Entries in the 'Perception' Category

The Collective Life Of Light And Desire

Dr. Michael LaitmanAll of us are included as parts of a general system into the only state that there is: the World of Infinity. It exists as one body, similar to a live organism that consists of various internal sub-systems which transfer blood, lymph, or nervous signals. We all are interconnected at the level of the World of Infinity as one eternal organism which functions as a perfect machine similar to the Light that fills it. The desire and the Light work together in harmony.

As in any healthy body, processes of expansion-contraction take place, such as breathing, pulse and heart beat. Even though the desire to receive pleasure and the Light are contrary to each other, their oppositeness creates dynamics called “life.” All these changes produce the sensation of life.

If just the Light or only the desire existed, nothing would be felt at all. Creation senses its existence because the Light and the desire act in conjunction with each other, meaning in harmony. Sometimes the Light expands and sometimes the desire overtakes. All along, one completes the other.

Sometimes the Light is larger because the desire intentionally diminishes itself and lets the Light act. Other times the Light allows the desire to function. One is higher, and then the other, like swings. This is how we allow each other to ascend, soaring upward! This dynamic gives birth to life.

It works like this in the World of Infinity. However, our state is intentionally spoiled in an artificial way so that we see the "advantage of the Light while in the state of darkness." This lets us sense our oppositeness to the Light and allows us to make our own effort to correct ourselves. Only under this condition are we able to appreciate the Light.

If you were born perfect, you’d live “automatically” and would never reveal perfection to its deepest extent. That’s the reason why the restrictions and concealments, distancing and the breaking, took place, up to a point of a complete detachment of the creature from the Creator. And this corruptness exists only in our inner perception and nowhere else.

I sense myself being in some body (it’s a pure illusion) within some (imaginary) world only because I am unconscious. I exist in the World of Infinity but my unconsciousness produces various delusions of imaginary pictures. These ravings are called “this world.” It’s the last, the lowest, and the worst step out of all possible states.

Therefore, it is obvious that we have to apply effort and regain consciousness (sensation of perfection). Only after we achieve it will we realize its depth to the fullest.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/13/10, Shamati #34

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The Black Illumination Of Malchut

Dr. Michael LaitmanOn one side we have the World of Infinity which is absolute pleasure in all regards: attainment, understanding, feeling, eternity, and perfection. And on the other, we have this world where a deficiency has to be felt in everything.

However, in order to give us an opportunity to exist in it somehow, a concealment of the World of Infinity is performed. In this world we feel the deficiency in a form that is not so tragic despite the fact that infinite abundance is concealed from us. The World of Infinity seemingly decreases itself, one degree after another, creating five levels (five worlds) of concealment on itself. We are situated below all these worlds and thus don’t feel how much we actually lack.

Yet to the extent that we develop, we grow and rise in our egoism. Gradually the Light is revealed to us more and more thereby causing us to experience a greater and greater deficiency and evil. Therefore, if we don’t make ourselves similar to the Light, we will continue to feel worse and worse. It is no surprise that the modern world experiences such cataclysms. After all, the growing ego is making us more and more opposite to the Light.

The difference (Delta) between the desire and the Light becomes more tangible, and as a result, we suffer more. If there was no concealment of all these worlds, we would be unable to tolerate ourselves altogether since we would perceive ourselves in relation to the Light of Infinity. The disparity between us would be so great that it would be impossible to tolerate such a horrible sensation.

Maybe you have already experienced this sensation, and if not, one day you will since everyone needs to go through it once in his lifetime. It is called the “illumination of Malchut,” a feeling of absolute pitch darkness in front of you, something terribly frightening. This is the revelation of the Delta (difference) between the point of our world and Infinity, allowing us to feel this horrible darkness just slightly.

However, all 125 degrees of concealment which separate us from Infinity are created precisely in order to allow us to tolerate our state. Behind all these screens of concealment we feel confident, like a baby next to its mother, unable to do anything on his own yet feeling protected by her. Similarly, we feel protected by all these screens of concealment; otherwise, we would be unable to tolerate the pressure of the Upper Light.

The Light would be perceived as darkness! It is the so-called “Pulsa DeNura,” the blow of Light, when the Light is greater than the Kli is able to accept. It is a very unpleasant sensation since we constantly need to be in balance with regard to all the influences, the good and the bad ones. Even if goodness is given in abundance, if it exceeds the capability of our Kli, we are unable to tolerate it. We know that everyone prefers warm weather to cold weather, but when it is too warm, it also is not good, and it is no better than the freezing cold.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/13/10, Shamati #34

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How Will You Color Your World?

