Two questions I received on Zionism and “the Mixed Multitude”:

Question: What is Zionism? What does this have to do with Kabbalah and Bnei Baruch?

My Answer: “Kabbalah is the method of revealing the Creator to man in this world” (Baal HaSulam, article “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”). Zionism is a social movement in favor of returning to Zion (Israel). The Kabbalistic definition is as follows: the Land of Israel is also called “Zion,” from the word Yetzia – “exit” in Hebrew. Any person who exits the limits of our egoistic world and enters the Upper, Altruistic World, enters “Zion.” Mi Tzion Tize Tora (the Torah will come from Zion), means that when a person exits his egoistic state, he comes to the Light.

Question: During the last two lessons, you mentioned “the Mixed Multitude.” Who is this?

My Answer: “The Mixed Multitude” (Erev Rav) are the opponents of Kabbalah who prevent people from coming out of spiritual exile and revealing the Creator. And even after a person aspires toward bestowal and love, Erev Rav prevents him from advancing by any means possible. They came in Moses’s way when he was trying to lead the people out of Egypt (the spiritual exile) toward the revelation of the Creator. They also placed all kinds of obstacles in his way during the 40-year passage through the desert.

Today they also spread all kinds of rumors. They can no longer speak against Kabbalah, because this is no longer possible, but against the people who disseminate it, including our organization. It is written that they are Irei Hashem Ovdei Paroh – those who fear the Creator, but desire to remain inside their egoism.

The Gaon of Vilna (Agra) wrote in The Light of the Zohar, 3: 28 “Adam Ve Ishto”: “In the future Moses will reveal everything to us, unlike the way it is now hidden in the Torah in the form of stories intended for Erev Rav, who do not study the inner meaning.”

Related Material:
Kabbalists Write about the Wisdom of Kabbalah
Chapter from Book The Kabbalah Experience: “Spiritual Work”
Shamati #33: “The Lots on Yom Kippurim and with Haman”
Shamati #54: “The Purpose of the Work”
Baal HaSulam Article:” A Speech in Celebration of the Conclusion of The Zohar”

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Questions I received on music, false spiritual teachings, and euthanasia:

Question: What’s more important in a musical composition, wisdom or spirituality?

My Answer: Spirituality.

Question: Is listening to music a waste of time?

My Answer: Not if it helps you keep an intention aimed at the goal.

Question: I once heard the following expression: The rhythm of music makes the Earth go round!

My Answer: That’s poetic and romantic…

Question: According to nature, what percentage of humanity will consciously feel the question about the meaning of life so strong that they will be able to study Kabbalah?

My Answer: There’s no specific percentage – it will be anyone with a point in the heart.

Question: What do you think of false teachings that unconsciously use elements of teachings that were effective in the past?

My Answer: Nothing.

Question: I’m asking because it is these kind of teachings that are leading in the “spiritual market.” What’s their purpose?

My Answer: For us to learn from our mistakes.

Question: How do you view euthanasia?

My Answer: Problematically.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Music to Perceive with the Soul
Laitman.com Post: What Is Death? How Can We Not Fear Death?
Kabbalah Today Article: Singing the Worlds Beyond
Talk: About Kabbalistic Music
Talk: The Birth of the Soul
Chapter from Book A Guide To The Hidden Wisdom of Kabbalah: “Kabbalistic Music”
Free online Kabbalah course
Kabbalah Music

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Two questions I received on how to be sure that one is following the right path:

Question: I want to find out the Truth with a capital T, but everything I see looks like lies. How can I prove to myself and to others that Kabbalah is true? It’s not enough to say that everything is evil, and only “our Torah” is the truth.

My Answer: Progress and growth always come with the sensation of a mistake and its correction, just like in any tracking system that’s aimed at a particular goal. The feeling of uncertainty, the sensation that things are lies and are false, are all necessary, and you should be glad you feel them.

Only animals don’t make mistakes because they’re governed by nature, whereas man must develop of his own accord. Moreover, we mustn’t suppress these qualities in others; on the contrary, we should encourage them, even if these people end up leaving us. Let them verify and find their own path. Otherwise they won’t become human, but will remain “animals,” as it is written: “All are like animals” – all except those who draw the Light of growth and correction.

Question: There are many groups and schools that study Kabbalah. In your opinion, is every group that studies the authentic sources suitable to study Kabbalah with?

