Ask A Question
You may ask me any questions you like on this page. I receive questions in many languages so, unfortunately, I am unable to get to every question. I try to select questions which speak to the widest readership, and you can search for my answers in upcoming blog posts. (If you subscribe to my blog’s RSS feed, then you can follow each new post from the moment it is added – click here to subscribe.)
Ask the Kabbalist
I will also be answering some of the questions asked here in my new English language TV show, Ask the Kabbalist, which is in production and will be published soon on this site. US residents can ask questions over the phone at 1-800-540-3234 (select option 3 and leave a message for the show).
Daily Lessons
Moreover, if you are studying Kabbalah materials, you can ask me questions related to the materials, and get answers live, in the daily Kabbalah lessons I teach from the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education Center, Israel, which are broadcast live on Kabbalah TV: 3:20am until 6:00am Israel (GMT+2) time, Sunday to Friday [Time Zone Converter].
Is the sole purpose of desires to set us in the pursue of the purpose of life? All my life I have strived to have a job (not an amazing job, but a simple job, that could help me pay my bills and allow me to raise my family). I have worked hard through school and college, I consider myself a good worker, but a succession of bad luck, unbelievable situations appear constantly in my life and my dream is unattainable.
In the pursue for explanations for this experiences I have read some Kabbalah books. What I don´t understand is: is it wrong to wish for something so ordinary? Is there something wrong with my wish? Does God always reward our “good deeds” and punishes the bad ones? When the “point in the heart” appears does God relieves the pressure that exists in that area of our life? I am sorry my questions are still very self centered, but this is where I am and where I have been for so many years that I feel I cannot move forward without understanding this.
You say that before studying Kabbalah and the Zohar in depth, one should be on his own, with a job, own source of income, a good head, and preferably a partner. The world is currently in a poor economic state and many are out of work. What is the Creator trying to tell us, “You must study this amazing science, but you must secure your existence in this world first,” if we cannot even secure our existence in this world? What are we to do if we live far away from other Kabbalists and have no way of getting work? Please answer this, because I think that this is something that MANY potential students are wondering about.
Mr. Laitman:
Where does the quote “kindness gives to another, Compassion knows no other” come from and who is the author?
Thank you for your assistance. I’m an architect and working on a Holocaust Memorial design competition and would like to maybe use the quote. However, I would like to know it’s origin.
Would it be possible to email me directly the answer. I really would appreciate it.
Thanks,
Mark Goodman
Nowadays a person who study Kabbalah is able to relate with friends in his town, state, and because of the internet he’s got a chance to relate with people and groups from all over the world.
Where is my group? What should I consider for my group?
Should I take into consideration only the obligations of mine toward the friends from my group (which is in my sity) or to be in conversation with so many people and groups is great chance and I must nullify myself toward everyone?
Is it important to follow the kosher laws of eating, and what is their significance?
Why have the teachings of Kabbalah been lost in the Jewish orthodox movement? Did orthodox rabbis ever teach Kabbalah?
Thank you.
With the study of the kabbalah I begin to find my self not as the body, but as surroundings and my human body together. I can check what says my surroundings, what emotions and feelings it has, and to check how it affects my human body – what it teaches me. On the other hand, sometimes I can find that surroundings absolutely correctly illustrate my feelings. Especially to grab this sensation helps knowledge about inanimate, vegetative, animal, human desire types.
You teach that our development to next one spiritual ladder begins with falling down to the point where we have started our spiritual development. So, shouldn’t we strive to earthly pleasures as strong we can, during this fall, in order to reach the bottom faster, and than to start climbing again? Is there any difference for work upstairs and work downstairs? Is there, in Kabbalah, such meaning like work downstairs, at all?
If we are not free, as it is being said, then who is responsible for the incredible suffering we see in history?
As part of the preparation of the congress scheduled in Israel, the Arvut is the main work to be realized in the group. There is no spirituality without union, to clean out all the breaks is important.
You say that we are “a seed (point in the heart) which has to rot in the ground (the group)”
Everyone have things which have been lived through before they arrive for the study of Kabbalah.
We have built our own rules, then, we have acquired some duties, some interdicts, or we have declared faithfulness, mutual aid … on oath. (family,
religion, or other networks).
- Which behavior to be assumed, on terms of Arvut, towards a friend of the group BB, when this friend could run counter the external rules of the group?
- When there is an opposition between these rules: (family, religion, other networks) and Kabbalah, what is to prevail?
- what are the limits of the arvut?
- Isn’t there a risk of complete power of the friend over the arvut? A friend who could abuse his authority over others under the pretext of arvut?
Thank you for your responses
Who is a friend?
In the article, Zohar for all-Conference:
What is the difference between the Messiah Son of Joseph, and the Messiah Son of David?
Can we correlate these different corrections with “historical time”?
Thank you
Adelina
Hello
My question is if a man and a woman study together and the man enters into spirituality does the wife automatically enter also because of the unique connection that they share?
Dear Rabbi Laitman,
I was tring to find my wholl live answers, and some years a go a friend gived me a book… Yours in Dutsh… It was a beginning off a new live… I was a little scared but afther a wile I found a rabbi in my place and I started to e-mail him… and afther mounths hi ask me to come to his class… we learned Thora and for the first time in live things made sens… i growed and i started to obsurve mitsvot… like keeping cosher but i didn’t told it to anybody… afther a year i found a other rabbi and i started to go to the synagoghe and to learn practikel jewdism… i learned some years and last Rosh Shanana I went to Bnee Barak to raf Karelits and the Beddin and i did gioer… it was verry special time… by coincidence i saw your movies one you tobe…
and now i saw that you studied in Bnee barak.. special… Its like i have to find you again? i dont know…
Shabath Shalom,
Channa – Noemi
Dear Rav,
you have said that we should send to you our experiences with the zohar.sometimes,when i read the zohar,despite i don’t understand a thing, i feel a sensation that fills me up and i can barley breathe..but the next day i wake up completely stupid and with a small desire for spirituality…it is possible to receive glimpses of spirituality?or if it was spirituality i wouldn’t have a doubt?
thank you and excuse me for my english.
Hello Dr. Laitman,
I have been on the Diamond Heart Approach, a contemporary spiritual teaching, for over seven years. This is a path for self realization and unfoldment and transformation of the soul, for people living in the world. It uses the method of inquiry into one’s experience, it incorporates traditional wisdom with modern psychological knowledge, and uses meditation and body awareness.
The originator is Hameed Ali (A.H. Almass).
I wonder if I need to continue with it, and start Kabalah also, or maybe it is time to leave it and start Kabalah.
I would deeply appreciate some guidance.
Thank you,
Batsheva Rotem
Greetings Rav Laitman, In the beginning of my studies I experienced a joy of finally being on the path of correction, now I feel as though I am being shredded apart from one sensation to another. Is this an experience I’m suppose to be going through now? and where does it lead?
Are eating disorders/food addiction purely psychological problems? Any advice on treatment?
Shalom Rav,
I have been studying Kabbalah for several months now, I can’t explain how my feelings are towards the Creator and my desire to increase it! and I am very thankful for your help.
And my question is ” What and why would you recommend for people who is seeking to develop a professional career nowdays?”
I do not have a lot of interest for any actual career where I can really feel or see any pleasure of doing. To be honest I just like to study Kabbalah, but then I cant get a job relating to that.
My english is not very good, but hope you can give me an advice.
Thank you!
Dear Rav Laitman:
In one of your recent postings, you’ve explained how to read the book of Zohar: “Every word in The Book of Zohar should be understood as existing inside each of us. The text talks only about our internal world”.
On the other hand, you have mentioned that this book contains some specific information pertaining to the material world:” The Book of Zohar, written 2000 years ago, says that our times (from the year 1995 on) is the time of this book’s revelation.”
Could you please elaborate where and in which format (gematria or other ) year 1995 is mentioned in the book? Does the book contain any other temporal information that one should be aware of?
With great respect and kind wishes,
Mark Feldman
My job at the moment prevents me from being able to make the journey to any of the congresses. i read your blog and study my book each morning and evening to try and keep involved with the world Kli as i want very badly to be part of the unification. what can i do from my side to aid in the effort?
many thanks
So many comments on understanding the Zohar….how about what we are feeling? It is desperate. It is empty. Nothing in this world tastes good anymore. Everyday is worse and more robotic….I study…I listen…but it only grows worse..but I cannot turn away…because there is nothing to return to anymore. But I seem to not be able to cry out to HIM either…to take us out of here …what is this state? How long will it last? I don’t care to understand the Zohar…I just want to get out of here…Why am I unble to make a whole prayer?
In the bible it is written keep your father’s commandments and other commandments .. if my father command me to be greedy which in the bible there is the verse do not be greedy .. what should i choose .. ?
and if G-d is good why there are people who go to hell .. ?
thank you ..
I was wandering what you thought of the “Indigo Children” people are saying this is our new step in humanity as it is these children which are born more everyday with physic abilites etc.
Dear Mr.laitman,
Hello Micheal, It’s an absolute please to share the same feelings as you. altough i do not know all the words or meanings yet, i very much so understand the words and the process which are beautiful if you ask me, beaucse i understand and feel it and are living it. i sent u a message already and i felt like one more or many more messages is a way i can release my self thoughts and emotions to you, for my family for now, dont yet understand becuase im not yet a teacher such as yourself. respond when you can , of course I understand your busy life trying to help those who seek it . Altough i have no questions for you other then a requst. That is to be on speaking terms with you from student (me) to teacher. id love to be on your team giving back to this world to our people who need us. I feel with my unique personality and skills i can build a world with your help and your connections i am 19 and loving my discoveries very much feeling so close to a true kabbalahist.
anyways my friend have a great day i will to Ciao.
Sincerly an awaken soul.
Rav.
I am very concerned with environmental issues, wars, and other political injustices that are taking place all around us. I recently read a statement you made, “It is really a wonder when we realize that all of the evil we see outside of ourselves is in fact our own, because it allows us to redirect our focus from trying to correct the outside, to wanting instead to correct ourselves.” My question is, is it appropriate for me to spend my time and effort trying to better these conditions and help those effected by them in the corporeal world, or focus my efforts on correcting myself and by doing so let these issues bring about there own correction?
Kirk Sanders
Greetings,
I am 17 years old and because of that I can’t travel without my parents or have the money to come to the congress. My mother isn’t interested in kabbalah so how I can’t ask her to come with me to this congress, it will seem absurd to her. I want so much to participate, but I can’t find any solution to this. My question is: if I really desire to be there with you, it wouldn’t matter the physical distance?
Regarding the article “What is love”: Is my assumption correct that you can’t love someone that does not have the same desires, tastes, dislikes and likes than that of yourself?
Maybe cannot is too strong, but my understanding is that it would be very difficult if not impossible to love some one that do not fit that mold.
Rav, please help me: I feel strong sexual attraction toward men; however, I have never seen myself “married to” a man; I want to get married (to a woman) and have children. Whereas I feel strong carnal desires for man, I feel at the same time a strong need, a desire for a woman to share my life with her and to have children. What happens to me? Do I have more than one soul conflicting to control over my body? Or is it a strong fight between yetzer ha-ra and yetzer ha-tov? I do not know what to do, I opted to keep myself chaste and have no relationship either with man or women. I am almost going mad with this and I would like to know the origins of this problem so that I can deal with it in a better way.
I thank you very much and I hope the Light may always use you to bring more light to this world!
What can a person do when he is in a state of hatred towards others?
When will there be a Spanish translation of the Zohar for Hispanic students?
Dear Rav,
The parts of the Zohar which i don’t understand (everything except the Table of Contents) contains parts which in the past have made me cry. I didn’t understand why really; is this something happening to me on some level I dont understand, or is it bringing something else out of me?
Thank you!
Greetings
I would like to get some information about the February congress in Israel in english as I have a great desire to go and can not find any information about this.
Thank you
Rav.
Can spiritual experiences be shared with others in my group or will they be harmful and should be kept private?
Dear Rav,
Why do all the words in Bereshith 32:15 had been ended in mem?
Respectfully
Anna
Hi Rav,
Why would i need to not receive so that i could bestow, in a way of nullifying myself. Wouldn’t i rather want to receive all that i could AND then have the ability to also bestow all that i had to others? Wouldn’t the Creator rather have me accept all the light and share it all with my brothers as one?
Isn’t it better for my brother and i to enjoy all we could together in unity?
Thank you!
Dear Rav,
Ok, so in Kabbalah we study at 3:00 am, we disregard our ego and our self love/reception (or try), we attempt to point our heart toward connection to the ones we don’t connect with at all and all the while we have no measurement to know our progress.
In addition, the more i study the harder the Creator makes my enjoyment of not studying.
Is Kabbalah meant to make us miserable, full time? In other words, at some point will i find joy in all this sacrifice OR RATHER will my ego eventually leave me alone?
Thank you!
As we have connected globally we also experience the global crisis alongside our own personal crises. Will that be my experience with my involvement in the group as well? As the group grows in connections, will I ascend and descend with the group along with my own personal ascents and descents?
The situation in Haiti- what is going on? What is the next catastrophic situation? What can we, I , do?
How do you know what root you come from in the soul of Adam Ha-rashon?
Dear Rav,
I am a student for a long time and attending the International Congress this past weekend. From your class you mention that you are not sure why the next state was attained and also your thought that the congresses should be light in the study. I must say most students thought the weekend would be a intensive in the Zohar lessons. I have to say I disagree with the direction of the congresses compared to the past. I believe they should not be light; they should be intensive lessons on the Zohar. We travel from so far to be with you and all the students of the world Kli. We want the most that you can give, the most we can give and these lessons really help us do just that. The lessons have become lighter, the questions are light and repetitive usually about maaser , books, etc and seems planted and not a real question from a real desire for a answer. I believe this is what many students want. The congress provides plenty of time for connections with the fellow kli; meals, workshops, entertainment, etc. Please increase the intensity of the lessons during the congresses and do not make them lighter. Even though the work in the preparation prior to the congress these lesson truly help us focus our intention as one so that the creator is revealed as a group.
What type of meditation do you practice?
Ana Becoach 42 letter name, or 4 letter name, 0r 72 names?
(Abulafia had no Zohar neither did Nehunia Ben Hakana author of Ana Becoach and the bahir)
I have attended a few group sessions. The women are annoying and I haven’t been back for a while now. I know they are to support the men but they don’t study!, I feel their infighting and disregard for each other, it’s more of a women chit chat club. How do I get past this? I want to be part of the group and advance. Help!
Professor Laitman,
I enjoy your talks on the philosophy of Kabbalah. I have watched the video lessons and read one of your books. You say that Kabbalah is not religion, it is a science for getting in touch with the Creator. My question then is: Isn’t it part of Judaism? Isn’t Kabbalah part of the teachings of Moses, the prophets, and so on? I consider it that the commandments are to be followed to bring us into position to better know and perceive the Creator. This would then make it both though in my opinion. If the Jewish people believe and act on the commandments because they came from G-d then that is religion. Kabbalah is supposedly the behind the scenes inner workings of such things, so I can understand how you would say they do not change. But I still wonder if it is not religion, not Judaism, why did all the great Kabbalists continue to practice their Judaism? Thanks for your time.
Dear Rav,
…………..well, first of all I might mention that this is not so much a question to be posted to your blog; but if you may make mention of it in one of your upcoming lessons….. in regards to massive confusion about the next step; and as usual, guidance on how to move forward correctly through this blinding concealment.
It seems that even though I advanced to the point where even though things got really bad on the surface, I was able to still keep things in perspective by weighing it against the actual picture.
But now, it seems like the verge of destruction as I struggle to keep the impure forces from taking over the part of my spiritual sanctity.
…..anyway, I’m hoping that this even makes sense to you.
What is your experiment?
What are the variables?
If a woman wants me and i dont love her, what can i do? You said that we should look into the mirror and see what we are ourselves. Well, i can do that but it still wont make me love her. In a work, do i really have to go so far, that i marry woman who doesnt attract me at all?
What if i like another woman? How can i separate this point of bestowal without completely ruining my life? Do we have to go so far, that this world will be so terrible for us that we will just have to go above our nature?
Hi Rav,
Are we supposed to use the others in the “group” as a measuring tool to find “love their brother as yourself” or is it all people around me in our world?
Thank you!
Rav, I am concerned. You institute is teaching a very advanced Judaic concept openly to the masses. As I hear the questions that are asked in your class, I feel that there are a great many that are missing the point and getting their own crazy ideas of what is going on here. I am concerned that the students of your classes will receive as my Rabbis calls it “scrawny legs”. Meaning, if you just exercise your arms at the gym, you’ll have a fabulous top, but a very weak bottom (foundation). When I hear other rabbis speak about the concepts that you convey in the Zohar, many times they fill in the gaps where you guys just skip, which provides me with the a bigger more clearer picture. As a student of a yeshiva and partially fluent in Hebrew, even I feel that myself is barely qualified to learn Kabbalah in the way that it is taught here.
My question is, what is your organizations intentions ?
How can we prove the existence of God to the growing number of atheists?
Shalom Rav,
I am the seventeen-years-old boy that was at the Italian congress of January. I have a question that can destroy my faith in the wisdom of Kabbalah, so I pray you to give me the answer. You affirm that the book of Sefer Yetzirà was written by Abraham, that lived in Babylon 5000 years before us. But the Sefer Yetzirà is written in a medieval hebrew, so it can’t be written in a so far period. The more ancient phrase written in paleo-hebrew is dated IX century before Christ! And the Raziel Hamalach? According to your words, it was written before the Sefer Yetzirà, but it’s written in Hebrew too. I hope you can dispel my doubts. Thank you for the attention.
How does Kabbalah explain the increased drug use among young people these days? My daughter has been using drugs and although she wants to stop, is unable to do so. How can she be led to open her soul up to the ideas of Kabbalah? What are the steps one can take to guide another as we all have it within us, some buried deeper than others.
Why is it so difficult to unite, even though some of us have the desire or are starting the correction?
shalom,
I`d like to know what will happen if a person dies in the crash announced for 2012. What body can his soul incarnate in if there wont`be any children to be born thereafter? What will happen?
Greeting Most Esteemed Teacher,
Without putting too much emphasis on my self-righteousness, I can say, since I was a child, I have recognised embedded within, a profound faith in the closeness of The Almighty Omnipotent Creator, initiated by my Christian up bringing and with some other ’spiritual’ studies I recognise my perceptions are culturally specific. Even my primal physical perceptions are driven by culturally specific interpretations of my environment, thus I feel deficits screaming within me, not just my distance from the Creator, but also my distance from the rest of humanity.
How can we creatures who only perceive sensation within our own ‘type’ of humanity, perceive the same in all the other ‘types’ within humanity? Since we cannot feel equivalence with all humanity, what hope is there in achieving equivalence with the Creator of all the worlds?
Unlimited faith in altruism toward the Creator, brings in the everyday life the question of the limit of it;
For example, I help so much someone in need that I jeopardise my own finance and the family budget. I do have a choice to make and I choose to stop helping and saved my family, at that moment I did feel egoist.
How should I move forward from this situation?
I am just curious, for the last two months have experienced a ringing in my head. It is pretty much continuous. Is this some form of effect in studying Kabbalah? It doesn’t hurt it is just there. This is a first. Is there a ringing sensation associated with the study of Kabbalah?
