Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How do you deal with all these terrible things going on in the world?“

I explain to people that suffering is not going anywhere, and things are not going to become any better or sweeter, unless we change ourselves: that we will want to correct our egoistic human nature into its opposite.

The world will improve to the extent that we rise above our egoistic nature, which by default wishes to benefit at the expense of others and nature, and enter into a new altruistic nature, where we wish to benefit others and nature more than we wish to benefit ourselves.

The more that we elevate our attitudes to each other in such a way, to unite above division, to build friendships in human society instead of letting ourselves go with the flow of remaining divided, indifferent, uncaring and even hateful of each other, then we can hope for a better future.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Do you think crossing the Red Sea by Moses really happened?“

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, the crossing of the Red Sea describes an inner spiritual state of leaving one’s egoistic desires behind, and entering into spiritual desires for love, bestowal and connection. It is essentially the crossing from this world to the spiritual world, and it is a process that unfolds in any person who applies themselves to the method of spiritual ascent.

When we exit the egoistic boundaries of this world, i.e., the desire to enjoy for self-benefit alone, we have to leave it once and for all. The boundary we cross in such a transition is described as “crossing the Red Sea.”

The process of exiting the ego requires powerful egoistic resistance, which is expressed as a desire to return to Egypt (i.e., living under the control of our self-aimed demands) in order to be slaves of the ego as before. The nation, which are desires that want to exit Egypt, still have no idea how to progress in order to become more altruistic, giving and loving.

These states play out inside each and every person and in a group of people as they try to rise above their ego in order to connect with each other. The parting of the Red Sea takes place by a process that kabbalists call “faith above reason,” symbolized by Moses’ rod. In general, “faith above reason” means the elevation of the importance of progressing on the spiritual path—a path of love, bestowal and positive connection—over the importance of remaining servants to our egoistic and materialistic desires. By default, the importance of spirituality is lower than the importance we naturally hold for egoistic pursuits, and thus raising the importance of spirituality requires a supportive environment of like-minded people aiming for spiritual attainment.

The Red Sea parts for those in the state of faith above reason. Crossing the Red Sea means that we shift from the corporeal transient world that is under the control of egoistic desires, into the eternal spiritual world that runs by an opposite altruistic operating system. Pharaoh’s armies represent the inner state called “below reason.” Their drowning represents the ego that is left behind as we shift into spirituality.

This action is symbolized by Nachshon’s jump into the sea. Why does Nachshon jump into the sea first instead of Moses? It is because Moses is already beyond that state, in the quality of Bina. In other words, the spiritual qualities of love, bestowal and connection already govern Moses. His connection to these spiritual qualities leads the nation, i.e., desires aimed at exiting the ego and entering into a spiritual connection, gradually releasing them from the ego, and leading them to spiritual connection.

The desires that have no desire to advance by way of faith above reason, but which want to remain in the ego, are put to death by the condition of faith above reason. This means that they cannot cross the Red Sea into spiritual attainment, as they cannot obtain the quality of love and bestowal above their ego. The egoistic desires die at sea, causing a split between egoistic and altruistic desires.

The sea, or water in general, represents life—the quality of Bina, bestowal and love. We are born in water. Water is life’s foundation, but there are good and bad waters. When the water is still within the ego’s bounds, it is harmful, drowning those who are in it.

The entire story about crossing the Red Sea describes the acquisition of a supernatural ability, the quality of caring about others with no self-interest, and the shift to a completely different system of existence in which benefiting others becomes more important than self-benefit. We cross a boundary, and where we previously lived only for ourselves through the ordinary ego, we shift into a life of love for, and bestowal unto, others.

Crossing the Red Sea thus describes a complete inversion of our attitude to life— from egoism to altruism, corporeality to spirituality, division to connection, and reception to bestowal—and it is driven solely by the aspiration to become as loving and giving as the Creator: a force of pure bestowal with no shred of self-interest.

Based on the program “Spiritual States” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Michael Sanilevich on Friday, April 1, 2021. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Where should Israel invest its gas royalties?“

In 2020, Israel received the equivalent of around three billion US dollars in gas royalties. Part of it was supposed to go to a Israeli Citizens’ Fund for the benefit of Israeli citizens, but the fund is not yet operational. Indeed, what is the best investment for these royalties?

