A question I received: The information you present to the world is fascinating. Everyone in my family is Orthodox Christian, and I’ve read the Bible and the New Testament since childhood. My question is: Where is Jesus Christ in your science? This worries me most of all, and is the only thing about your method that raises a concern.

My Answer: He’s absent, because I only base my teaching on the three main Kabbalists: Rashbi (The Book of Zohar), the Ari, and Baal HaSulam (view his available works in English). Just like any other science, Kabbalah bears no relation to any religion. It is the physics of forces that are perceived and examined through our sixth sense – the corrected desire.

In contrast, religion speaks about carrying out certain actions and rituals in our world, rather than correcting one’s egoism by means of the Upper Light. However, all religions want this action attributed to them.

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“Love your friend as yourself; this is a great rule (also collective) in the Torah.”

The word “collective” points to a sum of elements that, when put together, form that collective. Hence, if we say about the verse, “Love your friend as yourself,” that “it is a great rule (collective) in the Torah,” we must understand that all other 612 corrections of the will to receive are the details of the correction, “Love your friend as yourself.” [Read more →]

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A comment I received to my post “Religions are Expressions of Culture, Not Absolute Higher Knowledge”: All the religions that exist in our world are not real. They are nothing more than cultural traditions. Baal HaSulam writes about genuine religion in his article, “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose.” There he answers three questions: “What is the essence of religion? Is religion’s purpose attained in this world or in the world to come? Is religion intended for the good of the Creator or the good of the creatures?” Further on he explains what genuine religion is, and it’s clear that by the word “religion,” he means Kabbalah. What should this religion lead to? It should lead to man’s correction. And how will this correction be realized? It’ll be realized through the Light that returns us to the source, called “Torah.”

My Response:
But still, a question remains:
What religion is common to all?
What’s your opinion?

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A question I received: I have a question for you as a scientist. Through studying accessible historical documents, I came to the conclusion that the biblical story of Moses is wrong. It seems to me that Moses was an Egyptian military commander, and he created an army out of former Semite slaves, with the support of Egypt’s rulers and priests.

My Answer: Life itself teaches us to place less trust in our conclusions based on history, as they usually end up being wrong. However, the biblical texts can be confirmed. Even though I’m a doctor of philosophy, I despise this so called “science” where anyone can come up with whatever they want. I believe only in practical facts, according to the premise that you can’t think of what you can’t attain. Kabbalists speak only from their direct attainment, and as such, I believe what they say about the things I haven’t yet attained, because I’m convinced of their truth. One should only rely on practical activity, without adding any inventions or connections of their own.

Related Material:
* Kabbalah Explains the Bible – article in Kabbalah Today
* The Secret Meaning of the Bible – article by M. Laitman

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A question I received: Is it possible to publish the Torah with an explanation of its inner meaning, the Sulam commentary? Many people I know say: “I only know the Torah of Moses. I don’t know The Book of Zohar, only Moses. I don’t know Rashbi, the Ari, or Baal HaSulam, only Moses, and I read his Torah every day.” The problem is that they read a beautiful tale without the inner meaning. Is it possible to publish the Torah with explanations of its inner meaning beneath the text? Does such a thing exist? It would open the eyes and hearts of many!

My Answer: This won’t open anything up for anyone. About twenty or thirty years ago, people used to ask how Kabbalah explains different excerpts from the Torah. Lured by these commentaries, they came to learn Kabbalah – myself included.

However, today people want to know about themselves, and they don’t care about what’s written in the Torah. One considers one’s own soul as being more important. In the past, people were interested in theoretical problems, but today, they are interested in practical problems, the problems of survival.

Thus, we should speak to people directly, and not confuse them with beautiful phrases. We should succinctly explain causes and their effects, get straight to the point, and tell people how they can change their lives in a way that everyone will understand. I dismiss those who set their terms and say, “I only want to hear it this one way.” Let them receive a few more blows of fate, and then they’ll feel the approaching disaster, the suffering, and will come without setting any terms. A hungry person is ready to eat anything, and doesn’t ask for a menu.

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A question I received: You say that Kabbalah uses its own terminology. But when reading Kabbalistic texts, I get confused whether it is speaking about the physical world or the Upper World. So how can you claim that the language of Kabbalah is precise?

