Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How can one be close to God?“

The wisdom of Kabbalah states that we exist within God, which is a higher force of love, bestowal and connection. We are inside this force, but do not feel it. Instead, we feel only ourselves. What we perceive as the world is solely what we depict out of our own forces.

We can, however, reach a state where we let go of our false perception and reach a true one: the sensation of the upper force acting outside of us, detached from any imagination, desire or thought of ours. In other words, we can reach a desire to feel the Creator as He is, and not the way we imagine Him.

If we wish to attain the truth of what is outside of us, we then need to exert in exiting our nature—the egoistic desire that draws whatever it perceives as beneficial to itself from the environment, the world.

We have to take a moment to contemplate what we are doing here. We are not the masters of our own desires. We are, however, the masters of whether or not we realize our desires.

How can we realize our desires? It is by seeking an environment, a society, which shares the same direction and goal in life—wanting to feel the truth and not to chase nonsense our entire lives.

There are societies based on common interests that aim at reaching a smorgasbord of goals, for instance, societies sharing a common interest in various sports, arts and teachings. Becoming closer to God, i.e. connecting with the upper force of love, bestowal and connection, involves organizing a society that wishes to rise above our various attractions, and to achieve the world outside and above this corporeal range of our desires.

If we wish to view reality outside the filters of our own desires, then we would need to view a different and higher reality to our current one. We would then require a society that can help us—for us to convince each other that it is beneficial and preferable for us to rise above the desires that surface in us at every moment, and that we want first and foremost to become connected to the upper force.

Based on the video “How to Connect With the Creator” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Tal Mandelbaum. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why can’t I feel God?“

We do not feel God because our quality is different to His. However, we can feel God by equalizing with His quality.

What is God’s quality? It is a quality of love, bestowal and connection. Our qualities are reception, hatred and rejection. That is why we do not feel Him.

We live within bubbles of egoism, which is the desire to enjoy at the expense of others and everything outside of us. We see everything through egoistic lenses. That is, our senses are self-aimed and we perceive reality through these senses.

We cannot see reality beyond these senses, and likewise, we cannot see the reality of love, bestowal and connection. We also have a quality of love and bestowal, but it is egoistic, i.e. aimed at benefiting ourselves alone.

Does God—Who is also called “the Creator” and “the upper force” in the wisdom of Kabbalah—want to be in contact with us?

God only wants to be in contact with us, to reveal Himself to us and His quality of love and bestowal. Gradually, He brings us to a state where we first and foremost see ourselves according to our true self-receptive nature, and that existing in the force of reception is a very low, transient and futile form of existence. We then become ready to see that the way to come out into truth, eternity and perfection is through attaining the quality of love, bestowal and connection. We will then feel God.

Based on the video “Why Don’t We Feel the Creator?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman, Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What is the real essence of spirituality? How does it change one’s life in the best possible way?“

Our inborn human nature is a desire to receive for personal benefit alone. It is written, “The inclination of man’s heart is evil from his youth” (Genesis 8:21). By nature, we wish to grab, steal and kill for our own benefit, and if we do not reveal such extreme forms of our nature, at the very least, our thoughts are always aimed in the direction of self-benefit.

The question then becomes how much can we change from this nature?

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, we learn that only through special exercises can we change ourselves. How does it work? If we are in a society, implement advice and adhere to conditions that kabbalists give us in that society, we then gradually and meticulously change over an extended period of time.

The essence of this transformation is that we start appreciating giving, which is the other side of nature to our inborn receptive one.

Nature consists of two forces: receiving and giving. We are born and raised in a nature of reception. This nature functions like an engine that constantly runs by calculating what is most beneficial for ourselves at every given moment from all possible options. It makes us constantly desire the best for ourselves, to move toward pleasure and move away from pain.

The flip side of our nature is giving. We have no idea what giving is. We know how to give in order to receive, and thus giving within our current nature is always done with the calculation that we will receive more than what we give. That is not the giving that is on nature’s other side.

Giving on the other side of nature means giving without anything in return, just like how we now wish to receive without giving anything in return.

If we add this ability to ourselves, then we would be able to see reality for what it truly is. We would then be able to view reality as forces of giving that exist between us and pass from one person to another, and in multiple directions all at once—filling the space between us like an ocean of light. In other words, we would attain a clear perception and sensation of the eternal and perfect spiritual reality.

Based on the video “What Is the Essence of Spiritual Transformation?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What is the meaning of attaining spirituality or spiritual satisfaction?“

Attaining spirituality means attaining a new intention that operates for the benefit of others.

Such attainment gives us the ability to feel the world that is outside of us and independent of us. In other words, it lets us feel the Creator. The Creator is a force of bestowal and love, which fills the air, space and everything around us.

Through spiritual attainment, we start feeling the positive field that begets and controls us. We are born and raised as small egoists, opposite to the force of bestowal and love. By nature, we wish to only benefit ourselves at the expense of others and nature, and when we start moving toward spiritual attainment, we start developing ourselves to become more and more like the force of bestowal and love—wishing for the benefit of others and nature.

