Comment: Irina asks: “Are there really wars in spirituality too? I always thought there was only love there.”

My Response: From the beginning of the world to the end, the entire universe, except for the sole Creator, the only upper force of love, everything else is built on the battle of opposites, which means, on war.

And the Creator is attained by us when we achieve love in the form of the absolute annulment of hatred, war, and confrontation, i.e., in the complete annulment of everyone in front of others. In this way we form the image of the Creator in ourselves, we create Him. As it is said, “You have made Me.”

Question: Are you talking about a war inside every person right now? Is this a spiritual warfare?

Answer: Yes, and the external is only at the animal level.

Question: You once said that external wars occur because we have not conducted our internal wars properly, and therefore external wars appear. Can you explain this a little more? I did not finish my war?

Answer: I had to fight, I had to resist, and I had to stand, act at the head of the forces of light against the dark forces within myself, and thus see how by this I am moving the world toward a state of connection, rapprochement, and love in all its opposite pieces. And in this way I bring the state of war to the state of real peace.

The word is “Shalom,” “Shlemut,” complete connection (“Ashlama“).

Somehow, I still didn’t finish something somewhere, and therefore I gave it the opportunity to manifest itself in the lowest form, in this physical world.

Question: So now, in order to stop this external war, I have to go back to my internal wars again?

Answer: I have to do it, and everyone has to do it. Because the war is external, it exists only to move us toward an internal connection.

Question: So the resolution of the war by external forces where someone won and someone lost is not the solution of the war?

Answer: Of course not.

Question: And then there will be the next war?

Answer: Of course! We solve nothing by this. This is resolved on the road, on the way: how to continue the next page of the war.

Question: So the next page of the war, one way or another, will be? And maybe even scarier?

Answer: Of course it will be scarier. The most important thing is to quickly determine at the beginning of the conflict what it is and to extinguish it by connecting and complementing the conflicting parties so that they reveal the Creator.

Question: Let’s say there are two conflicting parties who hate each other. How can they suddenly stop at the beginning of a conflict?

Answer: Rise among themselves, rise above yourself, imagine what the world should be like if they were united together so much that they cannot distinguish between each other, but can only feel the connection between them.
[295468]
From KabTV’s “News with Michael Laitman” 3/7/22

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Amnesty International are stating that Israel’s policy against Palestine is the equivalent to apartheid. Is this a gross distortion or an accurate reflection of the situation? What do you think?“

Instead of arguing whether the report is a gross distortion or accurate reflection of the situation, there are deeper factors at work in the “Israel as an apartheid state” narrative. While the report describes Israel as conducting apartheid policies toward Palestinians and also toward Israeli-Arabs, the negative views about Israel are in fact sourced in the egoistic relations among the Jewish people themselves.

Overtly, we find no reports about negative connections between Jews, but covertly, there is a deep-seeded feeling in the nations of the world that the Jewish people owe the world a method of correction of human relations up to a point of “love your neighbor as yourself,” and that the Jews are failing to provide this method. The feeling of the Jewish people failing to provide the world with a method for rising above divisive drives is then what ultimately forms as negative views that the nations of the world hold toward the people of Israel, and the “Israel as an apartheid state” narrative is one such consequence. It is as Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) writes in his “Writings of the Last Generation”:“It is a fact that Israel is hated by all the nations, whether for religious, racial, capitalist, communist, or for cosmopolitan reasons, etc. It is so because the hatred precedes all reasons, but each merely resolves its loathing according to its own psychology.”

In short, connection is a law of nature and the people of Israel were established as a conduit through which to pass the connection in nature’s deeper levels to humanity. The solution to the increasing negative views about the people of Israel is thus for them to realize their role in the world, i.e. to implement the method that leads to “love your neighbor as yourself.” As such, they become “a light unto the nations,” i.e. a conduit for the tendency of “love your neighbor as yourself” to spread worldwide. On the contrary, their failure to realize this method holds back such a tendency from spreading around the world, and the world increasingly feels that the people of Israel are a source of darkness, up to a point where the world would feel that there is no right for this nation’s existence.

