Entries in the 'Society' Category

Don’t Be Afraid Of Fear And Helplessness

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: I had an encounter with people on the street not long ago in which there were many unexpected interferences and I found myself in a position of helplessness and despair. How can I focus directly on our goal and not circle around it?

Answer: This confusion was on purpose in order to bring you to deeper and deeper clarifications. This happens in every state, on every level and to every person. It happens to everyone.

Clarify this point and it will become clearer. Then you will encounter many more such situations and you will always feel helpless. The helplessness stems from the fact that it isn’t in your power to correct anything and that you are not in control of the situation, but this is actually a good thing. What you lack here is to hold on to the host and to be in contact with Him.

There is nothing you can but to continue. Everyone reaches such states and such discernments, and although you describe them nicely, you still have no contact with the upper Light. Even if you had such contact, there would still be disconnections so that you would be able to rise from one level to the next each time you feel helpless at a certain point a along the way.

It is just like King David wrote in the Book of Psalms: “You have hidden your face from me and I was frightened!” This is good since it shakes a person a little and takes the Klipot (shells) from him. When a person is in a state of fear, anxiety, insecurity, and disorientation, it is actually a good thing. We should see where it all comes from and how the Creator summons you to adhere to Him.
[136804]
From the preparation to the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 6/03/14

Related Material:
A Struggle That Is Both Physical And Spiritual
Global Difficulties Because Of A Narrow Perspective
The Goal Is Only One

World Economic Forecast

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (M. Khazin):During 2014 the US GDP growth was disclosed; however, it was exaggerated.

“In order for an economic growth to be steady and long term, it is necessary for the end-product demand (demand of households) to begin to increase. However, such expenditures continue to decline.

“All hopes to stop the crisis are in vain, and in 2015 the US stock market bubble will collapse. The crisis will begin just like in September 2008, with a sharp drop in stock data feeds, and the stability of the banking system will become questionable, and whose assets will depreciate sharply, while liabilities (obligations) will remain.

“Further options:

  1. ISIL will bring down the Saudi regime and will begin a joint ‘Sunni campaign’ against Israel. A blow to households, the real sector, and the role of the dollar will rise sharply. The US will enter into a state of social and political chaos.
  2. The US and the entire world banking system will go bankrupt, and there will be no help from anywhere.
  3. The financial elite will start a mass emission of the dollar in order to save the financial system. The main consequence for the economy will be the ruin of enterprises.

“The destruction of the WTO will deliver a blow to the EU, China, Japan and Korea that sell many high-tech products in the US. Today, pro-American elitists are in power in these countries. The destruction of the main source of income associated with the US and the dollar will cause devastating inter-elite disassembly.

“Counter-elitists, rushing into office, will focus on national independence that will extend to nationalism and anti-Americanism. These processes will define the course of events more so than the actual economic crisis.

“The financial elite cannot accept the responsibility for the crisis, so it will create a “force majeure” by using Islam in the developed countries and the Middle East.

“There are three approaches to the world order: satisfactory, somewhat satisfactory (needing reform), and unsatisfactory (must be completely destroyed). Political Islam today does not accept compromises and is ready to fight to the end for the destruction of the current world order in the absence of a positive program.

“At the same time, the global economic crisis increases the cravings of people for justice, especially those who have suffered from the crisis. And it turns out that the only force today that offers something to the world is a political Islam. Therefore, in 2015 we are waiting for a dramatic increase in the influence of political Islam throughout the world, primarily in the Middle East and the European Union.”

My Comment: The picture is incomplete because the author does not take into account the purpose of human development, the rise to the level of affinity with the Creator in the desire to give and to love.  Nature drives us to even greater suffering until we realize that there is no escape and that we must change our egoistic nature to an altruistic one in order to survive.

This realization depends on the dissemination and mastering of Kabbalah, the method of correction of our nature, among the people of Israel, and then around the world. Otherwise, we will again find ourselves again in a period of suffering, and again, through the decades, we will arrive at the same choice.
[153013]

Related Material:
What Will Happen To The World?
We Really Can Do Something About The Weather!
The Global Crisis Will Not End!

The Magic Of Egoism And Bestowal

Dr. Michael LaitmanHeaven and Hell

Question: You are saying that witchcraft is a psychological phenomenon. How does it reflect on those who don’t even suspect that they are the targets?

