Entries in the 'Q&A' Category

Crossing To Another Dimension

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What does it mean that we can exist in another form: without the body or outside of it?

Answer: There is information, its carrier, and someone who senses this information. And all of them can change. Information (the intellect and so on) can exist not only in a protein, silicon, or other carrier, and not even in the material one, not in the brain.

Information per se is not material. It is only us who perceive it through a material carrier. We are already able to pass on information from a protein, live carrier (the brain) to an inanimate one. All of our evolution has been leading us to gradual changes in the information carrier, the gradual distancing from its initial, natural form: from speech to writing on different carriers, and then to programming and storing information in the virtual space.

Today we are standing at the threshold to another state in which the body will lose its importance, the sensations will transfer to a new dimension (the attribute of bestowal), while we will move the information from the brain-carrier or, to be more precise, the quality of reception, to another carrier: the quality of bestowal.
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How Many Jews Are There In The World?

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In your opinion, how many Jews are there in the world?

Answer: According to some scientific estimates, there were about 100 million people in the world during the exodus from Egypt. Jews comprised 3% of the population, which means that now there should be 6.9 billion x 3% = 200 million. The number of Jews in the world, left of the two tribes is 14 million. One tribe is 7 million. As of today, all the tribes amount to 7 million x 12 tribes = 84 million.

Many were killed during the persecution of the Jews in the Middle Ages. But let’s take only the 6 million who where murdered in the Holocaust. Since 1940 the world population has grown three times, and so 6 million x 3 = 18 million. This means that there could have been 18 +14 = 32 million Jews, together with those murdered in the Holocaust. And one tribe is 16 million.

16 million x 12 = 192 million Jews in 12 tribes as of today. This means that the number of Jews is about 200 million: 3% of the world’s population.
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Working With Disturbances

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: If disturbances come to me in the form of foreign thoughts, can I just stop thinking about them and ask the upper force to direct me back on the right path?

Answer: If I get a disturbance from the upper force, why should I ask It to remove it? It is the same as when my mother asks me to assemble a new toy from a Meccano kit, an airplane or a car, and I say: “I don’t want to.” How can I grow? If I want a car that is already assembled, I will grow into an undeveloped child. It is because when I assemble, take apart, or break something, then everything happens the way it should. Just like all those years at school or university when we were constantly given assignments. They could have given us the answer. Why do we need disturbances?..

Question: Suppose an external thought came to me. Do I simply break through it further, realizing that this a disturbance, and think about how to work with it?

Answer: Work with a disturbance should be done in the following way: After you focus on the idea that everything comes from the Creator, you should process this disturbance together with the friends. That is all! You will not be able to direct yourself at Him on the same frequency. You cannot. You can do it only together in the group!

When you are together in one group, and all kinds of mutual relationships exist between you (we are talking only about the relationships that are relevant to the goal), then this single force of nature exists around you and above you. You have to create a resonant circuit in yourself like in a radio receiver, which tunes to Him, and then you will pick Him up. This force fills everything around and inside you, but you can pick it up when you tune into the same frequency.

People come to the group with their problems, with the minuses. What happens next? They connect with each other, and all the minuses disappear because we only desire to work on bestowal. I rise above my problems—they remain below. There are plenty of minuses below me and below each of our friends, but we understand that they are created in order for us to aspire to mutual bestowal, so that we work on these minuses.

In what way? They come from a single unified force. It does this on purpose so we rush towards it in spite of the problems that arise in each of us, and most importantly between us. After all, great hatred, dislike, contradictions, and misunderstanding arise between us: No one understands me, and I do not understand anyone; no one appreciates me, and I do not want or appreciate anyone.

Everyday problems are more or less discarded, but the problems that exist in the group and repel us from each other are the central problems. “Stacking” these problems, aiming them forward together, we as though tell the Creator: “You will not divert us from the path. We understand where this comes from. You put all these problems in front of us so that we’ll rise above them, like above Mount Sinai (the mountain of hatred), to You.”

Here, against all the disturbances that He causes purposely, you generate a completely new property: unity. Thus, you begin to discover Him between you—His quality, His force. This is your radio receiver, your sensor, the sensory organ that you create in yourself. In it, you immediately reveal Him—not somewhere outside or above, but here, inside.
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/24/12, Lesson 3

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Learning To Make Concessions

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How do we transition a person from the state of cerebral perception of this idea onto a level of feelings through which he would be willing to concede?

Answer: It’s only possible on the condition that a person sees and therefore feels, relying on a large number of examples, just to what extent he or she is connected with others and depends on them, how he doesn’t have any choice, and how good it is to be in a correct connection with others. In other words, a person needs to see what he gains and what he loses. This is the phase of persuasion.

Afterwards, we move onto practical exercises with groups of people. These need to include questions and answers, games, songs, and films: We need to guide a person through the emotional perceptions for and against mutual guarantee and unification, to show them, in a real way, what can result from implementing or failing to implement these principles. This is the second phase.