I try to keep with me at all times my intention to become closer with the Creator. I think “Why has he brought me to this obstacle?” I know that when a negative thought or feeling comes to me it is only my ego that is getting hurt and cannot touch the soul. When things go wrong and I feel lost I try to find him in me. “What was his thought and intention behind this which is happening?” But I am faced with a dilemma.
Not always is his intention with me and therefore my correct intention isn’t clear to me either…I feel frozen in my mind and my heart. I ask what should I be feeling? How can I start asking the right questions of myself ? Is it because I am still a teenager and couldn’t possibly be ready to receive the property of bestowal until I go through more shedding of my ego in the corporeal world first?
Hello!
Me and my male friend had a existential discussion, and it ended with that he asked “Why is it the humans responsibility to understand why everything exists, why not the dogs or the elephants? Why is it the humans who have to come closer to God…solve the meaning of life question?”
Sarah Jonsson
Is it necessary for me to identify my current state of spirituality, and if so, how should I do that?
Dear Rav Laitman,
I live in LA and listen to your Hebrew lessons on the internet. I like what I hear, but being a Hebrew speaker, I think your message will be more effective if delivered, if possible, by someone who can speak the language fluently.
Are there any Bnei Baruch in LA? How can I get in touch with them? Your response will be highly appreciated.
Thanks,
Yaakov Ben-Ami
DEAR RAV;
As I have been studying the wisdom of Kabbalah, its very clear to me that egoism is the most negative thinking in our society.
My question is -In order to have a good start should we start learning and focus in our “Love for others”?
Hello everyone,
Dr. Laitman please tell me why haven’t you say anything about what is happening in the Caribbean? Are we bringing these tragedies upon us with our thoughts? What do we disseminate in moments like this to millions of desperate people? Please someone answer these questions!!!
Love,
Nancy
Hi,
Here is my problem with Kabbalah, not Kabbalah itself, but its presentations and explanations through Kabbalists:
I’m born, I start to ask questions to my parents, then they say: we send you to school and they will educate you so you know who we are. I reply: Education will corrupt me and you, they will bring you down to an abstract level of spiritual science, they will kill my belief in you as my parents, please, PLEASE don’t send me away. I know you are alive, not a spiritual abstraction. Only you can raise me without education.
Study the creator? Study my roots, abstract connection? No Love, Master of the Universe? Creator, do I have to study you? Search for teachers? I know. Asking you to raise me is enough, study is only for those who seek power above LOVE
Mr Laitman, my questions:
Through study one can become One with the Creator?
Through study? Isn’t study the root of all evil?
René Hermes
Dear Mr. Laitman,
I’ve listened to 2 lessons online and about five 5 minute lessons. I’m interested in learning more about the bestowal concept and intention. When I brought my mother here to Colorado a year and a half ago, my intention was to manage her health, help her live these later years a little more comfortably, and healthily. I knew it would be hard, but not as hard as it was. I’m an RN and her health care is very difficult to manage. If my intention was only to give to her for her good, why did I get so clobbered: depression, exhaustion, getting sick frequently, incredible debt, had to rent out my house and get a smaller place, cashed in my IRAs, friends didn’t want to be around me because I was so stressed and depressed. I didn’t expect a reward, but I feel like I’ve been punished.
Can you give me some Kabbalistic insight on this process? I’m sure it’s not over; the process, challenges, and I’m not sure what’s around the corner.
Thank you for your time and help.
Sincerely,
Lori Winterbottom
Your writings help people to contemplate their soul and this is what remains important. My question may well be merely academic, but I hope not offensive for I feel you do good work. Nevertheless, I wish to clarify something that concerns me.
In your writings, in fact in most Kabbalah thought, it is assumed that spiritual calling comes from above to below. Yet, I have also read where you state that man is born without a soul, that is the soul must be realized then developed, which is confirmed if one truly observes the self over time. How then can man receive the reunification of the psyche to the soul unless he has a soul able to receive? It seems to me that man is not a part of the ray of creation until the point of the heart, as you have called it, has been created. The flow from above to below, as far as man is concerned, goes against all observation. In fact, the opposite seems true – in that development is drawn from below to above. From Malchut to Keter and only with a great deal of hard work can man attain a soul .
Is it possible that above to below is only in the ray of creation, while man, a “cog” outside of this ray, must strive to develop from a calling that first begins in Malchut?
Hi Rav,
How do we “sort out our desires and attach them to the Creator”?
Thank you!
Rav,
I have been a student of yours for 3 years. I have just finished reading the Bible code by Michael Drosnin. He references atomic-holocaust with the year 2000. He describes what will happen if this is not stopped. I found an interview you gave in November 2000 which you describe with such urgency about stopping the Arabs. You use the word atomic- holocaust and other such words that it has left me to believe that you new what was about to happen. Did your actions stop it from happening at that time? Did you help in delaying this war? Is your purpose to build the third temple? How is this accomplished? Do both corporeal and spiritual world have to come together to effect change?
Hi Rav,
Is attaining equivalence of form really just allowing us to just remove the layers of “negativity” that we see around us, slowly transforming the world into “positivity” since we slowly learn and understand that the Creator does only good to his creature? Is this what each world represents; another layer of this understanding?
Thank you!
Dear Rav,
My question is regarding the effect of the studying of Kabbalah. I have been studying Kabbalah few years with different intensity. And eventually I get to the point that I couldn’t do that anymore, because of my pride and egoism. I feel much more away from the spirituality then ever. I don`t believe in anything now. I feel like I lost my last ray of hope for spirituality. In the past I had big desire, but I think that in my case that desire was egoistic and full of self concern. And because of that Kabbalah was for me not as a cure, but as a poison. Now my concern is not spiritual life but this life here. I want to earn money and set-up a safe life for myself. Its very rare now, that my thoughts come back to spirituality. I walked away from the group and I don`t want to come back. All Kabbalah teaching seems to be fake for me now. It seemed to me just before I left that all of this is just a myth.
Is there anything I can do with this?
I feel like the only thing which could help me is an miracle. There is no desire in me anymore.
I wrote this question, not even knowing why.
I have questions.
How do you perceive the wisdom of attaining desire equal to the Creator in form of feeling equal to Him? How do you feel that is equal to the Creator when the desire is attained? How do you feel the point in heart that is equal to the Creator? Is the Creator giving the desires and people are receiving? So how do we feel equal to the Creator and the same time feeling it is received?
I am very perplexed.
Thank you Natka
Dear Dr. Laitman,
I have been with Bnei Baruch for a little over a year, and participate in every way that I can to help the men connect. I watch or listen to your lesson nightly and do 2 hours of dissemination in addition to working in my local group towards this same goal. My question is: Who can I turn to when I experience the inevitable downs or “night”? I know that you said women should not form bonds or are a group as the men are where they can turn to one another. Where can I turn when this “realization of evil” surfaces? Sometimes the lessons, books are not enough to help overcome this desire.
Thank you
Hello,
What does it mean talk to the Creator often?
It wouldn’t be the traditional form of prayer since it’s taught that this is a form of bribery, but it can’t be the same form of conversation we use with each other either. I’ve heard that it’s acceptable to just chat away and that doesn’t seem right.
thank you
Gail Robbins
Is attaining a spiritual condition completely safe for the physical body? Isn’t is strange or maybe dangerous for someone to live practically in another dimension and is it possible to have “bad” sensations on the other side of the border between reality and spirituality?
Dear Rav
I am a psychiatrist with a long experience. A question that comes to my mind is of the risk of getting psychotic with the studies of Zohar, specially for vulnerable people.
Can you recommend Zohar to anybody feeling attracted to the studies, or would you you say that people with certain known mental illnesses should avoid the intense studies.
Best Regards
Rachel Roth
I have been studying Kabbalah for a while and just recently started following the online course. In the second class (Jan 10th), one of the questions was about giving and receiving.
The teacher said that we can receive only if we do it to please the giver, even if we don’t necessarily want to receive that particular thing.
In doing so, don’t we become pleasers, and consequently boosting our ego?
Thank you!
Anna
Hi Rav – received my answer to the previous queston to the partzuf of World (external) and Soul (Internal) in yesterday’s lesson, thank you!
Dear Rav,
It is clear that there is a great urgency for humanity to unite in study of Kabbalah, to avoid looming disasters on the path of suffering. I understand that there is no coercion in spirituality and that dissemination is all we can do to spread this wisdom. But I was wondering if you personally tried to approach the public figures of high influence who hold the necessary funds? If they embrace Kabbalah, they can really create the tipping point in humanity’s adoption of the right path. Government, religious, scientific leaders? Obama? If not, why?
Dear Rav,
How do you know that you are a 100% right in what you say? That your believe and answers are true. Does not everyone build their own truth?
respectfully yours
Marleentje
Hello Rav,
How should women direct their intention to during Zohar lessons?
For men it is connection in the group. What is it for women?
Thank you
How can just scanning the Zohar, with out understanding the Aramaic letter, can I have Enlightenment? Or I misunderstood the concept and better I read a translation without scanning the Aramaic letters?
Thanks in advance.
How I nullify myself before my friends?
Hi Rav, I live in Sacramento and was wondering if there was a way to find other members of Bnei Baruch here. Whenever I search for groups on the internet it always turns up alarming results, those looking for mysticism, magic, etc. when all I want to do is search for those who want to study and disseminate kabbalah! Is there a Bnei Baruch message board to find others in the same city?
Hello,
I am from Scotland and my question concerns the issue of a nations independence and how this relates to a globalised world.
Scotland is part of the UK but there is huge sentiment in it to regain it’s independence from the UK. What would be Kabbalah’s or even your own opinion on this issue?
Should a nation seek it’s national self determination and in what manner can this be justified, if at all, in a world where we are meant to become interconnected?
Hi Rav,
Can you tell me the difference between the Universal Laws of Light of and the Properties of the Light and how they relate to the mediums and forces?
What is the difference between understanding and wisdom? This always puzzled me.
I feel like i have had a lot of pain in my life. I feel as if I don’t belong to this world. As I have been reading your Zohar teachings, they seem to have a lot for us empty souls. Please sir, what is your advice for those who don’t seem to fit well in this corrupt, heartless world?
Is love purely subjective? I believe so many things to be subjective. Something as influential and universal as love: Can that be subjective or is there an objective guideline to it?
Hello,
If The Notions Described In The Torah Represent Spiritual Actions for example circumcision, so why people practice that ritual in corporeal world ? Is any advantage for circumcised people to study Kabbalah? Or, it doesn’t matter?
Thanks for answering.
If I wish to logically talk to everybody about Kabbalah…do I really want to be that evil?
Hi Rav,
Could you please explain what the 8th commandment in the Zohar means: to love the convert? Is this the Zohar is saying that Kabbalah is only for people of the nation of Israel? I first read the 8th commandment some months ago and it was quite confronting to read.
If everything unites into one and everything outside of me, is in fact me: then in the final correction, when all is one, what of others? How will I deal with being the only creature opposite the Creator?
Please help. Ever since we started the Zohar I’ve had a landslide of grief in my life. Everything has changed. I feel like I’m clinging to this thing for dear life. . . I just have to. . . but I can’t get in. It pushes me away so hard that I want to let go.
I know that I am not attracting the Light by being in so much pain, but I don’t know how to stop the bleeding. I’m not asking it to stop working on me, but I don’t know how to be strong enough to agree with it.
What do I do?
Hi Rav,
Is the desire the same as “I want”?
Than you!
Dearest Rav, I would just like to say thank you from my heart for introducing Zohar to us!
THANK YOU so much!!!!
Wishing you all the best!
Tomas
Kabbalah is a science and science is about knowledge. What is the difference between studying kabbalah and studying knowledge?
Dear Dr. Laitman,
How do you interpret the failure of 428 periodicals in the US and Canada in 2009?
According to Mediafinder, business magazines lead the list of ceased publications after regional publications. With regional publication seemingly a wash, since 21 new titles were also launched in this category, the next largest category for new launches was in health.
What, if anything, does this tell us about humanity’s current stage of desire?
Hi Rav Laitman!
Is everything that the creator does for the best?
Hi Rav,
In the Matan Torah it states that we must “Go Study” when addressing the other 612 Mitzvah (other than “Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself”) to help compliment that most important Mitzvah… has the “go study” for us today changed from Torah and Mitzvot to “the group”?
Thank you!
Hi Rav,
Since G-d is perfect and always does good to his creation, is there a state that we eventually find ourselves in that removes all hate, anger and judgment toward our neighbors?
Since we would see all events as orchestrated by the Creator (in loving kindness), how would we be able to judge each other in any other way than “positive” regardless of the circumstances? Wouldn’t that mean we would altogether lose those emotional “faults”?
Thank you!
Hi Rav,
Are there any intentions toward things in this world (food, knowledge, power, sex, money, relationships, etc) that need to be alerted to help us cross the barrier? If it’s impossible for us to change our nature of reception, is there a benefit to “pretending” we’re limiting our egoistic desires here in this world to help build the desire to “cross” and gain bestowal? Or is this just the Creators job and we simply study and wait for her light to reform us?
Thank you!
Hi Rav
I understand that when studying the texts we must try and attract the Ohr Makif because only through that can we be corrected. So we must want to be corrected during the lesson. But there must be also some order of the correction.
I would like to know if you have at least some picture of the order of the corrections or diagram. From the first point of the machsom until the final correction. Even if I don’t understand because I am not in the spiritual world. I need some order to help me to be motivated in the lesson and not always lost.
Dear Rav,
How do women approach and study the Zohar and is it different from what you advise the men to do?
Hi Rav,
Currently I feel as though many desires keep getting forced upon me which are detrimental to me and to others. I have deemed these desires as stemming from self love so I restrict their use and continue to ask the Creator to correct me so that I will not cause his sorrow or that of others. However I still feel as though no progress is being made in this regard. Do you have any advice to offer me besides continue as a donkey to the load?
Hi Rav,
If someone was studying for 4-6 hours a day, 7 days a week (almost ALL of his free time after family, friends and work) and still finds a total and complete desire in the work even after 4,5 or 6 months, is this person on the wrong path?
Another words, since this person works through “the day” and “the night” of the Lord understanding both situations so that he gladly accepts the dark, is this person ever going to get to Lishma? Shouldn’t the “night” be difficult and troublesome?
I understand that in order for the ego to be slain we have to feel the pain in the work, but if we understand the “night of the Lord” that time actually becomes joyful because its our only time of progress… isn’t this a trap for this person since the ego can hide itself in that?
Thank you!
Hi Rav,
Can we achieve equivalence of form with the Creator, truly? Or is it because we can only learn to bestow from reception that will keep us slightly separated and unique from G-d since the Creator is truly only bestowal and differs from us in that way?
So there will always be G-d and an Adam Kadmon (us in the world)?
Thank you!
What is the meaning of the two candles on the wedding according with the Kabbalah?
Thank you
All my best wishes and good regards
Hello,
Can you please refer my husband and I to Kabbalistic texts that discuss partnership and togetherness?
Thank you
Some say that after death one can see a shining white Light of love. Also in some oriental paths you can perceive this Light in this world.
What is the explanation of Kabbalah related to this?
How does Kabbalah prevent a person from committing suicide? People with severe pain disorders, diseases, or just all out depression that cant stand the pain and emptiness of living anymore? You tell them about Kabbalah, and so what? A person needs to feel the proof that he can be helped out of his condition. It makes no difference to him what a book says, or what anyone says. I mean people say if not for anti-depressants they would be dead, yet you down them and I don’t understand.
Can a person internalize Kabbalah in an instant like a pill that helps him? You even say this is far from so and it takes a person many years in a certain environment to even feel any change. So how in the world does this method help the world’s masses that have been dealt hands in this life they can’t live with?
Dear Rav,
I want to ask you about freedom of will. If it is predetermined that tomorrow I will get in a terrible accident and become paralyzed, God forbid. I don’t know why I say God forbid, I mean does God forbid it? Couldn’t this after all happen? This will happen regardless and it turns out that I have no idea what bad things will happen to me in my life. The good things, great, because we all feel we deserve all the good and don’t we? I mean we didn’t choose to be here after all. Why shouldn’t we feel good? But only the bad raises questions or problems, the negative, or lets say the painful things.
So here is my main question: Does it turn out that my work in the problems of this world are to only work on accepting that the bad things that happen to me are in fact good and not my fault? This seems very cruel and even overly simple and certainly possible. Could you address this issue about freedom and predetermination of bad events please?
Rav,
How can we advance using the wisdom of Kabbalah without belief? In the preparation period, we can’t tell if we are advancing or not. Do we have to just believe that all of our efforts in the group, dissemination, and the study are bringing us closer the Spirituality (because we have nothing else to turn to)? Also, do we not have to just believe that a Spiritual world exists? How can we use the method of Kabbalah strictly as a science, with no belief? How can we tell someone that the wisdom of Kabbalah doesn’t involve belief, when in order for them to study, they have to believe that there is a force that develops them and what not?
Dear Rav,
After today’s lesson : concealment and double concealment , can we say that Creator (Nature) acts paradoxically?
Mr. Laitman
I’m young boy from Bulgaria. I am 23 years old. For about 3 days I have searched for information about The Zohar. Bulgaria is a small country in east Europe and we haven’t any information about this book. My question is from where Ii can buy the original book, The Zohar. Is it only translated in English book or is it available in other languages?
Thanks in advance.
Should a person stop studying for a while if his financial situation is out of balance and then come back to it? Or is it better to try to get it back on track and keep studying? I don’t want to get to far from it.
Hello Michael Laitman,
Here are quotes from two of your answers:
“Religious actions, however, are traditions and do not correct a person or his soul. It’s not necessary to observe them in order to attain the goal of creation. They are there for you in case you want to be connected to the culture of your people.”
“The purpose of all the corporeal commandments is to preserve the boundaries of one’s existence, but not to correct one’s soul. We at Bnei Baruch observe them as a cultural heritage or tradition.”
Do you think that Rav Yehuda Ashlag would have considered the commandments to be non-obligatory? Also, regardless of whether the answer is affirmative or not, who were the first Kabbalists to develop this idea?
Thanks for the blog,
Regards,
Michael
Rav, I am married and have a family. They do not always accept my decision
concerning Kabbalah. I have been listening to you for the past 3 1/2 years. I am afraid of examinations, but would like to attend Campus Kabbalah. You do not have classes in Netanya. I work sometimes many hours and in my spare time try and focus on your lessons and channel 66 on my computer.
Question: I work as a caregiver – and pay maaser – would that have an affect on my family?
Hoping to attend the February Congress 2010.
Why did the Creator create psychics and people who can see the future? What is the purpose of this, if it does exist. Why? Why create it and why does such darkness and mystical abilities surround such people? Why create black magic, psychics, mediums, witchcraft and all these things? There is none else besides Him, but Why do these things exist? What is the goodness and perfection behind such things?
Dear Rav,
I’ve been a student of BB for the past 15 months. I’m currently studying with you in your morning lessons and also reading The Zohar (Annotations to the Ashlag Commentary).
In The Zohar on page 25, “English translation”, you mention the books of Pentateuch, Prophets and Writings published by Mosad HaRav Kook with English translation and recommend referring to these as part of the reading of The Zohar. The only portion of the Tanakh published in English by Mosad HaRav Kook that I have been able to find is Psalms; Mosad HaRav Kook has not published an English translation of the complete Tanakh. Is there an English version of the Tanakh that you recommend?