Answer: This is the way by which our desires are directed towards others. All our desires comprise a pool of forces that impact everyone around us. Our attitude to the world in general and to the surroundings we live in contribute our personal energies to the overall system.

Question: So, witchcraft is a desire of a person oriented to somebody else’s benefit or detriment?

Answer: Desires matter, but why do you call them witchcraft? Each one of us acts within a general network of powers that exists among us. It is an extremely complicated system. We are a source of a whole complex of uncorrected, evil forces that are called ego. We have to correct these powers and transition them from wickedness to benevolence, or in other words, be good to our neighbors.

It means that from the will to receive, which is taking as much as possible from others, we have to end up bestowing to everyone. Accordingly, the key principle, the universal rule of the wisdom of Kabbalah, states, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.” This principle replenishes the general network with positive energy. Everything we generate has to bring benevolence to others. This is how a positive network is created.

When building such a network, we enter the world comprised of complete benevolence, meaning we enter the Garden of Eden. Thus, heaven is a state in which everybody thinks only about the others’ well being.

At the same time, hell is mutual hatred, a state in which we all suffer.

How to Defend Against Negativism?

Question: If someone impacts us wickedly through the general network, can we somehow defend ourselves?

Answer: Yes. For that, we have to involve positive powers.

Question: Whom should we direct them towards?

Answer: To everyone. Even if I have no idea who exactly sends me a negative impact, it doesn’t really matter. My positive and kind attitude to others turns into a shield through which negativity cannot penetrate.

The mechanism is very simple. I can be hurt only if I am in my egoistic desires and if I care only about myself. If I bestow, contribute, give, share, and love others, nobody can hurt me. I am invincible because I exist within others.

It is very strong psychological armor. Thanks to it, no matter how much others want to hurt me, they won’t succeed.

Moreover, by acting in this way, I neutralize all my offenders since we exist in a unified, common system. This explains why by contributing our sincere attitude to other human beings and a desire to bring benevolence to everyone, we enhance positive energy in the general network. Positivism is capable of destroying all negativism directed against us. Then, not only will nobody be able to hurt us, but nobody will even make an attempt to do so.

This is how the system works. The Torah, particularly the wisdom of Kabbalah, explains these issues to us in detail. We see that when one is a source of benevolence to others, the evil forces are unable to hurt that one.
[152360]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” 1/18/15  

Related Material:
Magic For Sale
The Myth Makers
Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself

Justice And Freedom

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Petko Ganchev, professor and chairman, Geopolitical Center of Eurasia-Sofia): “… Real freedom is inconceivable without justice and real justice is impossible without freedom. If freedom is a recognized need, then justice must be regarded not as equality in rewarding different people, but as but as equality of opportunities.

“Thus, real freedom must be regarded as a condition for justice, and real justice as a form of exercising of freedom.

“Capitalism with its freedom of the strong provides an opportunity for the strong to win at the expense of the weak and is unfair and not free society.

“Socialism with its justice and freedom for everyone – one was free, and all others were equal in their lack of freedom, was a totalitarian society. It did not encourage free initiative and because of the inability to carry out radical reforms it collapsed.

“If during the Great Depression (1929-1933), the crisis affected only the developed capitalist countries, but now the crisis is global because all the countries of the world are connected.

“Contemporary globalization is an objective and natural process, but it occurs in a manner favorable to the Western world, primarily to the United States. Of the 500 leading multinational world companies, more than half are of the USA. All the world’s leading institutions the IMF, World Bank, WTO, NATO are the tools of the USA, and the EU is the US protectorate.

“In the 1990s, the USA attempted to establish a unipolar world, destroyed all the institutions and structures of the welfare state and social market economy of the EU, as well as all the social protection and justice systems of the former socialist countries. As a result, the global financial and economic crisis erupted in 2008, and it has no end in sight.

“As a result, the world has come to great threats and challenges, and it is necessary to save civilization by transition from a unipolar to a multipolar world: the United Nations needs to take over the management of the world with representation of all the countries through a world parliament.

“It is a long and difficult road, but it is necessary. The salvation of humanity is in its own hands, so we need to act.”

