Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What can one get out of Kabbalah?“

At the end of our childhood, our eyes gradually start opening up and we find ourselves in a particular world. We can live in this world without giving it much consideration, simply living “like everybody else” and taking after their example. However, some of us feel a deeper need that makes us feel uncomfortable and dissatisfied with the idea of simply going through life’s motions.

What we want out of our lives depends on the desires that awaken in us. We all have a desire to explore our surrounding reality. When we are children, we explore our rooms, and the more we grow up, the wider the canvas of our exploration: from our rooms to our yards, then our neighborhoods, our cities, countries, the planet and we then look out into space, trying to figure our what is going on in our universe. After extensively exploring our surroundings over the course of our development, we end up at the conclusion that we find no lasting fulfillment from such endeavors.

Today, even our interest in space exploration has waned. We relate to it mostly in a mercantile manner, for instance, in order to operate mobile devices via satellites or for espionage. We find exploration of distant galaxies much less interesting than we used to. This is because our desires have changed. Our desires no longer aspire to explore cosmic distances, but on the contrary, at a certain point of our development, our desires start turning inwardly, directing us at seeking the source of our very thoughts, desires and qualities.

In other words, our questions gradually shift from how we can best survive and be comfortable in our world, to why are we here. The question “Why?” awakens the more we develop beyond a certain threshold. It is a question about our life’s meaning and purpose. We start asking about the causal factors in our existence, about where we are from and where we are headed.

Our increasing difficulty to fulfill ourselves from one year to the next is not because we have less desires, but on the contrary, our desires constantly grow and the systems we previously created in order to fulfill ourselves no longer succeed in doing so. The more we develop, and the more dissatisfied we become, then the more we try new and different things to fulfill ourselves. Take, for instance, the transition taking place in the attitude to drug use. Today, there are moves throughout the world to legitimize and legalize the use of various drugs that, until recently, their possession and sale constituted punishable criminal offenses. It is all in order to give us a sense of calm and to forget about our growing disillusionment with the world.

In our times, whether or not we verbalize the question or not, we start demanding answers to the meaning of our lives, and not just answers as to how we can live a comfortable existence in our animal bodies.

We feel less and less meaning in fulfilling ourselves in the materialistic manner in which we have developed over the generations. On one hand, we find ourselves needing cars, living spaces and thousands of material goods in order to live comfortably. But on the other hand, we do so in order to simply feel comfortable, and the material items themselves hold no meaning. Rather, we feel a more inner need for something else, which we cannot pinpoint in our world, but which gives us a growing sense of dissatisfaction with our material existence.

This is the question about the meaning of life. It is a question that no science, technology, or even philosophy and psychology can fulfill, as it seeks far deeper, to the very causal root from which everything extends.

In short, our increasing loss of interest in our materialistic existence points to the emergence of a new level of development that is awakening within us, and it assumes the form of existential questions that we will increasingly feel that we need true answers to.

Kabbalah was made in order to answer precisely these questions. Using the wisdom of Kabbalah, we learn how to fulfill our innermost questions about the meaning and purpose of life. By applying the time-tested method of Kabbalah, we gain access to the causal level of our existence while alive in this world, and by doing so, we attain an eternal and whole sensation of reality, which completely fulfills us. In other words, the wisdom of Kabbalah was made for answering the question about the meaning and purpose of life in a practical and methodical manner.

Based on the Daily Kabbalah Lesson on the article by Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on January 24, 2011.
Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What are some solutions for technological unemployment?“

The solution to mass unemployment is to setup a system where people’s basic needs are met while they engage in connection-enriching education.

When we start learning, listening to and discussing on a mass scale what our nature is, what nature is in general, how nature works, how we evolve in such a nature, and what we can do in order to positively connect, and by doing so, reach balance with nature, then we will see an immense improvement in every area of our lives. Mass unemployment provides us with an opportunity to implement such a form of education on a mass scale.

We have no need for eight billion people to work for 8-to-12 hours a day. Half a billion people is enough to provide for our basic needs.

