Michael Laitman

Book of Zohar Provides Method of Connection The book of Zohar explains the reason for all our troubles and the need to return to a uniform form in all of humanity. How? By connecting in groups according to the method that is provided in the Zohar and when we do we will reveal this positive force that will balance our negative force. If even a part of the people of Israel do it this positive force will spread through us to the rest of the world. From my talk with Senator Nathalie Goulet of Normandy/Orne #world #nature #Israel #StartUpNation #spirituality

How Do You Think People Will Change as the World Changes? Until today, we have built our sciences and industries according to our egoistic nature, where we each prioritize self-benefit over the benefit of others. Our era, however, is marked by a fundamental shift that we still have yet to process properly. The shift is that we are now operating according to an integral principle, rather than a linear one. The integral principle is a new attitude to the environment and to the world. The world itself operates according to this integral principle, and we will end up working solely according to it. We are currently at an evolutionary stage marked by a revolution in our perception of reality. We are on course to perceive reality fundamentally differently, not limited to this world. Instead, reality extends and expands until it has no limits, and, together with that, we begin to live within our consciousness, thoughts, and desires, rather than in this physical world that is vanishing from our senses, with its outdated egoistic modes of conduct. Tomorrow's world will be led by the idea that positive human connection is key, that we will feel so tightly connected that each person's self disappears, and we integrate, as it is written, “as one man with one heart.” What would we feel then? We cannot describe new feelings that we have yet to feel, but in general, it will be good. It will be a world without corporeal limitations, without the Earth and the universe, a completely new world. Taken from New Life episode 1255, The Evolution Of Employment, Part 2 Full episode available here>> kabbalahmedia.info/programs/cu/Sy… #future #sustainable #development

The Passover Haggadah: Kabbalistic Insights on Key Parts What should we focus on during the key parts of the Passover Haggadah? Here are a few insights from the ancient wisdom of Kabbalah. “Why is this night different from all other nights?” On this night, we feel free. Free from slavery. “We were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt, and the Lord our God took us out from there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Had the Holy One not taken our ancestors out of Egypt, we and our children and grandchildren would still be enslaved to Pharaoh in Egypt.” What does this slavery actually mean? Is it a historical tale that we are supposed to remember? The sages explain that the Haggadah teaches an eternal life lesson, as it is written: “The deeds of the fathers are a sign for the children.” But what are we slaves to in our lives today? We might think that it is our boss, the government, or the many ongoing payments we need to make each month. But what truly enslaves us is our ego, which Kabbalah calls “the evil inclination.” Why? If we take a look in the mirror, without sugarcoating anything, then we see that we cannot tolerate anyone being better than us, that our neighbor has something we do not have, that the moment someone cuts us off in traffic, they become our enemy. We have a constant “me, me, me” record playing inside us, making us want to be the best, strongest, smartest, most beautiful, and most successful person in society. This ego is our inner Pharaoh. It is a force that enslaves us from morning until night, adding a lot of burden and weight to our lives. “It is a Mitzva to tell the story of the Exodus from Egypt, and whoever elaborates is praiseworthy.” What does it mean to “exit Egypt”? It means escaping our ego’s control. Let us do that among each other today. Let us lower the ego between us; to stop thinking in terms of, “How am I better than everyone?” and instead enjoy the feeling of being connected, of caring about each other. The Four Sons “The Torah speaks of four sons: the wise, the wicked, the simple, and the one who does not know how to ask.” All four are asking the same question: “How do we rise above our ego? How do we leave ‘Egypt’?” The term “son” (“Ben” in Hebrew) stems from the same Hebrew linguistic root as “understanding” (“Havana”). These sons represent inner developmental stages toward freedom from slavery to the ego. The Wise Son “What are the testimonies, statutes, and judgments which the Lord our God commanded you?” The wise son intellectualizes and offers ideas, but provides no real solution. The Wicked Son “What is this service to you?” To “you” and not to “Him,” i.e., not to the Creator. By excluding himself from the collective, he denies the core principle. He becomes the skeptic who says, “You do your thing, leave me out.” He does not trust that change is possible and accepts