It is unlikely that the Israeli Citizens’ fund will be created, as nobody is genuinely looking in such a direction. If, however, it would miraculously come to fruition, then education should be its number one priority. Even though a major portion of Israel’s budget currently goes to education, it is not the kind of education that people need.

The education people need should teach how to live harmoniously with one another through developing positive and warm connections, and implementing mutual responsibility. In its current definition, education is only about acquiring knowledge and skills. All problems in Israel are thus education-based.

Education is a widespread problem concerning every person. The best investment of Israel’s gas royalties would be in a wide-scale project that educates people, with the aid of the media, how to upgrade connections to become more positive and harmonious. An upgrade in people’s connection means an upgrade in attitudes to one another, so that around the clock, we would be concerned with how to increase goodness, benevolence, happiness, confidence, support, encouragement, kindness, altruism and positivity in society.

Such education is opposite to human nature, which is selfish at its core. In other words, the essence of education is to elevate us above our self-centeredness in order to develop positive connections. This is why it is necessary to educate everyone. In order to do so, education does not require any big budget. Instead, it requires clear and consistent explanations that without upgrading our connections to become more supportive and encouraging of one another, then a truly harmonious life will always elude us.

By prioritizing, investing and engaging in this new kind of education, a new positive atmosphere would envelop society. We would feel a new goal open up before us, and a new kind of motivation, which would urge us to become more united. It is especially in a highly egoistic place like Israel that such a revolution in education needs to come about. Moreover, it is not only about improving Israeli society, but by improving the connections among the people of Israel, the foundation would become set for positive connections among humanity at large to unfold. As such, we would fulfill our destiny (“Love your neighbor as yourself”) and pass on the method of connection to the world (to become “a light unto the nations”).

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Who were the mixed multitude in Exodus 12:38?“

We can divide a nation—inside and outside of a person—into three parts. Those who aspire for the Creator are called “Israel (Yashar-Kel).” Those called “Egyptians” have no interest in spirituality, and instead deal with their corporeal lives. The mixed multitude are those who, on one hand, fear the Creator, but on the other hand, try to use their connection with the Creator selfishly.

Most people believe in the Creator or some higher force. There are several methods and teachings that express the person’s desire for the Creator. Even atheists have an inner point that aspires for connection with the Creator, and it defines their innermost reasoning for existence.

People are divided into two types. One defines those connected to religions and other faith methods who use their connection with the Creator in order to gain confidence and success in this life. The other defines those who want to discover their connection with the Creator in this life. They demand the Creator’s revelation, and wish to discover Him in themselves. They want to reveal an additional layer of reality above the still, vegetative, animate and human levels, which we perceive through the five senses.

Our deepest spiritual aspiration can be fulfilled through the method of Kabbalah. It leads us to the sensation of the highest governing force in reality, which determines everything. The wisdom of Kabbalah can prepare us for such an attainment while we are alive in this world.

How, then, can people considered the mixed multitude fear the Creator—the quality of absolute love and bestowal—when their sole aspiration is to serve themselves?

We can use our connection to the Creator either selfishly or altruistically. A selfish connection to the Creator positions us as consumers toward the Creator. It makes us constantly demand self-aimed fulfillment as a result of such a connection. It is merely a continuation of our inherently selfish inclination toward life. While aiming at the Creator selfishly, we accept that there is an all-encompassing force in reality that we fear, but we consciously demand a reward for such an acknowledgment. We then hope that we will be rewarded either in this life, and/or in the so-called afterlife. Such a selfish relationship with the Creator is called “mixed multitude.”

The Egyptians (in the Torah) simply want a good life with or without connection to the Creator. Such is the simple consumer attitude we observe in this world. They might observe certain commandments and certain actions, but not in order to become completely altruistic, i.e. to realize the principle commandment of “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

The mixed multitude are egoistic desires that reject the exodus from Egypt, i.e., to exit the selfish ego and live a life of love, bestowal and positive connection to others. They cannot cross the Red Sea, and they want to return to Egypt. They do whatever they can in order to stop those who want to escape from slavery in Egypt, i.e., those controlled by the ego. They live in parallel with those who strive toward becoming as altruistic and loving as the Creator.