Lisa Robb
Dear Rav:
What is your OPINION about this article?
WALL STREET JOURNAL
DECEMBER 11, 2009.
Can the Recession Save Marriage? .
By W. BRADFORD WILCOX
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
But the recession has made the soulmate model look impoverished. Today spouses are rediscovering the value of a husband with a good health-care plan, a wife with a good job or in-laws who are willing to provide free child care or a temporary rent-free place to live. In other words, Americans are rediscovering the power that family ties have to carry them—financially, socially and emotionally—through tough times.
Q) Would you please comment?
RAV SHALOM,
THE HOLIDAY OF HANUKAH IS ABOUT TO BE OBSERVRD, CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN TO US WHAT THE HOLIDAY MEANS IN KABBALISTIC TERMS, SUCH AS THE 8 DAYS & THE SO CALLED MIRACLES THAT TOOK PLACE? HOW DOES ONE CORRECTTION RELATE TO IT?
Hello Rav, could you please pronounce yourself about the way we should relate to our desires? Let’s say that we feel all kind of desires arriving into us, but we don’t know what to follow or either if they are really ours or they came purely from the society influence. Should we make any effort to achieve those desires? My understanding is that only by achieving those desires can we know ourselves, but this can be some kind of trick from the will to receive.
Dear Rav
Is there a place(s) where we can physically meet with you and other people who study Kabbalah at least every once in a while for special holidays or such ? I feel that learning over the Internet only may not be enough
We speak about the “Creator” , but does that term has the same meaning for everybody? I have been asked that question to other students and for some of them means “Nature” for others means “God” and for others just mean “Their selves”. Can you please explain the correct meaning of “Creator” or maybe all of the meanings are correct?
What path should I follow? Kabbalah or Buddhism? I’ve been juggling both for a long time now and I find qualities in both that I like, yet they both have different perspectives or teachings on things. For example, I like Buddhism because it is more down-to-earth and gives specific tools on how to deal with suffering, sadness, negative emotions etc and steers clear of things for which I cannot believe (supernatural) or explain or understand. Kabbalah on the other hand seems to be right on about the nature of humanity and desire and why people/the world is how it is now. It’s also interesting that way before science had an explanation on how the world came into being, Kabbalah stated so. Later on, they met pretty much on the same path. Wow. I feel myself being gently drawn back to Kabbalah. Any thoughts? Also, if you could please tell me how a person is to deal with real problems in life and maintain a positive attitude I would greatly appreciate it.
Very Sincerely,
Brandon
I often fight with my love. I want to stop that. When I get angry with her I scold her with very bad words. I am not able to control myself. When quarreling arises between us I derive pleasure when scolding her. She is younger than me. How can I change my attitude in these situations? Please help.
After 20 years of working as an engineer, I would like to start a business of my own in a different field, one that I would enjoy doing, provide an income to sustain my needs and give something back/have a positive impact on others. What other criteria should I consider in my choice of business that might help me in my spiritual work, if any?
A simple question with a complicated answer I’m sure. How do you show your friends what they need vs. what they want? This issue seems to cause a lot of conflict.
I was born with the genetics to be nice and give. I also have what they call a “Soft Heart.” How is this feeling different from the true desire to give? How do I know that I’m giving for the sake of giving in the times when I feel good about giving? I believe I’m asking this question right. If not, please just say what ever may pertain.
Dear Rav,
Thank you very much for the Kabbalah dissemination you are pioneering.
I’ve just finished my first course in Kabbalah. However, I have few questions I would like to ask
I know that there is no one else beside him. So how can I avoid evil eye or African sorcery as it exist in my tribes. I am a devoted Kabbalah student. I have no fear of these things as I believe that there is no one else besides him. Any advice on that?
Secondly, considering my Christian background, I was told that there is God and satan, now that I’ve finished the course I know that there is a Creator, but the other side of satan and his demons still obscure for me can you tell me precisely what is it all about please?
Thank you very
I have a hard time keeping a screen on my ego and still going out in the world. This is most likely because my friends are “a gathering of clowns” and I am unable to resist and see them in the light of the Creator.
My question is: If the strength in my screens are unable to resist the influence of my friends then should the screen be formed in solitude until the light comes and gives strength? Or will association with these friends bring on a more desperate desire and turn their company into something good?
Are there really holy places on this planet? If so why would physical places be special?
Where do ethics and integrity fit into the Kabbalistic framework? We are seeing a great deal of struggle for power in the political sphere especially and it deteriorates almost daily, it would seem, for lack of ethics and the integrity to hold together an external framework that pleases everyone. How does the gap become bridged between those in power controlling the masses and the masses waking up to the lack of these two seemingly missing qualities in their leaders? Like you said in a previous class, those in power can fix everything they want in externality and the next day we will have Armageddon right? Seems to just be a case of “follow the leader”.
Dear Rav
Can woman study the Zohar and will they benefit from it, meaning will they receive the light from it? Is it beneficial for women to watch (live) an hour of your morning lesson, because all the men are connected at that time?
Thank you
Carmen
Shalom Rav, and thanks for your answers
1.Since all of the holy books are texts of Kabalah, where in the Tanach do we find the idea of reincarnation? I would like to have this to be cleared – in order to put to rest claims that reincarnation is foreign to Jewish thought
2.According to Kabalah women cannot make Tikun by themselves (shoresh Bina…) and neither have they been asked to carry this task the way men do.
But if they study Chochmat ha’ Kabalah they contribute to create the right environment for men – so they (the men)will be able to choose the right path and succeed in their tikun. Is this inherited root the primal reason for women’s suffering in general? Since they always depend on the level of spiritual awareness of their counterparts, and never free to take the road of «personal salvation» on their own ?
what is “point in the heart,” simply?
Dearest Rav
In this mornings preparation to the lesson you mentioned the example of lending someone a $1000 dollars and only receiving $1 in return. That we need to examine: how we feel, and go above this in order to attain Lishma.
Can this example be related to how we feel towards the study of Kabbalah? For example, I have started to find coming to study more difficult, I think because my will to receive is not getting pleasure or getting back what it expected in return. As a result of this I can feel “what’s the point, don’t bother”, I should rise above and try to bestow to the creator and connect with the friends again even if I receive nothing in return of what I am trying to give to them?
Is this where the work is?
Thank you, love Dave
Dear Rav Laitman,
Who will teach us after you?
Thank you.
I have a few related questions. First, how can we be sure that the Creator is completely the will to bestow? Could He not also be receiving in ways that we can’t perceive, perhaps from an undetectable existence separate from us? Second, if our goal is to become like the Creator and our final makeup is the will to receive in order to give, would that not be different from the Creator, who is only the will to bestow and not both? Would we truly be like the Creator if we still have that duality in our nature? Thank you!
Dear Rav
Can you please explain to me can homosexual or some one who changed his or her gender study Kabbalah?
Rav,
I’m referring to your post titled “Today You Can Meet Many “Kabbalists” On Every Corner” Posted on April 6th, 2009 at 10:39 am.
When asked about Autism, your response was:
“Autistic people are unable to make corrections. It is a special life cycle of a soul in our world. Our task is to help them; this will correct both us and them.”
Are you referring to only low functioning Autism which can be severely disabilng, or is this the case for the entire Autism spectrum including high-functioning Autism and Aspergers Syndrome?
Aspergers is commonly thought to affect roughly 1 in 200 people, but it is also thought to be under-diagnosed so it could be more like 1 in 100. What do you mean “unable to make corrections”? Is it possible for someone on the high-end of the Autism Spectrum to cross the machsom in this lifetime?
What is the spiritual root of Autism Spectrum disorders?
You talk about reincarnation and all “past” lives but what about future ones? I have done some past life regression and understand it’s possible to choose from possible future lives to live as well. What is your opinion of past life regression?
How in a world full of so much pain, how in a world where your love goes forsaken, how do we go on in a world which causes you pain and just hurts you? Yes, i understand people do not realize what they are doing, and it is their ego’s. But how can I can go on and why should God forgive them?
Dear Rav,
From The Zohar Lesson, November 21 you said, concerning the natural order of development, that whatever becomes revealed is the natural order.
With regard to women’s development, what is the natural order: that women will connect their desires together to bring a collective deficiency to the male part, or that each woman will individually connect her deficiency to the male part?
Is this something that a woman should scrutinize that she can determine the order, or is it like a baby that the order of development is given from above?
And is it the natural order the same for all women or is different according to her reshimot?
Thank you,
Your student, Crystlle
What does “Your friend’s corporeality is your spirituality” mean?
Hi Rav! How do we not to go insane when we go through the phase of the recognition of evil in us?
Hi Rav! I watch the morning lesson daily. My question is what can I do when I lost my concentration during the study and start thinking about all kinds of corporeal matters during the lesson? I really want to concentrate on spirituality and the goal but find it difficult to do so for 3 hours. Does studying in a physical group something that can help me?
In some prayer books of orthodox Jews, the prayer begins ” For the sake of unification of Holy One” and on and on.
Q: Do we unify the Holy One, how can we effect His being if they believe that He is united and there is no need to unify Him? Is this a non-sense or there is a rational to this?
Dear Rav, a few years ago I was reading in the Zohar for about 6 months. During that time I felt a few things when reading and by time I also felt that a very strong energy was building up within me. Even at my job people starting to ask about from where I got this energy.
But listening to your lessons on Zohar from the 15th of november is so much more intense. It´s like getting 1000 times more energy than before within a very short time.
When I connect with others by thinking about them it´s easier to handle this energy or when I put my hands in a group projekt or something else. But otherwise, although I´m 54 years now, it´s like I just wanting to run around like a child full of energy or taking a jogging tour.
Then it sometimes goes over in feeling real stress, that almost does not let me sleep. Or just pushes my within all the time. Then it´s very difficult for me.
What can I do? Do I do something wrong or am I just not mature for this yet?
Together
Tomas
Hello,
Thank you for providing this spiritual information. I find this path resonates with me. I am new to Kabbalah and have been reading, watching lessons etc but am having a bit of difficulty with some of the Kabbalistic/Hebrew terms is there a dictionary of definitions available somewhere? Also, is there a physical place where a person could go on a regular basis to study and share with others? Something in the nature of a retreat or ashram? Again, I appreciate your willingness to share and make this information easily accessible.
Sincerely,
Rita
Hello,
We are doing a high school world religion project, we have been confused by some of our research, some have said that Kabbalah is close to Judaism, and others say it is closer to scientology. maybe you can clarify for us what Kabbalah is and the difference between Kabbalah and Judaism.
- Thank you
Callie and Katrina
Dear Dr. Laitman,
In the Student Forum I asked:
If one does not follow the (613) precepts or commandments of the Torah, does this mean he will never attain the Creator; that is: if I eat shrimp (to say), I am breaking the comandment not to do so, so this means I will not attain unity with the creator?
I was answered:
“The commandments have nothing to do with corporeal observances. They are spiritual acts, and are only possible after entering spirituality.”
MY QUESTION(S):
How do we interpret the 613 precepts in the spiritual sense or spiritual world? Where can we find the true (spiritual) meaning of these 613 precepts? Perhaps in the Zohar? or is it only, as stated in the answer above: only when we enter spirituality, which I would understand as something like: when one enters spirituality, the words depicted in the precepts, are understood in a totally different manner.
And, in the corporeal world are the 613 precepts of no use?, in other words, as an example, there is no difference in eating shrimp or not eating it; as it is stated that the Torah is “really” a guide to reach spirituality, or the state of bestowal?
Thank you for your time and kind attention towards the matter.
Why is it said, “God forbid should something bad happen”? God does not forbid bad things from happening; he in fact permits the worst things imaginable to happen. So how does this phrase make sense?
Thank you
What are your views on acupuncture? I have heard you talk about it a couple of times during different lectures of yours.
How do I work with myself towards the group when one of my strongest habits is to run away and hide myself?
I can feel that its deep-rooted in me and it keeps coming back to me stronger and clearer. Sometimes I can almost feel like someone is watching me and that I’m afraid it will reveal me.
Can’t think of anything that I should be afraid to show but I still have a big fear of it, and it leaves me with the question, what am I hiding from?
Dear Rav,
I recently began my studies with Bnei Baruch in May 2008. I then heard that a man must be married to be considered a serious member. I’m all for that, so in November 2008 I was married. This turned out to be a disaster! She didn’t like it that I studied Kabbalah. Not only that, she cut me off from my family and friends. I’m in a process of a divorce now.
More corporeal troubles came and I’m dealing with them now.
In sum, I want to bestow to the group, but I can’t feel any connection. And if I do, I think I’m just lying to myself and it’s all fake. All I know is my five senses and what their picture paints for me, and I’m very tired of them; they’re like toys and nothing to take seriously.
What must I do to attract more light?
Dear Rav,
Can you please explain the meaning behind the story of Jobe? On the surface it makes no sense to us, yet I think every person on this earth feels like Jobe at least at some point if not all the time, so if you could explain it from it’s true meaning, I think it would provide a great deal of insight. Thank you,
Aaron
Dear Rav,
As we all know, it is not black and white where those of us with physical problems lack internal suffering, and those with internal emptiness lack physical pain. I mean, after all, physical pain alone hurts us all. My question is this:
Why does He force us to be consumed with the physical body by giving us terribly painful conditions and deformities that we cannot fix in this world? He wants to raise us to Godliness, but forces us to live despicable lives where the troubles of the body prevent us from even functioning in this world. Why is this so?
Thank you.
Does man have free will regarding what happens to him while he is in the correct environment? How about whether or not he stays in the correct environment? Once you said the freedom is in fact only the strengthening along the way because all of this too is pre-determined, could u please clarify?
Rav,
During the lessons via Kab tv and congresses, I have noticed that you expect questions to be formed in a certain way: pertaining to the topic at hand and without story-telling or unnecessary details. What are the reasons a teacher needs his students to ask questions in the correct way? Can there be such a thing as too much ego in a question?
Unity
Dear Rav,
Since Baal HaSulam’s writings are so very vital for this generation, why aren’t we translating all of his material into all of the languages with all of our efforts?
Ahava,
Debra
Good day,
I have been very interested in studying the Zohar. What is the best way to study and learn. I am 49 years old, and feel that I need something or a type of direction for my happiness in life.
Thank you for any suggestions that you can make. I am not sure if there are any good online courses. I do have a copy of the 23 set Zohar.
Sincerely,
Al Overbeck
Dear Rav,
Following today’s morning lesson,
Could we say that every motion we perceive (even in our world) results of a balance/imbalance dynamics that reflects every time a coupling between the light and the vessel?
How can we know who is spiritual? A lot of people are spiritual with just mind and talking, lots of them are with heart and action.
I love man who is not sure about his believes, but he is very kind-hearted and helpful. I don’t think I am more spiritual then him just because my mind open to learning and believing. What do you think?
Thank you
Is the increasing development of a greater desire to study the wisdom of Kabbalah a reason enough to follow ones desire no matter what this may result in one’s personal life?
Rav,
What does it mean to use the environment correctly?
You say that the proper environment safeguards a person from bad decisions. Then what can be said for the person who does all he can ot put himself in the right environment and still makes a terrible decision that greatly harms himself, unintentionally ofcourse?
Dear Rav,
1. What can be done about suicide prevention in our world? I mean on one hand the Creator pulls the strings and we don’t deal with this world, yet Kabbalah is meant to save a person from depression, so what is the correct relation? More importantly, what can be said about suicide; that if you do it, you will only make your next incarnation harder? What if a depressed person hears about Kabbalah and says, “excellent, I can end my life and start over a new one clean and fresh without my current problems that are making this round unlivable?”
2. How can any action be “forbidden”, when the Creator permits anything and everything in this world to occur, and in fact He controls it? Take suicide for example? I mean I understand the evil in this world is an illusion, yet we must also say He is benevolent, so how do I make this discernment and not say He causes evil?
3. Regarding the past, you say don’t look back, but isn’t it true we must come to terms with it and say He meant for it to be as it was in order to move forward?
I’m a big fan of yours and Kabbalah, still learning so many things about this great wisdom and sea of knowledge.
Can’t tell you how much you’re writings is profound and makes me feel balanced and connected with the Creator, and I feel light in them.
My question is:
1. What is the Kabbalah perspective on the importance of building a third temple in Jerusalem? And how can it be justified if it will create turbulence and bloodshed? As my understanding it was prohibited for David, but then his son Solomon continued the order?
Thanks
Rav,
On several occasions you’ve told us to connect to the general desire for bestowal . You’ve also followed that advice with instruction to connect to the points. Is this a more exact connection than the general attribute of the kli, or is it the same thing? Is the level of connection in which we’re capable of feeling each individual point in our kli something we should hope to achieve?
Unity
Teacher,
At those times in our inner work when we receive neither burdening of the heart nor the sensation of light in response to our actions, does it mean we have been disconnected from the group?
I have asked people about whether they would want to live forever if given good health and lasting youth. Surprisingly, a lot of people say no! What does this say about us?
Rav,
I find it harder and harder to study and stay connected to the group. Is it helpful that I force myself to study the morning lesson? Will I eventually gain the desire I need from this? I get worried when I hear about people who study for years and then disappear. How can a assure spirituality to be permanent in my life?
I find that when we sing songs together I just want to shout how united I feel…is this allowed? or should I keep this volume to myself?? Sorry if I have wasted your time reading this type of question.
Is it any good to help someone physically (that is, give money to the poor)? Or should we only help them to attain spirituality?
Why do things that we know are bad for us and forbidden are so attractive to us? Is it the ego?
After death, do you immediately re-incarnate or the soul has to go through “a process”?
Hello Rav,
In this morning’s lesson you made mention of the issue of falling behind in the studies. At times when a descent seems to disconnect a student from the daily instruction, what can that student do to catch up? How can he avoid falling behind during a descent?
Unity,
Montie
Can a simple positive thought or a wish about someone from the group, friends, family, stranger or the whole world be considered spiritual? If yes, can a negative thought cancel spiritual one?
You said that step by step person must build desire similar to the Creator’s one. Question is: should/can we dedicate this desire to someone/something material from this world? Should I spread this desire from my heart – non-material place, to the world I live in?
Dear Rav,
Lately, there is a lot of thrust being exerted for women to organize themselves for the sake of the unification of the men.
What is curious about this request is that men (seemingly) do not have difficulty bonding with one another. Put them all together…..and they “play well.” While they may not think of their friend as a beloved child with great needs for ultimate fulfillment of Spirituality……..YET…….
That aside for the moment…I recall you saying that men are “female” until they learn to correct themselves. This makes perfect sense since the female aspect essentially connotes “the will to receive.”
Having said all that…I question that the breakage is more between the male and female aspects versus male-male. When men discern that their deficiency is precisely female in nature, then they will be better able to tap into our desire for wholeness. Moreover, they will realize that their resistance to the woman’s demands is perhaps the very thing that keeps them from attaining the goal.
The inevitable conclusion is that if our men continue to have bad attitude toward women in any way…the breakage persists.
So, the question is: how can woman create a viable environment for the men to rise above their deficiency?
Please comment.
Dear Rav,
What is the lack of “Meichin?
Dear Rav, I was reading “Love of Friends” by Rav Baruch Ashlag, where he explains about man wandering in the field, looking for his friends, to find them so that he would be able to achieve the goal together with them.