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe symbol of our upcoming convention is unity, connection, mutual guarantee, and unification of the whole of humanity around the Upper Force which we reveal among us. It will bring us to equality, serenity, peace, and eternity. Through this we cancel death! The angel of death is born from the hatred that separates us. And if instead we draw the spiritual force, the force of bestowal, we merit eternal life. Precisely the hatred between us cancels life and leads us to death. It kills our bodies and gives us a sensation of this world.

This world is a reflection of the egoistic connection between us. However, everyone has to bring himself and the whole world to a different form of connection, when instead of this world we sense a spiritual connection called Assiya, Beria, Yetzira, Atzilut, Adam Kadmon, and the World of Infinity. All the worlds are forms of connection between us; nothing else changes! We will live in our bodies just like now, only our attitudes will change and give us a sensation of a new reality. We’ll feel that we exist in the World of Infinity and cease to feel our bodies since our whole world will ascend to Infinity.

Different relationships and connections between people (from the most threatening to more neutral and benevolent ones) give rise to a spectrum of colors and shades around us. They range from the deepest black to continuously lighter and wonderful colors, such as sky blue and ultimately completely white.

Imagine all of humanity today armed with guns and knives against each other, where each wishes to guard himself from the others with a fortress and to have his cup full there, independent from everyone. And now imagine the complete opposite of that: A completely open world with no boundaries where I and the other are like one whole, and all the people of the world are my children, my neighbors, friends; we are a single organism.

We will begin to feel that without the others, we are losing ourselves. We are starting to learn this from nature bit by bit as we reveal that everyone is connected and interdependent. For the time being, we are reaching this conclusion due to necessity. Later we’ll realize being connected to others is actually good. After all, precisely due to this connection (if we turn it into a correct one) we’ll rise above this world toward perfection and eternity.

I will be grateful that this connection exists since it specifically allows me to change myself and my perception of reality and to enter a different, spiritual, and eternal dimension.

From the 4th part of the
Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/10/10, A Lesson On Current Events

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We’re Building A New Reality!

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe Zohar, Chapter “VaYechi (And Jacob Lived),” Item 26: “And he called his son Joseph.” Jacob questioned his sons and told them, “I see many and great troubles coming over your children. It is necessary to find higher Rachamim [mercy].

Everything described in the Torah, The Zohar, and all the “holy books” (books written by Kabbalists, those who attain the Upper World based on their sensation of that world) takes place exclusively inside of us. Nothing exists outside of us!

Our entire current reality, everything we feel now is intended only to help us awaken to the perception of a new reality, or more precisely, to form it inside of us. We have to change our qualities and then we will form the world to come, a new reality inside us. There is no time or external changes. We are only being awakened with the help of unpleasant states in order to change and see the only true reality, the World of Infinity.

From the 2nd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/16/10, The Zohar

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Life Beyond Time

Dr. Michael LaitmanIt is written, “You will eat what has long been laid in store for you.” We exist in the same place in the same state, and nothing changes. Everything has already been created by the Creator in His initial plan, and plan and action are inseparable for Him. He wished to create creatures that are equal to Him and in adhesion with Him, and His desire itself signifies action.

Then, what are the past, present, and future? All this exists only in relation to us, while in reality there is no time. It is impossible to say what happened earlier or later and what existed before this desire emerged in the Creator.

We are incapable of speaking and thinking beyond the concept of time. As soon as we leave the boundaries of time, all our words fade since our whole life rests on the concepts of “before” and “after,” and all our sensations are connected to time. Therefore, only by coming out of ourselves from egoism to bestowal do we lose our “pulse,” the sensation of time that lives within us, and begin to understand what life above time is.

We exist in an eternal and unchanging reality. All we do is attain it in relation to ourselves. This is much like an unconscious person who gradually regains consciousness. He is in the same reality but does not perceive it. Bit by bit, he reestablishes his perception. This is what happens to us as well.

The entire wisdom of Kabbalah is devoted to helping us come to our senses and to bringing us to complete consciousness. In fact, this is what is meant by complete correction. And Kabbalists don’t tell us what will happen later. The development after our correction will require completely new senses.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/6/10, Article “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence”

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Attaining The Names Of The Creator

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam’s article “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence,” section “Spiritual Expressions”: The spiritual has no image, hence it has no letters to contemplate with. Even if we declare in general that it is Simple Light, which descends and extends to the seeker until one clothes and attains it in the amount sufficient for His revelation, this, too, is a borrowed expression. This is so because everything that is called “Light” in the spiritual world is not like the light of the sun or candlelight.

