Mutual Guarantee (Arvut) is the condition for life, for the existence of any living organism. When all of an organism’s forces and actions are coordinated and aimed at a common goal, then the negative correcting forces (crises and illnesses) do not emerge in the organism, and the system exists in permanent balance (homeostasis).

The current events (the financial crisis, general depression, drugs, breakdown of the family unit, emptiness, aimlessness, the global crisis, the ecological crisis) are revealing to us the single and general reason for everything taking place – that we are all an integral part of Nature, that all of Nature’s parts are interconnected, and hence they must behave accordingly. However, we – humanity – do not behave this way. We are akin to a cancerous tumor in Nature’s single, harmonious organism.

Mankind must realize that it constitutes one whole organism, and the law of the common mutual guarantee – of care for every person and for everyone at once – is the essential condition of our collective survival. The Biblical principles, “Do not do unto others what you don’t wish done unto you” and “Love your neighbor as thyself” are laws that determine the general balance of nature and our society. If we don’t abide by them, we will perish.

Baal HaSulam’s article, “Arvut” (Mutual Guarantee), describes how we can attain balance with Nature using the Kabbalistic source texts. The book, Kabbalah, Science, and the Meaning of Life talks about my meetings with American scientists who research the scientific fields bordering the Upper World.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Why Isn’t Spirituality Attained Individually, but Through Mutual Guarantee?
Laitman.com Post: Equality and Brotherhood Are the Means of Attaining Spirituality
Laitman.com Post: Correction Lies In Unity
Lessons: Article “Arvut”, 17.11.05 – 23.11.05

Filed under: Unity - 2 Comments →

On Sunday, 10-12-08, I gave a virtual lesson on the global crisis.

Filed under: Crisis - 1 Comment →

A question I received: Strange things have been happening around me over the last several years. The people I really looked up to before are now hitting rock bottom in life, or doing things that go beyond any accepted social norms. I used to be very driven, but now I’ve lost all desire to prove anything to others.

I have this feeling that all the people whom I used to know well and looked up to, are not who they were. I am rude to my relatives, and constantly feel ashamed of it because I love them. I feel annoyed at the elderly, repulsed by people’s faces, and I hate my own body.

I’ve been studying Kabbalah for seven years and watch the lessons every day. It is very burdensome for me to attend Congresses and group meals, but watching the lessons over the Internet is a delight. I feel like I really want to avoid seeing people in person. Is this normal?

My Answer: Everyone has their own speed and stages of development. If you study systematically and work on dissemination during your free time, then you can be sure that every state will pass. You will work through it, and then the new stage will come. They will keep alternating like this all the way until the full correction.

However, the rate at which they alternate depends on your efforts, and this constitutes your only influence on your entire path to the Creator. If your development is happening at a natural speed, then you experience pressure (suffering), which forces you to change. However, if you stay ahead of nature’s (the Creator’s) pressure by aspiring on your own, then you won’t experience suffering, but on the contrary, will feel joy and inspiration. The choice is yours!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: It Takes Time, Effort and Experience to Reveal the Upper World
Laitman.com Post: There Are No Speeding Tickets In Spirituality
Laitman.com Post: Freedom of Will Lies in Acceleration
Help Share Kabbalah

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

A question I received: I watched your children’s lesson where you explained that everything around us is an imaginary world (Olam Dimioni). In this lesson and other lectures you gave on this topic, people always reach a point of confusion and bring up the question, “So this means that I can imagine anything whatsoever? Then why does this world still appear corporeal, and why do my fantasies remain fantasies?”

My Answer: Man has two mechanisms for creating the imaginary reality. One if them lies beyond our consciousness. It is deeper, and is responsible for creating the picture of the world that we call “reality.” The second mechanism of creating pictures lies within our consciousness and is more superficial. This is the one we all know and we use it when creating our fantasies.

We are only able to control the second mechanism, but not the first, fundamental one. That’s because it forms and begins working in us even before we achieve self-awareness. Hence the work of this mechanism is not registered in our consciousness and simply appears to us as the normal, habitual picture of reality.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Reality Is In Our Imagination
Laitman.com Post: Where Do Thoughts, Ideas, and Dreams Come from?
Laitman.com Post: Reality is Imaginary
Baal HaSulam Article “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah” – Lesson 1
Baal HaSulam Article “The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah” – Lesson 2

Filed under: Science - No Comments →

A question I received: If I watch recorded Congress lessons, then do I lose the Zivug de Haka’a that Kabbalists experience at a Congress or when watching a live broadcast?

My Answer: You don’t lose anything because everything we perceive exists like the frames of a motion picture, and we retrieve these frames and play them back. Either these frames already took place, and we only reveal them, each in his own time; or we reveal them for the first time, for example, when we gather at a Congress.

However, all of this already exists in Malchut, and we only bring about the frames’ projection in us through our positive efforts.

