk to teenagers? How can we prevent this from happening? Or is it the fate of a person?”

Answer: We must understand that a teenager is a small person who must attain the world gradually. Just like when we are born. At first, we are completely inside the mother. Then we “stick our head out.” We begin to comprehend a little, inside our crib, our room, in the apartment, and so on.

Today a child before he even begins to walk and can only reach for something by crawling around a small area is exposed to a huge world around him. He is put in the car and driven around, pushed about in a stroller, parents turn on TV, music, and video, whatever. All sorts of complicated toys are pushed on him.

That is, the boundaries of the world are being opened for him while he’s not ready for it and does not want it! Nature hasn’t prepared him for it yet. So he’s confused and doesn’t know what to do. Therefore, he is under pressure from these new concepts around him that he is not ready for. And that’s the problem.

Thus, many kids can’t handle it. They don’t have enough inner strength. All these external stimuli affect them in such a way that children simply lose control. And when they are nonetheless exposed to some negative movies or something else, they perceive them as real and very easily contemplate suicide.

We should prohibit and restrict them! For the first two years I would not expose a child to outside stimuli. Only the natural things that he can see and hear around him, this is what he should be exposed to. The sounds and images around him, all that is there, let him see it all. But no screens. No computer or TV.

Question: So, are you a big proponent of the careful, gradual exposure of children to this life?

Answer: I want a child to develop a normal psyche to the size of the world in which he exists. Whatever he can reach, this is what he should be comfortable with.

The rest is for later. By then, all sorts of mechanisms are already in place. You can already explain things to him, talk to him, give him certain literature, and show him things. Yet even then, I would start with history, geography, some earthly things. Rather than these terrible children’s programs which are built completely on fiction, and on a terrible, distorted one at that. They show violence and anger. It is just unbelievable!

Children’s programs are the most violent ones. The child looks at that and thinks that this is the reality of our world. So why not jump from the tenth floor? He sees these leaps on TV every day in children’s programs.

That is, we have no idea what a distorted picture of reality we bring into his world. So what do you expect? We need to remove all of it. Completely!

Question: Are you in favor of such tough measures?

Answer: I am for raising a healthy generation.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/11/21

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Comment: At the beginning of the year, the first Civil Code in the country’s history has come into force in the People’s Republic of China. Citizens are gaining points. Of course, there is a tracking system installed.

You have a starting point of one thousand points. And you either gain more and go up or lower down. Points are earned for charity, caring for elderly relatives, good relations with neighbors, helping the poor, supporting the government, committing a heroic deed, and so on.

Points are deducted for traffic violations, unsatisfactory parental support, spreading rumors and fake news on the Internet, insincere apologies for crimes committed, participation in sects, protests against the authorities, etc.

Those with high scores will have priority in school admission, fast work promotions, fast advancement in the queue for public housing, etc. Those with low scores will be deprived of the right to hold a position in public offices, will be prone to public censure, etc.

Those who issue these laws claim that this is the only way to make people honest, kind, and open. That is, this is the way they want to educate people!

My Response: Such an educational system is unsuitable for the new world.

Question: In general, what about an educational system based on suppression, on fear?

Answer: It is necessary for the initial development of any society! Just like with man: we restrict him, he must be supervised by his elders who must be responsible for his actions, that is, they must restrict him, punish him, and so on.

Question: Should we build an educational system based on the national character?

Answer: No. If we are talking about the educational system that the world needs today, then we should not take into account any national characteristic, mentality, nothing.

We just need to gain and spread in the world the knowledge that only connection, simple connection among people—when each person understands that his good future lies only in his connection with other people—only such education can bring humanity to order.

Man will find happiness when he begins to draw closer to others, and in this understanding he begins to feel more confident, more comfortable, and he will see the future.

People should simply understand that they are in a single system—not Chinese and not Soviet— but in the system of nature that wants only one thing: that we stay in unity among us.

Question: And then a person himself, on his own, without any points, will treat the elderly well and will not slander?

Answer: Of course, it goes without saying.

Question: Is it possible? After all, a person is what he is.

