A question I received: You are saying that the egoism of the young generation cannot be stopped: an 11-year old child can stab another child. Where is this going? What will happen in ten to fifteen years, when these 10-year-old children will be 20 years old?

My Answer: First of all, children don’t feel obligated to follow our laws because they cannot be punished. They cannot be brought to court because of their age. So what will happen? As a child grows older, the protective force grows in him, as well as fear, the need to live in the world as a grown-up. So, one thing that would help is if we treated them like grown-ups.

But in truth, our laws are not suitable for children. There should be legal regulations for every age group, and they should be separate for boys and for girls. We should know what to demand of them and how to punish them. They should see what the right form of behavior is according to the system of reward and punishment.

A child should know this – this is a true system of upbringing. It is a system that can work against the cruel animalistic nature of human beings and is able to form or create a real person. For each action, there should be a corresponding reaction. This is how a mother raises an infant: she gives him incentive for one thing and punishment for another.

This is how we have to mold the “clay.” And children will understand this, since they are “clay” that contains the desire to receive pleasure. We can influence this desire by telling it: if you take on this form, you will receive something sweet, and if you take on a different form, you will feel bitterness. This is how we can create a human being.

However, if we permit him to do anything he wants to and suggest negative forms of behavior, such as the ones children learn from cruel, disgusting games where people kill each other, and if this is what they see on the TV and the Internet and there is no punishment for this from the society, then what will be the result of this kind of upbringing? An adorable infant will grow to become a miserable child.

So, we must first educate the parents about the process of creating a system of upbringing for their children. Otherwise, the next generation will surely be even worse than the previous one.
(From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose,” on 02.17.2009)

Filed under: Children - No Comments →

Question: How do you raise a child through reward and punishment?

Answer: We don’t have any other means. That’s how the Creator treats us. We must learn from Him and treat children as He treats us. That’s the only thing we can do – learn how to rear children from the Creator’s attitude toward us.

We should study the way He controls us, the way He plays with us, pretending to mislead us, though in reality He misleads our ego. We will then begin to understand that He misleads our ego wisely, in order to show us how to become like Him.

He constantly increases our reward and its quality. He doesn’t just give us sweets, but changes the ways of encouraging us so we’ll advance and shift from the value system of “sweet vs. bitter” to the value system of “true vs. false.” In fact, Adam HaRishon fell when he confused the “true-false” and the “sweet-bitter” evaluations.

Therefore, when we rear children, we too must help them to gradually understand that they shouldn’t be making efforts just to receive sweets, but to constantly raise the value of “the truth.” This is the most important thing, in spite of the bitterness they will feel as they replace the “sweet” with the “truth.” This is what true education is!

In order to do this, we have to give them examples, invent games, and provide the support of the society. All of this must be a part of the education system. There is nothing more important than this. In fact, the only problem in the entire world is the problem of education. If we manage to educate just one generation that will understand the Upper Governance and will react towards this governance correctly, then we won’t need to do anything else, because the purpose of our life is to establish a connection with the Upper Force.

Everything comes from this force, and hence the only relationship one must establish is one’s relationship with the Upper Force. One must clearly reveal it so he will actually see it, be in dialogue with it, interact with it, and have a clear connection with it. This is the only thing every person needs and this is why we need the wisdom of Kabbalah – the Creator’s revelation to his creation.

We must reveal Him now, while living in this world, as otherwise we won’t know how to live, how to rear our children and how to raise the next generation. These are all things that are necessary for us, and this is why the wisdom of Kabbalah is being revealed now: because we desperately need it.
(From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose,” on 02.17.2009)

Filed under: Children, Education - No Comments →

A question I received: Gordon Brown said almost the same thing as we are saying: that people have to achieve love for their neighbor. So what’s the difference?

My Answer: But is he able to implement this? No. “God will help” is not our remedy. We don’t “believe” in anything, but rather, we know that we have to make it come true. Everything is given to us on purpose: the heavens are for the Creator, and the earth (the desire) is given to man. We have to change our desire, and in order to do this, we have to study.

We have to bring everyone back to their workplaces and set up television screens at all the work stations. And everyone should spend a quarter, a third or even half of their work day studying, depending on the demands of their job. People today have too much time on their hands. We don’t need to produce more of anything since humanity doesn’t need anything more. We just don’t know how to interact and distribute what we currently produce. Therefore, everyone should sit at work and study. And this plan should be in effect for the whole world!

A family should not receive benefits to provide for its living expenses and a mother should not receive public assistance if they don’t study. They have to study! Right now we must treat all people like small children who have to go through nursery school, then school, and then high school in order to receive a diploma in the new world.