We thus have no choice but to start increasing our positive connections to each other up to a peak of love. By doing so, we would invert evil to good, and see peace and harmony throughout the world. Likewise, we would find that the world would invert its attitude to us from negative to positive.

Based on the video “Why Does the ‘Israel as an Apartheid State’ Narrative Gain Increasing Attention?” 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: “Are the Arab nations and Israel going to ever have peace?“

An editorial published by the Kuwaiti daily Arab Times called for the Gulf states to normalize relations with Israel. Arab Times Editor-in-Chief Ahmed al-Jarallah urged that “All the Gulf states should normalize relations with Israel due to the fact that peace with this most advanced country is the right thing to do” and also condemned the Gulf states’ support for Palestine, mentioning that Palestinians’ negative attitude to the Gulf states in return is an “insult.”

In general, normalization between Israel and Arab countries is a positive phenomenon, but it depends on our attitude toward reality, humanity and our cousins. In relation to reality, we need to consider how we bring about peace and harmony in the world. In relation to humanity, we need to seek how to bring about education that can guide humanity on how to positively connect above its differences and divisions, and by doing so, realize a whole new life of goodness and happiness. And our attitude toward our Arab cousins should be that we wish to bring them closer to us than even the rest of humanity.

The Arab world will understand that it is beneficial to make peace with Israel when we, the Jews, will soften our hearts and positively connect to each other. By making peace among ourselves, then to the same extent and even more so, we will see how peace emerges between us and the Arabs, the Palestinians and everyone else. By implementing positive connections among each other, the world would also receive the drive to do so.

As a principle, if there is Jewish unity, then unity and its myriad positive effects would ripple throughout the world. Likewise, if division and hatred reign supreme among Jews, then so too such negative qualities expand throughout the world.

We would thus be wise to imagine that the relations we implement among each other—even just in Israel, among everyone living within its borders—influences the whole of reality, all of the nations, and literally every person. I understand that it is hard to grasp, depict, and agree with such a concept, but it is nevertheless the truth.

Based on the video “Arab Times Editor Calls for Normalization between Israel and the Gulf States – A Kabbalist’s Response” 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 does the Hebrew name ‘Zohar‘ mean?“

In the wisdom of Kabbalah, “Zohar” refers to the upper radiance, which is also called “upper light,” or the light of illumination, understanding, love and participation, which is whole. When this light descends upon us, it gives us a sense of the general force of nature, also called “the Creator,” which guides our development, and which leads us to the final purpose of creation—a state of eternity and perfection.

By drawing the upper radiance upon us, we fill our lives with a sense that we are within and belong to a great force, the Creator. This force gives us a feeling of living on a whole different level, one that is absolutely harmonious and tranquil.

The Book of Zohar serves as an instruction manual on how to connect with and reveal the general force of nature, the Creator. The more we incorporate with and draw its radiance into our lives, the closer we come to the revelation of the Creator while we are alive in this world, up to a point where we reveal the Creator and reciprocate with the upper radiance.

Based on the show “Spiritual States” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Michael Sanilevich on February 15, 2022. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Is war natural?“

Until we reach the complete correction of the world, a state when we will experience balance and harmony with the laws of nature, then war is the most natural of states.

Nature consists of two opposite forces—giving and receiving, plus and minus, day and night, light and darkness, and so on—and these forces exist in a certain equilibrium. However, such equilibrium undergoes a process of constant disturbances and partial restorations. This is called “life.”

Over millions of years, positive and negative forces alternately dominated each other until they reached a certain balance, forming the planet Earth as we know it. Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) describes this process in his article “The Solution”:

First, [the Earth] was but a ball of fog-like gas. Through the gravity inside it, it concentrated the atoms in it, over a period of time, into a closer circle. As a result, the ball of gas was turned into a liquid ball of fire.

Over eons of terrible wars between the two forces in Earth, the positive and the negative, the chilling force in it was finally triumphant over the force of liquid fire, and cooled a thin crust around the Earth and hardened there.