Those on the path of becoming altruistic and loving as the Creator need to encounter those desires called “mixed multitude” on the way, because these desires ultimately help us distinguish our true desire for connection with the Creator from others: that we wish for no self-aimed reward, but that all the contentment and goodness will be for the sake of the Creator.

In every person on every spiritual degree, a wide spectrum of desires appears. We can learn how to use these desires and sort them out with the help of Kabbalistic sources, i.e., to sort out the qualities of Malchut (reception) and Bina (bestowal), and elevate the value of the bestowal qualities over those of reception. This is done by engaging in a spiritually-supportive environment, where we aim to connect positively to one another in order to become as altruistic and loving as the Creator.

Based on a talk with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman and Michael Sanilevich, “Spiritual States: Mixed Multitude” 4/1/21
Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What is the meaning and importance of the exodus from Egypt?“

Passover describes salvation from exile in Egypt, i.e., from the period of slavery to our egoistic desires called “Egypt,” the increasing feeling of distress we develop in that state, and its eventual exit after coming to an intolerable feeling that we cannot exit our egoistic desires, but we feel a dire need to do so.

When we feel these opposites, the waters of the Red Sea (in Hebrew, it is called “the Final Sea” [“Yam Suf”]) open up, and we cross.

We have no idea how it unfolds in such a way. On one hand, it is considered miraculous, but on the other hand, it takes place after we reach desperation from our own inability to overcome our egoistic desires. That is why it is known as an escape at night, in darkness. The darkness symbolizes our lack of self-confidence, i.e., our inability to exit our egos by ourselves. We simply do not understand how we could possibly exit the control of our egoistic desires, which are our very human nature, as we find ourselves powerless to do so with our own strength. Also, we cannot understand how there could be another force in reality that could somehow change our nature. Yet, it is precisely this upper force that becomes disclosed and which changes us.

This is why the exodus from Egypt, i.e., the exit from the control of our egoistic desires, is considered miraculous. It is an act performed on us from the upper force, above our egoistic nature, in response to the need we prepare for that exodus on our behalf.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “In Exodus 32, God calls the Israelites “stiff necked people”. What does that mean?“

The people of Israel are given blows, such as the ten plagues of Egypt, in order to reach a realization that individually, their egos will not be able to sustain them, and that they will need to demand a force outside the ego—the Creator’s force of love and bestowal—in order to unite above the ego and overcome the blows.

They are called “a stiff-necked people” because as soon as they receive such blows, they immediately forget about them and their purpose—to rise above their egoistic desires in order to connect with the altruistic quality, the Creator—and thus they return to their egoistic desires.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What does maror symbolize?“

When we set off on the spiritual path, it initially appears very enticing, attractive and interesting. We become fueled with a new sense of purpose in life, and understand that great attainments and revelations await us.

After some time on the spiritual path, we reach the understanding of what spirituality means—to give, bestow to and love others—and enter a tough period where the initial spiritual attraction wanes and we feel confused and rejected by the notion of spirituality.

This latter period is known as Maror (bitter herb).

How is it possible to endure the period of Maror? The dark sensations of this period come to us in order for us to remain locked on the spiritual path and goal, sharpen our senses, and eventually enter into a new dimension and attain a new sense for perceiving and sensing reality.

In order to stay locked on the spiritual path and goal, we need to be part of a spiritually-supportive environment, which encourages, helps and raises the importance of the spiritual goal of love, bestowal and connection above all the transient corporeal goals in our lives that can seem all the more attractive as they supply instantaneous pleasure, despite such pleasure being short-lived.

This Maror period of the spiritual path is when several people leave it, and the sole advice to reach the other side of the darkness and distastefulness of such a state is to participate in a spiritually-supportive environment that increases the spiritual goal’s importance above all else. This is why it is written that heroes (heroes [in Hebrew, Giborim] as those who overcome [in Hebrew, Mitgabrim] the ego) emerge from that period, by having no other choice, and also by feeling a sense of mutual responsibility toward everyone in the spiritually-supportive environment—that they each depend on one another in order to raise the importance of spirituality (love, bestowal and connection) over corporeality (the desire to self-benefit).

