Question: What is the Kabbalistic meaning of the holiday of Shavuot?

Answer: The meaning of the holiday of Shavuot is the receiving of the instruction for revealing the Creator to the people living in our world. This is the Torah, or more precisely, the science of Kabbalah.

Shavuot is unique among all holidays because we received from above, through certain people, the revelation of the method that provides the foundation for revealing the Creator to people in our world. This method is called the Torah, or Kabbalah, or the true Torah.

Essentially, this is the only thing we need to achieve in this world. It is the goal we should strive for. Everything else is transient. Therefore, I very much hope that people, year by year, especially in connection with this holiday, will increasingly understand its significance.

Question: If we delve a little deeper into the essence of this holiday, why was it necessary to bring people to a state of hatred? As it is said: the children of Israel stood around Mount Sinai.

Answer: It had to be this way; otherwise, we do not feel the need for the method of connection within us.

If we feel that we can reach the highest level of our development—on the level of the Creator—as if on the top of a mountain, which can only be climbed if we overcome Sinai (the state of hatred between us), then the method of overcoming mutual hatred, mutual rapprochement, which allegorically represents climbing the mountain, can only be achieved with our active participation, our serious work on ourselves. This is the entire method of implementing the Torah.

That is why we received it. To the extent that we implement this method, we attract the upper light upon ourselves, which changes us, brings us closer together, and binds us to one another. This is what we must achieve.

Question: Why is it called the holiday of Shavuot?

Answer: Because it precisely measures the time from the exodus from Egypt: 49 full days, seven weeks, which we precisely measure from the rejection of our egoism (Pesach) to the state where we can receive the instruction for rising above it, that is, the instruction for changing our egoistic nature.

Breaking away from egoism for 50 days, we begin to correct egoistic desires into intentions for giving and loving. And then we reveal within them the upper force, the upper state, the upper world.

Question: What do I do during these 49 steps?

Answer: I correct all my egoistic intentions corresponding to each of the 49 steps—seven weeks. Everything else needs to be studied.
[227011]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 6/11/24

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From a viewer:

Why can brothers hate each other so much? I see that the same thing happens with brotherly nations. It is the same with Israel and the Arabs. You are brothers, you have the same father—Abraham. And you hate each other so much! I have two sons, they are already adults, and I could not reconcile them. I know that they will kill each other when they meet. Why does God do this?

Answer: This is a consequence of our nature, the egoistic nature of our world and of us. In every atom, in every molecule, in every gathering of living particles, everything is built on the idea of suppressing others and being above them. This is nature—absolute egoism.

Question: Is our world like this?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Well, fine, this is my attitude toward others whether close or distant ones. But why brothers?

Answer: Brothers are even worse because inside them hatred for each other is constantly brewing as each subconsciously believes that the other has taken their parents away and lives at their expense. This feeling makes them fight constantly.

Question: But still they are brothers from the same parents. How can this be changed? Are there any methods, steps, or practices?

Answer: No, there are none because this goes back to the very depths of time, to the birth of our world. And so it will continue until we decide to change this world within ourselves!

Question: Now you are approaching the question that was asked at the end: “Why did God do this?”

Answer: So that we will change ourselves.

Question: Does it mean that until each of these brothers works on himself everything is doomed?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: You often say, and Baal HaSulam, the great Kabbalist, wrote that the future of humanity is to become one family. We talk about brotherhood. But we mean a different thing, we mean closeness.

My Response: When the Creator desires it, we will do so. But when we need to act, we see how much nature is against us.

Question: So, can we not do this with our own hands?

Answer: We cannot.

Question: Then what do we need to do so that the Creator would do this?

Answer: Beg Him to change our nature.

Question: Do I need to feel bad because of my hatred for my brother?

Answer: Yes.

Question: But it does feel bad when one hates one’s brother, right? Or not?

Answer: No.

Question: Is it He who makes it so that I feel bad from this hatred?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Are you putting everything on Him? Let Him deal with it?

Answer: On whom else?

Comment: If everything is on Him, it makes us feel disheartened. We cannot do anything. Let Him deal with everything, and that is it.