reality as it is. The Simple Son “What is this?” The simple son fails to grasp what is going on. He does not even realize that he is enslaved, let alone know how to break free. The One Who Does Not Know How to Ask “You shall tell your son on that day…” The one who does not know how to ask is not wise, wicked, or simple, but he cannot even formulate a question. He senses that there is truth in the ego’s transformation, but he is lost. He cannot open his mouth. Precisely from this place where we have no words left, the solution appears. Ultimately, we all must reach this stage. Generational Struggle “And it is this that stood by our ancestors and by us: For not only one enemy has risen against us to destroy us, but in every generation, enemies rise against us, and the Holy One saves us from their hand.” Whenever we feel that the ego threatens to consume us, and we genuinely desire to rise above it, we are guaranteed redemption. What does redemption mean? It means relationships that are opposite to what we experience today: joy when others succeed, admiration for others’ children, and mutual celebration. The sages wrote about such a state, “I saw an opposite world.” If we aspire to such loving relationships, then everyone against us will calm down, and the people of Israel will earn the world’s respect. How? It is because the upper force hardens everyone’s hearts toward us, just as it hardened Pharaoh’s, to urge our correction. When we choose to progress by ourselves toward unity and love, and become a light unto the nations, there will be no more need for pressure from behind. The Task of the Seder Night Around the Seder table, we should try to treat each other kindly, to stop criticizing each other, and to wish for love to dwell among us. Alongside our anticipation for delicious holiday dishes, we should also yearn for a special serving of love to appear in the center of our beautiful table, so that we each pass it on to the next. This is our common task for the holiday, to make an effort to be “as one man with one heart,” to “not do to your friend what you hate yourself,” and to “love your neighbor as yourself.” This is the essence of the Exodus from slavery to freedom. The Process of Exiting Egypt “And the Lord took us out of Egypt—not by an angel, nor by a seraph, nor by a messenger, but the Holy One, blessed be He, in His glory and by Himself.” Who instilled the evil inclination in us? It was the Creator. Accordingly, He must plant within us a good inclination. The sages note that “God” in Gematria equals “Nature” (86). This hidden force in creation is one of love, giving, and benevolence. He deliberately created us with an opposite nature so that from darkness we would discover light. As created beings, we can only recognize something through its opposite. The Ten Plagues “These are the ten plagues the Holy One brought upon the Egyptians: Blood, Frogs, Lice, Wild Beasts, Pestilence, Boils, Hail, Locusts, Darkness, Death of the Firstborn.” The Zohar explains that “man is a small world,” and these Egyptians dwell within us. The entire Haggadah speaks about what happens inside, about the battle of inner forces. Even if we do not feel it, our system of relationships is built on ten threads connecting each of us to others, threads of exploitation, mockery, and manipulation. The plagues show us where the root of our suffering lies. They aim to cut off these negative ties and rewire us for kindness. Each plague severs an old connection and installs a new one, like unplugging ten old cables from a device and plugging in new ones, rewiring our inner circuitry. “Dayenu” – It Would Have Been Enough “How many good things has the Omnipresent done for us! If He had taken us out of Egypt and not executed judgments on them—it would have been enough…” This long list teaches that we can attain anything if we only possess the positive force. Just like the feeling of warmth and mutual help that we should feel among us during this holiday, if we continue with this attitude into daily life, we will be blessed with all good things. Next Year in a Rebuilt Jerusalem When the people of Israel become a model of life based on connection and love, we will illuminate the entire world. Those who hate us will become our supporters, and they will come bearing gifts, as Isaiah the Prophet said, “Nations will carry your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders.” “Who knows One? One—I know: One is our God in the heaven and the earth.” This same positive force we begin to feel in our unique connection during the Passover holiday is the One who governs all of reality. The more we become like Him in our relationships of love, the closer we draw come to true freedom. Happy Passover! #Passover #EGO #Egypt #lifelessons #Freedom