Answer: Nowadays, because of the pandemic and other problems including pressures that will descend into our world more and more on a bigger scale, it is possible. It is thanks to this that it is possible.

Question: That is, the intensification of suffering makes it possible to explain to a person that we need to be on good terms with each other?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Why don’t we hear then?

Answer: No one has yet explained this to us. We have not yet reached such a state to feel and to understand that we need this. And suffering will be added. A virus will be followed by another virus, problems will be followed by other problems.

Man will not perish. Man will bear everything! Animals will die out, plants will die out, stones will melt, but humans will not.

Question: Man will come out of this state?

Answer: Yes. It will happen when he says: “That is it, I am ready! Even my heart of stone has melted. I am ready to get closer to others!”

I have absolute confidence in this. And so it will be. Hopefully, if not this year, then next one, but still I hope to live to see this.

Question: And then it will start as an epidemic, a good, kind one?

Answer: Yes. Because people will have no other way out anyway. They are already beginning to see darkness: there is fog ahead, then twilight, then night, and then an abyss. And then a gradual, really gradual, awakening will begin.

Question: And what is needed to come out of this?

Answer: It is very simple: just be together so we do not get lost one by one.

Question: And then the abyss recedes?

Answer: Absolutely!
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/1/21

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Question: A student wrote: “I saw the video on YouTube ‘How to overcome shame?’ Tell me, please, what should I do? Due to the coronavirus, I lost my business and have huge debts to banks; I have a rented apartment and a young child. How can I not to lose the human in myself? With stress, depression, panic attacks, and insomnia, how does one deal with a temporary difficult life situation? You have accurately described my state of mind.”

Answer: I advise you to turn off your brain and nerves, to act absolutely mechanically, rationally. What life requires of me today, I must do, without paying attention to what will happen the day after tomorrow and even, maybe, tomorrow. The main thing is today! Understand me correctly, and then you will understand how our world should be realized.

We should not think about tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we should not make any plans for huge changes. We should just think about how at every moment we can be useful to ourselves and to our loved ones, and if we have the correct understanding of the future world, maybe somehow share this with others.

Without overly reasonable and philosophical fabrications, keep it as simple as possible.

And you will see such a new path, along which you can safely walk, like in a park, and no one will bother you. And if, as it seems to you, they bother you, delve deeper into this path. You will see how everything will resolve and make room for your simple life. And so you will get out of all these problems.

The main thing is to live uncomplicated in our time, in this pandemic. And this attitude will lead you to the wisest thoughts and actions.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 2/1/21

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Comment: Veterinarians say that animals today have a large number of diseases due to depression. There used to be a tiny textbook of 50 pages about pet diseases and now they fill 500 pages.

I read in a Russian veterinary textbook: “Animals that have a sufficiently high intellect (dogs, cats) are moping.” As if they are talking about a person: “If it is gloomy and cold outside the window and the house is the same, they are moping. If the owner is in a hurry to walk them, and it is a compulsory program for him, and there is no joy in it, the animals are moping. When the owner himself is in a bad mood, irritable, the animal feels lonely.”

It seems that they are not talking about animals but about a person.

My Response: Of course, they have a soul.

Question: They say that we are giving them everything. That is, they are victims of all our experiences, hatred, and what is happening in the world.

Answer: Animals feel a lot. A lot! Much more than a human being. Man can forget, he can be distracted, he has such systems. But animals do not. They directly feel what the owner has. And so it lies down next to you, puts its muzzle on your leg, and looks into your eyes, and that is it, there is nothing else for him. You are its god. This is creepy! We do not understand it, we do not sympathize, and we neglect it.

Question: Because we do not really feel like we have a master?

Answer: Yes. We do not have such an example.

Question: What can this teach us? Can we feel responsible?

Answer: In the end, we all influence each other. Still, vegetative, animate, and human nature are related. So even their suffering is connected to ours, and we still feel it at our level. So there are many diseases and many problems that we could treat if we paid attention to animals. That is, through animals to heal people, at this level, we could not allow these depressions and all these problems to spread further. But we cannot appreciate it and accept it. In our hearts, we do not understand cats or dogs.