My Answer: Kabbalah uses names borrowed from our world. However, just as other methods of rendering of the Upper World (The Pentateuch, Mishna, and Talmud), such names allude exclusively to the Upper World, to its forces and properties. So why is it better to study Kabbalah than the Talmud? It’s simply because, when you study Kabbalah, you don’t forget that you’re studying the Upper World – the system that influences you and that you depend on. Hence, you want to draw closer to it, and this desire pulls you toward it.

In addition, it’s best to study with a teacher who explains all this to you and reminds you of it during your studies. And you should study in a group that supports you in this endeavor. As a person studies these texts, precisely his intention to become corrected attracts onto him the Light that Reforms – the Torah. If you read them in any other manner, you will surely get confused and start thinking that it’s speaking about our world.

For instance, take a look at the text of the ARI (The Tree of Life):
The primary HaVaYaH (the 4-letter name of the Creator) from the World of Infinity begets all consequences, which further divide into four parts, down to our world.

1. Every creature contains four bases: fire, water, air, and the dust of the earth. They correspond to the four letters HaVaYaH, and KhuB Tum, and TaNTA (Taamim, Nekudot, Tagin and Otiyot), and ABYA.

2. And these are the four categories in the lower (of our world) Adam: a) the spiritual that’s within him; b) the body; c) the garments; d) the dwelling place. Each of them in turn consists of four: in his spiritual part there’s Nefesh, Ruach, Neshama, and Chaya; in his body there’s Atzamot, Gidin, Basar and Awr (bones, tendons, flesh and skin); in the garments there’s Kutonet, Mikhnasaim, Matznefet, Avnet (shirt, pants, cloak, belt); in the dwelling place there’s Bait, Hatzer, Sade, Midbar (house, yard, field, desert).

3. In the four categories of Adam, there’s one that includes all. And there’s also the middle one between each of these categories, which includes all the adjacent ones.

4. The category which includes all is called the Light of Yechida. It has two parts: the spark of the Creator and the spark of the creature.

5. The middle category between the spiritual in Adam, which is NaRaNCHaY, and his body – is “Reviit Dam” (the fourth part of blood), and Nefesh de-Nefesh (the animate force) clothes in it. It also includes the spiritual part and the body.

6. The middle category between the body and the garments is “Searot” and “Tzipornayim” of Adam (hair and nails).

7. The middle category between the garments and the dwelling place is Oalim (tabernacles) which are made of wool and flax.

Conclusion: Only in the process of studying authentic Kabbalistic texts do you connect with the Upper World and evoke upon yourself the influence of the Upper Light (the Light of the Torah), which can transport you from the perception of this world to the perception of the Upper World. There is no other method that can allow you to achieve such a transformation! Therefore, when the world and you are ready for it, Kabbalah becomes revealed and is offered to you as the method of correction.

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A question I received: Why do you reveal all of this secret knowledge to gentiles?

My Answer: I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the original sources: Baal HaSulam’s articles “Messiah’s Horn” and “The Arvut.”

A mutual guarantee (Arvut) among a single nation is capable of initiating the correction of the whole world. Likewise, all nations are incapable of carrying out this correction simultaneously. It is as the sages said: The Creator offered the Torah to all nations (through Abraham in ancient Babylon), but they declined the offer, because the magnitude of their egoism, their self-love, made it impossible for them to accept it.

Thus, Abraham created a group of Babylonians (people with desires for spirituality) who were ready and willing to renounce their egoism, and this group became known as the nation of Israel. The only difference between the Babylonians in this group and other Babylonians of that era was that Abraham’s group accepted upon themselves the method of rising above their egoism. Moreover, Abraham, who was a Babylonian priest, became the first Kabbalist. Therefore, by accepting upon themselves the required guarantee (Arvut), the nation of Israel was obligated to be the chosen people among all other nations.

In any case, the correction of the whole world will take place when all nations unite in their aspiration toward the Creator, and the Creator will reveal Himself to all nations. It is as it is written: “The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Creator, and all of the nations will flock to Him.” As such, the nation of Israel holds the responsibility for leading humanity to love for thy neighbor, and ultimately, to the goal of creation, which is to merge with the Creator.

