In the News (from Florida State University News): “Florida State study links ‘warrior gene’ to gang membership, weapon use” Boys who carry a particular variation of the gene Monoamine oxidase A (MAOA), sometimes called the “warrior gene,” are more likely not only to join gangs, but also to be among the most violent members and to use weapons, according to a new study from Florida State University that is the first to confirm an MAOA link specifically to gangs and guns. Findings apply only to males…

“Moreover, we found that variants of this gene could distinguish gang members who were markedly more likely to behave violently and use weapons from members who were less likely to do either.”

My Comment: So what reason do we have to sue the miserable carriers of this gene? Do we do this because we cannot judge Nature or the Creator? Kabbalah suggests using these predispositions for professions in the army and the police. Meanwhile, correction is possible only through the Upper Light, which created these predispositions.

Related Material:
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Baal HaSulam Article: “The Freedom”

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A question I received: In your blog entry, “Faith And Science Are Incompatible,” you wrote: “Kabbalah is science: a person reveals a new reality and then scientifically (experimentally) researches it.”

As a scientist (a physicist doing research in the area of brain functioning), I don’t agree that Kabbalah’s approach is scientific. In conventional, earthly science, one reveals and researches reality simultaneously. If anything, the revelation follows the research rather than precedes it. What else can the revelation of the new reality be based on if not on scientific research?

However, in Kabbalah, it is impossible to avoid a religious explanation. Everything that is written in the holy books requires some kind of faith, whereas in my field of work, I do not leave anything to faith.

My Answer: In Kabbalah, one reveals a new reality to the degree one becomes similar to it. This is done by developing new qualities – those of bestowal and love – in one’s heart.

One then activates the brain (one’s thoughts and intelligence) in order to interpret what the senses have attained. So, in Kabbalah there is no place for faith, let alone religion.

The science of Kabbalah is based upon:

1. The gradual transformation of one’s qualities as one is influenced by the study material (the Upper Light, Ohr Makif)

2. The sensation of the new reality in one’s newly acquired attributes

3. Research and attainment of the new reality

4. To the degree one attained something, one’s heart and mind then proceed to a deeper adhesion, a more profound penetration of the new state

The above sequence of states repeats on all 125 degrees of the spiritual world, which are degrees of change in one’s qualities, desires, and intentions. They change from “for my own sake” to “for the sake of others, for the Creator.” This continues until the soul is completely corrected, whereby it attains the goal for which it was created.

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In the News (from University of Cambridge): The human brain lives “on the edge of chaos,” at a critical transition point between randomness and order. It might be operating in a self-organized critical state – the brain can spontaneously organize itself at a point on the edge of chaos between order and randomness. This point at the edge of chaos allows neurons to jump quickly between different states enabling them to alter behavior as necessary, allowing humans to respond quickly to the environment around them.

Due to these characteristics, self-organized criticality is intuitively attractive as a model for brain functions such as perception and action, because it would allow us to switch quickly between mental states in order to respond to changing environmental conditions.

My Comment: When a person is on the spiritual path, these states are especially vivid: one constantly goes from chaos, confusion, and uncertainty to clarity and confidence.

In Hebrew, the word for evening – Erev, originates from the verb Learvev – to mix. Thus, when one is in the state called, “evening,” the clarity that one felt before turns into uncertainty, confusion and then a total lack of understanding, which is the state called “night.” This is exactly the state when a person is internally preparing for new possibilities and new attainments. It is similar to when our physical bodies rest before a new workday.

In Aramaic, which is opposite to Hebrew, the word for “night” is Orta, which comes from the Hebrew word Ohr – light. This shows that the “night” is also light, but its light is opposite to the Light of day. Therefore, the states of confusion, chaos and uncertainty are necessary in order for one to systemize information and gain deeper awareness of it.

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A question I received: You say the solution to the global crisis lies in studying and disseminating the science of Kabbalah, because this will change people’s desires from the corporeal pleasures such as money, power, and knowledge, to the spiritual pleasures – fulfillment by love and bestowal. These spiritual pleasures are not perceived inside one’s egoism and are therefore eternal and perfect. Did I understand this correctly?

My Answer: Kabbalah’s only function is to help us understand the purpose of our development and to choose the quick and easy path to go through it – the Path of Light. Otherwise, we will be forced to do this by pressure – tremendous and long-term suffering (the Path of Suffering). Our only choice is: which of these two paths will we take to reach our predetermined goal?

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A question I received: If there is none else besides Him, and we are all controlled like robots, how can we criticize anything in this world, the way you do? How can you say people should be doing this instead of that, if all is done by the Creator?