My Answer: Only you can tell which group and manner of study are best for you. Some people still need to go through various mysticisms, religions, and Kabbalah as knowledge (Baal HaSulam describes this when he writes about the “Kabbalists of Jerusalem”). After trying all of these (perhaps even in the next life cycle), they will come to the authentic study of Kabbalah, which is a reception of Light for the correction of one’s egoism. Indeed, this is the only reason for Kabbalah’s existence in this world, the only reason that the Torah (Kabbalah) was given. The Creator said: “I have created egoism and I have created the Torah for its correction,” or in other words: in order for people to attain the quality of “Love for one’s neighbor” – the principal law of the entire Torah and of the entire world.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Why Does a Person Get Beaten?
Laitman.com Post: How Do You Choose the Correct Environment?
Laitman.com Post: There Are Many Paths to the Creator
Chapter from Book Kabbalah for Beginners: “Concealment – a Requisite for Free Choice”
Shamati #148: “The Scrutiny of Bitter and Sweet, True and False”

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Questions I received on interpreting Baal HaSulam’s words and visiting graves of the righteous:

Question: In Shamati, Baal HaSulam mentions several times the “Masach de Hirik.” Would you please explain this phenomenon or concept?

My Answer: It is the correction of the soul in the middle line. One uses the egoism from the left line and the force of Light that corrects it from the right line, thereby building himself with the help of these two forces.

Question: What is the meaning of the word Yuli (יולי)?

My Answer: It is the initial material, from which everything developed.

Question: Why is the expression that Rav Ashlag uses, “What’s the meaning of my life?” and not for example: “What’s the meaning of life?”

My Answer: It’s because a person has to feel this question personally, to feel that his life depends on it completely. He has to feel that he is the only created creature (see the materials on Perception of Reality), and because of this, the purpose of life in general, of everyone’s lives, depends on his life.

Question: Where is the place in which the creature realizes his “I,” and on the other hand, realizes that there is none else beside Him?

My Answer: The place of realizing his “I” is in Malchut, and of realizing the Creator – in Keter.

Question: Does it help visiting the graves of the righteous and lighting a candle to sanctify the soul?

My Answer: Only psychologically!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: We Have Civilizations Within Us
Laitman.com Post: What To Ask for At a Kabbalist’s Grave
Laitman.com Post: One’s Reward Depends On One’s Effort
Shamati #92 – “Explaining the Discernment of Luck”
Shamati #171 – “Zohar, Amor”
Shamati #179 – “Three Lines”

Filed under: Spirituality - 1 Comment →

A question I received: Regardless of everything you’ve said about the need for a Teacher in order to attain Kabbalah, I still have a very precise feeling that it isn’t right to settle for intervention from another person, an intermediary between myself and nature. I don’t want to attain it through someone else.

My Answer: You are like a child who decided to be in charge of his own education. If the Creator reveals Himself to you like He did to several special souls such as Adam, Abraham, and Moses, then perhaps you don’t need anything else – not even Kabbalistic books. However, if you’re one of the rest of the souls, then it’s useless to search on your own, because this is how the system itself is built.

“The teacher – student relationship” isn’t something we invented. It isn’t talking about people, but about a connection between the Upper Level and the lower level. We’re only using the quality and interconnection of the system of the souls. There is no other way to have a spiritual birth.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Spiritual Teacher
Laitman.com Post: Every Person Has to Find His Own Teacher
Talks About Spirituality: In memorial of Kabbalist Rabbi Baruch Ashlag, 1995
Baal HaSulam Article: “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah”

Filed under: Spiritual Teacher, Spirituality - 1 Comment →

A question I received: You always taught that Kabbalah is a path of individual spiritual development, but now it seems like it requires an individual to dissolve in the mass of humanity.

My Answer: I will answer with a quote from Nikolai Berdyaev’s “Philosophy of Creativity, Culture and Art” (V.1, p.115, M., 1994):

“Freedom of individualism does not create the cosmos but opposes the cosmos. Freedom of individualism is the freedom to separate and be alienated from the world, and separation from the world makes one a slave of the world. For an individualist, the world is always oppressing.

Individualism lowers a person, suppressing the global, universal human essence. The individualist is an enemy of individuality. A person is an organic member of the global cosmic hierarchy and the wealth of his internality is directly proportionate to his connection with the cosmos.”

By working to serve the entire system of souls – the only thing that was created by the Creator, a person merges with this system. It becomes his, and in fact – it becomes him. He then merges with the Creator, realizing his individuality and uniqueness.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: A Kabbalist Feels the Same Pleasure As the Creator
Laitman.com Post: Our “I” Is Outside of Us!
Kabbalah Today Article: Are You Connected?
Chapter from Book Attaining the Worlds Beyond: “Spiritual Development”
“Introduction to the Book of Zohar”: Item 36
Shamati #1: “There is None Else Beside Him”

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Two questions I received on choosing the correct environment:

Question: After reading the article “The Freedom” and other articles about the environment, I came to the conclusion that the environment is pivotal to one’s development and attainment. What should I do if I’m not sure that I’ve chosen the right environment and the right group?