My Current Mood: energetic

Related Material:
* ARTICLE: Who Is to Blame? – Selected pieces from a discussion on Baal HaSulam’s article “Introduction to the Book of Zohar”

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A letter I received: Dear Michael Laitman, I’ve been studying Kabbalah for about five years, and I’ve become more and more concerned about the fact that I no longer find anything new in the text. I’m wondering whether I need to deepen my understanding of the text. In my heart, I try to constantly pray to get closer to spirituality. I’ve also begun translating The Talmud using the dictionary from the book, The Science of Kabbalah. As I understand it, I’ve strayed from the path. What should I do? Should I apply more effort in my studies?

My Answer: I advise you to start studying regularly with us in our virtual lessons, connected with the virtual group. This will allow you to acquire greater thoughts and desires from uniting with others, and out of such a unity, you will create a vessel. This vessel will be within you. And you’ll start feeling fulfilled in this vessel through understanding the Thought of Creation. [Read more →]

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Question for ML: The Bible is one of the most mysterious books in the world, and people have always looked to find hidden meaning in it. Many believe that the texts of the Old Testament contain hidden information about the entire history of humankind. And supposedly, they find evidence to back up this belief. But if the Sacred Writings really do contain forecasts for the future, is it then inevitable?

My Answer: I wouldn’t say that secrets don’t exist, because they do! However, they exist only for those who are able to discover them ON THEIR OWN. There are no other secrets or tricks of any kind! Nothing just suddenly gets revealed. It has been preplanned for you to discover through your own efforts.

I’ve already talked about some of these discoveries. For instance, in a printed book of Kabbalah, one suddenly starts seeing additional words printed between the words and lines. They weren’t actually printed, but appeared because the reader prepared himself for their revelation. Moreover, they became revealed only to that particular reader… Another instance is that one starts seeing, seemingly with one’s eyes, not a person, but the essence of a person in a form on the animate or vegetative level… Or, instead of seeing people and other objects, like everyone else, you see only the forces controlling them.

Nothing written there is absolute. It simply explains what the future will be like if we don’t interfere with, and moderate, the compelling forces of nature. This is why prophecies seem so frightening. However, through our actions, we can fundamentally change their materialization in our world.

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News Story: Leviev: Zionism is bankrupt because of ‘new American religion’

Businessman Lev Leviev, one of the world’s most notable diamond dealers who recently moved to London from Israel, declared that Zionism has gone bankrupt. In an interview with the newspaper Haaretz, Leviev stated that life in today’s Israel is losing its Jewish substance. Leviev, who also owns a chain of private schools in Israel and abroad, also came forward with his criticism of secular Israeli education.

My Response: This is all true. Zionism’s bankruptcy was predetermined long before it began, just like how all of humanity’s endeavors have been carried out without understanding history’s plan. The Jews were given the right to return to the land of Israel on condition (from Above) that they return to their spiritual root (the spiritual land of Israel), to the qualities of bestowal and love, like it was before the ruin of the Second Temple and the exile. As Baal HaSulam writes, in the article, “A Speech in Celebration of the Conclusion of The Zohar”: “The Creator gave us this land, but this only gives us the opportunity to receive it through purifying ourselves (from egoism).”

If the Jews don’t use this opportunity to ascend spiritually, but instead wish to simply exist in Israel, on “the holy land,” like all other nations, then “the land will reject you.” Moreover, there’s not much time left for us to either begin the correction or be expelled from here once again.

Unfortunately, many people don’t understand the Creator’s plan, thinking that a modern religious upbringing is sufficient, that it educates the Jewish nation and provides the knowledge necessary to fulfill its Creator-given mission.

Baal HaSulam writes, in the article, “The Revelation of Godliness (Matan Torah)”: “‘Love thy neighbor as thyself’ – Rabbi Akiva says: ‘it is a great rule in the Torah.’” This is what the main goal of education should be. Knowledge of the nation’s customs and culture should be secondary. The sages say: “Why should God mind whether one slaughters at the throat or at the neck?” After all, the commandments were given to cleanse people. “Cleansing” means cleansing our desires from egoism – this is the goal of performing commandments. Egoistic desires comprise a person’s whole life, and such desires are what make people opposite from the Creator, whose nature is absolute altruism. Moreover, it is decreed that we need to attain adhesion with the Creator, that is, complete equivalence with Him.

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