Spiritual attainment is also called “attainment of adhesion with the Creator,” and it is how we attain an eternal and perfect life. By attaining spirituality, we equalize ourselves with the force of bestowal and love, live in it, and continue doing so for eternity. Our bodies are made only in order to perceive egoistic forces, and when we attain spirituality, equalizing with the force of bestowal and love, we discover that we actually have no bodies.

Based on the video “What Do You Get from Bestowing to Others?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman, Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Question: What is the intention?

Answer: Intention is a clear sense of the goal and an action to achieve it. You are locked on this goal. The moment the lock clicked, you are fixed on it, closed off, clamped on like a bulldog, and you go only to reach it, to enter this state.

In Kabbalah, the goal is the state. That is, now I am in one state and I must reach another one, the next state. This is my goal.

I describe to myself this future state more and more in greater detail in everything that is possible. In this way, I approach it. This is what is called intention.

That is, what are your intentions? What do you wish to achieve? That is all. Correct intentions are those that coincide with the program of nature.

Question: Is it precisely during the studies?

Answer: No matter when and where! The correct intention in life, in one action or in some consecutive actions and reflections, is when my goal, my next desired state, should be realized in accordance with the program of nature. Then this intention is correct.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Think about Good” 10/21/09

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How close are we to the end of the world?“

Since the Russia-Ukraine conflict started, more and more people are becoming depressed, feeling like they are at a dead end. There is talk about a third world war, which could be nuclear. Prices are rising, and more and more people feel a general sense of panic. Several people feel that the end of the world is very close, and it is just a matter of time.

Indeed, Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag, the greatest Kabbalist of the last century, wrote that we could reach a third world war, a nuclear one, and that there might even be a fourth world war if it would not be enough.

However, there is no end of the world, and it is because nature has a plan.

The plan is that we need to undergo these very unpleasant processes that are full of problems and suffering unless we correct ourselves in advance. “Correcting ourselves” means changing our attitudes to each other so that we would positively connect above our divisive drives.

There are thus two possible scenarios to the script playing out before us: The bad scenario states that our civilization will collapse and we will need to restart it from its remnants. The easier option is that we continue into the future without wars and nuclear bombs. However, the latter option requires that we make a significant attitude shift to each other.

We need to realize that everything depends on our connection to each other and with nature. By positively connecting among each other, we can influence nature for the better, and protect ourselves by doing so.

Based on the video “Are We Nearing the End of the World?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Photo by UX Gun on Unsplash.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What is the culture of consumption?“

The culture of consumption is first and foremost in the human mind, that we do not care about what is going on as long as we get what we think is good right now.

We need to understand that our desires, thoughts and intentions—our attitudes toward the still, vegetative, animate and especially the human levels of nature—need to be balanced, positive and benevolent. Therefore, our culture of consumption needs to be stopped, and we need to be given the required tools so that we would be able to understand how to relate to our decisions at any given moment.

We do so by taking other people and nature’s forces into consideration. Accordingly, we would take only our life’s essentials from nature, similarly to animals, which do not harm nature.

However, since we are people and not animals, then we need to understand that we are the worst part of nature, that we are all on this planet together, and we thus need to be concerned about how to restore its balance.

We should thus seek out how to become concerned about our environment, so that it vitalizes us and so that we do not destroy it. We lack only this concern. We can bring ourselves to a state where we will start caring, but it will already be too late because there is inertia in nature until we correct something, until it grows and restores itself.

Several researchers have pointed to our consumption culture as the major factor that requires changing in order to deal with climate change. Indeed, if we correct this corrupt aspect of our lives, then we would bring about newfound harmony and balance throughout the still, vegetative, animate and human levels of nature, and our planet would prosper. By undergoing such a change, we would see how everything in nature falls into its right place. We need to begin this change, and we begin it in our hearts.

Based on the video “How Consumption Culture Affects the Climate Crisis… and What We Can Do About It” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Photo by Juli Kosolapova on Unsplash

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why hasn’t COVID-19 ended yet?“

COVID-19 has not ended yet because we still have not responded properly to the virus.

How were we supposed to respond? We were supposed to connect with each other, i.e., to come closer together and become a bit more humane and courteous toward one another. If we would have done so, then we would have weakened the virus.

We have to understand that COVID-19 is no ordinary virus. It is a virus that demands of us to change our attitudes toward each other for the better.

It might seem outlandish that the virus would know about how we relate to each other, but it indeed knows and includes everything. First of all, it is a living particle. It is not on the still or even vegetative levels of nature, but it is on the animate living level—just like us. It has intellect and emotion, and it perceives and influences the environment. It connects with other particles, enters the human body and takes control over it.

In short, the virus is much smarter than we think, and only when we make a significantly positive shift in our attitudes to each other will it go away for good.

If we wanted to check this in practice, then we could take one country or state—say, for instance, the State of Israel where I am living—and we could decide that we treat each other courteously, that we help the needy, the elderly and children—we think about others and try doing good. We should alleviate the situation where we become approached with questions such as, “Why didn’t you do this or that?” but we each make an attitude shift: we seek out where we could add in our positive attitude toward others, to show them that we truly wish to benefit them. If we do so for even one month, then afterward we could check what happened with the virus. Would it still be around or not? We could then also review other phenomena in our society, for instance, the amount of deaths by car accidents and other such problems in our society. It is very easy to review such results. Everything is in our hands to impact a positive change in the world.