This is precisely what Baal HaSulam says. He says, “Guys, this is a new world where we have to be connected to each other.” (From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article “One Precept,” on 03.05.2009)

Filed under: Society - No Comments →

A question I received: What will the relationships be like in a corrected society, and how will the intention “for bestowal” change them?

My Answer: If I were rich, I would buy out all the businesses, banks, and everything possible, and leave all the people at their jobs so they would have an opportunity to study. Let them produce 10 to 20 percent of their normal daily output, since the world doesn’t need any more than that anyway. This would also reduce the environmental pollution.

The remainder of their time at work would be spent studying, like little children in nursery and elementary schools. People would play all kinds of games of goodness, intended to teach them the answer to the question, “What does it mean to bestow?” This way they would learn what the quality of bestowal is, the reason it’s necessary, why it’s necessary to give, and the fact that we have no other choice.

(From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “One Precept,” on 03-10-2009)

Filed under: Society - No Comments →

Sometimes my computer breaks down and I call in specialists to fix it. They come over and begin explaining that I need to replace my hard drive, add some program, that the computer has been infected by a virus, and so on. I don’t understand any of this. I just see the external picture, while they are talking about the inner picture.

Yesterday there was a notice in the news about how many people have been laid off from their jobs here in Israel and in the rest of the world, what the world is facing, what problems lie ahead, and that no one sees the end to these problems. This process isn’t clear to anyone, and it is impossible to calculate because there’s no “formula” for it.

This is the external side of things. Meanwhile, on the inside, if you were to see them on a computer, you would call a technician and tell him, “Make everything okay.” And so it is here: you are looking at the crisis from the point of view of a regular person, who looks at the computer screen and says, “Here we are downsizing, there we have other problems, and we have to do something about it.” However, when the specialists come in, they explain that we have to perform an upgrade by renewing the parts and the software. Then the picture will improve. You are saying, “I don’t know about this. I just want this problem to go away from the screen.”

Well, this is impossible. We have to learn the changes that must take place inside the system, and then the outside will be corrected as well. Our world is changing. Until now we lived, earned money, and gathered crops in particular conditions in our society. Now however, in order to earn a living, we have to modernize, improve, and take the current natural conditions into account, which are more complex.

You are being promised a better salary, and you are not permitted to keep the old, lower salary. What’s happening is modernization, and nature is forcing it on us.

In order to grow plants, we consider all the parameters that exist in Nature, but in order to grow a human being, there is just one condition: to be connected with others. We have to learn how to do this, and then we will be corrected. We will become better and the world will also change. The conditions are simple: Nature is revealing the lack of the proper connection between people. Everyone affects each other, but we affect each other negatively. And this has to be corrected. There is nothing difficult about this.
(From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “One Precept,” on 03.05.2009)

Filed under: Unity - No Comments →

The virtual lesson held on 03.29.09 from 4:00pm to 5:00pm Israel time, was the fifth lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “Inner Reflection,” from Part 1 of Talmud Eser Sefirot. These lessons are translated from Russian into English, Spanish, French, German and Hebrew.

Filed under: Notices - No Comments →

The moment we start revealing the connection between us, we are living in the generation of the Messiah. If we are revealing the fact that we are all one family, this is a sign of the coming of the Messiah, because we thereby reveal the system of Adam HaRishon. Before people could do anything they wanted to, but now they have to become similar to this system. This connection symbolizes the end of the exile.

The Ari and Chaim Vital felt that the exile was ending even in their time, 500 years ago. This is why Chaim Vital wrote, “I am waiting for the Messiah but He is not coming yet.” To him, it was clear that the exile had ended. All the great Kabbalists talked about this, including Baal Shem Tov and Baal HaSulam.

But today this isn’t only apparent to the great Kabbalists who see the entire system of souls in its revealed form; but even the average person encounters it. People don’t quite feel it yet, but they are hearing about it. Each person is seeing and beginning to feel that he depends on everyone. He’s beginning to feel that there’s a system of mutual connection at work. This is the revelation of the system of souls, called “The First Man” – Adam HaRishon. But the force that is now operating inside this network of souls is negative. It is a force opposite to the Creator. However, if you ask Him, He will turn to face you!
(From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “Messiah’s Horn” on 03.24.2009)

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Coming of the Messiah
The Kabbalah Experience: “The Messiah and the End of Days”
A Guide to the Hidden Wisdom of Kabbalah: “Discovering the Unified Structure”
The Open Book: “The Aim During the Study Shortens the Time of Correction”
Kabbalah Sources

Filed under: Spirituality - 1 Comment →

A question I received: Can we really expect humanity to strive for unity if people don’t have a desire for this?