If we would evenly distribute responsibilities in order to reach a reasonable level of sustenance, then we would ensure that everyone would receive their optimal living conditions and life’s essentials. Outside of dealing with life’s necessities, say for around five or six hours a day, we would be free to engage in inner self-improvement via connection-enriching education and activities, which ideally would fill our media channels.

One way or another, we will need to rise to a new degree of existence, one where we positively connect and discover the positive force of nature dwelling in our connection. If we fail to undergo such an upgrade via positive means, i.e., via connection-enriching education, then we will receive suffering across the board—on personal, social and ecological scales—until we agree to exercise our free choice and rise to a new level of existence on our own accord. In other words, rising to a new level of existence is our realest work, and the work that so many people today are engaged in is largely unnecessary. If we apply ourselves to positively connect in order to rise to a new level of existence, then we would receive a whole new harmonious, peaceful, eternal and perfect life in balance with nature, and by doing so, we would realize the ultimate purpose of our lives.

Moreover, such work is for everyone. Mass unemployment is a phenomenon that would come to us for the purpose of giving us free time on a mass scale, and that we would use that free time to undergo an upgrade in our consciousness and connections to each other. Doing so requires establishing an educational system on a mass scale, not just education as we usually think about it, for instance, like schools and universities, but education in terms of all the influences we receive from society: from schooling through to the mass and social media we encounter on a regular basis.

Based on KabTV’s “Close-Up. Partnership Agreement” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on July 4, 2010. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What was the relationship between ancient Israel and ancient Rome?“

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, Rome and Israel, and their confrontations most notably in ancient times, are viewed from a spiritual perspective, i.e., they represent two clashing philosophies of life.

At the root of the matter, there is a contradiction between the upper force of bestowal, the Creator, and the force of reception, the created being. In other words, there is a contradiction between the qualities of love, bestowal and connection belonging to the upper nature, and to the nature of the created being, which solely wishes to receive fulfillment and enjoyment in its pride, strength, knowledge and wealth.

Therefore, the philosophy of life of ancient Israel, which is the group that emerged from ancient Babylon and became a nation, was formed on the basis of equality—“love your neighbor as yourself”—and accordingly it existed in the sensation of the upper force, i.e., in understanding how it develops in relation to its ultimate goal in life, which is a state where the created being equalizes its qualities with those of the Creator. Such an approach opposed that of the barbarians.

The Romans were barbarians in terms of their attitude to life because they believed that life consisted solely of the body’s existence.

The attitude that the Romans represented is that of the most powerful, proud and domineering egoistic force. This worldview states that conquest, suppression and enslavement give meaning to human life.

Israel, however, represented the meaning of life differently: that the meaning of life is to rise above the bodily drives and reach a state of “love your neighbor as yourself” as a means of equalizing in qualities with those of the Creator, i.e., qualities of love, bestowal and connection. The Roman approach was thus in total disagreement with the approach of Israel. Thus, as two opposed attitudes to life, two philosophies, two foundations, two ideas, they collided and terrible wars broke out between them.

The Jewish people had no such concept of shutting themselves off from others. On the contrary, the approach of Israel was an inviting one: “come and live like us, united.” There was also a special place for other nations in the Temple, according to the principle in the Israel approach that everyone can remain in their religion and philosophy of life, but love should cover all and connect between us. Today, however, nothing remains of this.

It should be noted that we are discussing only the ancient nations of Israel and Rome, which have nothing to do with today’s Italians. These are completely different nations.

Based on KabTV’s “Close-Up. Formula of the Creator” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on July 8, 2010. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
Photo by Susan Q Yin on Unsplash.

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Comment: Armen writes to you: “I want to eradicate evil from this world. I hate evil, teach me how to do it.”

My Response: It is very simple! To do this, you must accept one and simple axiom, that all evil is only within you. If this evil did not exist, you would not feel it and would not see it in any manifestations around you.