My Comments: The wishes are correct, but it is possible to realize them only on the condition of change in the nature of man from egoistic to altruistic. New properties of bestowal and love will tell us how to act. Otherwise, we will return to the red terror of the past.
[152702]

Related Material:
Is This The Time To Create A World Government?
How To Reach Social Justice
No Longer Barbarians, But Not Yet Altruists

A Home Experiment In Changing Reality

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Does the solution that the wisdom of Kabbalah offers have a scientific basis or is it simply in feelings?

Answer: Certainly this solution is realized in a person in feelings, for we were created from the substance of the desire to receive. And so we feel everything through this desire and evaluate things only through that, both the good and the bad.

But it is absolutely a wisdom, it is science. The wisdom of Kabbalah precisely describes all of the systems in which we exist, our connections with each other, and the levels of ascent, meaning increasing and strengthening the connection between us according to 125 levels. The wisdom of Kabbalah uses scientific terminology, such as, five worlds, Partzufim, Aviut (level of desire), Masach (screen), and Ohr Hozer (Returning Light).

Through his correction, the Kabbalist corrects the whole world. As it is said in Proverbs 10:25: “…the righteous is an everlasting foundation.” Throughout all generations, the Kabbalists through their tried actions to “sweeten” our world. But now we have reached such a state in which not a Tzadik (a righteous person), but the whole of Israel, and after them the entire world, must reach conscious connection.

We must invite people to home workshops (home circles), for discussions around a “roundtable.” We are ready to simultaneously organize thousands of home roundtables like these in Israel, and attain positive results in this way.

We will immediately begin to feel very great changes in the Israeli society, and we will happily take part in meetings of this kind that will establish a good atmosphere throughout the nation. These meetings must be dedicated only to connection and unity between us and only for good attitudes. This will have a positive effect on health, familial relationships, and the well-being of each individual and all people in general.

This is an experiment at home that we can actively carry out and see good results.
[138573]
From KabTV’s “The Meeting of Worlds” 6/16/14

Related Material:
An Army Is Not Our Weapon
One Big Workshop Throughout Israel
Connection In The Face Of Evil

Carriers Of The Force Of Unity

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: Why is it impossible to find replacements for the thousand of Jews who are in key positions in industry and finance in France, by putting in their place smart, gifted French people?

Answer: The Jews are carriers of the force of unity, unification. They do not just develop something locally and in isolation from the rest, but links are built and everything is connected between themselves. They are like explorers who discover new lands. All these discoveries were made by the Jews because they felt oppressed in Spain and Portugal. For this reason Columbus discovered America, due to the desire to break away.

The Jews have this power to break through because it is the force of Bina, the desire to bestow, called Galgalta ve-Eynaim. The word “Jew ” (Yehudi) comes from the word “unity” (Yichud). They make up only a tiny part of humanity, but they are located at the top, like a thin layer of cream. The force of bestowal is concentrated within it, and therefore, their participation brings significant contribution.

Suffice it to recall history. Two thousand years ago, in the days of the Temple, Israel was a prosperous state with high culture and education and a developed infrastructure and lifestyle. It gave all of humanity the foundation for culture, education, and the basis for its whole development. All this came from the people of Israel, and this remained within its nature.
[152020]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” 1/13/15

Related Material:
The Secret Plan Of The Jewish People
Europe Under Extremist Attacks
The Future Society Amidst The Ancient World

Humanity Has No Solutions To The Problems Of the 21st Century

Dr. Michael LaitmanOpinion (Igor S. Ivanov, Russian politician, former Russian Foreign Minister): “In connection with the Ukrainian crisis, the world started talking about a return to the times of the Cold War. But the return to the Cold War of the 20th century is impossible. The world has changed dramatically.

“In those years, international relations were developing within the world order, established as a result of WWII. We lived in fear of a worldwide nuclear catastrophe, and this fear forced the Soviet Union and the United States to negotiate the reduction of nuclear capabilities and control over them.

“Today, the old world order has ceased to exist, but the new one has not yet been established. International institutions, led by the UN, are becoming less effective, and the norms of international law are violated for the sake of political interests.