My Answer: Keep studying and discerning this! Don’t rely on your own opinion nor the opinion of those around you. The answers should come on their own, from within you (from the Creator), without any external influence and without you eating yourself. Read Baal HaSulam and wait for the answer!

Question (from a woman): I would really like to understand what it means to “build your environment.” Should I look for the correct environment within the Kabbalistic group, meaning an environment within an environment, based on the principle that those who don’t give me joy and inspiration are not advancing along the right path and it’s best to avoid them?

My Answer: For a woman, there’s no such thing as a group; there’s only the environment. In it she interacts with the women she feels closest to. And she isn’t obliged to do anything more than that.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Advice for Beginners – Find the Answers Inside Yourself
Laitman.com Post: How Does “Love Thy Neighbor As Thyself” Apply to Women?
Lesson on Shamati #42: “What is the Acronym ELUL in the Work”
Shamati #77: “One Learns from One’s Soul”

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The Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education and Research Institute is pleased to invite you to the International Kabbalah Congress taking place in Israel on February 2 – 4, 2009!

The 2009 International Kabbalah Congress will open its gates to more than 6000 Kabbalah students from over 52 countries across the world. The theme of the Congress is: “Connecting to Goodness.” Its goal is to connect our hearts, rise above the global crisis toward spirituality,obtain adhesion with nature (the Upper Force), and to reveal a new, spiritual world.

Why? Today the world needs a lifeline that will raise it above the crisis and suffering to a good existence and the revelation of the higher purpose of our lives. Our world doesn’t have such a lifeline. Only the Upper Light, which created us, can correct our nature. By uniting, we will realize the Kabbalistic method of correcting the world through the Upper Light.

The Congress will include my lessons, shared meals, workshops, friends’ gatherings, singing and cultural evenings

Everything is dedicated to the topic of unity and every person in attendance will have the opportunity to apply the principle of “Love thy friend as thyself.”

This year children and youth are also invited to the Congress and we have special activities planned for them.

We will be happy to see all those who understand that only by uniting can we set an example for the entire world.

Register for the Congress

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A question I received: I don’t understand why there is a division into three religions. If God is one, why do we have these differences?

My Answer: The religions were given to us so we would develop during the period of the Creator’s concealment. However, when the Creator is revealed, they will naturally turn into the national traditions, a nation’s culture.

In spirituality, we advance along three lines. These three lines are reflected in our world during the period of concealment as the three religions: Islam corresponds to the right line, Christianity – to the left line, and Judaism – to the middle line.

This also has an affect on how their calendars are structured: The Islamic calendar is lunar (based on the moon), the Christian calendar is solar (based on the sun), and the Jewish calendar is luni-solar (based on both). How did people know what kind of calendar to create? They did it because everything in our world comes from the spiritual roots, and people’s acts are determined by the expression of these roots in our world. (However, a Kabbalist acts consciously in accordance with this, whereas others do it unconsciously.)

As for all the other teachings, they are not considered religions, but faiths or beliefs. There are about 3800 of them in the world.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Solution to the Clash of Civilizations
Laitman.com Post: The Writings of the Last Generation
Chapter from Book From Chaos to Harmony: “The Rise of the Islam”
Baal HaSulam Article: “The Teaching of Kabbalah and Its Essence”
Shamati 179: “Three Lines”

Filed under: Religion - 4 Comments →

A question I received: One of my friends is a philosopher studying Egyptian culture. He told me a story from the Jewish religion about a soul that has to confess its sins. When it does, it lays the sins on one side of the scale, and the other side of the scale rises.

My Answer: The Kabbalistic text that will be closest to you (in terms of clarity) is item 110 of the “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot” (there you will also find references to earlier source texts). It states: “We must thoroughly understand what is written in Tractate Kidushin, p. 40: ‘One must always regard oneself half guilty and half pure. If he performs one Commandment, happy is he, for he has sentenced the world to a scale of merit. If he commits one sin, woe unto him for he has sentenced the world to a scale of demerit.’

Rabbi Elazar, son of Rabbi Shimon, says, ‘The world is judged by its majority, and the individual is also judged by the majority. Hence if he performs one Commandment, happy is he, for he has sentenced himself and the entire world to a scale of merit. If he commits one sin, woe unto him, for he has sentenced himself and the entire world to a scale of demerit. Because of this one sin that he had committed, the world and he have lost much good.’”

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Baal HaSulam: The Actions of an Individual Are Equal to the Actions of the Whole
Basic Concepts in Kabbalah: Chapter 3 – “The Giving of Kabbalah”

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