Based on the video “Why Hasn’t COVID-19 Ended Yet?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Photo by Martin Sanchez on Unsplash.

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Comment: Michael writes to you: “In a quiet, peaceful time I could agree with you that it is necessary to embrace your enemy and that love is above everything. This is what I used to do by the way. But now I see how impossible it is. Man cannot do that. You will never embrace a murderer or a rapist in your life. You will not hug them! So why are you talking about it?”

My Response: I am not saying that you must physically hug him. Even internally you cannot hug him. But you should try to imagine that you have descended to his level, because if he is a murderer and a rapist, then he is below you. Yet, you descend in order to somehow get in touch with him, to understand him in some way.

Question: So, in fact, contact is impossible, right?

Answer: No? Then you will not do anything. You must understand that man was programmed this way from above. After all, we are talking about Kabbalah, about Kabbalistic correction.

We must understand that a person was simply directed in this way. With all his egoism and inclinations, it is not his fault. The Creator arranged it all for him, the kind, almighty, and loving Creator. Therefore, we still have a great deal to correct in our understanding.

Only when you descend to his level and realize that everything that is in him comes from the Creator and this is depicted before you and within you so that you correct your attitude to what is happening and to the Creator, then you will be able to somehow come closer to him. You will not be able to hug him yet, but you can come closer to him and start correcting this condition together with him so that in the end you would be able to understand him, because it does not depend on him.

This is all the fault of the Creator who did it and did it in order to correct you so that together you can rise to the level of mutual understanding and then to mutual love between you for all of humanity, for the entire universe, and thus to correct everything.

Comment: What an impossibly difficult science we are engaged in!

My Response: This is not science. This is nature! Otherwise, we will not do anything!

Comment: It requires turning the guts inside out, washing the entire heart, and clearing the entire mind.

My Response: When you do it constantly for a long time, you reach it. People will go through these wars. These will be internal wars, wars of the Messiah. And everything will work out.

Comment: You understand, don’t you, that we are talking about a loved one, about someone dear who is no longer with us.

My Response: All relatives and friends will suddenly manifest in such a way that you will not see anyone who would be more distant from you than the closest one. And the most distant ones will turn out to be the closest.

Everyone will turn out to be absolutely close and absolutely ugly. And suddenly, you will have to love them and just adore them. There are real wars ahead; they are called “the wars of the Messiah,” the wars of liberation from our egoism.

Messiah (Mashiach)—from the word “Limshoch,” to pull out— is the one who pulls us out of our egoism. We stop looking at the world egoistically, we stop blaming people for it. We must relate this to the Creator and correct our attitude to Him from absolute hatred to absolute love.

Comment: Can you imagine! You say: “He is to blame for everything, He did everything, He is the main enemy of man.”

My Response: If this is how I perceive the world, then yes.

Question: What if it is the other way around?

Answer: If it is the other way around, then I must turn myself upside-down again; in the end, I must correct myself and there is no evil and harm in the world except for myself, my egoism. I have to correct it into the quality of absolute love where I see everyone as my enemies and haters and correct them into everyone I see loving and loved.

Question: Does it mean that I correct myself and they become loving and loved?

Answer: Yes.

Comment: That is, everything is aimed at making me sort myself out.

My Response: Yes. There are still things to do ahead of us.

Question: You say that there are serious wars ahead. In any case, are we being prepared for them, or will we be thrown unprepared into this scorcher?

Answer: No! Who is there to throw? It is like throwing a baby into a real fight.

Question: Are we being led to them one way or another and we will come to this already wanting these wars?

Answer: Yes. We will understand their necessity.
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From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 3/17/22

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What causes mental illness?“

Egoistic human nature—the incomplete and broken self-centered desire—is the cause of all problems, including mental illness.

It functions with a significant fault by trying to satiate itself at the expense of others. By doing so, it devours both itself and others. This faulty functioning of our desire is behind our every illness—mental included.

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, as egoists, we are opposite to nature’s altruistic form, and this opposition between us and nature gives us to every illness, problem and pain.

If we could perceive nature in its wholeness, then we would perceive nature functioning by laws of love, bestowal and connection. Therefore, the more we are opposed to nature’s laws, the more we enter into dissonance with them, then the more we experience nature’s completely positive force, which we dwell within, in an increasingly negative way. As such, the more we egoistic we become in our development, the more illnesses and suffering we experience.

Curing mental illness, as well as every other problem and pain, at its root would thus involve correcting our egoistic human nature: positively connecting with supportive, encouraging and loving attitudes to each other above our egoistic drives, and by doing so, aligning ourselves with nature. We would then experience nature’s completely positive force in a positive way, elevating ourselves to a newfound harmony, peace and balance with each other and the world.

Based on “Close-Up, Is Frankl right?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on August 8, 2010. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Photo by Varun Gaba on Unsplash.

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