“On the eve of the new year of 2015, many began again to wish each other ‘may there be no war.’ This premonition of war should prompt politicians to put aside their ambitions and resentments and start a serious dialogue about the new world order. Otherwise, instead of the Cold War, we will get a real, big war.”

My Comment: The problem is not in starting a dialogue, but in the fact that no one has a solution, an idea. A Kabbalistic solution to lead the world to unity without borders is not attractive to politicians. After all, for this it is necessary to correct human nature. Kabbalah promises to do this, but people have no desire as yet. Do we really need great threats?
[152272]

Related Material:
Can The War Save The World?
Fukuyama: The End Of History
Solution: “Global Game Changer”

Incompetent People Are Not Aware Of Their Incompetence

Dr. Michael LaitmanIn the News (Psychologies): “People who have low intelligence, a modest level of qualification, tunnel vision – precisely because of their modest abilities cannot understand that their decisions are wrong, the talents that they believe in are false. That’s why they think that they are right in all their actions and understand the situation better than others.

“Talented people are characterised by the opposite effect: they understand how complicated the laws of reality and how extensive the field of knowledge, which can be acquired in the future, are – this causes them to underestimate their own abilities, to underestimate their place in society.

“The result is that those who have confidence are stupid, and those who have an understanding are in in doubt and indecision.”

My Comment: The world will gradually recognize perfection, precisely in the opinion of the collective. Kabbalah teaches that only a cohesive team of 10 specialists in mutual guarantee is able to avoid mistakes and come to the correct opinion.
[152177]

Related Material:
Integral Intelligence
The Collective Is Always Smarter
Collective Intelligence

The Force Of Good And The Force Of Evil, Part 4

Dr. Michael LaitmanThere Is No Evil in the World

Question: Can a person protect himself from all evil?

Answer: A person can be shielded from evil if he learns from past mistakes or if his parents, teachers, and society teach him from the start.

We pass this education from generation to generation: how to live so that a person will not make a mistake. He must know that there are no good and evil forces, rather there are two opposing forces: reception and bestowal. He must know how to balance them.

There is no evil in the world; rather, there are always possibilities for doing good and maintaining balance. We would not see any evil if we were sources of balance throughout the world and perceived it as one whole system. Only because of our view, our incorrect approach, do we see the world damaged and evil.

However, we have damaged it ourselves by not creating balance anywhere, especially not in human society! And so it seems to us that this world is cruel and that everything in it is evil. It seems to us as if we were given this tiny planet as a toy so that we could break it and throw it away. People behaves on this earth as foolish children.

But the time has come to begin to behave logically and understand the right approach to nature, that there is no evil or good in it, but two opposing force: plus and minus, electron and proton. Between them, we must organize our lives. So let’s organize! Life could be wonderful if it were to flow harmoniously between these two forces!

Good is not found on any single side; rather, it is in the middle, in a balanced state. And the two opposing forces simply operate from the sides. The positive force is called this, not because it is good, but simply because it emits, gives, bestows, and moves outward. The second force is called negative because it receives, and attracts to itself.

These simply are two opposing forces, and if we balance them correctly, we can create a connection between them that is called life.
[150832]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” 6/03/14

Related Material:
The Force Of Good And The Force Of Evil, Part 3
The Force Of Good And The Force Of Evil, Part 2
The Force Of Good And The Force Of Evil, Part 1

Kings And Jokers

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In my environment, it is customary to tell jokes in order to create a relaxed atmosphere. But what should I do if by nature I don’t like jokes?

Answer: Jokes promote mutual incorporation with each other. Only they must be clever jokes, full of subtle humor.

For example, in the court of every king  there was a joker. He was even allowed to do whatever he pleased, even to mock the king. Anyone else would have had his head cut off for doing so, but not the joker. Although the kings were very serious, determined men, they still kept a joker by their side. Why did they need a joker?

The point is that people who were crowned to be kings were above everyone else around them. So who could influence them? In those days, it was actually the joker who could raise the king’s spirits and thus help him deal with many problems.

If something unpleasant happened or there were certain troubles, the joker would begin to entertain the king and the king would relax and begin to think differently about what was going on. These are very deep and important points.
[151817]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” 10/21/14

Related Material:
How Do We Stop Being Concerned About Inconsequential Things?
The Habit Of Fearing
In The Name Of A Collective Idea