Question: Can we say that animals actually appeared to cure us of all these conditions?

Answer: We must accept the animals that live next to us as a part of ourselves and begin to realize that we can heal and correct ourselves through them.

Question: So you generally humanize them?

Answer: No, I just understand the interaction of animals with humans, how much an animal empathizes and how much it complements man and passes human experiences and corrections through itself.

Question: What do you mean by corrections?

Answer: I mean that if a person pays more attention to the animal that is next to him, he will correct himself through the animal. Why not? At the same time, you give him your part: a little from your heart, a little from your soul.

Question: And after that, if I live like this, I begin slowly to treat others like that?

Answer: Of course. And not necessarily others. Through it, through this dog or cat, or whatever you have. You give out your good attitude to the world by doing this! This is already your correction. Look how they expect this from you, demand it. They have no ulterior thoughts; they are still at the animal level.

I think that animals, if we treat them correctly, can help us become human.
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From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 1/2/21

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Comment: It is no secret that people want to be happy. Some say: “Happiness is when you are understood. Happiness is when you love. Happiness is when you are loved. Happiness is when everyone around you is healthy.” Everyone has their own understanding of happiness.

The great Kabbalist Baal HaSulam says it in such a way that one is dumbfounded: “There is no happier state in man’s world than when he finds himself despaired with his own strength. That is, he has already labored and done all that he could possibly imagine he could do, but found no remedy. It is then that he is fit for a wholehearted prayer for His help because he knows for certain that his own work will not help him.”

“As long as he feels some strength of his own, his prayer will not be whole because the evil inclination rushes first and tells him, ‘First you must do what you can, and then you will be worthy of the Creator.’”

My Response: Yes. Happiness is when I gave my best to the end and made sure that I have no strength. In general, I am nobody and nothing, in noway, and nowhere. Here, because of it, I have the opportunity to turn to the Creator.

This comes from the thought of creation. After a person is convinced that he has nothing in his hands, but he has a long way that he has come, sought, and suffered, tried to make something of himself, and sees that he is not able, then he turns to the Creator.

You feel that you have nothing else besides the Creator. You must appeal to Him and persuade, beg, plead, or simply force, force, demand disclosure.

Question: Is this moment a moment of happiness?

Answer: Yes. The whole way was toward the revelation of the Creator because all that you wanted on your spiritual path was to acquire the property of bestowal and love. Only you could not turn to the Creator correctly. Now you did it.

Today people are already tormented, and it is possible for them to hear it. If we did not fool ourselves with the media and everyone else, then we could quietly explain what happiness is.

All the way—one goes to prayer. Because first, we ourselves do not have this property, and second, we only have the egoistic property to receive (minus). We do not have the second property—to give to others (plus). In order to exist in the entire universe normally, correctly, we need these two properties. Besides that, there is a balance between them so that we understand how to act.

Then with the help of minus and plus, receiving and giving, at every level, in every state, we will be able to properly regulate ourselves and we will feel ourselves in a state of absolute balance.

Question: Is our entire path to gain a plus? We have a minus?

Answer: Purchase a plus. But while acquiring a plus, we must at the same time acquire a methodology for using these two forces—the so-called middle line.

Question: Is this what is called a movement toward the property of bestowal and love? Is this really the world correction?

Answer: Yes.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 1/4/21

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Comment: “From what I hear from Michael Laitman, the Creator wants us to love Him. Not each other, no, but Him. This is just an excuse: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” In fact, the Creator wants us to love Him. What kind of jealous Creator does Laitman have? ”

My Response: It is said that He is jealous, cruel in His jealousy. The Creator is jealous of everything that is not directed at Him. The fulfillment that comes to a person from the Creator is incomparable with anything. And if a person is distracted from this, then, of course, the Creator here expresses His jealousy.

Question: So the Creator tells us: “You have no idea how much I have prepared for you, and you are wasting your love …” So, He seems to be saying that earthly love does not exist?

Answer: It is only given to us in order to come to an unearthly love.