When I was about 18 years old I was given a very strong sensation of the Upper Light, giving me entirely new inner sensations and also accordingly changes in my outer life. I had this connection for many years, but no one taught me how to behave within, to keep it or to advance it. So, after many years I went into great sufferings and began to search for friends who could teach me about the system of Life.
I even went to the jewish congregation where I live, because I wanted to study, but there was nothing. (This was about 1983.) After much suffering I began to “understand” a few concepts about bestowal. Anyway, I was actually consciously searching for my friends that I knew was living somewhere! Almost screaming within for them.
It took until 2005 until I came to Bnei Baruch and started to study with you and 2007 and 2008 I was given the blessing and initiative to start two groups with friends where I live , so I´m now among friends!
My question are; Is attaining the first spiritual degree the only way to avoid wandering in the fields again?
Or should we not worry about it at all, just doing our best to walk the path?
Wishing you all the best
Tomas
Is there immortality in Kabbalah? Specifically, is there ever a time or a state one can reach when one remembers their soul in a different body before their correction?
If spirituality is the highest of all desires, I don’t understand how blows help bring a person to this? If anything, a terrible blow makes a person desire even less and less, he becomes content that he is simply alive after surviving a terrible disease. Or he becomes content that he simply can be out of pain, after suffering terribly. Is this not true?
Can you explain this quote from one of your lessons for me -
“We enter spirituality the moment we prefer contact with our source to concrete fulfillment”
What does this mean?
Dear Rav, lets speak just about the last 2000 years. For this period, Kabbalists have been the only representatives of the Creator, in this world, the only ones who understand Him and His actions. The rest of us, on the other hand, blindly suffered. Shouldn’t the Kabbalists be obliged to speak to every individual who wishes to about his or her individual, private circumstances and what the Creator expects him to do within this world to mend the problem? I understand Kabbalah does not speak of our world, but our world is included and before stepping on the ladder, shouldn’t one be OK on the ground? And when u say ask the Creator for help, this means what? I have no Creator to ask, the closest thing I can ask is a Kabbalist.
I’m sorry for asking 5 million questions, but when I feel them I need to get them out with the hopes of them being answered. Also, there tons of excellent questions on this site and I only wish there was a means for all of them to be answered by you. Thank u again
Dear Rav,
How is a person supposed to have faith in the creator? We know that we need the Rav, the books, and the group, but when he himself is going through the worst possible circumstances, what does he literally do inside to attribute this to him? Like you said, a person cannot turn the other cheek or be a martyr, but when we are forced into unimaginable situations, it’s as though reading the words “There’s None Else Besides Him” doesn’t mean a thing. How does a person actually believe in these things to get him through his circumstances? After all, if a person can’t get himself straight in this world how will he study Kabbalah, and we are given such problems of this world that we truly don’t know how to overcome.
Thank u.
Dear Rav,
There are many different “divisions” of spiritual levels. I understand that there’s a new level or state for each desire that gets corrected. But, it’s said that there’re 6000 desires while at other times the number is 613. Sometimes it’s even lower, 125. How is it that all these numbers are true?
Arvut,
Nick
Dear Rav,
In Abraham’s book, Sefer Yetzirah, he talks about the 10 sephirot. If there are only 10, then please explain the concept of sephira da’at. I think that’s how it’s spelled, I apologize if it’s spelled differently. Anyway, thank you for your time.
Arvut, Nick
Your post about how pain and pleasure are the same, it’s just a matter of who it is coming from, it doesn’t make sense. It simply isn’t true that pleasure and pain are the same, and no matter how much a person in pain “believes” it is from a higher source of Good, it makes no difference, he will only be tortured. And He does not provide cures for 99.9% percent of terrible ailments in this world, He obliges us to suffer, Why???? This leads me to the main question—–You say that Kabbalah does not involve belief at all, yet the books say we must believe it all comes from Him. Fine, I’ll even accept that, but how can a person bring the contradictions of terrible pain and goodness together?
Thank you.
You frequently say that we shouldn’t focus on corporeal life – to let it take care of itself and focus on the goal. Throughout my life I have been struggling financially – I just don’t seem to have the knack others seem to have to make money. I either feel I am taking advantage of someone as the employer/vendor or getting taken advantage of as an employee/worker. Now I am watching our county fall apart as our economic systems breaks down and this sense of financial insecurity is growing even more. This is a tremendous distraction for me. What can I learn from this situation and how can I use this situation in my attainment of the goal?
Will humanity advance into the cosmos, as NASA and ESA plan? Or is this a delusion?
Hey Rav,
Every Kabbalist I hear from says that Kabbalah is not a religion, it’s a science. I have been studying for about 8 months now and I have come to realize that I have no feeling or perception of the Creator, my soul, light, the group, or anything at all! I just accept these notions as true. How can I stay on this path in spite of my lack of perception? How can I test these claims in through my five senses? You said it is important not to just believe, but what else can I do? I have no means to feel “him” or the group. I attended the congress in Buffalo also.
What is considered an eternal desire?
Dear Rav,
What is the nature and role of the women’s group? You have discussed this many times but it seems there is still a great deal of confusion among women about our role.There are many opinions about the nature of the women’s group and it would be very helpful if we could get a clear, definitive answer that is written down for all of us to see.
Is there a need and ability for women to unite their desire in order to push the men to unite? I hear you say we should do this but then when I bring it up to others it is disregarded and is suggested that women only come together to work on projects. Should we do one or both or neither?
Thank you,
Annabelle
Recently I’ve been feeling a very strong pressure whenever I’m connected to a lesson, or trying to connect with the group. It’s a very corporeal sensation, it’s behind my face and pushes against my teeth and throat and intensifies when I focus on intention. Could such a sensation be related to spirituality or should I see a doctor?
Dear Rav–
Is the increasing acceptance of homosexuality among certain societies a result of relatively diminishing egos since there is less hatred (in some countries)towards homosexuals?
Thank you–
Chris
You say that other methods suppress the ego while Kabbalah uses the ego and rises above it.
To rise above the ego sounds like another way of saying to suppress it.
Natural Causes vs. Conspiracy Theories
Many seek out answers for the crisis we are in and look to conspiracy theories. Can you explain some points or some ideas to disseminate those out there that nature plays a bigger role to where we are today?
Thank You!
Why are there 2 different creation stories in Beresheet?
Thank you.
George.
Dear Rav,
It just doesn’t make sense to me. The Creator wants to give us boundless, infinite pleasure, yet he gives us physical conditions, injuries, diseases, etc. that cause us excruciating pain in this world, and that cannot even be helped in this world. Not to mention, even a person in spirituality feels the pain of this world. What does He expect us to do with incurable, unbearable pain and what is its purpose? And then suddenly we wonder why there is suicide in this world and act like it is some crazy phenomenon, not to mention the Creator punishes a person for suicide by making their next incarnation even harder?????!!!! It is said that we shouldn’t be martyrs but he leaves us with no choice than this. Rav, I am infinitely angry at Him for everything he does to me and everyone and all the studying in the world doesn’t help me, my despair only increases. So what’s next?
You once said there is no difference between pleasure and pain, simply we do not feel the source of all of it. I understand what you are getting at but what does this mean? Regardless, I can’t suddenly flip the switch in my brain and say “this pain is actually not pain,” so what difference does it make who sends it to us? Either way, he obligates us to suffer, and why?
Thank u.
It’s all Good – Where is G-d?
Hi Rav,
I have been involved with Kabbalah for about two years. Things have been getting steadily worse in my corporeal world to a point that absolutely nothing works – from my business to most relationships. However, i’ts all good and I am still learning.
My question pertains to deaf/blind handicapped people – those who cannot protect or look after themselves in this world. I am concerned that as the president of a non-profit society that is responsible for the lives of about 20 deaf blind people, does my personal corporeal downward spiral impact innocent lives? If so, should I step away from the board and board decisions of the society until a later date?
Thanks.
Arvut
Ed
Dear Rav,
Could you please say what you think about famous Godel Incompleteness Theorem? GIT says that in ANY formal system there ALWAYS exist formal statements which can be neither proved nor disproved inside this formal system. Is it applicable to spiritual worlds and to the Creator? Or, is the Creator mathematically infinite and so the theorem is not applicable to him?
Thank you!
Is it advisable to stay connected to the friends during the lessons if you feel that such activities like skype, yahoo messenger and such-like real time interactions, are a distraction?
Why do I feel closer to Him when I am alone?
Hello Rav
I seem to be going through a really tough time right now. I have a problem in the relationship between me and my Mother. I’m only 17 years old, and started studying about a year ago. I was at the Congress in Buffalo, NY and I remember you saying there will be people who criticize and scrutinize us. The problem is, one of those people is my Mom. I’ve tried showing her a couple videos, but she refuses to even consider them as correct. She’s even gone as far to say that I may as well be in a cult.
Fortunately, I won’t have to deal with this for much longer (only a year or so), but I’m wondering, how can I deal with her for the time being?
Thank you.
Tyler
Is love your friend as yourself and bestowal strictly a spiritual concept or can it also be applied in corporeality?
If they can, in what form and manner can we apply it in our world?
Hello Rav,
I asked you a question at the Buffalo congress during lunch while Norma Livne translated, in regards to moving either to St. Louis or New York to work with the Spanish Department in developing the American Spanish Speakers. I currently live in Orlando, Florida which is about 4 hours north of Miami where we have formed a group for study and dissemination of that same population.
I understand the importance of having a career or trade in order to provide for my family and to play my part in this world.
I have the ability to have the remainder of my degree in Business (or whatever else I chose) paid for if I specifically stay in Florida for another year, or however long it takes me to finish that degree. Somehow I feel that even if I finish my degree I will only just be barely making it financially with the state of the crisis.
I have a great desire to move to New York to assist in the development of the English/Spanish Department as well as anything else I can do in Dissemination and spiritual advancement.
Question: Should this be above all other things, even if my fiancée, who also studies agrees and sees the importance of moving?
This year that I spend studying, which I will still be working as much as possible with Spanish Department Dissemination, can this limit the possibilities of being the most benefit to the overall goal?
I have noticed that this type of personal questions are usually for us to decide. But maybe you could just offer a bit of your insight.
Thank you Rav
Dear Rav Leitman,
I just saw your lesson about the nations, thank you very much it is very enlightening .
Dear Rav,
I have infinite questions regarding the Holocaust and I hope in the future you can address it more. My question is this: This too had to be part of Nature’s plan, yet it occurred due to the Jews’ not circulating Kabbalah? How can this be? I don’t understand……if Kabbalah speaks to any situation a person could come across, what would the Kabbalists advice have been to a person starving to death in a concentration camp—”Don’t worry, the Creator is pulling this strings?”
Additionally, God forbid had a Kabbalist have been put into a camp, what would his attitude have been? This is part of my correction? Why should Ii fight my way out if the Creator is doing this to me? etc…….. Thank u.
If you were to describe living the life of bestowal 24/7 sincerely and truly from the heart, what would a persons day be like?
How can I make my change permanent? I flip flop back and fourth from being this dedicated caring and loving person to others, to the: I am the one giving, no one is doing that for me. It’s like Dr. Jeckell and Mr Hyde.
Dear Rav:
I’m interested in your comments on the Dalai Lama’s recent statement: “The world will be saved by the western woman.”
Thank you!
Dear Rabbi
My question is: What came first the desire or the pleasure received through the filling the desire?
We, as I perceive, have inner most desire “received” ( constructed) when we were child. It doesn’t belong to us anymore, but still is there conducting our lives, making us attracting things that in logical way we know its not good and it don’t will make us to be better person. How to correct this? What do we have to look for?
Thanks in advance,
Leonardo Goldfarb
p.s when i do know the answer its posted and where will be posted
Dear Rav,
How are we to deal with desires that we are given that do nothing but harm other or ourselves? I understand the egoistic intention as a whole does nothing but cause harm, but I am talking about desires like Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, or drug addiction. All of our desires come from Him, but what are we to do with desires that we cannot shake that stop us from being able to function even corporeally, much less spiritually? Do you recommend psychological medications, therapy, etc…. or can a person somehow shake these on his own? Many thanks.
My Dearest Rav,
Is it possible for a unified group who’s desire for Light is real and honest to become corrupted ? Can corruption come from those who are in higher up positions?How can corruption be guarded against ?
Thank You Rav
Sharon Robertson
My Dear Rav,
I would like to ask you about obstacles on the path and why they sometimes seem to come from the group and the Mentors. When there is discord among the students, and some adversity between students and Mentors, how does a simple student who just has an need for the correct path and the Light make a proper discernment about his fellow students and his Mentors? How does one go above this,since he has an attachment for his fellows and his Mentors?They both have a legitimate claim. However, they may both have fault in these same claims.
One feels the Creator in a place and suddenly the Light seems to have disappeared. How can one go above this?
Ahava,
Sharon Robertson
Dear rabbi,
Why not kab tv in Arab?
I am very aware of the cultural differences between me (Netherlands) and the Muslims, I am very aware how complicated they make things for themselves. they need a Kabbalah channel that is specially geared towards them. I love kab.tv, but it is simply too Jewish for them.
I am very concerned about them not adopting Kabbalah for this reason.
connecting,
Jurgen
Dear Micheal
Following on from the old interview with you by a Russian journalist: There you said that you don’t have female students….. the cause and effect of this type of statements is still affecting the women who study Kabbalah today. Especially if you say that men and women have equal parts…. This needs to be conveyed to the men who study Kabbalah tenfold as they are causing women great harm.
What teachings do you have about women of the past that can help us today? I know this question has been asked several times by other women around the world and to date we have not had an answer. If there isn’t anything then we need to create it in the now.
I trust the light this email gets to you and I would appreciate if you take this email very seriously, to answer it.
Love
Gail
Dear Rabbi,
When will the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute create some kind of home study curriculum for children of all ages, so that parents can teach their children the basics of Kabbalah at home, starting at an early age?
I have a 6 year old boy and a 2 year old daughter, and I would like to teach both children about Kabbalah, but don’t even know where to begin, or how to teach it to them at their level. If I could purchase some curriculum and workbooks to help me teach them at home… this would be a huge help!
Thank you so much and God Bless!
Sherry A.
Kennewick, WA (USA)
Dear Rav,
Would you please comment on President Obama receiving the Nobel Prize.
Thank you,
Maria
http://www.laitman.nl
Dear Rav,
What does Kabbalah say about babies created through IVF or artificial insemination – do they have a soul? Also, what if mankind were to be able to clone other human beings one day? Would the clones have a soul too?
Rav, good afternoon: After we reunite all the separated souls and do the last correction, what happens to us? We lose this experience of corporeal reality, we forget our last, better all the corporeal experiences. We transform in Adam, and all our memories are vanished off our brains? What happens to us?
How to know if I’m doing a good job to attain the upper light?
Our Rabbi added a line to the prayers at the end of the weekly service that promotes praying for the Arab Nation (children of Ishmael) as such. I take an immediate offense to this for obvious reasons, BUT I also feel I may be way off base here. I am very conflicted on this view. It seriously offended a lot of people, but am I in the wrong intention here?
I do not want to wander off into the wrong path and I feel very upset, more at me than him. Please, what is your advice?
Dear Rav,
Do you see the Creator giving the whole of humanity one global event that will undeniably prove his existence? As we study, is it normal to yearn for this event.?.. Whether it brings pain or joy….it seems that I just want it to happen no matter what it is….in order for humanity to come to Spirituality. However, that might be saying that I am yearning for pain and suffering not only for myself, but for the world..that doesn’t seem like a correct prayer… please advise..
Sincerely,
Kim
I’ve read three of your books, and I also read your daily posts. The message I’m hearing repeatedly is that the only thing within our control, really, is our environment, and that our environment is critical for changing our desires.
In response to a recent question, you answered: “Precisely the effort brings me to a realization that I am incapable, I have no strength, and I will never reach the spiritual world using my own strength. I can find the strength for this only in the group. A person can sit alone and cry for a long time, but this will not help him.
One must receive forces from others, connect them together, and then he will have enough strength to change his qualities, revealing a new world in them.”
Once again, the message about the environment, about connecting.
So my question is — how does one create and find the proper environment? My husband and I live in a fairly remote community that is entirely Hebrew speaking. Although I speak basic Hebrew, it is not sufficient to really connect on a deep level with others. I sincerely long for a spiritual community that would assist both me and my husband’s growth, but our geographical location makes it difficult. And we are not able financially simply to relocate.
Can a digital connection and community suffice to help me change my desires?
Are we born with our souls , or do we receive it with the point in the heart ?
How will wide spread egoism transform into altruism?
How does one deduce there is an issue with his psychological health, when he does not see it for himself? What requires correcting here?
Dear Rav,
When I had begun the study of Kabbalah, I was not considered mentally ill. As the process went on, intricate irregulaties in my mind had surfaced. My study peers said this was Reshimo being revealed and concealed. My psychiatrist appears to disagree with this view. Does this affect my study?
My utmost gratitude for your reply. I hope this assists others in their struggles.
Dear Rav,
Regarding the concept of no bread no Torah, it is He who gives us the very problems we try to escape in this world, so isn’t as though He rejects a person from Kabbalah? If He gives me a disease that prevents me from being able to have normal life in corporeality, or gives me an injury or natural disaster that takes everything from me, how can I focus in Torah? It seems very cruel that in Torah lies the method for happiness, yet He says we must function in this world fully, and He prevents a person from being able to have a life corporeally in this world???? And then I’m supposed to not blame Him and agree that He is good?
Also, your post about how pain and pleasure are the same, it’s just a matter of who it is coming from, it doesn’t make sense. It simply isn’t true that pleasure and pain are the same, and no matter how much a person in pain “believes” it is from a higher source of Good, it makes no difference, he will only be tortured. And He does not provide cures for 99.9% percent of terrible ailments in this world, He obliges us to suffer, Why???? This leads me to the main question—–You say that Kabbalah does not involve belief at all, yet the books say we must believe it all comes from Him. Fine, I’ll even accept that, but how can a person bring the contradictions of terrible pain and goodness together? Thank you.
I’ve been studying now for about 8 months trying to read and watch kabbalah lessons everyday. My question is that you say that corporeality does not need to be changed but concerning the commandments are there certain ones which pertain to corporeality that I should be following in order to not cause the sorrow of Divinity? Particular ones that have caused me some grief are the commandments of not working on Shabbat and the eating of pork. While I tell myself that I shouldn’t focus on these things I still have to wonder that by doing them am I displeasing the Creator?
Dear Rav,
I was reading Shamati Article #40 the other night. Today I read some of your posts concerning the middle line. In the Shamati article, it seems to talk about the middle line as being under multiple authorities. And you say that we’re supposed to aim for the middle line, which is perfect balance. So are you saying that we’re supposed to be under multiple authorities? According to Shamati, we can only distinguish our true state when under a single authority. If Shamati was not referring to the same middle line, could you please explain what it means?
Dear Sir,
Why would the creator want to create a creature and fill it with pleasure?
Thank you,
Paul
Dear Rav,
So despite the fact that I feel like my problems are my own doing, they are not, because I must say that He controls me and predetermined my situation for me. So no longer can I blame myself for mistakes I made, but I must say it is the Good that does Good that arranged all of it. But, what I do I do if He puts me in a situation in corporeality that I cannot overcome?