My Response: You can ask.

Question: Do we, in principle, have only one job—to ask?

Answer: To ask the Creator.
[329565]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/1/24

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Question: It is said that Napoleon was passing through Paris with his retinue on the 9th of Av. This is the day when the First and Second Temples were destroyed and other tragedies of the Jewish people occurred. When Napoleon entered the Jewish quarter, he was surprised that the streets were empty. He entered the synagogue and saw it filled with people sitting on the floor. Napoleon asked the Rabbi: “What happened? Perhaps one of your leaders died or a pogrom occurred that I am unaware of?”

“Worse,” replied the Rabbi,” our Temple was destroyed, and we were expelled from our homeland.” “But that happened 1,800 years ago,” said Napoleon. “No,” said the Rabbi, “it happened just an hour ago.”

Could you please comment on such a response? It is as if history has not moved since the destruction of the Temple.

Answer: Yes. It is believed that time has stopped and we only live until it starts again and we begin to rebuild the Temple.

Question: So does this mean that all of this life is just waiting to return to the state of the Temple?

Answer: Yes, that is how it should be. The state of the Temple is the connection with the Creator. Every person could turn to the Creator and feel that he has connection, he could ask and receive answers. People were at that level. And then there was the destruction of the Temple, meaning the destruction of this connection, and that is it!

Question: Do we have a record that we were at this level?

Answer: Yes, there is a record. It is deeply hidden within us, but it manifests from time to time.

Question: So, we lost this direct connection with the Creator? And so, as it is said here, “lost life” as a result?

Answer: Yes, spiritual life.

Question: It is also said that Napoleon exclaimed: “If the Jews still mourn for their Temple and homeland, they will surely return to their land and rebuild the Temple.” What do you think of Napoleon’s response?

Answer: It is natural; the Temple must be rebuilt. The point is that people regain the connection with the Creator, a continuous, clear connection in their hearts.

Question: So then there is the question of what comes first starting to build the Temple or sensing this point within us?

Answer: Sensing it is most important. Gathering stones and building a structure with them is irrelevant.

Question: So everything will proceed automatically?

Answer: Even if it does not, it does not matter. People will start to feel that they are in unity with each other and are building a place for their upper force.

Question: Since we have touched on this question. Two Temples fell and we are talking about the Third Temple. It is said that the Third Temple will be built by the whole world. What does that mean?

Answer: The whole world will decide that it is necessary to achieve such a level among people—harmony, connection between them—when they are all united under the common force of the Creator.

Comment: Usually all unions happen after major tragedies.

My Response: Yes.

Question: Like the League of Nations after World War I, the UN after World War II. What needs to happen for people to suddenly come to this decision?

Answer: Apparently, the world must experience a serious shock. And after that, a desire for the revelation of the Creator will awaken in the nations. And it will end with the fact that indeed the Creator will be revealed in people, in the hearts of people. This will prompt them to connect with each other, and by being ready to connect with each other correctly, with kindness, in one heart, they will invoke the revelation of the Creator within them.

Question: And naturally, they will start to build the Third Temple?

Answer: That will be the Third Temple.

Question: Why is it said that the Third Temple must be built specifically in Jerusalem?

Answer: Because Jerusalem is such a place where all hopes, thoughts, and desires of people converge. So it is not a physical place.

Question: Then what will happen to the 9th of Av, on this day?

Answer: It will become a holiday.

Question: From a day of mourning it will become a holiday? Is this the right transition?

Answer: That is right. That is how it should be.
[329059]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/8/24

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Question: In an ancient Chinese parable, a married woman who could not bear the reproach of her mother-in-law decided to get rid of her. She went to an herb merchant who was an acquaintance of her father. She explained everything to him and told him: “I want you to sell me poison.”

The herbalist said: “Okay, I will help you. But first of all, you cannot poison your mother-in-law right away because people will guess what happened. Therefore, I will give you herbs that will gradually kill her.

Second, to avoid any suspicion, you must tame your anger, learn to respect her, love her, listen to her, and be patient. Then no one will suspect you when she dies.”