However, the planet had not yet grown still from the war between the forces, and after some time the liquid force of fire overpowered and erupted in a great noise from the bowels of the Earth, rising and shattering the cold hard crust to pieces, turning the planet into a liquid ball of fire once again. Then an era of new wars began until the cool force overpowered the force of fire once more, and a second crust was chilled around the ball, harder, thicker and more durable against the outbreak of the fluids from amidst the ball.

This time it lasted longer, but at last, the liquid forces overpowered once again and erupted from the bowels of the Earth, breaking the crust in pieces. Once more, everything was ruined and became a liquid ball.

Thus, the eons interchanged, and every time the cooling force was victorious, the crust it made was thicker. Finally, the positive forces overpowered the negative forces and they came into complete harmony: the liquids took their place in the abdomen of the Earth, and the cold crust became thick enough around them to enable the creation of organic life as it is today.

All organic bodies develop by the same order. From the moment they are planted to the end of the ripening, they undergo several hundred situations due to the two forces, the positive and the negative, and their war against each other, as described regarding the Earth.

War is thus indeed absolutely natural, and peace is actually unnatural. Peace is nonexistent while we develop through a constant push-and-pull of opposing forces. We can achieve peace only by reaching balance, mutual connection and complementarity between the two opposing forces.

Based on “Spiritual States” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Michael Sanilevich on March 1, 2022. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why do some people suffer a lot more than others?“

We each belong to a single collective system, and we each have an inner foundation within this system. According to this inner foundation, our lives and the extent of suffering in our lives, is determined.

It is important to note that as parts of a collective system, the system as a whole does not take individual parts into account. Rather, it considers their inclusion, i.e. how they combine together in order to function as a single system.

As such, nobody lives alone similar to how a single cell cannot exist by itself within the human body. If a cell serves itself alone, then it becomes cancerous, and it brings about about disease and destruction to the body. Therefore, in order for the body to function healthily, there is a condition set in nature where each cell receives its needs for its sustenance, and gives its surplus for the benefit of the whole body. It thus has no self-considerations, but only takes the interests of the whole body into account, and as a result, it receives the life of the whole body.

Like the single cell in the human body, likewise with its organs: the heart, lungs, liver and several other organs all work not out of self-interest, but in order to serve the whole body. All cells and organs thus work together to create balance and harmony for the body. If, even for a moment, one part of this system considers self-benefit over the benefit of the whole body, then the system collapses.

We live in a similar system. Humanity is a single “body” and we are its parts. Suffering propagates throughout the system—humanity—as a response to us prioritizing self-benefit over benefiting the system as a whole. It comes as a sign that we are not functioning correctly, and we need correction. At our current level of existence, we cannot see why some people suffer more than others, but if we had a bird’s-eye view of the complete system, then we would see how suffering prods the system to undergo a major transition: from its parts feeling and living only for themselves alone, to the parts inverting their intention and living for the benefit of the whole system. Therefore, if we shifted our focus to implement relations of mutual consideration, support and encouragement throughout humanity, we would undergo our fateful transition in a way that alleviates the need for any further suffering.

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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Question: Alexey asks: “The world has gone crazy. How can we prevent a Third World War? It will most likely be nuclear.”

Answer: Yes, of course. I do not think that countries will hold back, because now they are beginning to refer to each other as: “You,” “And who are you?”, “And you,” “Know your place!”, and so on.

That is, they do not turn to people or the leaders of a country, but to the country as if the country itself is a person. And this is why I am afraid that it really could happen. It is not that nerves will snap. I see to what extent one person can still command and indicate his will, his decision, and everyone will bow down before him and fulfill it. This should not be the case in the modern world.

Only God is infallible.

Question: Are you saying that in order to get to the button, a person should go through a great number of internal and external barriers?

Answer: Yes. It cannot be under the control of one person, one finger that presses something and does something. This should be a decision and a simultaneous pressing in different places. Maybe there should be several start buttons. This must be a conscious decision of the majority!