My Answer: A developmental force – the Light – descends from the Creator and continuously awakens new Reshimot – egoistic desires in a person. If a person doesn’t correct them, they “pile up,” bringing the person and the society to a crisis.

The only free act available to a person is to correct the Reshimot with the help of the right environment. A person is a robot in every other respect. Kabbalah teaches us how to make the only possible free action, which is why Kabbalah is being revealed now, when human society is becoming global and interdependent. Now each person depends on everyone, and everyone depends on each person. Under these conditions, it is now possible to realize our freedom of will. In the past, when humanity did not have this opportunity yet, Kabbalah remained hidden, because Kabbalah is the method for man to reveal the Creator through the quality of love for his neighbor.

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A question I received: My friends say I have a good heart, but I am unlucky. I am married and have children, but my life is unsuccessful. Does this have anything to do with my name? I changed my name at age 16, in Argentina, because I didn’t like it. My name was Veronica Nancy, and I changed it to Sivan.

My Answer: We are completely controlled by the Light (the Creator). We can change things only to the extent we are similar to Him – to the extent we have a desire to be giving and loving, like Him. Therefore, correcting our desire is the only thing we can do to change our fate. This change can happen only under the influence of the Light that reforms, which descends onto a person while he or she studies Kabbalah.

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Everything in the world is just one material – the will to receive, to be filled with the Light of the Creator. This holds true for the Upper Worlds and our world. The difference between any object or phenomenon is only the degree of this desire. A small desire forms an object on the still level of matter, a greater desire – the vegetative level, a greater yet – the animate level, and the greatest desire forms a human being. All the desires are interconnected in one system. Through our senses, we don’t perceive the actual desires, but only their material shell. Kabbalah enables us to shift from the external level to the inner one, and thereby attain the forces that govern the entire universe.

Filed under: Perception - 4 Comments →

Two questions I received on how to draw the Surrounding Light:

Question: During the third part of today’s morning lesson, you said that the most important thing for humanity today is to come to a realization of evil, and this can only be done with the help of the Surrounding Light (Ohr Makif). Can we draw the Surrounding Light only from Talmud Eser Sefirot or also from the modified materials? Let’s say, for a beginner, who doesn’t know anything about Kabbalah, will an entertainment show on Channel 66 or a friendly talk with Rav Laitman’s students on Kabbalistic topics also be a source of the Surrounding Light?

My Answer: Of course. All of our materials, in all their forms, bring forth the Surrounding Light. The result depends on the material (the biggest influence happens during my morning lesson), on your desire and on your connection to us. I receive many responses to our TV channel, and I can see that it causes truly wonderful changes in people!

Question: I am a beginner. What brings more Light: reading books or studying through the Internet?

My Answer: The greatest benefit comes from studying together, especially if you study live, together with us!

Related Material:
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In the News (from Times Online): “Hitler returns to front page as Nazi era papers hit the streets” The headlines leaping out from German newsstands yesterday were shocking… “Hitler Chancellor of the Reich!” was the lead story… Masterminded by a British publisher, facsimiles of original Nazi-era newspapers are being reproduced… kiosks in Berlin are reporting brisk sales… Mr. McGee has been given special dispensation to reproduce the Nazi propaganda with all its insignia for its historical value.

My Comment: Kabbalah explains that there are two ways out of the crisis:

• “The Path of Suffering” – Nazism in the developed countries and terrorism in the third-world countries;

• “The Path of Light” – correcting ourselves to become similar to nature.

Actually, the path of suffering isn’t really a path, but a brief period until we realize that this path leads to a dead end. It may also include the third and fourth nuclear world wars, which will last until we realize that it’s necessary to correct ourselves.

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Two questions I received on consciousness:

Question: Once we acquire the sixth sense, come out into the spiritual worlds, and cross the Machsom, will our physical brain start taking part in the attainment? If our five senses’ reaction to the Light is reflected in the brain, how will this happen with the sixth sense?

My Answer: You will engage a new sense and a new mind, which will supplement and expand your corporeal senses and mind. It’s impossible to convey this, but every person is able to feel this.

Question: Albert Einstein – possibly the greatest genius of all time, said that matter is energy, that energy is fluctuating atoms, and atoms are composed of quarks (quantum physics), and then there’s consciousness. Does this mean that consciousness is also energy?

My Answer: Matter is an external manifestation of the desire, or its shell. Consciousness is the desire’s perception of itself, of its own existence. In Kabbalah matter designates the desire – the only thing created by the Light, by pleasure.

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