The girl agreed, took the herbs, and began to add them to her mother-in-law’s food. In addition, she learned to control herself, listen to her mother-in-law, and respect her. And so, six months later they were already as close as mother and daughter. And then the girl ran to the herbalist and begged: “For God’s sake, save my mother-in-law from the poison that I gave her! I love her!” The herbalist replied: “Don’t worry, I just gave you spices. The poison was only in your head, and you got rid of it yourself.”

I want to ask you: we kill each other with words all the time. And whoever is smarter kills gradually, not immediately. In order not to become the enemy, he acts through others, starts rumors about others, and so on. It is our nature to put another down.

Why it does not hurt me that I am quietly humiliating another, getting him out of my way, killing?

Answer: I believe that the other does not let me live, that he is my enemy who sees me standing in his way, and must destroy me.

Question: Why were we given this nature—to live like this?

Answer: This is all for the same reason—so that we correct our egoism. So that we can be convinced that “love your neighbor as yourself” is the main law of the world.

Comment: In that case, it should make me feel bad at some point that I am like this.

My Response: Yes, of course.

Question: Now I see all these wars, all these murders directly, not directly, and so on. And at what point comes the feeling of: “What am I doing? It is all in me. How can I get out of this?”

Answer: At the moment of enlightenment.

Question: When does this happen? Can it be accelerated or something be done? I understand that this is the main moment in life, really. That everything is in me, that everything is because of me, that I am the killer. Does it come to a person at all?

Answer: When a person becomes convinced that he is full of evil, then his true nature is revealed in him, and he can no longer tolerate it and turns to the Creator.

Question: Does this happen unexpectedly for a person? Or does he kind of want that already?

Answer: No, this enlightenment usually comes with such a serious push.

Question: So there is something before that, is there some kind of push, after all?

Answer: Yes.

Question: When this is revealed to a person, does prayer to the Creator become natural? That is, the understanding that everything depends on Him alone?

Answer: Yes, then a person turns to the Creator, judges himself, and by correcting himself, corrects the world around him.
[329338]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/15/24

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Maxiver writes:

Please tell me, what is the Creator’s name? When I ask Him for something, it seems necessary to call Him by name. After all, when I ask someone for something, I address them by name. So how should I address the Creator?

My Response: Abba.

Question: Do you mean “Father”?

Answer: Father.

Question: Is that how we should perceive Him?

Answer: Yes.

Question: When you say the word “Abba,” “Father,” what do you mean by it?

Answer: That He is my root; I grow from Him.

Question: Can we tell Him absolutely everything, or are there some prohibitions?

Answer: No, there are no prohibitions. Avinu, Our Father.

Question: When it says, “Our Father in heaven,” what does that mean?

Answer: That He is above us and determining all our paths.

Question: Is that what is meant by “in heaven”?

Answer: Yes.
[329468]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/1/24

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Question: I do not like myself, but you say: “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” Maybe it is necessary to love yourself first? But how?

Answer: Start loving others, and then you will see how much you love yourself. Only then does a person begin to understand that he is actually a terrible egoist!

Question: Usually this phrase is actually translated like this: “Let me love myself first, and then I will deal with others.” But you say it differently. Strive toward others, love others, and then you will see how much you love yourself.

So a person must forcibly make such an effort and start trying to love people. Will some bitterness appear in him then? What will appear in him?

Answer: He will see that he is divided into his external and internal parts, and in fact he loves only himself and only for this is he ready to exist.

And then if he understands that he has to remake himself, he will already need some kind of correction methodology.

Question: And these are the kind of people who find us?

Answer: Yes.
[329662]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/1/24

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From a Viewer:

I have a wonderful baby girl. But she was born sick. My husband left us. And I am happy. Is this normal? I am asking because you keep saying that the child needs a father. And I do not want to look for any father for my Sveta yet.

My Response: Don’t, the daughter does not have to have a father.

Comment: Yes? This is news, actually.

My Response: No, that is how she lives; the daughter is with her mother and that is it.

Question: The fact that the father left when the sick child was born was, of course, a blow for the mother. And she does not want to start a family anymore. So she can go on like this?

Answer: Yes, she can.