The evil that Armen sees is a projection of his evil and he sees it from the outside. Therefore, it seems to him that this is bad and that is bad, and so on. That is, he sees evil everywhere in inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human qualities. How can you make sure that you see only good? Correct yourself.

Question: Let’s say I see evil, hotspots, and so on. How can I eradicate the evil within me?

Answer: Be patient and come to us. I cannot recommend anything else. Then gradually, day by day, you will master the method of eliminating evil and approaching good.

This is, in principle, the main thing that the wisdom of Kabbalah studies.

Question: Is it being revealed today because such a time has come?

Answer: Yes, today almost everything is already open. Now we just have to master it in practice.

Question: Is this your main advice?

Answer: I cannot advise anything else. Everything else in our world will collapse and die, disappear. Only everything that is necessary for the recognition of evil and good will remain.
[295733]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 3/3/22

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Comment: Anna writes, “Dear Michael Laitman, I am so inclined to say to my children: ‘Forgive me that I gave birth to you in this terrible world.’ I just cannot tell you how much I am afraid for them.”

There are more and more such letters.

My Response: There is nothing we can do about it. We must believe that we are in the complete control of the Creator and therefore, we must continue our life as much as possible, and as much as we understand it, in some kind of proximity to Him, that is, in the quality of bestowal, in the quality of connection between everybody, and to wish that the world would unite.

I think that we will still try to come to general correction in a good way, although if not, then, of course, the same kind force that is prepared for us in order to bring us closer to each other will be felt by us very harshly.

Comment: But you are talking to an ordinary, down to earth person who wants to live a simple, normal life.

My Response: It does not matter what he wants. What matters is what he has to do.

Question: Will we not be able to just live a simple life anymore?

Answer: No, we will not be able to. We will simply be tormented by upper forces that must bring us closer to each other and teach us how to interact with each other correctly until the Creator is revealed between us as a force of good, the force of love, the force of connection.

Can you imagine how much more we need to mature before that?

Comment: I can imagine. A person does not want to.

My Response: No one wants to suffer. Yet, we should not want suffering, rather we should want to make the world a better place without being forced to it by suffering.

Comment: Especially women who give birth to children who want their children to feel good in the future.

My Response: Naturally. This is the best force in nature. It is they who should make the entire world and all men to think about peace, about good connection, and about correction, precisely for the sake of their children.

Question: So, will we be having children anyway?

Answer: We have to! This process must continue. We will still come to peace in the world. The problem is in which way. We must try to explain to everyone that there is an opportunity to reach common connection, good connection, not in an evil way, not with the help of our nature, which will force us to correct ourselves, but in a good way where we ourselves understand that the process of correction can also happen with our participation.

There are two ways between us to reach the same goal. We will try to reach it in a good way.

Question: What is required of an ordinary person?

Answer: To try to find good connections with other people. And to tell everyone how crucial it is. Otherwise, nature will force us to do this in an evil way.
[295638]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 12/16/21

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What are some life lessons learnt from the Harry Potter series?“

I watched about half of the Harry Potter movie, and the main takeaway I got is that it shows how we have a desire to escape from our reality, or at least to broaden its boundaries.

And we can.

However, it is no game, and it is not for children. In order to exit our current reality, we need to work on changing our perception of reality.

The main barrier standing between where we are in our current reality and entering a whole new reality is pride. That is, in order to exit our current reality, we need to annul ourselves, our egos, and pride is what mainly stands in the way of doing so.

Also, indeed, we need a certain kind of magic in order to leap from our reality to a whole new reality. Real magic is when we elevate our qualities above the limitations of time, space and motion. We can then be unlimited in these parameters.

In fact, there is no time, space or motion. When we annul ourselves, we annul these parameters from our senses, and we no longer control them. In other words, we need to let go of controlling time, space and motion, that we exist in such parameters, and that we hold onto them like how children hold onto their toys, refusing to let go. Even though we are naturally built with a will to control these parameters, when we let go of them, we then discover a perfect and eternal world free from their constraints.

