Entries in the 'Q&A' Category

What To Do If the Heart Is Silent?

600.02 Natalia writes:

Dear Michael Laitman, tell me what to do when the heart closes, when sensitivity goes away, and I see that I can no longer respond to the pain and suffering of others, even the closest people? I stop being sensitive to their suffering. I’m scared of this! I don’t want to become indifferent. What should I do in this case?

Answer: What to do? In this case, you just have to bestow to people. And then you will find meaning in it, you will see meaning in it.

Question: When you say “to bestow,” what do you mean?

Answer: To help, to react to other people in some way, to see what they need, if you do this, you will justify your existence and get closer to the revelation of the Creator not just at the gate of tears, but at the closest gate.

Question: So, you’re saying: “Don’t dig into yourself, don’t look for what I am?

Answer: No, think less about yourself.

Question: Only from oneself outward?

Answer: Yes.
[323794]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 12/25/23

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Asking the Creator Is Necessary

563Question: From a letter: “You have been saying lately that one should not ask anything from the Creator but only agree with everything that happens because everything is from Him. You say: ‘This is life, this is the world, and I exist in this world to be at peace.’ It turns out that I do not need to ask for anything: not for health, not for peace. Then what is the point of all prayers?”

Answer: Asking the Creator is of course necessary, but first, one must decide. It must relate to my request to Him after I have tried everything, done everything, and have not achieved all that I should have achieved for His sake, then I turn to Him with a request and ask for help.

Question: So my first action is to try anyway?

Answer: Try to give to the Creator. If I can’t do that anymore, then ask Him.

Comment: But this “giving to the Creator” is the whole difficulty here. After all, people are actually asking. They are asking, not what to give Him, but what they ask for.

My Response: And what do they give? They give a prayer, they give nothing. They do not give; they ask!

Question: Is the most important thing to ask the Creator?

Answer: Yes, the Creator exists for the purpose of asking Him.

Question: Very important, very good. And where is your inner awareness that you too can give something?

Answer: There is no such awareness. None. Giving to the Creator is generally against any logic. He created everything, He does everything.

Comment: Then let Him give! This is the logic.

My Response: Well said! “Come on! Where are You?”

Question: Should I ask for those who are close to me, for those who are far away, or for oneself?

Answer: It does not matter for whom to ask, but ask.

Comment: But ask, yes. I have such a relationship with the Creator.

My Response: I ask, He gives, not bad.

Question: Do you agree that this is such a condition?

Answer: I agree that a person is built that way.

Question: You say it yourself that such is nature. And what is wrong here? If this has been embedded in us, what is wrong?

Answer: And what is from me?

Question: What is from me? Some good behavior, the fulfillment of some laws? And it is written in the Torah, in the Bible.

Answer: Very well. So do it.

Comment: I do it, but I do it with the thought that it should be good for me.

My Response: And that is no longer good. This is where the problem lies, that you do what you have to do against your will. Part of it is how much you can reduce this involuntarily list.

Question: So, I would want to reduce it?

Answer: You would want to destroy it. And what you want is that you will have no obligations before the Creator but that the Creator feels you and is ready to fulfill your wishes at every moment.

Comment: Yes. There is a thought. The question is this: “You say you have to agree, it started with this, agreeing with everything that happens.”

My Response: Correct, continue.

Question: To agree with everything that happens and that this world exists to be at peace. These are her main theses. You are not giving up on this?

Answer: No. But what does it mean to balance for it to be at peace?

Question: In other words, what does it mean to balance myself?

Answer: Yes. It is all measured relative to me.

Question: That is, this phrase “at peace”—is there some big secret in it?

Answer: Yes.

Question: And what is peace then?

Answer: Peace is a complete harmony, mutual understanding between man and the Creator.

Question: So I have to come to this? It is not just peace as I understand it in this world.

Answer: No. A complete understanding of each other.

Question: And what does it mean?

Answer: That you are completely at peace.

Question: What do I have to understand?

Answer: What the Creator wants from you and what you want from the Creator and that at the same time you are similar to each other and are ready to do anything for each other.

Question: How do I know what He wants from me in order to come to peace?

Answer: The Creator wants only one thing from you: that you understand Him and what He needs.