Question: Two women live. Is there some kind of root in this—that a boy needs a father but a girl does not?
Answer: A boy will one day be attracted to his father, to an adult man, but a girl will not.

Question: But they say: “Our female destiny” means that we have some kind of divorces all the time in the female part. Will that not be a sequel?

Answer: No.

Question: Will mom not tell her that it is good to be alone?

Answer: I think she will not. What the girl lacks now with her father, maybe she will feel later when she starts dating guys; then she will correct this lack of communication.

Question: In general when a girl meets a guy, who does she want to see in him? Should he look like her father? Or does the girl have something else? You once said that when a man meets a woman, or a guy meets a girl, he looks for his mother in her.

Answer: That is for sure.

Question: And when a girl meets a guy, what is she looking for in him?

Answer: It is more complicated. Maybe she is thinking about her grandfather.

Question: So if she has not seen her father, let’s say, she remembers the man in her life that she wants her husband to look like?

Answer: Yes.
[329519]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/1/24

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A letter from a viewer:

My wife is thrilled with your programs and keeps pushing them on me. I watch them, mostly out of respect. I like some of it, but sometimes you say things that I do not know how to take. For example, you said that everyone is responsible for the whole world. Why do you say that? It is clearly impossible. But what amazes me is that my wife is delighted.

My Response: The fact is that when everyone feels responsible for the entire world, we will indeed see a new world.

Question: From this letter, it is clear that he does not understand how this is possible, while his wife is delighted. So each of us has certain points that either accept this or do not accept.

He imagines the whole world as eight billion people. So when you say “the whole world,” he thinks you are saying we are responsible for all these eight billion people, for what is happening in Somalia, in starving Africa, and so on. Are we responsible for this?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: This phrase requires some further explanation.

My Response: The thing is, if every person suddenly, let’s say, by a magical command, wished to see everyone else as their friends, the world would change. Undoubtedly! But since we do not believe in this because it seems too unrealistic, we continue as we are.

Question: But we are real people. This husband is an absolutely real person. He would like to sort things out at home, with his friends, and you say: sort things out with the whole world, be responsible for it.

This thought, this action can only happen “by a magical command,” right? So, are you sending us back to the Creator again?

Answer: To the Creator.

Question: Constantly?

Answer: Yes.

Question: So, a person comes, with this pain inside. Many people write that they feel this empathy. What prayer should a person have to the Creator? Should they ask to change everything or what?

Answer: That the Creator changes at least this person.

Question: This person?

Answer: Yes, so that he can feel the pain of the entire world and, based on this, relate to the world differently.

Question: Can one not fall apart and feel this pain? Not explode, not die from it?

Answer: It is possible.

Question: We spoke about the fact that Kabbalists aspired to this, it was their goal to feel the world, the pain of the world.

If a person feels all the pain of the world, what should his actions be, can you say?

Answer: To ask the Creator to make the world better. That is all, nothing more. The one who made the world bad should make it good.
[329616]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/1/24

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Bores can be divided into two classes; those who have their own particular subject, and those who do not need a subject (A.A. Milne). 

Question: Alan Alexander Milne wrote many things, but he is mostly remembered for Winnie the Pooh. In one of his writings he noted, “One never knows exactly when one person becomes bored with another. A stranger’s golf success story is intolerable, but how interesting one’s own seems. A person cannot view their own story with the impatience of an outsider.”

Can you please tell us how to see that we are boring?

Answer: I do not know if we need to see that. We just need to be silent. I am in favor of silence. It is normal for people to sit and be silent, or think about something in common, or even each something of their own. Why talk?

Comment: And they must agree: “Let’s sit quietly.” So, let’s sit quietly, think.

My Response: It should be clear without saying it.

Question: So we should not engage others?

Answer: We should not do anything! There is noise from all sides: information, music, who knows what and how. But, in principle, none of it is necessary.

Question: And we are not boring then? We just sit, silent.

Answer: Yes, we can sit and be silent.

Comment: But this is only if there are good or warm relationships between people.

My Response: Yes, understanding.

Question: So, is it necessary for us to have such relationships that we can sit quietly together?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: It is not that simple; it is already intimacy.