What Are the Modern Versions of Egypt, Pharaoh and Moses of Passover? What are Egypt, Pharaoh, and Moses in the 21st century? There is an increasing understanding that we can no longer live our lives the way that we do, i.e., that our consumerist culture of overproducing and over-consuming is destroying our planet, robbing it of its resources, and ultimately leads us to destruction. More and more people see no point in bringing more children into such a world where they end up suffering most of their lives. Today, it has become commonplace to work 10-to-12 hours a day and to endure long traffic jams before and after work. It seems foolish and even unreal, as if we have been placed into some game and we do not know what we are doing in this game, that someone somewhere is pressing on a controller that moves us around. That is how our ego plays with us. Our innate desire is one that wishes to enjoy for personal benefit alone, and it makes us picture all kinds of pleasures that we can receive for running the rat race that so many of us do. Yet, since any pleasure we receive fades away, we remain feeling empty and wanting, and we never achieve any kind of complete fulfillment. On the contrary, the more we run around trying to fulfill ourselves, the worse we end up feeling. We would thus be wise to stop for a moment and to think hard about what we are doing with our lives. In the Passover story, Pharaoh is the king of Egypt who tries to hold the people of Israel in slavery. In the 21st century, Pharaoh is this very egoistic force that rules over us, which makes us each consider how we can live our lives in separation from each other, for personal benefit alone, and which holds us back from positive human connection and the discovery of a true harmonious, peaceful and purposeful life. Pharaoh describes this egoistic force in us that obliges us to try and enjoy ourselves, but which ultimately leads us to destroy our own lives, the lives of others, and also the still, vegetative and animal levels of nature—all in the name of our personal enjoyment. However, like there is the great ruling ego, the Pharaoh in us, there is also a small desire called “Moses.” Moses appears as a certain force or thought that tells us that we are heading in a wrong direction, that we are indeed under Pharaoh’s rule—the rule of our egoistic desires—but it is detrimental to us, and we need to find a way to get out of this egoistic mode of wishing solely to benefit ourselves at the expense of others and nature. Taken from New Life series - episode No. 1221 - The Exodus From Egypt In The Coronavirus Era Full episode available here >> kabbalahmedia.info/programs/cu/G8… Translation available in English, Hebrew, Italian, Russian, French, German, Spanish, Norsk, Turkish & Magyar #nature #life #sustainablefuture #Passover

What Are Some Ways That We Can Improve the Attitude of the Human Race So That We May Improve Society and the World as a Whole? In days when everything seems to be on the verge of falling apart because of dangerous ego games, we need a feminine force that will put things in order. The woman is nature's representative. New life develops in her body. She carries the fetus within her and cares for its well-being, then she undergoes childbirth and nursing, and such processes build a worldview that a man does not have. By nature, the man hovers, fantasizes, creates, and makes breakthroughs. A woman is more realistic, stable, connected to life, balanced, and grounded. In order to bring about calm and balance into a world that lacks such qualities today, we need a more balanced combination between masculine and feminine forces. Therefore, it is no coincidence that in recent years the feminine force has been increasingly bringing itself to the forefront. If we help the feminine force care for the world the way a woman cares for the fruit of her womb, we will spare ourselves the problems that men produce through struggles for control, destructive competitions, and warmongering. Our common home needs a mother, one who is wise, educating, and calming. Women who wish a positive and beautiful life for the new generation they give birth to would do well to develop their awareness to a higher level: to learn about human nature and the nature of the world, about the direction of development toward an integral connection among everyone, about the evolutionary forces that place us all in the same boat. The integral approach to education explains this in detail and offers a method for development within a group framework. Broadly speaking, we see that the world is becoming increasingly interconnected, where interdependence increases, while at the same time the ego of each person is breaking through every ceiling. This dangerous situation forces us to give birth from within ourselves to a new human being, a new humanity. This is progress toward an integral state, a connected state. It is a state in which we will feel deep mutual connection and care for one another as every mother naturally cares for her fetus. Such a loving attitude toward others and society, and toward the environment, will raise the human species to the next degree of existence. It is a degree in which we will begin to consciously adapt to the integrality that exists naturally in the system of nature. As we form such adaptation, our reality will improve. We will feel nature like a womb that provides us with everything needed for our optimal development: health, food, and