Therefore, those who establish themselves on the spiritual path—to move toward love, bestowal and positive connection with others, detached from egoistic self-interest—reach what is called “the path of exiting the exile (i.e., the darkness of living for the sake of corporeal self-aimed goals) to the Land of Israel (i.e., to connection with the spiritual force of love, bestowal and connection).”

Maror is self-aimed fulfillment. To the human ego, Maror is sweet, tasty and enjoyable. However, when we want spirituality, we discover such sweetness as bitterness. That is, we find how we want to achieve love, bestowal and positive connection among people, but that it is impossible because our egoistic nature constantly desiring self-aimed pleasures stands in the way.

Therefore, the principle spiritual work in Egypt (i.e., while immersed in our egoistic desires) is in chewing Maror. It is the feeling of being unable to exit Egypt (the ego), and the constant effort to hold a desire and prayer to achieve the spiritual goal. If we stay locked on the spiritual path and goal while we endure such a state, then our spiritual desire turns into a true yearning for help from the upper force in order to give us its spiritual nature: love, bestowal and connection.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “How would you summarize the purpose of life in one sentence?“

The purpose of life is to achieve the center of connection between us in order to perceive and sense our exit into a higher dimension, where we are balanced with nature.

Based on a Virtual Kabbalah Lesson with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman given on October 30, 2016. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Can left handedness be corrected? If yes, how?“

There have been cases in the past where people tried forcefully re-educating left-handed children to be right-handed, despite the children usually being very talented and versatile.

There is a generally negative attitude toward the left side. In the wisdom of Kabbalah, it is also written that “the left rejects and the right adducts” (in Baal HaSulam, Shamati (I Heard), article 1). This stems from spiritual roots, where qualities of love and giving come from the right, and qualities of reception come from the left. We thus instinctively incline toward love and giving that the right represents.

Figuratively speaking, we would like to present ourselves as “right-handed,” although by default we are “left-handed.” In other words, we generally want to present ourselves as good, generous and loving, when in reality we are the opposite. Inside, we all only think about how to receive.

Therefore, instead of trying to change children’s or anyone’s left-handedness, we should change our will to receive at the expense of others to its opposite: a will to love and give.

Nature created both forces—giving and receiving, right and left—on purpose, and we need to learn how to make the left (i.e., reception) act as the right (i.e., giving). The wisdom of Kabbalah (“Kabbalah” is Hebrew for “reception”) grants us this ability, i.e., how to receive (Heb. “Lekabel”) with a giving intention.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

Photo by NeONBRAND on Unsplash

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Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Why are there people hostile to Israel?“

The role of the people of Israel is to show the world the method of correction, which teaches how to positively connect to one another. However, the longer it takes to bring the method of correction to the world, the more people consider Israel unnecessary.

Some special individuals still feel from the root of their soul the unique importance of Israel. They are called the “righteous of the nations.” According to their root, and not according to Israel’s current status, they feel that Israel is a good place, and that the people of Israel will reveal the method of connection to humanity.

The people of Israel’s role is to come together, and by doing so, become a conduit for the force of love, bestowal and connection to stream through to humanity at large. The revelation of such a force will clarify to everybody how to live together with positive attitudes dwelling in everybody’s connection. This is what the “righteous of the nations” feel about Israel.

At the moment, the people of Israel are positioned opposite that state. Egoism and divisiveness tears away at the nation, which distances them from connecting positively to each other. This is the reason for so many people’s hostility toward Israel. Beyond various reasons that appear on the surface that many people come up with for their hostility toward Israel, on a deeper level, it is the fact that the Jewish nation is divided and failing to realize its fateful role in the role—to unite and become a conduit for humanity to positively connect through their unifying example. This is what it means that Israel needs to bring the world the method of connection and correction, and for the time being, more and more people feel that Israel is a source of division and hatred in the world.

If the people of Israel became a connected whole, the world would also change, and all hateful and hostile attitudes among the nations of the world toward Israel would disappear.

Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.

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