For example I have an injury or illness that cannot be helped and makes my life unbearable. In such a situation I want only to get out of pain, yet He is giving me this and preventing me from having a solution. How do I not curse Him and what do I do both internally and externally to a situation regarding physical health that yields no answers or solutions?
Thank u.
Dear Rav,
In the article About the Spiritual Advancement of Women, Talk 2 from December 19, 2007, Tel Aviv, Israel there is mention of two sources for women to read for Spiritual development they are Shamati and Shlavei ha Sulam( The Steps of Ascension). Is Shlavei ha Sulam(The Steps of Ascension) translated for English readers?
Should I engage in studying Kabbalah, even with my mental illness? It seems as if I do not possess the capacity to support this process.
Dear RAV LAITMAN:
Column One: Our irredeemable international system – Sep. 18, 2009 – Caroline Glick , THE JERUSALEM POST:
“Our international institutions are irredeemably corrupted. From the United Nations to the International Criminal Court and their affiliate and subordinate bodies, these institutions are rotten at their core.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
“Until Obama came along, Israel could afford not to make too much of the fact that its enemies control the UN-led system of international institutions, because it could trust that the US would use its Security Council veto to prevent these forces from causing it any real harm. This is no longer the case. With the Obama administration fully on board the UN agenda, Israel and other threatened democracies like Honduras, Poland, the Czech Republic, South Korea and Japan will have to loudly proclaim the UN-based international system’s inherent moral, political and legal corruption and seek ways to undermine and weaken its power. ”
Q) WHAT IS YOUR OPINION?
Dear Mr. Laitman,
I have been working on my correction for about 2 years and found Kabbalah about four month ago. I feel a very strong conection to this studies. My desire to get closer to the creator is very strong. I gaint trust and understanding to life and to future. But I am probably sill somewhere at the beginning, becauce there are still so many questions.
I am in a relationship with a girl know for one year. Everything happend very quick and I think I just wanted to fill the gap, which my last gilfriend left when we broke up. I am not in love with this woman. I realized it last weekend very clear and finerly got the strenght to going to end this relationship, but just before I could do it she told me that she is pregnant.
I am very confused. I don’t want to be an egoist, but everything inside me say no to this situation. We have know spiritual connection. I am thinking about abortion, but I am very concerned that this will bring me away from my spirituell path. I do see that I am totally egoistic, but to bring up a child I just don’t want.
I know you can not live my life for me and I have to make a decision on my own and live with it. But maybe you can give me anykind of statement to this situation.
I would be very greatfull.
Bodo Surholt
Rav, could you please share your thoughts with us regarding the significance of the Fast of Gedaliah?
Thank you
Why are we not having a daily Zohar lesson? The book Lirot-Tov is telling us to read it every day. Please advise.
Hello Michael.
Is Zohar studying necessary or is it possible to earn eternal life without studying it by being complete wicked type and striving to be 100% righteous and loving type. Is studying necessary? It brings only more suffering.
Hey Rav,
I recently started to study with everyone during the morning lessons, or at least 24 hours within the time of it. Since about that time i’ve been having this great sense of fear of somehow being stopped from attending the congress. Like something will pop up or i will be stopped at the entrance to my flight. Is this fear a reflection of the incorrect aspiration in attending the congress? Should I be more patient and faithful in the fact that everything depends on the creator, and it is his will for me to unite with all of the pieces of my soul?
Thanks plenty
Rav, would you have any comments regarding the following, which is from NASA’s official website?
Solar Storm Warning — Researchers say a storm is coming–the most intense solar maximum in fifty years.
It’s official: Solar minimum has arrived. Sunspots have all but vanished. Solar flares are nonexistent. The sun is utterly quiet.
Like the quiet before a storm.
Recently researchers announced that a storm is coming–the most intense solar maximum in fifty years. The prediction comes from a team led by Mausumi Dikpati of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). “The next sunspot cycle will be 30% to 50% stronger than the previous one,” she says. If correct, the years ahead could produce a burst of solar activity second only to the historic Solar Max of 1958.
Source: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/universe/solarsystem/10mar_stormwarning.html
If you say that people are not bad, but its the way we perceive them. My parents are holocaust survivors, were my parents perceptions wrong? I personally believe in pure evil. What is your view? All human creatures are not all good, or is that my bad perception?
Dear Rav,
From different sources comes information that the vaccine against the “swine-flu” might be more dangerous and harmful than the flu itself. Information that I have received says that the vaccine might contain toxins harmful to man. Also that resistance to this flu might make it develop to something even worse.
Would it be a good to inform people about this possibility, so that people perhaps don´t bring more suffering to themselves?
What is the concept of Kabbalah about the life after the death?
My mom was very religious, very good person, aiding people.
She died three weeks ago, and I want to know where she is?
Is there a level for us to stay during a time to be better, or we come back in this earth in another body, as a person or animal, etc…? When does this occur?
Hello rav,
I’ve been wondering what really means to be under the Lord omnipotence. If the Lord is responsible for all our thoughts and actions, where are we? We can not decide anything by our own this way, neither to pray by ourselves to Him, or choose between the path of Light and the path of pain. If my correction begins it is Him that wishes that way so I do not even exist!
Rav, I had the distinct pleasure to stand about 5 feet from you and you nodded hello. I was awestruck. (at age 62?) Since then I have been very involved in studying Kabbalah and still cannot put away my life to do what Ii would like. Is this normal? My life, health, the health of my wife, and the current crises: and its effects on my children have placed great demands on me. Is this part of a “normal struggle?”
I want to answer the questions I have and the point in my heart is yelling as loud as it can but I keep being pulled away. Could you place this in proper perspective?
Dear Rebbe,
I have lately been obsessed by the question of “Where am I?” (on the ladder) I have recently discovered by this and other questions put to myself that I have a bigger ego than I had known. It is good that i know this.
So, my question is wouldn’t it be better to know the answer to this question than not? My reasoning is that if you could tell me ‘You are here’ …and your answer deflated my ego, it would be good because all actions to the ego produce change. And by the same token, if your answer inflated my ego…all the better still. It seems to me that it would do no harm, but I would like very much to have some insight.
My husband and I have been connected to the World Group through the internet since 2006 and we want to take a moment to say:
THANK YOU (and THE GROUP) for awakening every morning and consciously deciding to re-dedicate your self to this GREAT TASK! And to THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE. We hope someday to have the honor of meeting you.
Hello Rav Laitman,
I’ve heard that the congress is a very special event in which we have a great opportunity to put ourselves under the influence of the surrounding lights. Once I am influenced and leave the congress, does this light continue to influence me? Will this event make my studying more effective? And does the perception gained during the congress gradually start to disappear as I slowly adapt to being influenced by the negative corrective force after the congress?
Thank you and I am very excited to meet you in Buffalo.
Hello Rav Laitman,
On the path of exiting one’s ego, I heard you say that man will come to a despair, as he sees that in order to achieve spirituality, it cannot be done with his nature. Is this something one can prepare for? And is the fact that I am happy studying the wisdom within my will to recieve a sign that I am far from the path and/or not attracting the surrounding lights?
Thank you.
Dear Rav,
In spite of our intentions the point of hatred which wants everything for itself remains, seemingly intact, inside everything we do. Where is the correction if not inside this point of hatred?
Yours,
C. Medansky
I have been studying Kabbalah for 1 year. I am at a point where I hardly read the news (I used to check it 10 times a day!) and I hardly watch TV. I read the books and watch your lessons. Right now I feel down and I have a lack of interest, is this my ego trying to drag me down?. At the same time I’m hooked on reading/learning all I can about Kabbalah. I feel myself changing and I’m not sure if I like this feeling. Is this a temporary state that we go through while learning?
How does one overcome the fear that they may commit themselves to a cause or organization that might then be discredited by some scandal or controversy uncovered by the media? This has happened many times to many different teachers.
What is the purpose of the desire for pleasure from sex found only in humans , dolphins, and only a couple of other species and the rest of the animal kingdom finds no pleasure in sex. It seems to be instinctual or ??? Is it that humans would not have a desire for sex if there wasn’t an instinct or pleasure derived from it? In the future world what will be the purpose of sex? Or will we just create ourselves in a petrie dish?
Does a person who read the books you wrote and watch your videos also be able to evoke and draw down the Surrounding Light?
Rav, once you mentioned the “illumination of Malchut” in a lesson. You linked it to the crisis. It came across my mind recently and I researched on it. I came up with this definition -
Dadei Behema-
“An illumination of Malchut without Mituk of Rachamim, the lower thirds of Netzach and Hod of Atik which are found in the world of Briah.”
Is there a link between what we study in TES and the currant crisis. I don’t mean to corporalize this, but it seems important.
Geoffrey
Hello Rav, I’m in the italian group and soon we will have a physical centre in Rome.
I planned to move to Rome to be closer to my friends. My whole life will change. Do I have to expect bigger blows? Will the whole group, event the friends who will not live in Rome, feel blows and difficulties?
I deeply want to move to Rome and I’m deeply scared of what could happen…
How should I relate to a situation where my job is extremely stressful and exhausting? How do I relate to the Creator?
I have been studying Kabbalah for nearly a year and at first i learned very well and managed to raise but at a point in my correction I stopped being interested in Kabbalah and I now do almost nothing for correction. I think I need a group but I don’t know how to find it because I am a 17-year-old student and live in Bulgaria. I am very confused and I hope that you can help me.
How can I free myself from the guilt and shame of previous actions that I did in the past?
Does the soul have a gender? Can a man re-incarnate in a woman’s body or a woman in a man’s body?
How should parents interact with a fetus , a newborn, as well as with a teenager and adolescent, to maintain a good system according to Kabbalah?
I am looking forward to this question as I am a new student and first time mother.
Thank you all!
Nancy
Could the fact that I can only “act” and not study explain why I feel like I’ve experienced the Upper World without studying Kabbalah?
Dear Rav, I would like to thank you for the wonderful work you are doing. Discovering the wisdom of Kabbalah the way you and your Team are revealing It to the world, has been one more Gift from the Creator in my path of development. I find that you are providing the proper guidance, and I know this because when I have a question, and I have many, I’m directed to find the answer in the material that you have made available. It is wonderful to have found you. I live in Guatemala and from here I feel the connection! I’m enrolled in the Course and don’t want to stop!
Que nuestra transformación sea una realidad para el regocijo del Creador.
Sinceramente,
Patricia
I have been reading an number of your writings about women. From these I have come to feel that the path of woman is to contribute to the spiritual development of all mankind through her participation in her community, family and own spiritual work. In doing so, she may become a ‘light’, so to speak, which ‘illuminates’ the eyes of the men who are close to her — brothers, sons, spouse. In this way, without ever necessarily placing a direct burden upon them (by direct speech, or manipulative behaviour or censure), she builds an environment in which the desire to focus upon their own spiritual development is nurtured. This may or may not lead to a direct study of Kabbalah by these men, but it is likely to open an insight which will, in its own way, lead to their elevation as spiritual beings. In a sense, the woman becomes the environment of nurture in which the seeds of their development are planted, and this is a way in which the woman can attain the level of bestowal. Thus, it is not the role of the woman to directly correct or censure the man, rather her role is to stimulate his desire to see beyond his current condition. Could you please illuminate me further? Am I on a ‘correct’ path?
How can I restrict my negative thoughts and judgments about people to prevent causing them any harm ?
My dear Rav,
I have a question from Lesson 61, Introduction to TES , 24 August.
You said ” From above comes only a spark to light the wick….The Creator gives only one spark to ignite it”.
What is that spark ?
My love and gratitude.
Aloha from Hawaii,
Wela
Play Audio Comment
I have asked this question, because I feel that I would be happy having possibility to spend all my day working on dissemination of kabbalah.
Thank you for your answer.
Dear Rav Laitman,
Another question I have:
If the original soul separated (only) into 600,000 souls, but since we are now over 4 billion human beings and this figure is rising, it means that each one of us must belong to a large soul group, which is one of the 600,000 separated parts of the original soul. How can we know who and what we are in one soul group with and do all the beings in one soul group have similar destinies, traits and life paths? Moreover, is it at all important to connect to one’s soul group or not?
The discrepancy between 600,000 and 4 billion + just seems very big. How would you explain this, please?
Thank you very much!
What is the spiritual root of anxiety and how can we correct it?
My daughter Lynnette (she is 12 ) has a question for you.
I want to cross to the superior worlds, which one is the fastest way to do it?
Thank you !!!
Does external dissemination produce any benefit since you teach that the true dissemination is internal?
Dear Rav
I live in London, I’m 22 and have been studying for almost 2 years. I find it off putting that in London there are only around 10, older people in the group, a few of them come and go, like me, because the group is so small that it seems futile. How can the only truth be so unpopular?
Speaking you to as a younger individual, I am entirely impressed with your fortitude. Why do I crumble so quickly under even the slightest pressure? I ponder whether it is Him holding me where I am, for some distant reason. I am at all correct in thinking so?
One of these days I was talking to my girlfriend about going to a Kabbalah congress when she told me:
“You’re really enjoying this Kabbalah thing, aren’t you? This is kind of a disappointment to me. I liked you better when you were more skeptical and rebellious. Since you started with this Kabbalah stuff, you’ve become less interesting for me.”
I feel I’ve changed for the better since I started studying Kabbalah, so my question is: how should a Kabbalah student respond or deal with this kind of statement?
Hello,
In a conflicted world, we are bombarded with dilemmas every day of our life with regards everything we do. What is Kabbalah’s position on wearing fur which has in recent times became a huge talking point? Is it prohibited, accepted or merely justified depending on the individual – i.e. a primitive culture which only has fur to wear?
Thank you.
There are many texts that link the Archangel Metatron/Enoch to the Kabbalah.
I am wondering what your perspective of such links is and if there is a relationship, what that is. Thankyou Elizabeth
Hi Rav
How do I prepare for the lesson?
What should I be thinking or wishing or desiring in order to get the best preparation before the lesson?
Thanks
Awareness of one’s egoistic desires and the sufferings caused by the ego; Is this the Creator revealing Himself? In what ways could one realize when and/if the Creator is being revealed to them?
Hi Rav
What’s the difference between say, desire for work and desire for spirituality?
Warm regards
j
On Kabbalah vs Ancient Eastern Wisdom:
Dear Dr Laitman,
I have the following question:
You say that the difference between Kabbalah and Eastern wisdom (India) is that they teach the Ego must be destroyed versus Kabbalah’s statement that a person must become aware of it and correct/redirect it, thus keep and work with it. However, in the Torah it says “… a gentile (ego) should be deceived and destroyed…”.
My question is, are both wisdoms not just implying the same thing but using different words?
Also, how can you be so sure that Kabbalah is the only method of salvation for humanity? Have you tried any of the other wisdoms (and I am not talking about religions, but the ancient wisdom of the Vedanta or the Chinese wisdom of the Tao, for instance)?
Thank you,
Bettina
Dear Rav,
How can we get men to realize they won’t get any inspiration from the group unless they invest in the group? It’s not that they don’t invest into the group, they do, but for more, they need inspiration from their local friends, and that inspiration they do not have…for example….watching the lessons live with their friends. (Unfortunately, there are more examples, simple things…)
Beyond the obvious need to guard our speech so as not to cause harm to our fellow man, what is the significance of our speech in the corporeal world with respect to the spiritual? For example, why do you always say, “Heaven Forbid” after a seemingly negative statement?
Dear Mr. Laitman,
I have been studying Kabbalah less then a year. As a woman, I think that my role is just to support the group and not be a part of it. To push my boyfriend, and other men to the group, because that is the only environment where he/they can grow. Not to force them with words or to pursue them on anything, but just to work on dissemination, learning according to my needs and making a home (relating on my boyfriend) where he can come to. I think that I can make suggestions about the dissemination but relating the work in the group, or their teachings. But I feel that I have to make more suggestions and demands in our corporeal life (relating home, family, responsibilities). Could you tell me if I am doing right?
What is the meaning of Sephiroth?
It really does seem that even as the computer/technological age affords us the ability to be with each other from across many miles, to connect with all our friends no matter where we are in the world, there is a huge lack of soul connection between each other! Why is that? Why are we feeling so much fear, needing to grab whatever power or space or whatever it is that we need at such an alarming pace? Why is there so much anger, and mistrust in the world? Why are there so many despotic leaders with power gone awry? I’m sure that influence has always existed, for there has always existed those who “have”, and those who “have not”.
What is the basis upon which the knowledge of Kabbalah is based?
If meditation is not involved – surely there must be an alteration of consciousness that is involved. This can’t just be an intellectual process of intellectual knowledge.
The 6th sense that is mentioned to be cultivated – doesn’t this involve an alteration of consciousness
Other Systems of spirituality – frequently use the visions gained from deep meditative states – What about Kabbalah??
How can I make myself happy?
Hello Rav;
I consider myself student at Bnei Baruch online classes. I am Muslim from Sudan. Right now I live in USA. I have 2 questions :
1/ About maaser; my people in Sudan are in bad need of the 10% of my income and sometimes more. Can this money I used to send to Sudan considered maaser?
2/ I disseminate Kabbalah in Arabic forum visited by thousands every day. Most of the members and visitors are Arabic Muslims and I feel I need to write about the method and after they grasp it then to mention the Jewish origin of the Kabbalah. Now I mention only Abraham as the origin of Kabbalah. Is that OK?
Thanks
Please Rav, How do we ask the Creator to rise above the hatred and repulsion of our personal life towards others??
Dear Rav,
should we feel pleasure from disseminating?
Thank you!
Dear Rav,
Two questions, please…and thank you!
1. Does the concept “Mitzvot” engender the entire process of assimilating the concept of “Torah?” Is it that simple(…..and that complicated)?
2. What is the hallmark of the quality of bestowal?
Hello sir,
what if a man does not know if he want to stay married?
And lot of issues from past time comes up.
And the woman does not want to divorce and none of them are in a religion?
What is self discipline according to Kabbalah?
As I have mentioned before, I am giving from internet classes of kabbalah to a group of now 8 people who don’t have computers to study by their own, but there is a couple that has studied on there own other kabbalah books. They talk about the sefirot as lights in our parts of the body that need to be awaken and they are confusing me, because as I have studied with you I see the sefirots as LEVELS OF ATTAINMENT. Can you explain what really the sefirots are so that I can clarify in the group. I want to tell them that they can’t come and confuse the students with other kabbalistic views that are not from Bnei Baruch. They also mentioned a book named Bahir that they say is very important in kabbalah. I haven’t heard of it here in Bnei Baruch. I need to establish with them that we study only authentic kabbalistic writings and not every kabbalistic book you find out there. Please answer soon. I study every sunday with the group. Thanks.
I am very confused about the “oral Torah” – or the Talmud. I understand that the Torah is a gift from Hashem guiding us towards the right path in life and we are to sometimes understand the stories from the Torah on a metaphorical level – not a literal one. How do you explain the literal aspect of the Talmud and that it seems to have been written by Rabbis that lived during a time that? as I understand, the priests and sanhedrin were corrupt – which is what caused the destruction of the Bais Hamikdash.
What can we learn from the fact that President Obama awards Mary Robinson, formerly President of Ireland and an anti-Israel activist, with the Medal of Freedom, the highest and most prestigious civilian award in the U.S?