ample living conditions. Everything will be for everyone, in abundance. As for the pregnant woman, the period of pregnancy can be the happiest period in a woman’s life, a period that can also heal much in her body. Since she needs to care for the creation of life within her, she receives many additional forces from society, such as energy, exchanges of substances, states, and information. Everything flows within her very intensively, because she lives for two. Instinctively, every mother cares about her fetus' well-being, but this is not enough to ensure its optimal development. Evolution pushes us to function as a single mechanism, and thus each individual is required to expand the scope of their concern to the whole of society. Humanity can be likened to a fetus developing in the womb of nature and approaching birth. When the body prepares for birth, a turning of the fetus occurs within the womb, and we too will have to undergo a similar development, a switch in perception. The myriad egoistic goals that were considered the most important until now will have to be lowered on our value scales, and the altruistic values that were less considered will have to be raised to those of highest importance. This will not be easy, but there is no choice. We will not be able to survive without an integral connection, without connection and complementarity. Nature will help us in the birth process, if only we wish to adapt ourselves to the trend. We will discover in it higher forces that will take care of us, just like a father and a mother, i.e., a force of giving, a force of receiving, and a formula for combining them in harmony. Such is progress toward balance with nature. This is the approach that the feminine force can and must bring to everyone, to educate and to guide humanity’s further development. Based on "New Life 101 - Pregnancy and Birth: The Female Power" with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman. Full episode available here >> kabbalahmedia.info/programs/cu/tQ…

Is It True That Words Account for Only 7% of Communication in Conversation? A conversation does not always require words. There are states in which words only interfere. When we wish to convey our feelings to another but find it difficult to express them correctly, the best thing we can do is remain silent. In such moments, silence does not create discomfort between people. On the contrary, it lets a deeper connection appear. You simply sit together in silence, and gradually, little by little, you begin to understand one another without speaking. This is what is called a conversation from heart to heart. I experienced this many times with my teacher, Kabbalist Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag (RABASH). We would sit together in silence, and there was no need to say anything. I never felt that I had to speak. I would simply sit beside him and think, and he would do the same. He never encouraged me to say something, and I never felt the need to ask. Nothing was required. There are moments like this when everything becomes clear without explanation. An inner connection appears, a quiet exchange of feelings from one heart to another and back again. This is a deeper kind of communication than words can provide. In such silence, understanding flows naturally, and the connection between people becomes much more genuine and profound. #heart #connection

Where Do I Begin to Find Hope Again When I Feel as If Everything in My Life Is Crumbling? People cross oceans, search for new lands, and risk everything because hope drives them. But what happens when all hope seems to disappear, when every candle has gone out: love, faith, peace of mind, everything? How can a person continue when nothing seems left? Hope remains when we come to understand that everything is in the hands of the Creator, the upper force of love, bestowal, and connection that created and sustains reality. At that moment, we realize with certainty that nothing is in our own hands. This understanding becomes the new candle of hope. Why does the Creator always leave us this last candle? It is because, at the very last moment, when we feel completely lost, the Creator catches us and continues the path together with us. That small remaining light is the point of connection between us in this world and the higher reality. Moreover, this candle does not go out. It always remains lit. It accompanies us throughout life, even when we do not feel it. There are no states in which this candle truly disappears. The Creator is good and does good, and therefore the connection between Him and us always exists. Otherwise, we would never have been born, because the Creator already sees the entire path of our life from beginning to end. Why, then, do we so often fail to see this candle and lose hope? It is because we are not properly attuned to our existence. We do not look deeply enough into the reality in which we live. The correct attitude is to remember that the goodness of the Creator is always before us. Even when everything seems dark, this small candle continues to stay lit, guiding us forward.