Question: And in order to turn us to Him, He gives us all kinds of suffering, pain, and so on?

Answer: He does not give that to us, He just shows us His love, which we reject. And we feel this love, rejected by us, as suffering. And that’s all.

Question: So only love comes from Him?

Answer: Yes. And if you reject it, you turn it into suffering.

Question: What to do? What does He call us to? We do not see Him, we do not know Him, and we do not feel Him.

Answer: It doesn’t matter. You are given the opportunity to position yourself as needed in relation to Him. There is nothing else in nature.

Question: But is it necessary or not necessary to fulfill the earthly feelings first?

Answer: They should help us to get closer to the connection between ourselves, and to organize this connection between ourselves as much as possible in the quality of bestowal and love.

Question: Is this the desire of the upper one?

Answer: Yes.

Question: And then He will stop being jealous?

Answer: There is no jealousy, this is a completely different level—the level of absolute love.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 1/18/21

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My new article on Linkedin “Mastering Human Connection”

The world is advancing towards a more interconnected state, towards reciprocity and integration. One who already perceives this trend of development can pass along to others the spirit of connection. We bear witness to the signs of humanity’s ripening process which has been accelerated by the pandemic. Complete maturity will be reached only when we rise to the level of love of others. The transition period toward it can be either painful or pleasant depending on our level of willing participation in ushering in that positive change.

What can move us towards a state of emotional closeness and harmony despite all the legitimate disagreements? Each of us as a “connection cultivator” must constantly put before his or her eyes one principle: in order to influence someone for the better, I must first connect with the person in sympathy, praise, and understanding, while thinking together how to further improve mutual care and reciprocity. In other words, we each must put into practice love of others to create the most fertile ground for a gratifying existence.

Until now, we have let our inborn selfish nature dominate our thoughts and actions in life. The more we continue in that direction the more we distance ourselves from the essential unifying law of nature, which leads to everyone’s suffering as the division proliferates. Thus, the ongoing virus outbreak is conducting us towards a more conscious society, one that is aware of our interdependence so that our aspirations for a better future bear fruit.

How can we yield ideal results in our human relationships and cohesion? First of all it is important to realize that every person acts as a type of receiver and transmitter. We constantly receive messages, process them within ourselves, and transmit them. So when I start thinking about good connections and complementary relationships between people, a field of positive feeling already spreads around me, even without words.

Moreover, in order to increase the positive impact in the circles among which we move throughout life, first and foremost we need to assess our surrounding environment. This means we need to check the current situation of the people we associate with, the state they aspire to reach, what they would consider success, and how they define a good future. Then, we need to build an outreach action plan based on that vision that is tailored to them and offer to deepen the mutual connection as a means of helping them realize those goals.

This kind of sensitivity to the needs and aspirations of others is relevant in our relations with our children and family members, as well as with friends and colleagues at work. It might also be related to improved health, career and business success, to better relationships—in reality, to anything and everything. Whatever the exact situation, the principle is always the same: first understand where the people are and what they are aiming for, and then think about how to demonstrate them that through good connections between people around can they achieve their goals.

In order to better understand what is meant by the word “connection”, let’s consider the family circle for the sake of illustration. What does a connected family look like? It is a place where everyone feels open to each other, willing to understand and support each other, without having to defend or hide from anyone. A family must be a unit in which the atmosphere is like a warm, gentle cloud encircling everyone.

If we want to broaden our perspective, we can go one step further and try to envisage how differently our country would be run with this connection-focused approach. If people could sit together and connect in the same way as within a family, our societies would behave in a vastly different manner. Instead of fighting from morning to evening in such ruthless ways, there would be more peaceful interactions between us every step of the way.

What can move us towards a state of emotional closeness and harmony despite all the legitimate disagreements? Each of us as a “connection cultivator” must constantly put before his or her eyes one principle: in order to influence someone for the better, I must first connect with the person in sympathy, praise, and understanding, while thinking together how to further improve mutual care and reciprocity. In other words, we each must put into practice love of others to create the most fertile ground for a gratifying existence.
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