Robinson presided over the 2001 United Nations’ “World Conference against Racism” meeting in Durban, South Africa. The Israel delegation walked out after it degenerated into a racist attack on Jews and Israel, and the United States boycotted the meeting.
Hi! I would like to know if I started to study Kabbalah in this life and don’t achieve correction before I die, will I come to Kabbalah again in a next life? Will I remember something about this wisdom in my next incarnation?
Dear Sir ,
I have been reading your posts , finding them rather interesting , now as I can see from the pictures that you are a Jew my question is this: What does the Kabbalah have to do with the religion of Moses? Is it like a manual for humans to read the Torah?
And I have been getting all sorts of thoughts from documentaries regarding the Kabbalah saying that it is some sort of Magical book with spells and stuff that goes back to the Era of the Babylon .
I know I may be a little bit late regarding this knowledge but it would be kind of you to answer me. I am still searching and connecting with what I know.
Regards
You were recently asked by someone ” Is it ok for a Kabbalist to use hypnosis? Is it a tool the Creator allows us to use?”
Your answer was ” No, and it is not permitted”
I would like some further elaboration on this.
I can see that hypnosis can be a very manipulative tool in the wrong hands. I can also see that it would be a useful form of therapy. For example, if I had a family member with extreme anxieties, hypnosis might be an excellent tool for getting to the root of the issue and releasing it. As opposed to simply administering anxiety drugs.
Why is it not permitted? After all, you say we must deal with our corporeal issues while we ‘live in both worlds simultaneously.
greetings Rav,
I grew up as a Christian, and from three years ago, to now, I have been studying Kabbalah, but a couple of days ago, a friend of mine, who is Jewish, told me that Kabbalah was only meant to be studied by Jews, and that indeed it was a sinful thing for us non Jews, or gentiles, to study Kabbalah, that it opened very dark portals…but I feel so comfortable studying Kabbalah, it really helps me find a connection with the Creator, and I don’t want to stop practicing the religion of my parents, Christianity, my question is: Is it possible to still believe in my parents religion, or at least keep a certain respect for it, and be able to continue on the path of Kabbalah? Or it’s just something I should definitely do?
i am in a strange state where i just become disconnected from every thing the lessons the group the books for a period of a week and then i come back to them with a great appetite for more learning and connecting then i am disconnected again. can you advice me on what to do pleas, and could this have any thing to do with my corporal ambitions and dreams ?
What is the symbolic meaning or significance of the number 30 in Kabbalah?
Thanks in advance,
Shana
I read it is 3 types of fear, but only one is real, the fear of the Creator.
So if I come in a situation that gives me fear, like when I fly and the plane is shaking, this is a wrong type of fear cause I am afraid to die (egoistic).
Then I try to make this great but wrong fear into a fear for the Creator, that this is the fear I should feel to loose my contact with Him.
It is almost impossible but I try as hard as I can. Am I wasting my time?
You Mentioned doubt follows a person around (temptation) because of unfulfilled desire. What if one is constantly haunted by a partner’s romantic past, and their own lack of one, chronically? What does this mean and is it possible to resolve?
I have always wondered what a band of Kabbalist might sound like, seeing that a Kabbalistic song includes the Artists feelings, how can four ‘band members’ or artist mesh each of their own feelings together into one song without one of them playing against his feeling?
Can a Kabbalist tell who’s going to pass Machsom or not? I always wondered if it were a matter of body language or a matter of actually Seeing a student’s desire.
If someone has a life threatening illness should they tell the group or use it as an impetus to unite and correct themselves and try to inspire the group in this way?
How will Kabbalah combat the swine flu?
Dear Laitman,
How does Kabbalah view marriage between elder women and younger men?
Thank you for your answer.
Kindest regards,
Torill
How do we nullify ourselves without being abused by the external world? Do we have to behave as actors that appreciate egoism in our daily lives? But this can be very dangerous for our inner work.
Hi Rav Laitman! I began studying Kabbalah with Bnei Baruch about 6 months ago. I started with the online lesson and I have also read some of your books. I wanted to ask you about something that is happening to me since I started studying. I feel that my sexual urges are getting stronger and stronger, especially with people from the same sex . I also find it very difficult not to go on some websites… I want to know how I can restrict those desires to concentrate more on my study of Kabbalah ? I also wanted to know if this might have a spiritual root like wanting to get back together as one soul or am I just addicted?
Dear Rav
If the 2 million subscribers to Kabbalah were to have the intention (pure intention) to ask for spiritual ascent towards unity at a point in time in the future and commit for at least a week would this not bring us closer to revealing more light or breaking the illusion we live in? And if it was possible could we not try by preparing a quality advertising campaign,,, facebook, tv, internet radio, twitter etc to take action?
Shalom
Gail
Student BB Association UK
Good day,
I am new in Kabbalist reading and I am planning to do a Ph.D. in Kabbalist Research. The topic I was thinking about was “The Kabbalah as a way of attaining enlightenment for the ordinary human being.” Please advice me if this topic will make good research. If not please Advice on a possible topic and books that I can read for my research.
I will be happy to hear from you.
I have a group of 5 to six people who do not have internet, and so I am giving them kabbalah lessons in spanish with recorded lessons in my computer. I am giving them the first 15 lessons. Is this ok and if I can give them the virtual lesssons I took or the new one starting in september? Thanks
What are Hitlabshut and Aviut with respect to the inner work of man?
How can someone dedicate appropriate time to studies if he/she discovers Kabbalah in his/her 40’s and dedicates most of the day to work to maintain a family, and the little spare time to wife/husband and children? It’s very hard these days to even stop and find a few minutes to study or reflect and the 40 hrs a week work routine seems something so difficult to remove/change.
Dear Beloved Rav
I live in Israel but do not speak and read Hebrew yet. My friend who study in a Yeshivat told me that if I learn Hebrew I will have so much moore books to read about kabbala like Rav Kook Rav Nachman etc.. He sais after a conversation that I sound like I have a good grip and is in a good position?, but since I only read the books that is translated to English by BB I stand before many options but is limited cause I only read Rabahs, Baal HaSulam etc..
I truly feel like those books and you and the group is enough for me, but what do I know.
So my question is, can I get as far as I am supposed to go, only by the books translated to english, or will my progress be better/faster if I can read books from Rav Kook and Rav Nachman too?
What about “fearing G-d?” I’m accomplishing objectives and am beginning to have some confidence that it won’t be necessary for me to backslide to continue moving forward. Thank you so much for making this process clear to me. With tears in my eyes I thank you.
I’d like to move forward as quickly as I’m able and am drawing blanks on both the concept and feeling of “fearing the Creator.” My state includes having to pull myself out of depression from recognition of the persistence of my ego and being happy I’m aware of same and that it makes G-d happy I’m aware. So I get happy! Pls help.
When people ask you about Mitzvah observance you often quote the Essence of Religion article by the Baal Sulam, presumably in justification for your claim that “Kabbalah” doesn’t require Torah (mitzvah) observance.
When I read that article I saw the following:
“Yet, by observing Torah and Mitzvot in order to please his Maker, without any reward, he climbs the rungs of ethics, precisely to the extent that he pursues it…”
This seems to imply to me that if a person doesn’t pursue observing Torah and Mitzvot, he will not climb the ladder of ethics at all…
This makes me feel very confused. Is this really the source for proposing that Kabbalah isn’t connected to mitzvah observance?
Also, what’s the source for understanding mitzvot as desires, rather than straightforward behavioral acts of devotion including mind (kavana) and usually also physical movement—the traditional way of understanding them?
Thank you for your time.
What does the Kabbala say about our individuality? What is it? According the the Eastern tradition, the individual does not really exist only the whole [ consciousness ] which perceives through the many [ Yet it is all one ] However it feels as if one is an individual as ones perception is totally and utterly unique. So this “I” can and does only perceive itself yet simulatenously differently. What does the Kabbala say about the individuals perception of awareness?
What do we do with the shame and guilt that is produced when we believe we’ve done an action for self-alone, yet we long to walk in lishma?
The shame and guilt seem to be more of an obstacle than the egoistic action we initially performed. Is this true?
Please help. Thank you.
Sincerely,
dehvon
Hi Rav,
I was reading in the Introduction to the Book of Zohar on p. 221 that “The smallest soul and the sum of all the souls are equal. There is nothing in the spiritual that would be bigger or smaller than something else woud. Moreover, if one is against all the rest of the 599,999 souls, this one is equal to all the others. This is a marvelous property of the spiritual world.”
Does this mean that one soul with the aim of being corrected, influences all of the other souls that are not aimed at correction, and thus helps to correct them?
Thank you
Why do innocent children have cancer, aids or other incurable diseases? Is this not injustice from the Creator?
I have been studying Kabbalah for several years and doing dissemination. I have lupus, an illness that affects the connective tissues of the body. The illness is controlled but lately I have suffered falls or accidents and this the fourth time I have the luxation of a shoulder, two of them in the past three months. Doctor says I need an operation to stop these luxations. Is this only the result of my physical condition or do you think the Creator is trying to tell me something?
Dear Rav Laitman,
I have a question which has bothered me for a long time, and thus hindered me in my acceptance of the Kabbalah.
“why did God Want to pleasure himself (by pleasuring His creation – since we are one), why not just maintaining His perfection? That must have mean that He also had an egoistic desire to bring pleasure to Himself”
Find it really hard to accept the “pleasuring”-part
Thank you for taking the time.
Warmest wishes.
//andrej
Can you explain why more and more people are engaging in so called divination techniques (eg. tarot, yi ching, astrology)?
What stage does a person not feel or fear evil in there heart? Is it possible for a person to feel that way or say that there is no more evil in his or her heart?
It seems like some situations and states keeps on coming back. And even if I in some way can understand what I have to do to get out off these states, it´s like it gets harder to do so. Is there some way to use this blockage in a good way? Because I feel like I´m coming to the same situations again and again and that they are growing in strength.
Dear Mr Laitman, first, thanks for doing all this, it’s an unbelievable amount of work ! And so interesting.
If you have a few – spiritual – seconds left in your agenda, I’d like to ask you 4 in 1 questions please :
1) I’ve now read 3 of your books and there is one thing I’d like to understand better. You said somewhere that if one is interested in learning Kabbalah, it’s probably the “point in the heart” has already appeared. So, somehow one is ready. You also said that one then has to develop the Kli and that would come with simply desiring it, strongly. But how do you know “it’s working”? How do you feel it? How does it manifest? Why doesn’t it arise naturally when one becomes wiser?
2) The second part of my question is, if someone reaches absolute altruism and receives the (some) light but then changes his mind and decides to use the knowledge for egoistic purposes, what happens ? I ask this because it’s difficult to imagine this never happened.
3) From personal experience, I have discovered a phenomenon that is related to cause and effect through time cycles, symmetry and geometry. And it makes it possible to, sometimes, predict things. And, I don’t know why, I’m convinced Kabbalah has something to do with this, but your books don’t tell. Am I wrong ? Is there a hidden part ?
4) Finally, I wondered if there is some, sorry for that word, “success rate” you observe. I mean, how many people do you hear about who have really “experienced” something? Because I think it’s easy to say, “got it, I’m a Kabbalist”. But it’s not true? It seems like it takes much efforts and a long time before something happens.
Thanks in advance, backwards and presently !
S.L.
What should one do if he has no desire to function in his day to day life?
Such as at work?
Our Kabbalah study group in Seattle was asked to give a presentation on Kabbalah to club that meets to learn about different spiritual traditions. The talk went very well and after it was over one of the participants asked, “What do Kabbalists say we should do with desires when they rise within us?” How would you have answered such a question?
Thanks.
Hello.
How should I attitude to self help, self education, various learning programs when I study kabbalah? I feel I still did not covered my basic needs, so I am listening tapes of self education about money, sales, men and women and study kabbalah as well.
One reoccurring question many people new to Kabbalah, myself included, have is this: Do we have any free will other than the choice between Kabbalah and the path of suffering? After learning about the four factors, the root of all our actions becomes apparent. However, doesn’t the choice between the two paths fall into one of these factors? Or is it the spark of bestowal within us all where our only sense of free will lies?
Dear Rav Laitman
Today I saw an old interview with you by a Russian journalist.
There you said that you don´t have female students.
My question is, if you don´t have female students
what are you for the women who engage in Bnei Baruch
and who follows the lectures?
Best wishes and gratefully
Rachel
Hi,
With all I have read from you about Kabbalah I have never heard a discussion of forgiveness of another human being. I run a Jewish support group and we have been focusing on forgiveness. I feel this is very important for spiritual health. Would like to know what you believe.
Thanks
Zalia
Dear Laitman
You sad Kabbalah have not meditation. but I read one of the most important Kabbalists, Rav Abraham Abulafia (sec XIII), brings to us a meditation method that had been used for generations. What your opinion about this?
Sorry my English and thank you!
Dear Rav, if you ever come to read this email I would like to congratulate you on the wonderful idea to answer questions in this way. I remember to visit one of your conferences in Sitrin, Israel and feel completly frustrated because the level of translation from Hebrew/Russian to English was not at the right level.
My question:
INNOVATION IN THE FUTURE SOCIETY- What will be the place of innovation in the future society? Will all acts of creativity and inspiration be dismissed as excessive/surplus because they are innovations and as such frown upon. Or is there a place for innovation, entrepeneur spirit and even creativity in the future society? I give you the example of the mobile phone, an innovation of no more than 25 years. Would the attempts to create a similar product such as the mobile phone in the future society be seen as excessive or a good thing? The reason for my thinking is that my grandfather believes that the mobile phone is not necessary, while I could not live without one. The elders of a future society could based on their views of what is excessive forbid the development of wonderful products and innovations and that could result in s ate of oppression.
Hugo
What are your views on Marijuana? In my opinion, it is an herb, not a drug. Is it wrong as a student of Kabbalah to smoke and relax? I see at congresses that people smoke cigarettes and drink quite a lot…
Hello Rav,
I’m a student from the learning center and would like to ask how is the quality of bestowal revealed in a person? If the Creator – the quality of bestowal – is not perceived through our reason, or understanding, is it through our sensations or through our feelings, or is it a consequence of our inner actions, meaning to yearn to have the desire, the Ratzon?
Have a great week
Le Chayim!
Since Kabbalah states that all is programmed or predetermined, is our time of “death” of the bodies we now use also predetermined?
Dear Rav Laitman:
I only want to ask that, in my search for meaning, it seems as though everything leads to the Kabbalah wisdom. I know there is something I must do, and I do not know what it is. How can the wisdom of Kabbalah help me to discover what my importance is?
Superstition aside, why are so many people interested in the July 22 Solar Eclipse; what does this phenomenon reveal (if anything) about our perception of reality…does it have any significance in Kabbalah?
Dear Rav,
I have been studying Kabbalah for a few months, since Winter 2009, first with the Learning Center via the internet. and now going to your morning lesson, reading the texts and being part of the Kabbalah group. My question is about your blog, “We are brought to Perfection through the Cure of Absolute Kindness”.
I was a ballet dancer in a company, and a childhood competitive gymnast. I have many physical injuries, including foot, knee, achilles tendon injury and a serious back injury that finally necessitated three surgeries and finally a spinal fusion.
For the last three years I was on opiod pain medication. In the last six months I have been able to stop using the very strong medication and only use over-the counter medication. However, I do use the medication every day as I still am in pain all the time without it.
So tell me if I am right or wrong. It seems as if I have had to suffer these incessant blows to come to the eventual realization that everything has been done in absolute kindness in order to bring me to my destiny, and by studying Kabbalah, this will calm me down., and this will be my painkiller and I will no longer have pain of any kind. Meaning I will not need to take any more pain medication.
Should I be trying to stop even the over-the -counter medication? Does this mean I may expect eventual, hopefully soon, release from this pain?
Greetings, Reb Laitman!
i’m from Brazil. a Country where the other countries(and even people from inside it) like to disseminate psychological terror.
The trend now, is that swine flu. people fear it so much, but there’s something strange in some aspects of this epidemic:
H1N1 is the ‘name’ of the virus. (well…it has the number 11 in the middle of the name)
the popular name is swine flu(which caused some havoc in Israel, too)
I had contact with infected people and I haven’t developed any symptoms.
What do you have to say about this swine flu?
thanks.
Vivian
xoxoxo
Is there a reason in the spiritual world for why species of animals become extinct?
Have you studied Tanya by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi? And if you have, how come you never mention it? And what is our purpose in this physical world, in this World of illusions? And do you talk about the importance of keeping Mitzvot?
Thank you for your time,
Menachem
Why does the Creator give people physical illnesses, in other words pain at the most animal basic level, with which they cannot heal or solve? Why does he force people into martyrdom? Why does he make people live lives of true horror when they have not and cannot even learn about Kabbalah?
Lets please forget the path for a moment. What is a regular person in this world supposed to tell oneself during the most horrific , unimaginably worst of times?
Can Kabbalah prevent suicide? And how can suicide cause a person to have a more difficult incarnation next time around if this too is not a free choice?
How in the world am I supposed to believe even for a moment that He does only good when I see only bad, just like any other person in this world with eyes sees?
It seems like you tell somebody, “hey u can come closer to the guy who runs this show,” and the person should say ,”keep me as far away from this lunatic as possible. I’m better off in the dark.”
Im sorry for the negativity, but i just don’t feel like these discernments about daily human suffering have been adequately addressed. If the Kabbalists do and have always known all, in my opinion, they are responsible for explaining to all of humanity and even individuals, why the Creator seemingly treats them so poorly. Thank you Rav. I apologize once again if my tone brings anybody down.
how do the six hundred thirteen desires become revealed to us after the crossing of the machsom? Is there a list of these desires? How are these desires differentiated?
Shalom Rav Laitman
You often mention the Upper Light or the Light of the Creator, but what exactly is this Light? What does it feel like and what will it do? How will a person sense this Light?
I am certain that this Light is not the same as the light we define in our world although I relate the two often.
Thanks
In terms of quantum physics, the universe consists of energy.
Therefore everything, including thoughts, are also energy.
Where do thoughts come from, and why/how does each individual think (attract ?) his own particular thoughts ?
Maybe embroider on this topic. I would have more questions if I met you in person!
We are located at the center of the Philippine archipelago, there is no official kabbalist here, therefore, can we subscribe from you the codex of kabbalah? is there a need of a real person to activate the 10 sephirots of our bodies? who is our initiator then, if there is no representative here from the kabbalah center? is the 72 names of God necessary to activate the 10 centers? If then, can you give us an example?
Is hypnosis okay for a kabbalist and is it a tool the creator allows us to use?
Please if you will, explain to me the way in which I can ask quetions or know if a Kabbalah Center is teaching the Torah and Zohar and the true teaching of the Baal HaSulam. I have been studing with a rather large world wide Kabbalah Center and it seems that what is more important is giving %10 of your income and charging for classes and instruction.
I can say when I read your books and listen to your talks I get a fire burning in my heart.
Thank you for your gifts,
Toni
Mr. Laitman,
Good afternoon, how are you?
I had been searching “the meaning of my life” but to be honest I could not find a great teaching to fill the gap and complete the missing bricks of the construction until I have met you and your lovely teaching. So, I like to express my admiration to the Creator first and then you for bringing the light to the earth and share it with blind like me.