Is Rising Antisemitism a Sign of Global Crisis? History Shows a Connection Between the Two Almost Every Time Today we must understand a fundamental fact about the world we live in: humanity has become completely interconnected and interdependent. This did not happen yesterday. The process has been unfolding for at least the past hundred years, and it began to become especially evident around the time of the First World War. Since then, the connections between people, countries, economies, and societies have only intensified. The world has become one integral system. However, although we are objectively interconnected, we do not recognize it and we do not behave accordingly. Each of us still wants to live separately, to go our own way, and to think solely about our own benefit. The problem is that we do not have a natural inner ability to perceive this global system. A person cannot instinctively feel the needs of all humanity or calculate the benefit of everyone in each of his actions. Our nature is egoistic. In other words, we desire to enjoy at the expense of others and the world. Therefore, when we discover that the world is interconnected, we simply try to ignore this fact. We behave as if it does not exist because we do not know what to do with it. However, the problem does not disappear. Evolution continues to push humanity forward whether we like it or not. Human society is developing in the direction of becoming increasingly integral and mutually dependent. Since we resist such an evolutionary trajectory, we experience crises that constantly deepen. For a long time these crises seemed manageable. We saw problems in culture, education, family life, rising divorce rates, suicide, drugs, and a general feeling of helplessness. Yet as long as these problems did not directly threaten our economic stability, society learned to live with them. When crisis directly affects our livelihood, then we are forced to take notice. Whether it is the collapse of financial systems, the struggle to survive of industries, or millions of people losing their jobs or becoming displaced, when these events touch our own lives, we are hit by myriad stresses and anxieties. The paradox is that humanity actually produces more than enough for everyone. Each year the world produces far more food than is necessary, yet enormous quantities are thrown away. At the same time millions of people suffer from hunger. The problem is not a lack of resources but the lack of positive human connection. We simply do not feel responsible for one another. A person might know that half the world is starving, but as long as their own refrigerator is full, they do not feel it as their own problem. When humanity enters such a crisis, another phenomenon inevitably appears: the rise of antisemitism. Historically, whenever societies experience severe economic or social distress, accusations against the Jews intensify. This pattern repeats again and again. When life is stable, the hostility remains relatively hidden. But when crises erupt—especially financial crises—people instinctively search for someone to blame, and very often the blame falls on the Jews. This is not a coincidence. Antisemitism exists as a deep instinctive phenomenon within human nature. Its roots go back to ancient Babylon, when a group of people gathered around Abraham and discovered a method of positive human connection. They learned how to unite above their egoism and how to connect to the higher force of nature, the force of unity, abundance, and balance. That group eventually became known as the Jewish people. The world subconsciously feels that the Jews possess something essential for humanity’s well-being—a method of connection—and that they are not providing it. Even if people cannot articulate this clearly, they feel that the Jews hold a key to something that could improve life but are withholding it. This instinctive feeling fuels antisemitism. For this reason it is extremely important that the Jewish people begin to share the method of connection with the world. The practical form of this method today is what I call “integral education” or an “integral approach to education.” Integral education is not only for children. It is for every human being—adults, youth, professionals, workers, everyone—because the entire world now exists within a single interconnected system. Integral education teaches people how to live correctly within this global network. It explains how human relationships function inside an integral system and how cooperation, mutual responsibility, and connection can be developed above our natural egoism. This education addresses the root of the myriad crises we can see in our world: the collapse of family structures, failures in education, cultural breakdowns, economic instability, and social alienation. The wisdom of Kabbalah is the source of this method. Kabbalah itself is essentially the science of human connection. However, it should not be misunderstood as mysticism or something mysterious. The classical Kabbalistic texts, such as The Book of Zohar and the writings of the great Kabbalists, describe the deeper psychology of unity. They explain how the forces that connect human beings operate and how a network of relationships between us reveals higher forces of love, reciprocity, and bestowal. In Kabbalah we study how human beings can rise above egoistic perception and begin to experience reality through connection with others. Within that connection a new force becomes revealed, the collective force that Kabbalah calls “the soul.” Of course, not every person needs to study Kabbalistic texts in the early hours of the morning as serious students of the wisdom do. Just as in any science, there are specialists who research and develop the knowledge. Those specialists then translate their discoveries into practical systems that society can use. The same applies here. Kabbalists study the deeper principles, and from these principles we develop practical educational frameworks that can be implemented in society. In this sense, integral education can be viewed as the applied form of Kabbalah, similar to applied psychology. It translates the fundamental laws of human connection into practical tools that people can use in everyday life. This is exactly what Abraham did thousands of years ago. He gathered people together, taught them how to unite above their egoistic differences, and within that unity they began to discover new laws of nature. Those discoveries formed the foundation of the wisdom of Kabbalah. Today humanity must return to that principle. The method of connection that once developed within a small group must now be shared with the entire world. This is the meaning behind the statement that the people of Israel should be “a light unto the nations.” It refers to the responsibility of bringing the method of positive human connection to humanity. If we begin to disseminate integral education widely, we will see a remarkable change. The hostility toward Jews will begin to decrease because humanity will instinctively feel that it receives what it needs. The same instinctive force that now produces hatred can transform into appreciation and friendship. This is why the development and dissemination of integral education is so important today. Humanity is entering a new stage of evolution in which we must learn how to live as a single interconnected system. The sooner we begin educating ourselves toward this form of connection, the easier our transition into this new reality will be. #antisemitism #solution