Based on the video “Kabbalist Responds to Harry Potter [Here’s its #1 Spiritual Takeaway]” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Question: Irina writes: “Only now do I understand that the whole history of mankind is going from war to war. Why? Battles for borders, the glorification of war, all progress works for war. Why?”

Answer: Because it is human nature to suppress and feel superior to the other. Without it, life, existence, it has no meaning.

This is the nature of our egoism; the Creator created it this way. From a higher level He created us so that by overcoming egoism we would become similar to that upper degree He wants us to ascend to.

It is by constantly suppressing our own egoism, that we must rise above it, and thus, from what is happening in us throughout the whole transformation of our egoism that we overcome, we will create a spiritual degree in us. Gradually, we will build it and mold it from the negation of egoism and the way we want to turn it over in a different way, to mold it in a different way.

Question: And what can be fashioned from our egoism?

Answer: Love, love, bestowal, self-sacrifice, everything!

Question: Out of this desire for war?

Answer: Precisely from it. We do not have any other material.

Question: Can I fashion the desire to be happy?

Answer: Yes. It is from the most disgusting feces, which is worse than anything, that it must be fashioned, precisely from this. You treat it differently, start presenting it in a different way, and then you will see that it is a noble material.

Question: My egoism?

Answer: But this will no longer be egoism. You will turn it inside out. It will be something sparkling. This will be the garment of the Creator. Can you imagine what opposite understandings, elements of nature we have to deal with here!

Question: So I live with this spark of love, the Creator in me, but I only have war in me now? And if it is turned over, there will already be love?

Answer: Yes.

Question: What kind of work should I do so that I understand and start toward it, toward love?

Answer: Love! Only to develop love in you. Love your neighbor is the main law of nature.

Question: Do we have to go through these sufferings, these horrors, these dead ends?

Answer: Absolutely! We not only have to go through them. We must master them, apply them to ourselves, try them on ourselves, see where it does not suit us and where it suits us, and change ourselves. Sometimes it is to lose weight, sometimes to get fat, sometimes to change ourselves so that these clothes are suitable for us.

Question: And this clothing will be what?

Answer: This is called reflecting light: intention for the sake of others.

Question: So the intention for the sake of others is my clothes? Am I living for others?

Answer: Yes. Egoism remains but in such a way that I want to use it completely for the sake of everyone.
[295551]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/28/22

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why are great artists usually terrible people?“

Recently, a renowned writer was found to have hurt several women, some of whom say that we now need to get rid of his books. Indeed, there have been acclaimed artists throughout history who have created masterpieces while exhibiting terrible behavior in their personal lives.

One has nothing to do with the other. People can be great artists who create the most beautiful and inspirational art about the loftiest of matters, and exhibit terrible behavior in their personal lives. It is unsurprising, because a person includes an entire world of positive and negative qualities.

As we head into the future, it is important to understand that we are headed toward recognition of our evil, i.e., how our egoistic and divisive drives do not let us positively connect, and such awareness will lead us to the conclusion that we have to change.

We were created with an egoistic nature, where we each prioritize self-benefit over benefiting others, in order to become aware of our opposition to the altruistic and whole nature, and to reach a sincere desire to invert our nature into the latter. Doing so would invert our perception of the world as we know it. We would then experience a harmonious and peaceful life.

Based on the video “Why Are Some Artists Such Terrible People?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Comment: Many viewers, quite a number, are asking this question: “How do you talk to children about the war? How do we explain to them what’s going on?” How does one explain why they are bombing and why childhood has ended to those children who are hiding with their parents in bomb shelters and in the subway?” And other children whose childhood continues, those who do not hear sirens and explosions but see what is happening to their peers, ask why this is so.

And the main question is: How do you raise children at a time like this when wars, suffering, and tears are non-stop?

My Response: Children can understand because they also fight with each other. After all, egoism works from a very young age.

So there is nothing here that needs to be hidden from them. Indeed, if we don’t bring up children correctly, then, just like they play in childhood and want to take away from each other and become such bullies, so they continue in adulthood, and that is why we end up with war as a result. Grown men no longer have just shovels or sticks in their hands, now it is something serious. And that is when war begins.