In the third phase we need to use what we refer to as “habit becomes second nature.” We already spoke about this in our previous talks. If a person gets used to taking others into consideration and being connected by mutual guarantee in a small group, then gradually, by studying this and realizing that it’s beneficial to him or her, the person transfers this to an ever-wider circle of people until he attains the state where he perceives the entire world as one common circle.

We need to engage the scientists who speak about this in scientific terms in cooperation with us. They explain from the perspective of nature about what’s happening now and what will happen in any given scenario, just like a doctor who says: “You have a certain illness and only this medicine will help you. But this medicine is attainable.” It is difficult indeed, but a person is prepared to give everything for their life.

We need to utilize the force of the environment, which can convince a person of anything. I can start calling black, white. If there would be 20 people standing next to me and over 20 hours they’d be convincing me that this is white, I will start thinking that it is in fact white. My brain will alter the program and as a consequence of external persuasion, I begin to see that this is white! There are practical confirmations of this.

The influence of the environment on a person changes his or her properties, changes anything that we’ve gotten used to. We didn’t know what we were seeing and what was happening around us, this is something we were taught! And now we only need to understand that a person can be taught anything. It’s difficult to erase one’s stereotypes, but we don’t do that, we only correct within him or her, their egoistic distortion so that by using bestowal towards others, he would receive enjoyment himself.

Ultimately, he will receive a sure egoistic gain, and how could it even be otherwise?! He is being taken care of, being promised all that is best; he just needs to make concessions for that, but so what? You need to pay for everything in life. Actually, this isn’t even that great of a concession, since as soon as a person begins to relate to another with goodness and love, he begins to enjoy the fact that he is giving.

A person shouldn’t constantly be feeling pressure and stress: “I have no way out, I will treat you well even though it requires great emotional force and internal exertions…” Not at all!  We need to create such mass media, such external influences on a person, that he would change, and suddenly it would be easy for him! He will begin to enjoy the fact that he is treating you well. He will discover that he is in a wonderful world! Everyone treats him well, and he is good to all!

We need to transfer from the rails of coercion onto the tracks of voluntary participation, to learn to concede, at first forcibly, and then out of our own will and desire.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” Episode 5, 1/5/12

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Jobs And Spiritual Advancement

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: When people start to treat everything according to the principle of “There is none else besides Him,” it’s as if they stop functioning in life; they lose jobs, family problems arise, and the material foundation crumbles. Ultimately, this really interferes with their spiritual advancement. We know that there’s also another perspective: “If I am not for myself, then who is for me?” How can I discern “There is none else besides Him,” when I have to find the second perspective within and approach life according to “If I am not for myself, then who is for me?”

Answer: We shouldn’t throw these phrases around since in principle, they also speak about other degrees. Usually these phrases pertain to spiritual development, and not only the corporeal. What can be done in order to correctly aim a person at the goal so that he won’t err on life’s path? It’s difficult. I’ll give you an example of just how difficult it is.

I also quit my job. I had a wonderful clinic with twelve doctors, a large staff, technology, and so on. In those times, you can say that the turnover of this clinic was in the millions. I simply gave it away, gave it away! I didn’t even sell or liquidate it, but gave it away in order to get rid of the management duties, without getting even a cent afterward. I could not continue working. This is why I understand people like that.

The best thing is when you work at a simple job. My teacher Rabash said the same thing. He was always being offered promotions at work; they wanted to make him a team leader and then a department manager. “Under no circumstances! I want to be a simple worker.”  “But this way you can earn five or ten times more!” “I don’t want that.”

Until the very last day of work, until his retirement, he remained a simple clerk. He worked in the income tax offices, filled out forms and papers, understood these mechanics perfectly, and didn’t want to climb higher. He would say that this allowed him to think about his spiritual work while he filled out papers on autopilot. And before that he worked in construction and wherever else as a simple laborer.

In other words, when a person has a creative job, when at work he must bring something into being, then it is difficult for him. But if he does mechanical work that doesn’t require creativity like in a machine shop or a garage, then he can continue working and I don’t see anything shameful in that. He is required to work. A person is required to be married, have children, family, and a job. Through this he exists within the framework of our world, and on that basis can develop further.

The group needs to support him in that and help. But again, he needs to work in order to provide a normal life for his family, and not for the sake of excess. But this he does have to do. How can we help with this? Within the group there needs to be such an atmosphere that obliges you to look after your friends so that they won’t fall and neglect their jobs. And if someone’s husband is having some kind of problems, the wives have to inform the group about it.
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/24/12, Lesson 3

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Outcome: One Upbringing For The Whole World

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the outcome of today’s lesson?

Answer: We are entering a new epoch. We stand before the necessity to change our mutual relationships, at the transition from egoistic competition to mutual guarantee, and after, to universal love. At first this occurs forcibly, under the influence of our current state and the pressure of nature, but then we will willingly shift towards mutual concessions and mutual concern.

In accordance with this, we need to build our system of explanations, education, and upbringing in such a way that over a long time it would be exerting an influence on an individual, on groups, on society, people, a nation, and on all countries together, until gradually, we all receive one upbringing and learn to live happily all together in our one home.
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From KabTV’s “A New Life” Episode 5, 1/2/12

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Wholeness Doesn’t Acknowledge Deviations

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In the “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot“, Baal HaSulam says that every person will go through spiritual states. Does this concern only people with a “point in the heart” or actually everyone?