Question: What? Please tell me.

Answer: But you have to understand this, you have to reveal it.

Question: Meaning that my life comes down to searching for what He needs?

Answer: Yes, This is the direction in life.

Question: How should I aim myself? “I want to understand what You want” or “I want peace”—these are two directions; which one is correct?

Answer: No. “I want peace,” this is you—an egoist. But “I want the right direction for my thoughts, my actions,” this is already a question.

Question: That is, I want to please You somehow, I want to be in dialogue with You?

Answer: I want to do something nice for You.

Question: And my whole life is to find out what I can do that is pleasing Him? And this is called coming to peace that you are talking about?

Answer: Yes.
[322701]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 11/23/23

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What Should I Do If My Son Is at War?

627.2Inna writes:

Dear Michael Laitman, I am trembling all over when I write to you.

I have been living in Israel for 30 years. My children grew up here. Now the oldest one is in the army. He is in a combat unit at a closed base. The connection with him is very rare. He was just next to me, my child, warm, kind, and loving, and suddenly childhood is over.

This realization that childhood is over is terrible! I have a very strong feeling of emptiness! Here neither faith nor mind helps. The younger children do not help either. It is like a piece of me has been taken out of me. I am afraid for him! I feel like I am sinking into this worry! How do I survive this? How do I hold on?

My Response: You just have to believe. There is nothing else to say here. Believe that everything will be fine, that there is the upper force that arranges the fate of everyone, and it will treat each of us with kindness.

Question: My son, and in general, all our children?

Answer: Yes. It is very difficult to imagine a mother’s feelings. Nothing will calm her down except that he would be near her.

Question: Is that what she should want?

Answer: Yes. He should be near her! Under her heart!
[323740]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 12/7/23

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A Life in Which It Is Difficult to Find Meaning

167Question: What is the spiritual work on oneself for an ordinary person?

Answer: A person in whom the question of the meaning of life awakens begins to connect himself with those who want to expand the scope of their knowledge to find out “What am I for? Why me? What is the purpose of existence?”

All these questions push him to expand his feelings: “What kind of world am I in? Is there anything above it? What controls it? Where is the mechanism that sets it in motion? What is the cause and effect of all this? The goal?” When we ask these questions and can’t find the answer, we start looking.

I remember when this question first arose in me, I was only five to six years old, and I felt old, internally dissatisfied, detached from everyone. All the children were running around in the yard doing something, and I was thinking: “Why all this?” And I don’t really want to live, there’s no point.

Of course, life talks to you, you are a little interested in sports (tennis, cycling, running), interested in girls a little, hormonal development is still taking place. But somewhere deep down, this question still sits and does not let you go. You behave as if mechanically and realize the meaninglessness of this.

You go to the symphony, to exhibitions, to museums. You try to somehow cling to this world, to know it, to taste what people consider high, special. But why? You look at a painting and think: “Someone took a couple of months to paint it, painted it beautifully, and then what? What’s the point?” There’s no point.

I remember a teacher at school saying, “The meaning of life is to eat delicious food, relax, go to the cinema, read an interesting book,” and so on. It turned out, as the sages say, “you live involuntarily,” get a little pleasure, relax, and forget about a higher meaning; otherwise, all of life will seem like hell.

And what if you can’t calm down? There are already millions of such people nowadays! These questions oblige a person to begin to expand the field of his feelings.
[322259]
From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. Eternal and Perfect” 12/1/11

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Can Gifts become an Obstacle on the Spiritual Path?

600.02Question: Generally when people have some connection, as soon as monetary relations enter it something beyond our control happens; we begin to change and make various calculations.

Why does everyone revolve around money?

Answer: Money tells how much I buy (from) within you and you buy (from) within me. When I give you money, I buy a part of you. This is the equivalent of my investment in you, of my efforts.

Not only money but even gifts are the same way. I have big problems with this. If someone let’s say from South America brings me a special Tequila, I put it on the table for everyone. But what if it is a personal gift? Then it is a problem: should I take it or not? A person feels that he gave you something. It means you should give him something back.

However, is it good if he thinks this way? Then he will calm down and will not put efforts to attain the upper world, but rather, he will be waiting for a reciprocal gift from you. This will relax him. It is impossible to attain spirituality without your own efforts. It turns out that if I accept his gift, I can trip him into deceiving himself. Therefore, one should not do this.

