No one has the slightest idea of what will happen to the economy a second from now. Experts create the most complicated models to try and predict the future based on past experience, but even the most precise statistic is just a slight distraction from the uncertainty that weighs down on us. More and more, the leading economic analysts conclude their articles with a hint: as long as the global markets are uncertain, we shouldn’t bet on the future.

What’s really the problem? Why don’t we know what will happen to the systems that we have created? Experts say: “The problem is a combination of too many factors.” However, there is a clearer explanation: the system can no longer continue working by the principle of the circular firing squad. Today, in the age of turbo-globalization, you can’t sneeze without the entire system vibrating back at you. Alan Greenspan, the head of the US Federal Reserve System said: “The main reason for what is happening is human nature, which does not fit the boundaries of the economic models.” He said this back in September 2007. He also admitted that using regulation to fight crises has never been effective.

The problem is not that the unpredictable human nature makes us act for the sake of our narrow personal interests. This is what happened in the past, but today the situation has changed dramatically: we have all become an integral system, one whole. This is why all the old methods aren’t helping us.

Life demands that we bring our nature to equivalence with the new reality. Instead of repeating old mistakes, let’s use successful, time-tested models as an example. There are many wonderful examples of integrality and true reciprocity.

For example, take the human body. It completely depends on the altruistic behavior of its cells. Each cell works for the benefit of the organism, keeping only what it needs to continue performing its function. In fact, we are speaking about a precise regularity: every natural system depends on the proper interaction of its parts. As soon as one cell starts harming the organism instead of benefiting it, the rest of the cells unite to help the organism and return the system to balance.

And we are no exception. Baal HaSulam – the great Kabbalist of the previous century – writes that we need to treat the laws of nature with caution: “Every person who breaks the laws of nature deviates from the goal that nature has set for him, and hence nature will punish him.” This brief description of the mechanism of the modern crisis was written over half a century ago.

There are no appeals in nature’s court. And we are far from following nature’s laws. We live by the motto: “Get rich, be bold – no matter at whose expense.” This is what our inner voice whispers to us, and we gladly obey it.

This is where the problem lies. Imagine what will happen if one cell suddenly “changes its mind” and starts caring only for itself. Doctors have a simple name for this: cancer. Hence, the present crisis is a symptom of an illness that needs treatment.

As soon as humanity became a single system, it immediately started being governed by the corresponding laws. We are no longer “forgiven” for the things that we could get away with before. Continuing to live the old way is like jumping off the roof of a skyscraper and hoping for the best. The rules of the game have changed: now, instead of using one another, we have to take care of everyone. And until we dare to do this, the crises will continue afflicting the planet.

There is an effective method that can help us to ease the process of changing – social opinion. Everything will become much easier when communication channels, the press, mass media, and the internet will explain to people that we are all part of one system where one individual’s loss is everyone’s loss, and everyone’s gain is the gain of every individual.

The way million of dollars are being poured into the economy today is like pumping a critically ill person with pain relievers. Instead, we must fundamentally change our very approach and replace the “I” that currently stands at the center of our worldview, with “the society.” However, this society won’t be a bubbling mass of separate elements, but a family.

Just imagine: everyone around you are your closest relatives. You sincerely wish for all of them to be happy and you help them all, and they feel the same way about you and help you. In addition, we receive all the assistance necessary to maintain such a lifestyle from the financial institutions. This way we attain balance between us and with nature. It’s because the laws operating in a loving family are the exact same laws that we are now breaking – the laws of a single, integral, and perfect system.
(Written by the Bnei Baruch publishing dept. manager).

Related Material:
Kabbalah Today Article: What Is Happening to Our Economy?

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A question I received: You’ve been the leader and mentor of the Bnei Baruch group for nearly twenty years. Maybe it’s time to make a public summary? How many people have crossed the Machsom over this period of time, and how has the world changed as a consequence? Or is this no longer the objective today? Are you now simply trying to change the world without your students’ personal correction?

I understand that this question will be deleted, but at least someone will read it. But if you do decide to publish an answer, then please don’t beat around the bush: give us real numbers and results, and the actual improvement in the world.

My Answer:

• Number of students in the world – around 2,000,000.
• Number of groups in the world – 73.
• Number of people who have crossed the Machsom – 19.
• Number of people who are about to cross the Machsom – 210. The rest will cross it by the year 2012.
• Annual growth of students – 700-900%.
• Number of hopeless students – 1. It’s you.

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Three questions I received on the global crisis:

Question: Why do you devote so much time to analyzing the crisis? Why should we care about the suffering of these oblivious and egoistic animals (or why should we pity them egoistically, since we can’t do it any other way)?

My Answer: 1. These people are all close to me!
2. Just like everything else in the world, the crisis has a reason and a purpose. Its purpose is to bring out a need in mankind’s to reevaluate its behavior.