Answer: Everyone must reach the end of correction, Gmar Tikkun, everyone. The question is, when? In what order? After whom and before whom?

It says: “For they shall all know me from the smallest to the greatest.” “For my home shall be called a home of prayer for all the nations.” Could it be that a certain desire to receive will remain uncorrected? Will the general and absolute end of correction of Malchut of Ein Sof come?

The whole difference is in our participation. There are those who pull all of humanity after them, half or a quarter of…it is the same as with Moses during the exile from Egypt who, according to Jethro’s advice, divided the people into tens, hundreds, thousands etc. in order to direct them to correction.

An African living on the Savanna will also reach correction, if not now then in a few more reincarnations. He too will have to go through all the spiritual states. In your imagination he is hunting an antelope now, but if you look at him differently, you will see that it is a spiritual vessel that is going through certain states on the way to more serious correction that are felt consciously, you wouldn’t see a corporeal picture but a desire to receive. Even now he is in the process of correction and is reincarnating, but it is unconsciously.

This process includes everyone, but each one in his own way. Therefore, we don’t criticize anyone. A person himself determines the way he feels his world and his cooperation with others. We are all different, and each has his own portion, his own combination of the spark, the Light, and the desire.

Question: Can anyone take an active part in the process?

Answer: Even a slight action is enough for someone to express the activity. Imagine that you were born a prince, and a great mission is waiting for you. Accordingly you are educated and taught, but you perform your mission by 80%, while an ordinary camel washer invests 100% of his internality. Therefore, the camel washer will reach the end of correction, will rise to the level of righteous, will receive and will feel everything, while you will have to work, although speaking in specific spiritual terms, your corrections are much greater than his.

Each one is measured according to his desire to receive, and in it he determines his level. The spiritual ladder is in our spiritual vessel.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/29/12, “Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Towards Simplicity

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Today, scientists are discovering that we are all interconnected, that countless threads, which we never even knew existed, stretch out between us. How does a Kabbalist see this? Could it really be that this enormous tangle moves constantly before his eyes?

Answer: In reality, everything is very simple. And the further we advance, the simpler it is. Man is simple, and the Light is simple, while the multiple calculations arise because egoism interweaves with the desire to bestow.

The further a person progresses, the more naturally he perceives the picture of the world. Habit becomes second nature. The same way you view your family and loved ones: It becomes your life, your nature, and you no longer exert efforts in the relationships with your loved ones or those whom you don’t really know. You know each of them and understand all the connections.

Right now it seems to you like a problem because it requires efforts. But when the desire to bestow reigns within you, problems disappear. There’s nothing simpler than coming to know the spiritual world and living in it.

“Is such a thing possible? How can I take care of everything, to control the movement of all the atoms and all the worlds?”

You don’t need to control anything since all of it is revealed within you, as your own system. And this is why each subsequent degree will be even freer from pressure, from the necessity to understand what’s happening. With every step, everything will become only clearer.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 3/29/2012, “Introduction to TES“  

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A Woman Is A Desire

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: All of us, men and women alike, are looking for ways to ascend to the next degree. How can a woman come to the correct understanding of it? After all, the men unite and discuss these questions in the groups, while a woman doesn’t participate in this process?

Answer: A woman is the vessel that a man needs to fill with his work towards the Creator. What does he fill this vessel with? With the Creator. Here a man acts only as a means. This is what we call a screen and the Reflected Light. This is the men’s work. And the women’s work is an enormous desire for the revelation of the Creator.

So where do you see a small role of a woman if she is actually the very desire without which a man has nothing to do? This is why unmarried men were never accepted into Kabbalah. What’s there for him to do if he doesn’t have a wife? This is called “half a body.” There is such a concept in Kabbalah: An unmarried man is half a body. With only half a body you shouldn’t be coming to study.

This is why we need to understand what the role of a woman is.
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/24/12, Lesson 3  

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A Game Of “Toy Cars”

Dr. Michael Laitman with StudentsQuestion: During the seminar one friend said that when he was a child he played with toy cars and that the game was reality to him. What is preventing us today from revealing that everything we are doing isn’t a game but reality?

Answer: If we truly played, we would have revealed the Creator already. The whole game is in the group. Up until today we hadn’t gotten together as needed. We were doing the preparation work, and time didn’t go to waste. We were waiting for the general state and atmosphere in the world as well as our own inner readiness. Gradually we’ve come to the point where we’re ready to realize this readiness in the group. Such groups will multiply throughout the world.

There isn’t any other way to realize this other than in a small group of ten people. If the group is large, it has to be divided into tens and then rotate. It doesn’t matter who you’re seated next to because you’re revealing your point in the heart. You don’t pay attention to the animal essence of your friend. You can dislike him for his inherent qualities—it only makes it better. It will make it easier to find contact with his point in the heart and not his corporeal part. This is how we have to work, and this is called “playing the game of toy cars.”
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From the Vilnius Convention 3/24/12, Lesson 3

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