It is allowed only in the measure I feel that by giving a gift to me, he understands that he is the one who is receiving a gift because I accept it from him. Only in this case!
[322620]
From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. It’s all about money” 12/4/11

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How Can a Person’s Last Suffering Be Alleviated?

294.3 Natasha writes:

Hello, dear Michael Laitman! It is very important for me to know your opinion. The fact is that my niece, who is only 18 years old, is dying of cancer. And yesterday the doctors told us that she is to die in about one month.

Throughout her illness, the whole family supported her and told her that everything would be fine and that she would overcome everything. But now the doctors have pronounced their verdict, and she will be gone in a month. I do not know what to tell her. I really do not know. I will be standing in front of her, she will look me in the eye, and I will have to say something. What should I say?

My Response: You should say that there is nothing worse than this world, and all of us will eventually move to another world and it will be better there. A person will meet this with understanding and relief.

Question: So you think this girl already understands inside her that she will leave?

Answer: Of course she understands it.

Question: In the case that she understands it, or in any case?

Answer: She will understand it. This will remain inside her. And she will accept this departure as a good transition to a better state. It is not a lie, not at all. On the contrary, you alleviate a person’s last suffering here in this world. And let her go.

Comment: That is, this world is not the best one.

My Response: It is the worst one.
[322531]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 11/20/23

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If You Are Not Wicked, Why Do You Need the Creator?

49.01Question: Alexey asks: “Explain how I, such an imperfect, wicked person, can adhere with God? How?”

Answer: God is waiting for those who are imperfect and wicked, but still want to adhere to Him.

Question: Does it mean that Alexey has already made the first step?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Do we need to feel that “I am imperfect and wicked”?

Answer: Yes, then you should aim to the Creator and see that He is waiting for you.

Question: What if I do not feel that I am imperfect and sinful? What if I do not feel it?

Answer: Then why do you need the Creator?
[322661]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 11/23/23

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When War Takes it All

627.2Irina writes:

I had everything: happiness, love, warmth, affection. The war came and took it all away from me. My husband and I thought we were going to be together forever. I understand everything you’re talking about, or rather, I did. I don’t understand it anymore. I do not know how to live anymore.

Question: She is asking how to go on?

Answer: Day by day, that is how to go on, without looking either at yesterday or tomorrow. Just automatically live through today.

Question: What should you invest in to call it life?

Answer: You don’t need to invest in anything. Just live.

Question: So I live, I go to work, meet people, eat, and so on. That’s it?

Answer: That’s it.

Question: Is that a way to live? Without plans for tomorrow or the future?

Answer: Yes. No plans! This is the best thing. Then there are no disappointments or expectations.

Question: But how can you cope with the feeling that you had everything: happiness, love, warmth, affection, then the war came and, as I understand it, even took Irina’s husband away?

Answer: I don’t know what to say. There are usually no words for this.

Question: But those close to us try, as do others, to make us feel better, give us some kind of solace. What solace can we offer Irina?

Answer: To be more involved with our programs and get closer to us. This is what I can advise her.

Question: I don’t think she is our student. She is watching our programs and is clearly familiar with our clips. She writes: “I understand everything you’re talking about.” Or rather, she understood, but no longer does. When a person receives such a blow, what is the advice?

Answer: Still she should not distance herself from us. Hold on to us. And then everything will fall into place.

Comment: You said, and I believe she’s heard it in your lectures and all our materials, that you must accept what comes to you.

Answer: Yes, there is nothing more you can do.

Question: What lies behind this word “accept”?

Answer: Everything that happens comes from above, but we must still agree with it. We must agree. What are the options? It is very painful, and thoughts keep straying to the past, to how things used to be.

Comment: To how kind and warm it once was.

Answer: Yes. Yet the same question, why? The best thing is to keep on going about your day, try to act automatically.

Question: To such a degree on autopilot? What would happen if I lived like this, if I heeded your advice?

Answer: You would slowly get used to the fact this is how it should be, day after day. That’s all.

Question: Would a new understanding, a new happiness, and a new life emerge if you keep on going like that?