When we evoke the frames ourselves, then we perceive them positively, because our egoism works together with the Creator, for our benefit and in a pleasant form. However, if we don’t retrieve the motion picture frames, then they become projected forcefully – forcing us to make actions, even unpleasant ones.

So, retrieve the frames by yourselves, and participate in that which is already revealed as well as that which we are yet to reveal!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Reality is Imaginary
Laitman.com Post: The Internet Is Just A Step Toward Revealing Our True Connection With Each Other
Laitman.com Post: Virtual Kabbalah
Kabbalah for Beginners: Chapter 10 – “Sensing Reality Through Kabbalah”

Filed under: Perception - No Comments →

Every Sunday, between 4-5:15 PM Israel time I give a virtual lesson.

This Sunday, the lesson was on Google’s Project 10^100.

Filed under: Notices - 1 Comment →

Two questions I received on the ego:

Question: What does it mean to hate the ego? Before we cross the Machsom, our entire nature is the ego. So doesn’t this mean that I’m supposed to hate myself?

My Answer: Kabbalah speaks to those people who start feeling a duality inside them: the ego that desires this world, and a point in the heart, which aspires toward the Upper World. Kabbalah helps one turn this point into a vessel for the reception and perception of the Upper World.

Question: During the morning lessons you often speak about the meaning of difficulties (the “guards”) that we receive. But what is the Creator’s objective in giving us success in corporeal things, such as a promotion at work, a perfect grade on an exam, and so on? The ego gets blown up when this happens. Should I try to suppress it or “go with the flow” of the success?

My Answer: You should control it: your actions should be determined by the importance of life’s meaning. And you shouldn’t refuse success at work or school. The intention of attaining the Creator does not conflict with career.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Be Happy About Egoism’s Growth!
Laitman.com Post: First Become a Scientist, and Then You Can Speak Against Science
Kabbalah Today Article: Making Room for the Creator
The Kabbalah Experience: Chapter 5 – “The Desire for Pleasure: Discovery and Correction”

Filed under: Egoism - No Comments →

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?

Filed under: Maaser - No Comments →

Questions I received on how to improve our lives through Kabbalah and what to study:

Question: How do I improve the quality of my life when I don’t even know what I want to do with my life? How do I find my area of interest?

My Answer: Read the book Attaining the Worlds Beyond, join a group and try to receive the meaning of life from the group.

Question: It is better to listen to lessons from past congresses or to study with the worldwide Bnei Baruch group?

My Answer: Study whatever you feel attracted to.

Question: Why do our thoughts keep returning to things that happened in the past?

My Answer: Because you don’t aspire forward!

Question: How can a person who is studying Kabbalah avoid the changing of the conditions of his advancement, and what causes it?

My Answer: This is not our business. The only thing that’s in our power and choice is to intensify the influence of the Upper Light on us. So concentrate on this!

Question: How can studying Kabbalah help me overcome panic and anxiety attacks?

My Answer: You will start being anxious about other things, such as “Why don’t I love the Creator and my neighbor? I’m such an egoist! Why am I not inside the group with all of my aspiration?” and so on. These worries will outweigh your current ones.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: The Surrounding Light Influences Us Only When We Evoke It
Laitman.com Post: Onwards and Upwards
Laitman.com Post: How to Change Yourself and What to Change Yourself Into
Lesson on Shamati 28:  “I Shall Not Die But Live”
Purchase the book Attaining the Worlds Beyond

Filed under: Spirituality - No Comments →

Questions I received on vegetarianism, antidepressants, and lifting curses:

Question: Is it worthwhile taking antidepressants? What if a man is 36 years old, he doesn’t know what path he’s on, isn’t married or dating, doesn’t know what to do with his life, what kind of job to look for, and just feels totally confused – what should he do? What does Kabbalah say about this?

My Answer: The only question Kabbalah answers is, “What is the meaning of my life?” and not one’s mundane concerns!

Question: I recently discovered that a curse has been put on my close relatives. I don’t know whether to believe it or not, but either way, it’s pretty scary. How can I tell if this is really true and how can the the curse be lifted? I don’t know who to turn to, please help!

My Answer: We are all interconnected in one soul like cogwheels in a single mechanism. Hence, negative opinions and thoughts influence the person at whom they are directed. When the influence is stronger than usual, it is called “an evil eye,” “a curse,” and so on.

The only solution is to have the opposite influence – good thoughts and opinions. I am sure that the best protection from all the bad things is our lessons! By watching them you attract the Upper Light to yourself, and it leads you toward the goal. Its influence is of a higher order than any earthly influence! Desire a connection with the Creator, and take refuge in Him.

Question: What does Kabbalah say about vegetarianism? Is there any point in giving up on food and clothing made of animals?

My Answer: Everything in the world must be used sensibly.

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: A Kabbalistic Joke
Laitman.com Post: What Is the Upper Light?
Kabbalah Today Article: All Are One and One Is All
Transcript of TV Show “Food and Healthy Eating”

Filed under: Q&A - No Comments →