The suffering will not stop until we accomplish this, and accomplish it right. I do the things I do in order to help people choose the correct attitude to what’s taking place, which will reduce the suffering.

Soon enough this “oblivious and egoistic animal suffering” will affect you as well. When it does, please don’t forget to write to me about how your opinion changes regarding how much time people should devote to this problem.

Question: Does it make sense to think of the reciprocal hatred (or lack of reciprocal love) that’s being revealed in the world as a reflection of the state the Bnei Baruch group is in, or my personal state?

My Answer: The group and the world are interconnected, but are on different levels: the group depends on the world for its spiritual ascent, and the world depends on the group to reduce the force of the suffering that descends upon it (whether or not it wants to listen to the group).

Question: Why is the unity of the common soul being revealed today from its reverse side? Do we really need to feel pain from realizing our connection to all people in the world?

My Answer: This is the only way to convince people to correct their nature. Pain is the measure of our imbalance with Nature. And we’re the ones who establish its severity.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Reflections on the Crisis

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A new song, written and performed by Bnei Baruch Toronto:

Lyrics to the Song

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A question I received: It follows from the articles “The Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)” and “The Future Generation” that from the economic point of view, a Kabbalistic society is one of collectivism or communism, and that this is a necessary condition for everyone to receive the Torah and reveal the Creator, since only then can people stop thinking about themselves completely. Are there plans being made regarding new economic relations within the framework of the “Virtual State of Kabbalah?” Or is it still to early for it? Maybe we can implement transitional economic schemes and incorporate them into the modern capitalistic global economy? Generally speaking, how do you think the world economy will develop toward the ideal state?

My Answer: We should not change society and its institutions artificially, but rather we should correct the connections between us from egoistic to altruistic, by means of the Upper Light. The wisdom of Kabbalah explains how we can become similar to nature. Hence, by studying it we evoke upon us the Light of correction (the Surrounding Light, Ohr Makif) from above. It changes us, giving us the desires, thoughts, and forces to change everything in us and between us.

If we won’t change under the influence of the Light, but will instead change in whichever way we want to, then we’ll create a big mess all over again, like what happened with socialism in Russia and with the Kibbutzim in Israel. America is now compelled to nationalize businesses, and thus it is becoming socialist instead of capitalist. However, this is not the kind of socialism (or communism) that Kabbalah speaks about.

We, the members of the International Kabbalah Academy (the Bnei Baruch group), must do the following:

1. Provide ourselves with the necessary level of existence;
2. Correct ourselves by studying Kabbalah in the right environment (in our environment – see the article “The Freedom,” which explains what lies in our power of action).

The rest is done by the Light.

Our objective is to create a virtual society, which will serve as an example for the entire world.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Creator Will Become Revealed Inside the Unity of Our Virtual Meeting Space
Laitman.com Post: The Condition of Entering the Upper World Is Mutual Guarantee
Baal HaSulam Article: “Building the Future Society”
“Freedom of Will” – Lessons

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News Report (translated from BBC): The head of IMF, Dominic Strauss-Kahn, announced that the world is “on the brink of recession.” He appealed to world leaders to act “quickly, decisively, and together” in order to overcome the global economic problems. On Friday the President of the United States, George Bush, is expected to speak to the American public about the economic situation of the US. What are we to expect?

My Comment: Relax, the world will never be the same as it once was. Accept it and don’t try to bring it back! Through our egoistic natural development (and no one’s to blame – such is the implacable dialectic of nature), we have reached the revelation of the integral, global system of human interaction in our world. Moreover, since man is the most egoistic of all creatures, he also incorporates all of the still, vegetative, and animate levels of nature, and everything requires its own solution, or the proper regulation (balance).

In this case, we become dependent on everyone else. There is no way back, and there cannot be. The forces of the common and single civilization are now surfacing, and they will make us understand that different laws are at work here – the laws of a single organism. Those who will understand this faster will be able to come out of the collapse quicker. By becoming properly connected to the common system, they will be able to cure themselves economically, socially, morally, and so on.

I am not a prophet, but following Baal HaSulam’s texts, for the past six years I have been speaking and writing books and articles about the crisis. There was no way to prevent it, but there is a means to come out of it. I’ve spoken to important people about this, telling them that it is necessary to institute “global education,” or in other words – “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” because otherwise things will get bad. However, they laughed at my naivety.

Now we have to start the work of explaining the situation to people, and we are running late with this. While people learn how to change things, the blows of fate will keep on coming.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: When It Comes to the Global Crisis, We Cannot Afford to Procrastinate
Laitman.com Post: The Remedy for the Global Crisis
Laitman.com Post: The Last Generation – A Song By the Bnei Baruch Band
Kabbalah Today Article: What Is Happening to Our Economy?

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A question I received: It’s written that the villain Bilam was a great prophet, like Moses. I understand that this is describing the desires that become revealed in a person, and Light cannot be revealed in uncorrected desires. But why is the most uncorrected desire, Bilam, not only able to reveal the Light, but even the level of a prophet? How could Bilam reach the level of prophecy while being in such an uncorrected state?