Answer: It would no longer be the same happiness, but things would calm down.

Question: Tell me, why is this given to a person?

Answer: So that, first of all, a person would justify what is happening. This is how things work, and this is how it all comes from above.

Question: You always say that a person is not given more than he can bear. Even when the most precious thing is taken away?

Answer: It doesn’t matter what.

Question: Does this mean a person is strong and is able to endure it?

Answer: Possibly.

Question: Can I tell Irina this too, that she can endure? Does this apply to her as well?

Answer: Absolutely!
[322481]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 11/13/23

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Breaking Free from the Power of Politicians

294.2Dimitry writes to you:

Michael, I have been enraged lately. Why do we succumb to politicians and propagandists who are throwing us off? They are the reason there is so much grief. You see clearly blood spilling, people killing each other, and hating each other. It is all because they are egging on, but everything is, after all, illusory and fake. We die for this lie while they get fat. They make lots of money off this bloodshed, their children roll in luxury, and they too are doing well. Why are we giving in? Where is our basic reasoning? Where is the fear?

Answer: We do not have basic reasoning. As for the fear, we are so lost we do not feel it.

Question: So they can steer us?

Answer: They can do anything.

Comment: But a person still feels it, Dimitry writes here with so much pain in this letter that people feel it and still fall for it.

My Response: Of course.

Question: What is this mechanism that steers us?

Answer: It is politics. They are not just steering a person, but entire nations and countries by any means. They know how to brainwash people who follow them as if to the slaughterhouse.

Question: What do they pinpoint in us that they can turn on and throw us into hell?

Answer: They control our little egoism, and thus we succumb to it.

Question: It turns out they are specialists? That is, they know what you keep saying, that a person is an egoist. They know it.

Answer: Yes, they know it very well and use it.

Question: Is there a way to resist? Dimitry is actually hoping you may have a solution, a way to resist all this, what to do.

Answer: Only if we truly understand our nature and how we are led will we be able to see their work for ourselves and not be on board with them.

Question: You pointed to egoism. You said: “This is our vice we need to work with.” How do you work with it to break free from them?

Answer: I think for this we just need to understand that good relations between us, between people, are above all other benefits they try to bribe us with. After all, it is always about buying and selling.

Question: So, if I have great relationships, will they not be able to steer me?

Answer: If I cherish these good relationships, they will not be able to.

Question: What kind of relationships are these?

Answer: When I realize that the best thing is to live in peace with my neighbors, when I say neighbors, I mean from everyone around me to other countries.

Comment: But it is not a secret, there is understanding in us that it is really good to live in peace with neighbors.

My Response: These are just words. There are so many ways and methods to pit one country against another, and it is very hard to stop.

Question: What should I imprint on myself, which rule or law to never circumvent?

Answer: To live peacefully is above all. This should be clear to people.

Question: Can it be imprinted, let’s say, in laws, in man?

Answer: It can be imprinted in society so if someone wants to lure one society into a war against another society, they will not succeed.

Question: Do you think it is possible to accomplish?

Answer: Yes. Peace above all. This should be the direction of our most important aspiration.

Question: Let’s talk a little above the corporeal. You have always said the Creator is associated with the word “Shalom“—peace. You tell us we are somehow attracting this state here?

Answer: Yes, you can attract a good state to yourself, gain confidence in yourself and others, and unite to never be separated or crushed. This is called the upper force dwelling among us, the upper one.
[322117]
From KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” 11/20/23

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It’s All about Money

600.02Question: Why is money the basis of all problems in the world?

Answer: Because it is the equivalent of our investing in each other. I give something so I am supposed to take something.

Question: If we remove money, would there be no problems?

Answer: If everything that is common were removed, completely does not belong to anyone at all, and when everyone is concerned about each other as one common whole: either I will receive, or I will give, or another will receive, or will give to me, and all this is equivalent in my feelings, only then can we talk about removing money completely.

Money is a cover for my attitude toward others. There is nothing you can do about it.

Question: So in our world, will the problems disappear even if the money disappears?

Answer: No. Only when we rise above ourselves in our feelings will this world itself simply disappear because it exists only in our sensations.
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From KabTV’s “I Got a Call. It’s All Because of Money.”

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