For a person who does not yet perceive spirituality, spiritual concepts are a total jumble of abstract words. He is like child who doesn’t understand the meaning of the words and simply repeats after adults. And when you reproach him with “What have you done?” he cheerfully echoes, “What have you done!”

In other words, we do not understand the spiritual phenomena the words reflect, and like children repeat the words after the Kabbalists. Yet, gradually we have to approach their true meaning and feel what is hidden behind these words.

All spiritual concepts express a desire and the sensations within a desire since nothing else exists in the whole of reality. There is a desire (spiritual vessel) and something that enters it. The impression within a desire is called “the Light.”

Desire is divided into five levels: Keter, Hochma, Bina, Zeir Anpin, and Malchut. Accordingly, we reveal within desire five types of the Light: Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, Haya, and Yechida. The sum of these five Lights and five desires defines the “name of the Creator,” meaning someone who influences me. The Creator is the one who created desires in me and gave me screens for them. He is the one who arranged everything in a manner that I feel His impact the way I do. He did everything. All I do is feel the consequences of His actions.

Therefore, all I perceive is called “the work of the Creator.” I call Him by the name that is instigated by the sum of my desires and Lights that I feel in them, that is, by the impression I receive. This is how words are formed in spirituality.

We only need to understand ourselves, and then we will reveal the Creator within us. This is why we call Him “Bo-reh” (come and see). The name of the Creator is me sensing His property of bestowal appearing in me. At first, we, like children, repeat vague words after Kabbalists: Keter, Hochma, Bina, AB, SAG, and so forth. Eventually, however, we will have to attain their meaning and begin sensing them.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/6/10, “The Teaching of the Kabbalah and Its Essence”

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How Are Words Born?

Dr. Michael LaitmanA person’s spiritual impression is called “Light.” It is similar to how in our world light signifies vision and understanding, which we see from such common expressions as “the light of wisdom,” “clear as day,” or, to the contrary, “dark confusion.” All the names are taken from our world since there are no words in the spiritual world. The spiritual expression determines the extent of common bestowal, my similarity to the Upper Light in which I exist. It ranges from 0 to 100% and is represented by 125 spiritual degrees, each of which is split into 10 Sefirot and many sub-levels.

It is in this manner that our entire language with all its words came about. This is true even in our world where it seems to me that I receive impressions from material objects or actions. These are all imaginary. There is nothing except my perception of the Upper Light which is revealed in my desire.

In other words, we always exist in either direct or reverse contact with the Creator, and we react only to His Light or its absence. This is how all our words are born. The only difference between spiritual terms and material names is whether or not I can measure how similar I am to the Upper Light. If I can, then this will be a spiritual term. However, if I still don’t recognize myself and my measure of similarity to the quality of bestowal, then I give my sensations “material names.”

We shouldn’t fool ourselves into thinking that we are free to come up with these names on our own; they come from our nature. If I created something first and called it a “table,” this means that I received this name in my desires and qualities from the Light that spreads out within them. After all, I am a spiritual vessel in which some phenomenon occurs.

Therefore, there cannot be any coincidences here. The whole of creation, however it may seem, is merely a desire to enjoy that receives impressions from the Creator.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/6/10, Article, “The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Its Essence”

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The World Is The Degree Of Connection Among The Souls

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Does the death of the ARI mean the death of Messiah ben Joseph (Messiah Son of Joseph)?

Answer: We are speaking about souls! What does the death of a physical body have to do with this? The soul can operate in the common system without revealing itself in this world. There are many souls like this. The body in our world is one of the external consequences of the soul that helps other souls.

Connection among souls is the only reality. We see and understand certain connections among souls whereby we work together and convey knowledge and feelings to one another. However, there is another type of connection whereby the souls are unable to feel their true state, and hence perceive their connection as a picture of this world.

What is the difference between this world and the spiritual one? In the spiritual world, the deep inner connection among our souls is revealed to me. Conversely, when I am unable to reveal this inner connection, I see it in its external form as this world, which manifeststs to me in a very unclear, uncertain, and blurry manner.

World (Olam) is a degree of concealment (Alama). I exist in the common system of souls, but the concealment affects me and presents this system to me in the misleading form of this world. Yet, it is the same system! Nothing else exists besides the single structure of Adam HaRishon, the system of connected souls. We are all parts of it. However, instead of perceiving all the souls and the network that connects them, we perceive this world.

