Question for ML: The science of Kabbalah and a very strong desire on my part have helped me come out of difficult crises of my illness (of the endocrine system). Again and again, I am thankful for seeing that bearded man on TV during on another brutal night, in agonizing pain, and all because of my upstairs neighbor’s suggestion. This has saved my life. But how can one who suffers from a physical illness perceive exalted impressions? Maybe there’s some form of relaxation, which prepares the body for such sensations? Where in Kabbalah can one find the part that connects the head and the body? Where is the practical side of it? I can’t imagine that it’s only words and nothing else.

My Answer: The only thing controlling us and our bodies is the Upper Force. If we want to change something, we can only change it by becoming like, or desiring to become like, the Upper Force. By doing so, we replace our state with His. The reason He makes us suffer in our present state is only so that we would ask Him for such a change to happen.

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Question for ML: The Bible is one of the most mysterious books in the world, and people have always looked to find hidden meaning in it. Many believe that the texts of the Old Testament contain hidden information about the entire history of humankind. And supposedly, they find evidence to back up this belief. But if the Sacred Writings really do contain forecasts for the future, is it then inevitable?

My Answer: I wouldn’t say that secrets don’t exist, because they do! However, they exist only for those who are able to discover them ON THEIR OWN. There are no other secrets or tricks of any kind! Nothing just suddenly gets revealed. It has been preplanned for you to discover through your own efforts.

I’ve already talked about some of these discoveries. For instance, in a printed book of Kabbalah, one suddenly starts seeing additional words printed between the words and lines. They weren’t actually printed, but appeared because the reader prepared himself for their revelation. Moreover, they became revealed only to that particular reader… Another instance is that one starts seeing, seemingly with one’s eyes, not a person, but the essence of a person in a form on the animate or vegetative level… Or, instead of seeing people and other objects, like everyone else, you see only the forces controlling them.

Nothing written there is absolute. It simply explains what the future will be like if we don’t interfere with, and moderate, the compelling forces of nature. This is why prophecies seem so frightening. However, through our actions, we can fundamentally change their materialization in our world.

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Question for ML: Does sexual pleasure slow down one’s spiritual development? Should one reject sexual pleasure? Do these rejections lead to questions of “who” and “what”? I know that the Light that returns one to the source does everything, but do these kinds of games help with advancement in any way?

My Answer: The WHO and WHAT questions stem from egoism and are directed toward the Creator: who are you and what is this work you have given me? It is said that only the Light corrects, and it only corrects to the extent of the intention. All other restrictions only get one confused. Concentrate on intentions, on analyzing your desires, and not on physical actions. This is with the exception of moments when you are no longer able to think and direct yourself, in which case physical actions (such as singing, dancing, meals with friends) can pull you out of such lifeless states.

A Hassidic proverb (back when Hassidic Jews were still Kabbalists): Once when Rabbi Elimelech from Lizhensk said that fasting was no longer a service, he was asked: “Didn’t Baal Shem Tov fast often?” Rabbi Elimelech answered: “When Baal Shem Tov was young, he would usually take six breads and a pitcher of water at the conclusion of Shabbat and retire for the entire week. On Friday, when he was preparing to go home, he would lift his bag and, as he noticed its weight, he would open it and find all six breads untouched. It would always surprise him. Only this type of fasting can be considered real fasting!”

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A question I received: Michael, are you waiting for the Messiah? Do you believe that He will come during your corporeal life?

My Answer: Humankind will soon learn that the Messiah is an Upper Force that evokes qualities of love and bestowal in us. If we’re talking about the same Messiah, then I’m with you all the way. Let’s wait for Him together.

Article “Messiah’s Horn”
Lesson on the article “Messiah’s Horn” – Watch | Listen

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Question for ML: While in exile, Kabbalists kept the secrets of Kabbalah hidden on the account of society not being ready for them. As a result, upshots of egoism generated religion within society, in order to save the nation. I have been studying with you for two years via the Internet and books, and the more I study, the more I understand, especially when I repeat.

Why did Kabbalists lead humanity to a way of thinking that is opposite to Kabbalah? As a religious person, I live by the principles of faith, physical commandments, and putting my soul into this work, and I suddenly come to understand that all our definitions are based on egoism? Is that not deceit? I feel myself cheated and betrayed. I don’t want to write too much, I hope that my question is clear…

My Answer: The purpose of creation is to create the ego and grow it to an unbearable limit, at which moment we realize the need to rise above our ego, and build new relationships of bestowal and love by OURSELVES (in ourselves and our surroundings). Kabbalists look painfully (the suffering of Shechina) upon humanity’s suffering, and help as much as they can without interfering in the independence of correction. In general, Kabbalists needed to wait until humanity matured, in our era, to disclose Kabbalah to everyone. Today, anyone can learn about the purpose of creation, the reason for our present situation, and about our final, already-existing goal. We have free will only from toward onward, and our free will lies in choosing one of two paths (either allowing suffering to push us against our will, or through a conscious desire) to reach the purpose of creation – equivalence with the Creator.

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We are capable of only one action – intention. There are no others. All of our physical actions are nonexistent, and so are our desires. Everything other than intention is inanimate, dead or halted – there is no motion in the spiritual, regardless of the fact that we perceive dynamic physical activity.

In summary:
1. The actions of our world (of inanimate, vegetative and animate nature);
2. The actions of a regular person in our world;
3. The actions of a religious person in his commandments and rituals;
4. The actions of a Kabbalah student;
– none of these are spiritual actions; they don’t exist in the Upper World.

Only…
5. The actions of a Kabbalah student
– are justified as preparation for spiritual actions.

Only our intentions of selfless bestowal are perceived in the spiritual world. When they appear in us, we appear in the spiritual world; when they disappear, we disappear from the spiritual world.
I compare this to acceleration – a derivative of motion. Like Einstein said, consider uniform motion as a state of rest, and see only acceleration.

My Current Mood: thoughtful

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We are always adjusting ourselves to certain common standards in order to avoid feeling ashamed. Essentially, everything we do in our world, other than the bare necessities, compensates for the feeling of shame. All of our attainments, progress, development, achievements, searches – are all based exclusively on the feeling of shame: compensating for and avoiding it. It is egoism’s opposite side pushing us.

According to Kabbalah, the creature’s first reaction (Tzimtzum Aleph, the 1st restriction) to perceiving the Creator stemmed from the feeling of shame. Similarly, humanity’s entire history began with the feeling of shame that Adam and Eve felt upon realizing their transgression. We only need to compensate for shame in order to become equal to the Creator. That is why the feeling of shame, in all its forms, determines all of our actions.

My Current Mood: embarrased

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Originally, one soul of Adam was created, which divided into 600,000 souls, each of which divides into a great number of sparks.

However, the spiritual doesn’t divide into parts. Therefore, in reality there exists only one soul of Adam and it is contained wholly within each individual. The soul is divided into 600,000 parts by man’s egoism.

Initially, egoism expels and distances the Light from the soul. But if the ego undergoes correction through the study of Kabbalah, then the common soul shines in it.

Therefore, there are various circumstances with regard to the person:
1. He feels his individual soul and doesn’t understand that it is – the common soul,
2. Corresponding to the level of unity with the souls, the Light of the common soul shines within him,
3. When egoism is completely corrected, he feels that his soul exists in everyone, and the common soul shines for him to the fullest degree, as it does in Adam.

From here the three periods of man’s spiritual growth are created:
1. A spark of the soul,
2. The individual soul – perceives itself to be a part of the common soul, which brings about a feeling of lovesickness,
3. Approaches perfection in bestowing to the Creator; connects to the common soul. [Read more →]

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