Question: Do you have a feeling that a Third World War is approaching?

Answer: Kabbalah does not deny this. Baal HaSulam writes about this.

Comment: Yes, the great Kabbalist Baal HaSulam wrote that a third and even a fourth nuclear war are possible in order for humanity to come to a correction.

My Response: To final correction. So that it will see that it can be stopped on the way to final correction. Humanity must overcome itself and rise above its egoism so that this egoism will be in front of it as its most important enemy. Not Americans against Russians and so on, but exactly my inner enemy—egoism.

Question: Only with it can there be a war of annihilation?

Answer: This is called annihilation. In fact, what we should destroy is the intention for one’s own sake.
[294971]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 2/28/22

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What is the best way to settle disputes?“

The best way to settle disputes is not to eliminate them, but to increase our connection above them. By doing so, we use disputes to strengthen our connection, and thus rise above the disputes.

We normally think that we need to get rid of contradictions and thus wish to defeat our enemies, proving to them that they are wrong and we are right. They also, for the most part, try to prove the opposite. However, we can never achieve peace in such a way.

The method of Kabbalah uses an opposite approach, where we realize the reason for disputes that emerge, and nobody tries to force others to accept their own opinion. We aim to connect above the differences so that, as it is written, “love will cover all crimes.”

By letting the crimes and disputes remain, and increasing our positive connection over them more and more, then our disagreements eventually become revealed to their fullest extent, together with complete unification above them. That state is called “the revelation of the Creator,” i.e., the revelation of the force of love, bestowal and connection dwelling in nature into the connections we establish above our divisive inclinations. It is a lofty, eternal and perfect state, and its attainment is the goal of Kabbalah studies.

Therefore, the best way to settle disputes, from the smallest ones to major wars, is to seek how to connect above the dispute and mutually replenish each other.

Based on the Daily Kabbalah Lesson with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on March 11, 2022. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What would a world without privacy look like?“

It would be like we are all naked in front of each other.

While it might sound terrible, because we currently count on having all kinds of protections over ourselves, when we would remove our protections, then we would become free. That is, we would feel no need to lock ourselves away from each other, and we could open ourselves up and feel unashamed in front of each other.

We can be free either by having nothing or by having everything. Moreover, we can cover any feeling of insecurity by connecting to the positive force of nature and inviting it into our lives. According to the law that guides our reality—the law of equivalence of form—by adjusting our attitudes to each other so that they become similar to the attitude of the upper force of nature toward us, then we would feel ourselves in the same boundless state as nature.

However, we are currently in an opposite state to nature. We are egoists while nature is altruistic. Therefore, having our privacy removed currently seems like a nightmare to most. It all depends on how well connected we are: If we realize our connections harmoniously, where we each support and encourage each other to construct altruistic attitudes to each other above our innate egoistic drives, then we would feel completely secure, safe and confident, and we would have no fear of losing our privacy.

Based on the video, “How Would a World Without Privacy Look?” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Oren Levi. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Question: The perception of reality implies that the whole world is made of opposites that are constantly at war. If earlier wars were to conquer, recently they carry a character of enforcing peace. Is it possible to establish peace by force?

Answer: Never. No way. Peace can be achieved if you strive for it with great effort. Peace is a union of antagonistic opposites under a common roof, we have to know how to achieve it.

The fact is that in the state of peace all the internal contradictions remain. They cannot be avoided, erased, annulled, or excluded. They can only be in harmony with each other, in mutual complementation. Only then can this state be called peace.

We have to constantly care for it and fortify it because the contradictions will not disappear. That is, peace is a dynamic state, a state of internal dynamic equilibrium of opposites.

Question: Is it possible to achieve eternal peace?

Answer: To the extent you uphold this state, so it will remain.

Question: Does this process have an end?

Answer: In the end, you will constantly reinforce peace, praise and elevate it. What’s wrong with that? It will be a constantly evolving universe of harmony.
[294920]
From KabTV’s “Spiritual States” 3/4/22

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