So what should we do? While children are little like yourselves, remember, we tell children, we need to teach you, to bring you up to be able to talk to each other, to come to agree with each other, and to learn to compromise. Then you will not get to such terrible, big problems like these men who start these wars. That is what comes from the fact that in childhood they did not obey their mother.

Question: Do you think that a child will listen to that?

Answer: When he sees this very thing? He is extremely impressed.

Question: When he is under fire? Can he be told just like this?

Answer: Tell him exactly like this. Of course. This is true education. This is the basis of wartime education.

Question: So it’s not to dwell on “enemy,” “hatred,” or “against us”?

Answer: No, they will not understand it; they have no concept of it, no foundation. But when you explain in terms of childhood play and give and take, “when you wanted to take something, but he didn’t give it to you,” you can talk about everything.

Isn’t it how it really works? These games of oil and gas and all sorts of international relations, are they not the same children’s games?

Comment: It has turned into something dangerous.

My Response: Yes, because they didn’t stop it in time or couldn’t explain it in time. So this is how it turned out. Because in childhood they could not explain to understand that it is never necessary to resolve disputes by force. Can you convince the others? If yes, great. If not, compromise.

Question: Should the child understand that disputes are not resolved by force?

Answer: They can’t be resolved by force; otherwise, we will destroy each other. Can you imagine it in the modern world?

Question: How are disputes resolved? What should the child we are raising understand? How do you explain to a child how to resolve disputes?

Answer: Only by persuasion, when you do not force another person to peace, but when you explain to each other how you can come to peace together, with mutual concessions, and not with the approach of “I am right and you are wrong, and now you will understand it.”

Comment: Now you have said a very serious thing, that a child should be able to compromise.

My Response: Of course! This is the most important thing in education. Otherwise what is all the education for? To teach how to hit first? To hit stronger? Or better? It is for the sake of being able to stop and compromise.

Comment: This is the most difficult thing, for children especially.

My Response: Of course. Because they have exposed egoism, small, but revealed.

Question: So you propose to teach concessions, to teach a child so he can yield to others?

Answer: Everything needs to be explained. And then sit in a circle and conduct practical exercises.

Comment: If there is an argument, let’s sort it out? How can we not fight but make peace. This is such a long system…

My Response: Otherwise it will take even longer.

Question: Can this be explained to children who are under fire?

Answer: To everyone! It all depends on the words, vocabulary, and expressions you use. You are explaining this to the ego, which is the same in a small child as it is in a grown-up man, it is the same egoism.

Comment: The main problem here is to train teachers, prepare those who can teach what it means to come to peace, and what annulment means.

My Response: Yes, this is the most important.
[295328]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 3/3/22

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why do large sectors of humanity sometimes get hit by major blows of suffering, like natural disasters and wars?“

The more humanity evolves, the closer it comes to discovering nature’s interconnectedness and interdependence on a global scale. At a certain point in our development, we receive an invitation to rise to a whole new level of existence, where through our tightening global connection, we find that there is nothing left but to activate mutual concern.

Why, then, do we increasingly receive major blows of suffering, such as natural disasters, wars and pandemics? It is due to nature trying to return itself to balance, and in order for nature as a whole to enter into balance, humanity needs to undergo a certain kind of moral and spiritual correction.

And nature’s simplest and most direct way of prodding humanity to realize its need for correction is by sending us suffering.

The moment we suffer, our needs instantly decrease. We become ready to be satisfied with less in order to just not suffer. Take, for instance, what happens during wars and after natural disasters. People make do with little, making no moves for luxurious surpluses to their lives, and become ready to unite and help each other.

Suffering purifies us, lowers our egoistic drives, and makes us ready to be satisfied with less. We then become ready to connect with others in order to receive confidence and support.

Based on KabTV’s “Close-Up. Partnership Agreement” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on July 4, 2010. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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