Mr. Laitman,
I’m a hard study kind of person and I like to receive and share the light in the sake of God, the creator, not me. So, I have been reading your essays, clues, teachings so happily and thanking you all the time.
Mr. Laitman,
If you don’t mind, I like to get advices from on the must-do and must not do or the key works to receive the light and be servant of the creator. I don’t know how many of my 613 (+ 7) egoistic desires have been corrected by now. However, will it be a selfish request if I ask you to help me correct my self and receive the light and reach the thought of the creation?
Best regards,
Nejdet Alsancak,
Adana, Turkiye
Dear Rav,
What are you supposed to say to friends who are gathering when one asks “How do you feel?” or “How are you?” while you are feeling half dead with the flu (or any illness)? I think I am expected to lie for the sake of the group’s positive attitude, but it feels wrong to do so.
Is it better to avoid the group when I am feeling weak so as not to bring them down?
On the other hand, it feels so uncaring when someone says nothing more than – “There is none else Besides Him” when I have no idea why I am so frequently of poor health. I guess I also really want to know what I am doing wrong to deserve this or whether I have somehow volunteered for this suffering. This issue has plagued me for my entire adult life but I guess it has made me appreciate the man called Job (from the Bible). But I still feel like I am dealing with this alone.
There are others like me who really, really need to understand health issues in a little more depth than being told it is a problem caused by “ego” because most of us have probably been given all sorts of more specific yet conflicting advice spiritually, psychologically and medically. I have been with BB for a couple of years now and my health has not changed, but my attitude toward it is more often in acceptance of the fact that this suffering is for my own good or the good of someone else.
I also think that BB can be marketed to the chronically ill as a target group if we have more articles etc discussing “remedies” or reasons. I know you prefer to discuss health in a pro-active way but you will discuss “remedies” for the ego. How about linking the roots and branches so that the connection will be more obvious to those in physical and mental pain?
You tell us to experiment on ourselves internally and I think the chronically ill have more opportunity to do that than just about anyone else while they are denied participation in other parts of life. They have time to contemplate while in their beds assuming their faculties are not too affected. There are oodles of forums for people in pain which provides an opportunity for BB to provide them with the answers or advice that doctors are not equipped to provide. But we are lacking articles directed at this group of people who are open to “trying anything”.
Please forgive me for my lack of understanding, but you are my teacher.
Looking forward to the day,
Judy
Hello,
Each of our material life events follow emotions and feelings. Sometimes the same feelings can follow rather different events. Does it matter what the event is like with which we get feelings regarding to root and branch connection? Does each material life event have only one root or one root can come into action as branch through different events depending on person?
Roland’as
What should I do if I feel that I am a kabbalah prodigy at 20 years old, should I just keep learning or am I allowed to teach from my own analogies of what I know so far?
If the world does not unite and nature will destroy large populations of us until we go down to a small population, what will force us to unite? Wouldn’t this be the same as ancient babylon(small population and a large empty planet) and everyone will have more space to move around without having to interconnect?
Honorable Rav. Laitman,
In his book The Kabbalah Revealed is written that were created only 600 thousand souls, and they subdivide because the issue of selfishness.
My questions are:
1st – the result of the subdivision is also regarded as a soul, ie, a single spiritual entity?
2 – what happens to these souls that is resolved then the issue of selfishness. They are extinct, ie, ceased to exist entirely?
3 – Can a soul be extinguished?
Thanks so much,
Anselmo – elmanlux,
São Paulo City, Br
How does one forget about kabbalah? They say you are the worst when it comes to cursing the creator; how is that?! On one hand you are the world’s greatest optimist, on the other hand you are the world’s most pessimistic. I do not understand.
I will make this short as possible. I am a returnee i was not raised in a religious Jewish home (secular Jewish home) I recently started to go to Yeshiva (Lubavitch) at the old age of 48. I do not understand how a non Jew can practice your Kabbalah if you also talk about doing Mitzvah’s and studying Torah. Non Jews do not have to do all the mitzvahs that Jews do, and studying Torah (Talmud, Mishnah etc.) is also something non Jews do not have to do. So how do non Jews study your type of kabbalah? They will not want to try and do all of the Mitzvahs and in any case it is forbidden for a non Jew to do mitzvahs or study Gomorrah or Talmud. Also I would like to know (If) you don’t have to practice Judaism to learn your type of kabbalah than I was wondering if any of your students or yourself practice and follow all the traditions of orthodox Judaism, wearing a kepa or wearing tzitzis? and if you do (why) if non Jews can practice your type of kabbalah and still gain from it without observing Jewish traditions. Please understand that I am not writing in a negative way I simply don’t understand how non Jews can study Torah (Gemara or Mishnah or Talmud) and do all the mitzvahs? Thank you for your time, Michael
If a couple watches the morning lessons online together, could this be harmful? I mean, will it distract a man from connecting to his friends? If yes, concerning the same question, is there a difference between watching the lessons together live and downloaded? Thank you.
Dear Rav Laitman
On your profile you write some about yourself. Having children and grandchildren and also about your career. You don’t write anything about being married.
As I am still a bit concerned about the women’s role in Bnei Baruch although I really try to understand it I was a bit hurt by this.
So my question is why you don’t mention that you are married on your profile?
Greetings
Barakha
Dear Rav: On your message of the day dated July 09, 2009, you say: “Right now, all our work consists in feeling that through the study, I attract the light of correction, there is nothing else. When this light will shine, I will know what to do with my desires, will be able to work on my discernments and my correction”…
How exactly does a woman draw this light of correction???
Your answer will be deeply appreciated, as this is a main building block in our work.
Hello Mr. Laitman,
I’ve learned that death only pertains to the will to recieve. Is this to say that a kabbalist physically reincarnates with that same desire? Or that the new physical reincarnation is conscious of its birth? Or is it maybe set up to study and attain spirituality at a younger age? Because a kabbalist lives in both worlds simultaneously, so physically is his memory erased of the previous incarnation? Thank you for your intentions.
Hello Mr. Laitman,
I understand that there is really one reality of bestowal in which we all live. My question is: When I experience this world subjectively, am I experiencing only a portion of the true reality, or is my reality completely separate from it?
Shalom Rav Laitman
Will you ever write a commentary on the Psalms? it would be nice to know for once their true meaning.
Thank you
Since women aren’t obliged to study Talmud Eser Sefirot, can she study all other lessons in media archive or what? Thank you.
We are trying to disseminate the message of the integral system to as many people as possible . Are there any methods of marketing that are considered more appropriate for use in this dissemination than others? If our intentions are correct do, they correct which ever method we choose to disseminate with?
During the lesson, I heard you say that it is forbidden to educate children in unconditional love. That the right way is through reward and punishment. I was thinking about it and feel that you are right, but as far as our relationships with our grown children and other relatives or friends are concerned in our world at this moment, I sensed that I have to show when I dislike or like something. Sort of a reward and punishment system. All my life I have felt that I have to tolerate for the sake of peace. What can you tell me about this?
Rav,
I was reading about the Native Indian ritual of the rain dance. It is said to induce precipitation as well as to cleanse evil spirits from the earth.
If one were to apply, kabbalistic definitions to rain and earth evil spirits =egoism, it sounds a lot like raising MAN. Did Rabash ever mention any correlation or is this just my imagination gone wild?
Marc
Dear Rav Laitman,
In January of this year I started studying Kabbalah with Bnei Baruch.
I have tried to read everything that you have written about the new way to educate our children.
Specifically, I am a private college counselor in the US and have written a college planning book and program which has been quite successful. I am currently writing and preparing the second edition and I am unsure of how exactly to incorporate the new ideas of education you speak of into my book.
The entire book/program is based on how best to get into a good university through good grades, different subjects etc. and stressing exactly what you say, “…He is quickly crammed full of various knowledge to pass his tests, get good grades and to continue his higher education” , and thus destroying the child’s creativity!
I have been approached by a large non-profit organization that focuses on the 30% of students that drop-out of high school every year in the US. I feel a big responsibility towards all these students and want to give them the best information possible.
So, I would like to know if there are other articles, books etc. by you, Baal HaSulam or the Rabash that may be helpful in guiding me how best to combine the new way to educate a child with what I do to help students and their parents.
Any advice will be greatly appreciated.
There is a question that has yet to have been asked.
I accept that kabbalah and religion are two seperate things dealing with two issues but they interrelate just like you cannot have a body without a soul or the opposite the same is within Judaism. Kabbalah is the soul while Judaism is the external method that G-D gave the Jews in order to live.
My question to you is how do you view such things as Halacha and its abiding by it? and when you talk about prayer as being an inside feeling does that mean that you disassociate yourself from the way of our daily prayers from the siddur? also what about the Gemara that talks about G-D’s wisdom, how do you view this?
Kind regards and thank you in advance for your response,
Elliot
Rav,
What is the difference between Kabbalah and Yoga? Both seem to have the same goals, union with Divinity.
I am in an international altrusian group. They dedicate time to help the community in many ways. They want me to be the treasurer. I want to dedicate my time to kabbalah and feel divided in what I should do, please help. Is helping the community bestowal or if disseminating and kabbalah more important? Thank you.
Hello Michael . I was so delighted to be familiar with Kabbalah. This philosophy reflects my personal aspirations. Do you have any locations in Russia? I would like to visit them while I am there. Thank you in advance. Linda
shalom,
I am writing to your blog now because the things that happen to me,are occurring now even during
the lessons i follow on Kabbalah, and as realistic I`m trying to remain, and as much as I want to love my neighbour, I keep being caught at almost any level (physical, emotional, energetic) under the influence and control of external and very negative intentions. They ultimately announced my close death, while doing all to weaken me and scare me.
I am a 54 years old woman, single, immigrated from Romania, and have few illnesses but none terminal.
It`s just that this situation is intolerable and I’ve never heard of anywhere. They are real persons with surreal capacities. It`s like I`m being connected through thoughts, to very mean persons, continuously. Is this kind of thing known in Kabbalah?
Hi Rav Laitman,
How does Kabbalah explain mental illness and how can it be solved if not through conventional methods (which as we know do not seem to work).
Thank you for answering my question.
Dear Rav,
I thought you might like to see this. The bottom line… according to the UN, 2.8 billion people won’t have enough water to meet their basic needs by 2025.
Here is a link to the story: http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pmed.1000102
What is beyond the goal, and if there is a beyond is the goal really THE goal?
(Since I was a child there has always been one question that has brought fear to me in a way no other matter have. This is the question that has come to me when I have been thinking about the universe and it’s the question of what all this is. I have had nothing to put it in perspective to and maybe therefore it has troubled me and brought me fear. However, since I started studying Kabbalah this question does not bring so much fear to me anymore. Instead another question, that I feel is similar, has arised in me and that is the question of what will happen after I/the world has rose to attainment of the upper world? What is beyond this goal, and if there is a beyond is this goal really THE goal? This question is perhaps impatient and silly, but it makes me uneasy and I feel I have to ask it.)
Dear Rav,
I would like to ask you specific question about mans destiny.
Do you think that, it is possible from a boarder perspective that, it is the same if you choose this or other way in life? I mean that just man’s perception of one or the other way (decision) and its consequences may be different, but there still something like destiny lightening the life path?
thank you
I was looking and was unable to identify a children lesson about this so I ask… What is the best and easiest way to explain death and incarnation to children according to kabbalah?.
Thank you everyone!
Nancy
Hi Michael Laitman!!!
I use to ask you questions on twitter.. Now I will here.
My question is… how will the whole world unite and learn kabbalah if no one will tell them?
I asked my teachers this but… they said to tell no one because they will understand it the wrong way. But still… if we don’t tell them… then how will they learn that kabbalah is the answer?
A question about Maaser. For decades I have given away at least 10% of my income. It goes to charitable organizations that provide people with ways to improve their lives as well as to the spiritual communities I belonged to prior to Kabbalah. Does this giving fit the definition of Maaser? Thank you.
Dear Rav;
If we were to observe without judgment and live each moment with love and compassion, would suffering in the world cease to exist?
We learn that it is not allowed for a person to ‘look back’ to his prior states of spiritual development.
Having this in mind, I cannot understand how then Kabbalists were able to describe all those states to us?
Moreover, we know that some of them prayed that Creator that He would lower them to those lower (past) states, so that they could convey them to the lower ones (us).
If, lets say, I want to write a real-event-based book. To be able to do that, theres no other way, only as to go back to those states/events and feel them throughout once again as much as possible. Isn’t the same in describing the spiritual?
Thank You for explaining.
DEAR RAV
5 Questions
1.) What is the distinguishing difference between a.) “repentance out of fear” and b.) “sitting there eating oneself up”?
2.) How does one “perceive” the process that the mistakes of the past are becoming purified?
3.) If one would know the internality of all the “actions”, would this serve like a “bank” of trust amongst the people?
4.) Would the feelings of shame and repentance cause one would to not want to look into the mirror for 1 year?
5.) Is everything that is missing, what we search and yearn for: The Light of Chassadim, and the confidence that it will come with it?
After few months of studying kabbalah, i find hard to find pleasure in ordinary things that i did before. Whatever i try to do, i hit the barrier of my ego. Either i decide not to do anything, or i break it but afterwards i feel shame.
Therefore i am loosing interest in everything beside study and my job, which i have to do. But how can i justify Creator if there is nothing to look forward to or nothing to take pleasure in?
Dear Rav,
At the post Posted on August 19th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Don’t Look for Love In This World. .
I understand that always the problem are not founded only for woman, but also for man. Because it’s difficult to find “good women”
Your advice given in the letter mentioned above, I understand this applies also for a man. So my question is:
If you advise ” not to look for….”
”So my advice to you is: Don’t look for truth, justice, loyalty, and love in marital relationships.” (from the post)
So, what we have to look for in marital relationships?
And how to be a partner without expecting to receive loyalty, truth …..??
Thanks in advance,
Leon
Rav,
In the Torah, who (or what force) was Melchizedek? And why did Abram pay tithes to him? The Torah says Melchizedek was a priest of God, but I thought Abraham was the first to discover, let alone attain, the Creator.
The Jewish nation(Israel) is supposed to unite and be a light unto the nations, but in Israel you have so many divisions between people that the only time we have truly united is The war of inderpendence(after immense suffering from the Shoah), and the Six day war(out of great fear of being destroyed). Will we not have to go through more immense suffering to realise we must unite as 1 people?
Hello Rav Laitman, I feel very close to you and everyone every time I visit your blog, specially that we can access it from a mobil. My question is: if Eve’s condemnation following the sin is that man will rule over her, what can we do from this world to adjust to this condemnation without conflict/or suffering? Thanks everyone… nancy
Rav mentioned several times that as we progress towards the study of Kabbalah our need for addictions, i.e. illegal drugs, and the need to abuse prescription drugs just falls away. I personally have experienced this. My question is: Is it the Orh Makif that is doing the job or is it our friends helping us? thank you.
Your goals are beautiful. Happiness, freedom and consciousness of the people and harmony in the world: Am I right?
To come to your goals, your methods are effective: You use people’s ego, and illusions to make them free from ego and illusions.
Am I right?
The consequences are exactly what you want them to be: People are attracted, the circle of your followers grows, and your power and influence grow too.
Am I right?
Don’t you think that for the sake of creating more power sooner you might have slightly distracted from the true goal? Don’t you think that your followers are somewhat distracted too?
Rav, There is supposed to be a big Mitzva according to the commentaries, if somebody takes the baby birds from the nest when the mother bird is not there.
I researched the subject a little bit more and the commentaries say that it is because when mother bird comes back to the nest, and doesn’t find her babies, she screams to Kadosh Barukh Hu and this draws the attribute of pity (Rahamim) on the whole world.
What does this mean in Kabbalah?
There is a nest on the wall of my house with babies and we see the mother and father running in and out to feed the children. I don’t dare touch them.
Dear Rav,
I was thinking and researching a lot before I finally decided to write to You.
All my life I was a rebel against the social system. After somehow finishing high school, I went off for a spontaneous and irrational traveling, to find myself. I needed that, to find out what >I< want to do in life, not what others want me to do, and what to be. It’s not a miracle that I discovered Kabbalah in my way.
From that time (it was in a year of 2005) I eagerly study with you and in my corporeal life I am trying to schedule my doings by the model of Bnei Baruch as much as possible.
From being spontaneous and constantly risk taking wildcatter, through those years of studying Kabbalah I already turned to (at least in comparison) a decent person, and now I’m trying to build up a needed healthy frame of social status and behaviour.
I found my profession, through which I earn money like a normal citizen. I have a woman that’s likely to be my wife too (our relationship is totally based on Kabbalah).
My question is about the university studies – and specifically at our time of global instability and multi-crises. After denying the system all my life, now I want to be just normal, and I see university studies as a means to help attain this “normality”. I have a huge dilemma about this, because it’s impossible for me just to see my little life with my little surroundings without looking at it from the global point of view. And watching from there I get very, very unsure…
If I have a profession (photographer), do I need to study at the university (international business and communication or advertising management)? Because you said that a person must go to the army, university, have a job and make a family.
Rav,
How can the wisdom of Kabbalah explain ghostly phenomena? For fear of misinterpretation, I mean haunting, possessions, etc.
Thank you.
Why don’t you post about the situation in Iran ????
There are many Iranian people in Facebook
that need support.
Why don’t you do that ??????????????
Rav, I know you say we must leave a descent as soon as possible. It is true and I agree. When You are in a descent and people around notice something such as lack of energy, etc. Such as at work where one is to be alert and taking calls and you are under the landlord. Do you have any tricks to conceal your emotional inner state from people (exterior), to avoid them getting any grip into your internal state?
Dear Rav,
I am a student of Kabbalah and am ever in awe at the inter-twining of the wisdom revealed through the teachers and what has already been revealed to me personally. This is the only hallmark I can trust to indicate the “correctness” of this system and I do.
My question is: what’s the deal with Israel? I mean, I’m your usual American wastrel and I can not imagine uprooting myself to live in a foreign land, let alone one which is constantly at war. (and while we’re at it, what’s with all the war over there in Zion, you’d think they get the Kabbalah newsletter wouldn’t you?)
I’m not trying to be sarcastic here, in truth, I’m heartily confused. I want to contribute in this altruistic communism you speak of, but I wonder where I can find a home for such a place in this current day. Hah! That’s not to say I don’t find myself feeling quite alone and outcast where I sit, here in NY, mind you.
So, yeah, some clarification on geographical circumstances and the personal role each can fill to bring about the glorious uprising of the “true?” nation of Israel would be appreciated. I hope, one day, to reach a place of altruism and when I do, I want to know where I should be standing.
Thank you ever so much.
I am upset Sir… and I will tell you why…
I can only find information about this incredible experience I had in the Indian culture…they speak of it clearly and precisely. The consciousness language feels universal.
I am Jewish, Israeli… and I am confused.
I had an experience that changed my view in a shattering undeniable truth.
only it was short lived (5 months) and seemed to advance my understanding from complexity to simplicity, from separation to Oneness, known attainment of the ego, information that felt as gentle Wisdom, High Awareness to the meaning of creativeness, potential, manifestation, thought, information, creation etc.
there was a change in my vocabulary…incredible intuition, the burning need to speak of truth as I felt it, writing what flowed through my mind etc.
gradually, it left me.
My Question’s Sir:
1. In the Wisdom of the Kabbalah, what happened to me? And
what am i to do with this difficult duality of how i live and what i feel?