My Response: All conversations lead to arguments, to some troubles. Sit, be silent, and everything will be fine. When you start talking, inconsistencies arise.

Question: This principle definitely works among close people. But for this, we still need to be close.

Please tell us about being boring. There are directorial authors who said: “It does not matter to me how many people watch my film. Let them grow up to my film.” How do you feel about this: not “I am boring,” but simply “They have developed up to my level yet”?

Answer: It is indispensable. Every person who creates something has that pride of a creative person.

Question: And they cannot get rid of it?

Answer: Absolutely not!

Question: So this idea that people should mature to my work, do you accept it?

Answer: Yes.

Question: But there is another approach—Hollywood style. What I feed them, I know they will consume. And I deliberately feed them in a way that is low-grade or follows a known formula. How do you feel about this? I am not boring, millions watch me.

Answer: I do not know. I also do not really understand a person who creates something for the masses. It does not leave an internal, moral impression, does not touch the heart, but people need it.

Question: So, are all these approaches correct in your opinion?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Then here is a question. We return to the Creator one way or another, we never leave Him in all our roles. We have nowhere to go.

So what kind of director should He be, in your opinion? A director who is understood or one you have to develop to? What does His direction do to us?

Answer: He wants us to think, find solutions, and try to implement them.

Comment: Still He regards us as thinking beings.

My Response: Yes absolutely!

Comment: That is a lofty position.

My Response: Otherwise, our lives would have no meaning. He sets a certain level of our development for each moment for every person.

Question: So, with all His directing—and He is a great director, a great scriptwriter—we already see this, where is He leading us?

Answer: Toward realizing the need to rise above our nature.

Question: And this whole movie we are watching, is this practically its end?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Is that considered a good ending? After going through wars, suffering, catastrophes?

Answer: It is a good ending, of course! Because we agree with what we have achieved, and we hope for the final moment when I reveal Him in my nature.
[327163]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 3/4/24

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Dina writes:

What should I do with my hatred for this world? Many people feel this way today. People hate this world! They hate it! And many even ask: “Why was I born? Why bring a child into this world?” 

My Response: But it is true. The time is coming when a person will be utterly disappointed with this world. Human egoism is growing and it cannot be filled. People do not know what to fill it with. So every day they live feels forced and unsatisfactory.

Question: What can be done about it?

Answer: Nothing!

Question: Just sit doing nothing?

Answer: Do nothing.

Comment: But still living in this state all the time, I don’t know about that.

My Response: I understand this state. Especially in my younger years, I had many such states: what to live for, why live?

Question: Is the basis of this hatred toward this world, which you do not understand?

Answer: No, it is hatred for the emptiness that this world evokes in you.

Question: But still, first is there a reason for this happening in one way or another?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Today you are certainly relaying and understanding that something is happening to people. And people hate this world for a reason. Why?

Answer: It is to make this world better for you and for others.

Question: Is that what we need to come to?

Answer: The solution exists, but everyone must find it for themselves.

Question: So you are saying that that is why people are brought to such a state?

Answer: Yes.

Question: You also say that this world was given to us by the Creator. We see it this way because He wants us to see it like this?

Answer: Yes, the Creator desires our sound decision about how I perceive the world and how I want to see and feel it.

So that during my lifetime in this world I would make myself into such a being who approaches the Creator with my thoughts, aspirations, and so on. The Creator, having created this world, gave me the opportunity to reveal Him in order to rise above it.

Question: And what do I see? What am I revealing? For now, I am revealing this world that I hate.

Answer: To reveal the hated world in order to rise above it, from a doomed, dreadful, egoistic world to a kind, beautiful world.

Question: So, will I see it like that then?

Answer: Yes.

Question: So, if my aspiration is to turn this hatred into another state, to see this world differently, if I constantly, mechanically repeat this, will it work even mechanically?

Answer: It will work even mechanically. For this, I must radically change my attitude toward the world, toward people, toward everything.

Question: By force?

Answer: By force. It is not easy. This is the self-improvement work described by Kabbalah.
[328760]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 4/15/24

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