My Answer: It is written that Pharaoh knows the Creator, and that the villain Lavan embodies the complete Upper Light. Similar things are written about many other “evil” characters. The Torah talks about the spiritual roots of characters in our world, rather than their earthly manifestations. When you look at the root of their souls from the spiritual level, then you define who they are, even though in our world these characters play their roles unknowingly.

Pharaoh is equal and opposite to the Creator. This is similar to how there are four pure worlds of ABYA (worlds of the good forces of bestowal), and opposite them there are four impure worlds of ABYA (worlds of evil forces of reception). These two systems are opposite, parallel, and equal to each other in order to sustain the conditions of freedom of will for the souls.

The souls are equally influenced by both, and their choice lies in choosing the right environment in order to receive additional forces so as to prefer the right side – the good, bestowing side. It is written that at every moment one should see oneself as half-sinner and half-righteous, and the only way to tip the balance is by being impressed by the group. This is why it is so important for us to create the most complete virtual influence of the Bnei Baruch group on everyone who desires it.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Don’t Fight Egoism Alone – It Will Always Win!
Laitman.com Post: Only the Upper Light’s Influence Can Give You the Importance of the Group
Baal HaSulam Article: “The Love for the Creator & Love for the Created Beings”
Chapter from Attaining the Worlds Beyond: “The Return to the Creator”
Chapter from The Zohar: “The Vision of Rabbi Hiya”

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Dear friends! On November 14th – 16th, the St. Louis group will be hosting a Congress to continue our exciting journey together and reveal new levels of unity!

We invite the World Kli to join us, and we extend a special invitation to our new friends in the Bnei Baruch Learning Center to come experience your first taste of the vital work that is being done.

• Click here to see photos of the congress site
• If you have any questions, write to this address

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Questions I received on Maaser:

Question: What should I do if I want to pay Maaser (a 10th of my salary), but my wife is against it because she doesn’t study Kabbalah?

My Answer: If she did study Kabbalah, then she wouldn’t be against it. She would pay it herself and would even force you to do the same. So decide for yourself, and keep in mind that there is no spiritual advancement without separating the 10%.

Question: Whose money supports the Kabbalah Academy?

My Answer: Only the Maaser that’s collected from the Bnei Baruch members – and no external donations!

Question: I was wondering, if I get the Maaser back from taxes at the end of the year (because I described it as charity or donations) will it count spiritually? Because at the end, I didn’t give anything at all because I get it back!

My Answer: You have to give everything you get back to the group’s fund, as the government Maaser.

Question: I am an Ari-Online student and I also watch morning lessons on kab.tv (the beginner’s part). My question is short. How it is possible that we, Bnei Baruch, have different criteria about the same thing ? I am talking about Maaser.

I was watching the morning lesson on 08-12-2008 where you explain that Maaser is 10% of the income before taxes. After that I opened the Maaser webpage and read this:
“Maaser is 10% of one’s net income, after tax deduction“! I do not understand this discrepancy.

My Answer: The Maaser must be paid from the total income – you can find explanations of this on the Internet by doing a Google search of “tithe.” However, in our times, in order to avoid confusing our friends, to simplify their calculations and payment, we say that they can pay from the net income. I understand that this is confusing, but you shouldn’t get so upset about it. We take the responsibility for whatever you underpay because of our instructions.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Whose Money Supports the Existence of the Kabbalah Academy?
Laitman.com Post: The Cycle of Descents and Ascents, and the Correction of the Maaser (Advanced)
Laitman.com Post: You Are Welcome to Help Yourself
Will Bnei Baruch Turn Into a Commerical Enterprise or Political Movement?

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A question I received: I began studying Bnei Baruch Kabbalah through the arionline.info website in April. It appeared I had a set schedule and steady life for a time. Then I heard that a man studying Kabbalah should have a family in order to be corrected even further.

As I tried to find a mate, it put distance between me and my studies, and it seems that I was “handed over to a cruel ruler.” I ended my relationship with that girl, and I’m trying to get back to the studies, but now I feel as if my hunger to satisfy my corporeal urges increased 50 fold and now there’s a battle in me, and I fail each time. It’s as if Pharaoh gets stronger and stronger and my own self-hatred for giving in is getting bigger. I’m trying to see the Creator in all of this. What should be done?

My Answer: You lack a connection with other people like you. Only the group can help you get out of the confusing states correctly. Don’t fight egoism alone – it will always win! Or it will deceive you, making you believe that you won. Let’s talk when we meet at the congress in Saint Louis!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Consequences of Egoism’s Growth
Laitman.com Post: This Path Can Only Be Surmounted by Those Who Walk It
Kabbalah & Relationships – “Today, It’s Spiritual Relationship or No Relationship”
Shlavey HaSulam (Steps of the Ladder) – “The Importance of the Association”

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