This is why this world is called the last degree, meaning that it is completely cut off from our actual perception. It is similar to what happens during the loss of consciousness when a person lies with his eyes closed and sees hallucinations. However, I exist in the same system. I am just unable to perceive it and hence, imagine it in a distorted form, as is written, “Every person judges according to their own flaws.”

But once the true picture becomes revealed to me, I will be shocked at how everything is different from the way it initially appeared to me. There are no worlds separated from one another; there is one single structure which we reveal as we correct our desires. There are five levels of their correction, and according to this we reveal the five states of reality: the five worlds and 125 degrees.

This is what we live for because the Creator never created another world. Some parts of the common soul are already corrected and function actively, while the rest are still broken up and do not perceive the proper connection among all the souls. This is why we should understand our obligation to perform the correction, our duty to others, ourselves, and the common system which supports them and which we call the Creator.

From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/5/10, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot”

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The Truth Lies In The Middle

Dr. Michael LaitmanA person’s actions are based on his habits; he perceives and accepts solely that to which he is accustomed. Anything beyond the ordinary passes by him unrecognized. In our state of unawareness, we ignore everything new before we can even sense or perceive it. This is why it is so difficult to come face to face with spirituality.

We live in the world that we choose by picking only that which we are familiar with and accustomed to from the World of Infinity that surrounds us. In order to expand our world into and through the world of bestowal, we need to use “faith above reason” and accept the states of bestowal, the attributes, desires, thoughts, and actions of the “opposite world.”

To achieve this, we have to reconcile two opposing spiritual states within; we have to recognize our current egoistic existence (the lower degree) is opposite from the property of bestowal (the higher degree). Moreover, we need to live between these states and rejoice in the sensation of emptiness of the lower state because it gives us an opportunity to rise above it, to the higher degree.

Such forces descend on me through the group from the Upper Light and hold me “above the ground” like a magnet. The magnetism of truth and faith (bestowal) that lifts me upward should be stronger than the sensation of beastly egoism that pulls me downward, to the “ground.”

The truth, however, lies in existing in both states simultaneously. Living in each of them separately is a lie. Even if I am entirely in spirituality, it is a lie. True existence is always between two states at the same time: the sensation of perfection and lack, gratitude and prayer.

I should rejoice in the fact that I can experience both of these states at once and am in constant transition. Yet, I am aware of the obstacles and hold myself above them by will, like a mountain climber who knows that as soon as he gives into weakness, he will immediately fall to his demise. This is the only true state of existence, and we must train ourselves to make it our “lifestyle” and rejoice in it.

Accordingly, there is a test: Are we able to live in a state of joy despite all the struggle and dissatisfaction, always persevering between inspiration and desperation?

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 8/2/10, Article, “The Matter of Truth and Faith”

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Glasses That Show Us The Spiritual Reality

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: If a few people create a group and connect with one another, how can they spread this sensation of connection to the entire world?

Answer: It is enough for me to reach the property of connection, bestowal, and love through my small group. When I turn to the big world after having obtained this property, I see it as unified. After all, if I can step out of myself toward one person, likewise I can step out toward all and to the Creator. A sensory organ for the external world (the screen and Ohr Hozer) appears in me. As a result, the world falls into the range of my vision.

Without it, I only detect things that correspond to my ego. I simply do not see whatever my egoism does not like or has no interest in. There are plenty of things in the world that I am not able to perceive. There is a formidable and extraordinary universe, the spiritual world, but I am blind to it. I simply do not have the necessary organ of perception. I do not feel the spiritual world. It just flows by me. It is here and now, but I am missing it all!

I have to acquire a new sensory organ: a feeling of love and bestowal. Then, I will feel the bestowal and love that permeate the world. This is what is called the Creator. When I receive such sensations, even the smallest one, to this degree, I will feel part of the spiritual reality. This will mean that I have risen to the first spiritual level. Then, I’ll expand my perception, obtain the ability to love and bestow more, and will feel more.

The greater my spiritual vessel, my instrument of perception, the more I feel the spiritual world. In this manner, I climb 125 spiritual degrees and gradually achieve the full sensation of the attribute of bestowal. Thereby I reach the complete correction of my spiritual vessel and now I perceive the entire reality, all of the Creator, and all the force of bestowal and love there is. I feel this force, and it fills me. The Creator and I are now together. I now act with the newly obtained property, the new sensory organ.

Therefore, not having this property of love and bestowal, I cannot complain that I do not sense the spiritual reality which exists here and now. It is not concealed somewhere far away in a different place. I simply do not sense, discover, or see it. It is like I took my glasses off and lost the ability to discern objects: The whole world disappeared and doesn’t exist for me.

From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/25/10, Shamati #99

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