My Answer: For people who are currently advancing through suffering, unity is a chance for salvation. Humanity now faces great calamities, and people will be willing to unite in order to rescue the situation.

People want to feel good, but right now they are advancing by being made to feel a bad sensation. They will not attain well-being until they unite and reach mutual bestowal. Only then will they receive fulfillment and feel good.

Everything in Nature strives toward unification. The human body, for example, is formed by the unification of its parts, where all the parts exist in harmony, are interconnected, and bound by a mutual guarantee. The body exists and attains a high level of existence because each of its parts is responsible for a particular function, providing the others with everything they need. Each cell takes care of the whole organism and all of its parts.

This is how people have to unite as well, since Nature’s laws are identical on all levels, whether inanimate, vegetative, animate, or human. However, on the human level, people have to do this consciously, on their own, by building their society in accordance with Nature as a whole. This is why the current crisis is global and encompasses all of humanity.

By unifying with others, a person attains real life. Compared to this, in his present state he is considered dead, like a body whose parts are separated and have no connection. We have a perfect life in store for us, but in our current state we are in danger of extinction.

It is now clear that the alternative to unity is world war, famine, epidemics, and climactic anomalies. All of this could happen because humanity cannot correct itself. However, as soon as people begin to unify, the situation will change immediately. Many are saying that our suffering comes from our lack of connection, and we can see that this is so.

(From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “One Precept,” on 03.08.2009)

Filed under: Unity - 2 Comments →

Questions I received on the spiritual meanings of Kabbalistic writings:

Question: Is there a translation of the 613 desires (commandments) of the Torah to the language of the ten Sefirot?

My Answer: As one example, see Baal HaSulam’s article, “Pkudin ve Eitin” at the end of the “Preface to the Book of Zohar” (not to be confused with the “Introduction to the Book of Zohar”).

Question: The following is a quote from a poem by Baal HaSulam: “And then that special Tower of Oz will appear before you.” What does the Tower of Oz refer to?

My Answer: Oz is a force, referring to the complete revelation of the Creator.

Question: One of Baal HaSulam’s texts reads: “The Method of Influence Through the Names.” Could you explain what this means?

My Answer: Names refer to partial attainments of the Creator, which then combine together to form His one four-letter name, HaVaYaH.

Question: The Book of Creation speaks about the seven skies, each of which has seven moons, and the seventh sky has pure souls. And it also mentions “screens.” I would like to know more about this. What do the skies, the moons, and the screens actually mean?

My Answer: All of this refers only to the Sefirot, Parzufim, Olamot, Masachim, Reshimot, and other parts of the desire, which gradually become similar to the Creator. It’s because nothing exists except the Creator and the desire He created. The seven skies are the seven Sefirot of ZON. The seven moons are the Malchut in each Sefira. And so on. See the Ari‘s work.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Difference Between Spiritual Correction and Ritual Observance
Laitman.com Post: The Spiritual Meaning of Names and Titles
The Zohar: “The Tenth Commandment,” Item 237
Baal HaSulam Article: “Introduction to the Book, From the Mouth of a Sage”
Baal HaSulam Book: “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah”, Section “Five Partzufim of the World of Atzilut MA and BON in Each Partzuf”

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

A question I received: If Nature’s goal is to bring man to the recognition of the general governance, then what’s the purpose of the crisis, which is leading us to the opposite state – a complete lack of control and a loss of power over all the social systems and each person’s personal life? How will this bring us closer to recognizing the general governance, if everything that’s happening is just the opposite?

My Answer: How could it happen otherwise? People are losing control over their finances, over the power of their armies and troops, and over absolutely everything. Parents have lost control over their children and teachers – over their students. People have lost control over their families and even their instincts. Just look at what’s happening in the world! We have distorted everything: we are suffering from mental disorders, we have drifted away from the natural kind of sex, we have developed an addiction to drugs, people are taking their own lives, and so on. Look at what’s going on in the world! So what is all this about?

It is Nature’s way of showing us that the world is losing control of itself. Even if we wish to establish relationships with each other because we see that we can accomplish something positive through this, we will find that we are incapable of doing it. Everyone will stand their own ground and no one will look for a connection with others. Even when we are told, “But you will die by acting this way!” we still find ourselves completely helpless and can only reply, “But we cannot act otherwise!” Every person will feel how weak he is in respect to his own nature. In other words, this is necessary in order for us to reveal the evil inside us.

People will have to reveal the science of Kabbalah – Nature’s program and the method of correction. It will either be forced on us by Nature through the path of immense and unfathomable suffering, or we can accept it from Kabbalists who are now revealing it to the world.
(From the lesson on Baal HaSulam’s article, “One Precept,” on 03.10.2009)

Filed under: Crisis - No Comments →