2. Why does this higher consciousness subside, leaving me empty?
3. How does one live normally after this experience, when the world he must
survive in is so contradicting to what he feels or what he “now” knows as false?
I deeply thank you for your time.
I will wait for your reply
Gal Shalev
4.7.1980
Do you take guests for Shabbat?
Do you teach Kabbalah en USA, and where do you teach in the USA?
Rav,
The current assorted available glossaries are not very helpful for a new person. They have circular definitions and inconsistent organization. As a result, I seldom find what I am looking for. The glossaries in “Idiot’s Guide to Kabbalah” and “A Guide to the Hidden Wisdom of Kabbalah” are much better. Unfortunately, these glossaries are not online and they are not complete, but they are written in the correct style for new people. Moreover, I don’t think having yet another document to consult is a good solution. An definitive, on-line glossary/dictionary is what we really need for new students.
You can’t understand a sentence properly if you have misunderstandings about the words in that sentence. Why isn’t there a definitive glossary of Kabbalah terms available online – or in text? I really think a glossary project would be a great benefit to new people.
Would such a project be possible and how would we get started?
Everywhere I go, I’m filled with fear. I’m worried what people may think about me, why?
Why do I care and how can I get over it?
I’m yet to understand, how is man to blame for anything if there is None Else Besides Him? He pre-determines everything, so how do you criticize issues of this world at all? In addition, on the path of trying to beleive there is only Him, isnt it harmful for a person to criticize all that is around him being that this is said to only be a reflection of himself? Thank u.
Dear Rav. I would like to thank you very very much for everything you are doing to help us reaching our correction!
There are two things that seems to become more and more clear to me;
1 – when we are experiencing a sensation of inner connectedness to a “system” that sustains us and which we must sustain ourselves as well, it´s like being connected to everyone to some degree. If we, through our physical senses, get impressions that we are alone, separated etc, we have to let our inner experience of belonging to this loving caring common soul, have the upper hand. So that we realize that we are never alone what ever might occur to us physically.
2 – It´s also like the whole world, the whole of humanity are parts of this living “system”. Affecting it and being affected by it. It´s like we have to work with the whole of humanity, affecting it the best way possible with good and loving forces. Even like to some degree correcting not only for ourselves but also on behalf of others. Like what we are doing within with our intentions etc have real effects on others as well.
3 – This feeling and this experiance is what we have to disseminate to the whole world – right now.
Like every time, writing you a question, things becomes clearer and I get the feeling to not send the question. But this time I send it to you anyway and would like very much to have your opinion.
Q; Are my observations above correct?
If so, can you give me advice on how to proceed?
If not correct – please tell me.
How do we prepare every occasion of dissemination the best way possible?
Sincerely yours
Lots of love
Tomas Agren/Sweden
Maaser=?
To give a tithe or Masser, one needs to be employed or have an income.
This is where the problems arise, I observe many working 10 hour days, sleep 7 or 8, and the rest of the time 6 hours or so, eating, do home chores, and family time.
It does not seem to leave much time for any spiritual pursuits. In a way society has us trapped. Big homes, fancy cars all this plays a role with time we have.
Also, some do tithing to religious organizations so they can build bigger edifices
than the church down the street, and pay big salaries, and perks to the leaders.
So how does one trust or know in his heart that this Masser is indeed a Law of Nature or just and not contrived?
Hello Rav. What exactly is the male impure force,and how can it be determined that one is in its grip?
Unity,
Montie
In the preparation to Monday’s(6-15-2009) lesson, you mentioned a difference between rapid spiritual advancement and actual inversion of the desires. My question is: how is there advancement without inversion?
Unity !
Montie
Dear Prof. Laitman, I am a 58-years-old woman who lives in Italy. I do not have Jewish origins, my family was Catholic. I am a physicist. A few years ago I started feeling the need for an answer to the most fundamental questions about life and the meaning of pain. At last I found the kabbalah.info website and felt I had found the right place (thank you!). I have started studying “Kabbalah for the student” and several other text you made available for download. This is great for me but I am concerned about 1) the fact that I am a woman and I have read that the role of women in Kabbalah is complementary to the role of men – and I do not have a man; 2) I understand that when studying, women should follow a different path, but I don’t know what it means; I just bought the book and started studying; 3) you underline in your writings that studying in a group is essential, but I am alone.
Could you please give me your opinion and your advice?
Thank you very much, I will deeply appreciate your help. Best regards, Silvia
We say in Judaism God forbid something bad should happen, but i dont understand. God does not forbid (make impossible) such things from happening. Anything and everything horrible could happen at any given moment in this world. Can u please explain? thank u
What does “Your friends corporeality is your spirituality” mean?
Dear Rav,
I asked a similar question at your lecture yesterday, but I think i figured out a better way to phrase it. Where is the guidance in the path of pain? Even on the grounds of this world, how is a person expected to be able to handle life? What i mean is, Why did the creator leave the option that without the wisdom of Kabbalah, the mass of humanity would be left to develop through seemingly meaningless, chaotic suffering? Thank u.
Can you comment on the recent shooting at the Holocaust Museum?
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jz74U5-M7d052GqcbS8hyfPF7GQgD98OFO180
Dear Rav,
This was recently published in the BB English Department News – newsletter (subtitle: News from the BB English Department Director)
Please explain how this paragraph honors and exemplifies our unity, and attempts to implement the circular organism model:
“Exciting Changes at the Bnei Baruch Learning Center
Enrollments at the Learning Center have continued to climb higher and higher. In order to accommodate these new friends, the entire Learning Center facility is undergoing a complete reorganization. When completed, our flagship education facility will include 6 major divisions that contain 21 separate departments – all dedicated to providing our students with a wonderful learning experience. Initial divisional and departmental meetings will begin next week and the entire reorganization project should be completed by the first of July.”
It is good that there is growth, and with that comes change. But is the Learning Center a “facility”? With “divisions” and “separate” departments? Is it all about quantity instead of quality? I don’t see anything with regard to unity, love, care for new students, as what one finds in the circular organism model. Were these words of separateness and division and institutional structure.. just a poor choice on the part of the writer? Or is there an organizational problem here? It looks to me like there is an organizational problem here, and this idea of quantity over quality needs to be looked at again. Earlier today, I was informed that the reorganization is going to “corporatize” the Learning Center. Corporatize? I thought the circular organism model was about turning all of our organizational structures into family… not corporations. There is a HUGE difference between those terms. One is a circle (warm loving family), the other is a hierarchical/dictatorial line (cold robotic corporation).
What are your thoughts on this?
Ahava,
Debra
What is Moshe in our spiritual development?
Dear Rav,
My question comes from personal experience. If the goal is loving, supporting and giving to people, treating them like you would love them to treat you. But in reality, we see even our closest friends feel its too hard to give and support you when you need them. And it feels like you are giving them all your heart and when you need them you feel indifference towards you. How can we expect this from strangers if we cannot make it work with friends?? Of course, I mean a Real Warmth coming your way and not polite phrases with smile that means nothing. And giving should be mutual otherwise it feels very sad…Please tell us your thoughts on this subject. Thank you. Your student.
Once during a congress lesson you said that free will only exists within the group, when men choose to “love their neighbor as themselves”. But a woman doesn’t have a group. Where does her free choice lie?
Thank you!
Hello,
In your article about the 613 desires you mention that they are revealed in a person after he crosses the Machsom. My question is this:
When do i know when 1 of those desires is reveled?
Thanks,
Carlos Saldaña.
What is the spiritual meaning and role of the throat? I once read that you said that it’s where body and soul energies meet. Could you please explain further? Thanks.
Are you saying the ice age 12000 years ago was the Creators punishment for what?
Earthquakes, floods and all other natural disasters are also a result of the loving Creators dissatisfaction with our behavior? Please answer.
In his recent speech in Cairo, U.S. President Obama spoke of the need to meet each other halfway, to join with each other in peace, to care about each other. He seems genuinely to be of this mindset. What is your opinion about the emergence of this kind of thinking in a world leader at this time in our history? Thank you. Mary
Why do Kabbalists wear a kippah and traditional Jewish clothing?
Do you practice Judaism or the traditional Jewish religion?
What is the purpose of the other Kabbalah learning center in the world?
If Bnei Baruch is the only learning center which provides authentic Kabbalah,
Are this people misleading??How can we explain this to them to be able to help them??
Dear Rav,
Why do you think that more and more people are drawing to the study of Kabbalah ?
If religion designed for human being, how come it does not caters for people who prefer same sex?
If a woman does not go through recognition of evil, then what does she feel before she crosses the machsom? What is her state just before the machsom?
If a woman does not go through recognition of evil, then what does she correct?
If both a man and woman are in Kabbalah, do they pass the machsom together or can each of them pass it separately?
What is the difference between the unity achieved between men in the group and the unity attained between a man and a woman?
Dear Rav,
Will the curriculum for the School of Wisdom be available for download??
Dear Rav,
On numerious occasions you have posted remarks on “OBAMA” My question to you, in your opinion how to you see the “CHANGE” in America, & President Obama’s message or new approach to the Muslim world & the Correction of “ISRAEL” Is this a WAKEUP CALL TO US? You spoke about it during the election.
Thank you!!
You mentioned the following:
However, if you want to bestow to them, you must first acquire all of their desires. You must make everyone’s desires become your desires. You will then transmit Upper Light to these desires, connecting them to the Creator. By doing so, you will be unique, like the Creator.
How does one accomplish this? How does one acquire all of the desires of others. Above all, how does one transmit Upper Light to these desires?
Thanks
Can a Kabbalist die if he wanted to?
In this world of crisis and suffering, should one want to have children?
(I am 32 years old woman, childless, and wondering if this egoistic desire to have kids should be fullfiled or not, as we know it is so hard to live in the world we know)
Please Rav, give us an advice: how can we find the strenght to do the efforts toward connection when our ego is so strong that we feel like we can only surrender to him and don’t do those effort that we MUST do?
Sometimes is like “I know I must do this, but I dont’ want at all and I have no strenght to do it”.. these are frustrating moments, our ego seems like the strongest power existing!!!
Dear Rav,
I’ve been studying Kabbalah for almost two years now, and there is something bothering me. – It seems that the more I learn about my own nature, the more I’m disguisted by it. I feel as if I’m getting even more bittered than I already was.
I simply can’t focus on the goal, the beauty of it, while I’m feeling so disguisted by my own nature, and that of everyone around me. What should I do?
Thank you!
I was wondering myself…if Nature is intelligent and we should resemble it by stop being competitive but collaborative, why is that animals compete for food and survival, or plants compete for sun or other natural resources? Does Kabbalah share some point with the Evolution Theory?
I partially understand that marriage is part of a man’s correction. However, i have very few corporeal merits that would make me remotely appealing to the opposite gender. I am poor, bad with managing money, own no house, have no car, and am only concerned with one thing…Kabbalah. Should I divert time from my studies and other work in the group to make myself more corporeally fit for marriage? Do I really even need to be married?
Thank you
Do we need to have the point in the heart before we can begin to correct ourselves and our relationships with others?
Dear Rav,
You claim Kabbalah is a science. Personally, I love science and it’s one of my favorite subjects. I am also fascinated with Kabbalah’s wisdom. I know that there are requirements for a study to pass in order for it to be considered a science and not a pseudoscience. One such requirement is that the study can be falsified (proven false). So, for honesty’s sake, is there any way for Kabbalah to be falsified?
Dear Rav,
I completed the ARI Online beginner and advanced classes, and , for the past two years have been attending your online classes daily.
I’ve studied Pticha, Shamati, and The Zohar.
Your wisdom is profound.
But, lately, the only portion of the lesson that that I feel I can relate to is TES.
The abstract seems more real to me than the discussions concerning present world conditions.
Is this normal, or am I loosing my way?
Thank you !
Rav
Knowing what we know from the study and the lessons, why is it still so hard to let go and not be absorbed into this material dream world we live in?
It sometimes scares me that I must change my life direction to an unknown path.
I do trust in what you say, and see the power of the group, only I do not feel worthy of such responsibility. How can I overcome this feeling of complete worthlessness in myself and step up and join my friends in the great work?
Your humble student
Fabian
In a recent answer you gave you said that the Capitalist System of America was evil because it focused on the Self rather than on the whole of Society as so many other countries do. However, how do you account for the fact that the People’s of the U.S. give more to Global Charity than any other nation and exceed all of Europe in their charitable giving? It seems to me that the New World that will emerge out of the current Global Crisis will come from the ingenuity and ambition of the American People which comes from a Pioneering spirit that is fueled by an Independant and Capitalist System. All people’s of sound mind, no matter how wealthy come to th the point of giving. If one looks at the life of many wealthy Capitalists, including, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet, George Soros, and many many others…they have given a great deal to Society. Don’t you agree?
Rav,
You said during TES 5-25 15:00 that love evokes hate and hate evokes love. How does this effect our relationship toward the group, toward people outside the group, and between men and women. We learn that love in Kabbalah is unconditional mutual giving. How do we ever achieve mutual love if our love evokes hate?
Must a descent be delved into for discernments? Must one let a descent touch his sensation to a certain depth in order to raise MAN? Going above reason feels like a numbing the sensation to a degree.
My dearest Rav,
My son graduated from college 2 years ago and just returned from Cambodia from his work as a Peace Corps Volunteer. Like the rest of new graduates, there are not enough jobs out there and now he has decided to take a teaching certification so he can go into teaching which I think an excellent idea. Still as a mother, I am worried for him and for the rest of our young people. It seems like they have no jobs to look forward to.
What advice can you give to parents like me so we can properly guide them ?
What would you advice to all those who just graduated with college degrees in these difficult times ?
Thank you for everything that you do for all of us.
I send you my love.
Aloha,
Wela
Hello Michael Laitman,
My boyfriend and I have been actively watching the lessons and partaking in dissemination for over a year. However, lately, if I understand the term properly, he has been in “low” state. He has not had the urge to study and disseminate as he once did. I understand he needs the group to “come out” of this state, but is there anything I can do personally to help him?
Hello Dear Rav Laitman,
For quite some time now, I have been very interested in hearing your ideas and philosophies on education, and I am wondering what you think of the idea of implementing your models of education into the Ari Online Learning Center. I see that some of your ideas already exist there, but it would be good to have that entire program infused with your models of education, instead of only portions of it. What do you think?
It worries me a lot that education is becoming more and more pressurized and intense at younger and younger ages. And I know parents think they are acting in their child’s best interests to cooperate in this, but they are not acting in their child’s best interests. What does kids want? More relationship and security with parents? Is supporting them in this redundant education system helpful? Thanks
Hello,
I would like to know how would you explain Alzheimer disease in terms of the soul. Another question that is nurturing me is why our body dies at a particular point and not the other? For example how could the deaths of small babies be explained?
thank you very much,
Love always
Marta
Dear Rav,
I am connected to the NY Congress through the broadcast…and it is awesome.
It would be interesting to conduct a silent congress one of these times.
Do you think it would be welcomed enough to do it?
Or…is that too impractical?
IMHO…it could prove to be a very productive experiment!
Dear Rav,
Why is the Shamati article # 65, “First Will Be the Correction of the World”, never discussed in the lessons?
If we don’t have a soul, what do we reincarnate? If a person is studying Kabbalah but doesn’t succeed in crossing the Machsom in this life, how can the fruit of his efforts be passed on to the future generations?
I’ve been watching KabTV and it appears to be providing a great service. But, I have seen no women in the adult classes. I see boys and girls in the children’s sessions.
The Constitution of the United States is a great document full of great ideas. But, at the time it was written, it excluded everyone except white men. Its intent was not what it appeared to be. In this light, what is the intent of Kabbalah TV? Thank you.
Over the past 15 years the amount of children with autism has increased significantly. Some blame genetics, some blame the increasing amount of vaccinations and the amount of toxic pollution now in the world. What is the reason for having such an increase in children who are limited in their expression and communication?
Dearest Rav Michael Laitman,
I am so thankful that you created this such awesome site that offers a lot of infos about Kabbalah. toda raba.
where can i locate your office here intel aviv? i want to take Kabbalah seriously that i wanted to enroll my self. i offer to volunter also in your center if there is anything i can do. because i plan to bring and share this knowledge to the Philippines.
toda raba v kol tov!
kris
I would like to ask Rav. about the necessities of life. Rav speaks often of (BARE NECESSITIES). My question is: What constitutes “bare necessities” does it mean just food and a roof? no car? would this include vacations or designer accessories? New clothes? I am asking this question because of my increasing wants and egoism.
What should a person do if he has a strong desire to come and unite at the congress, but he is also extremely affraid of flying? How can he overcome this paralyzing fear?
There is so much information out there…what are the websites, books that should be avoided?
I would like to know if the physical action of Maaser is considered a spiritual action that has an eternal spiritual reward?
Dear Mr. Laitman:
The Creator is Omnipotent. The Creator is pure Bestowal.
So, why then the Creator did not directly create His creatures similar to His own nature: He is Omnipotent (he could have done it) and He is pure Bestowal (He wants the best for His creatures)?
On the contrary, He “figures out” a very convoluted way (world, galaxies, evolution, etc.), lengthy process (millions of years). He conceals from us the way to reach the final goal for thousands of years (what is the point? why is He playing with us while we suffer for millions of years if He is pure Love?) and leaves us in the dark. He gives us the wrong tool (our egoism) to find the exit way in the dark(provoking us to go astray for millions of years with a lot of suffering for billions of persons). And He let us to find the way out through trial an error (we do not know His rules and He does not give us the right tool to find out the way) and He indicates we are in error using the method of suffering (if He is pure Love why did He not figure out a process of teaching us in a different way, not through suffering?).
Respectfully,
Dario Polo
Rav,
In Attaining the Worlds Beyond I read –
“Everything that surrounds human beings deliberately dulls the need for Divine Awareness, and sensing pleasure from anything external instantly reduces the pain of spiritual emptiness. Therefore, while enjoying the pleasures of this world, it is vital that we keep them from obliterating our need to perceive the Creator, as these pleasures rob us of spiritual sensations.”
This Ego thing is really tricky business….
On the one hand, ego is necessary to create the desire to seek adhesion with the creator. On the other hand, seeking adhesion with the Creator on Ego’s own terms causes Exile…
Can you or anyone share with me their secrets in tasting adhesion without causing their own Exile?
Dear Mr. Laitman,
How does one know when one understands the lessons from the on-line study correctly?
Thank you,
Stefan
How are thoughts created ?
Is there a constriction ( restriction ) which creates a void and therefore an opening for a thought that manifests as a desire which can then , with the proper intention, be filled with the light ?
Or is the desire created first which then manifests as a thought ?
Thank you !
Dear Rav,
I was reading the Secret meaning of the Bible article and I came across this parragraph:
Everything around us is impregnated with somebody else’s desires. Only one thing can save one’s soul: an even deeper connection with the purpose of creation. We have to build a surrounding layer, a screen, around ourselves. This screen will protect us from outside obstacles that attempt to distract, seduce or frighten a person. If we cannot construct the protective shield that will shelter us from all the useless folly of this world, we will not able to progress spiritually.
My question is: How can a women build this screen? Could you please elaborate a bit more on this paragraph concerning women’s inner work?
You say that in a corrected state we should consume no more than we need and the planet could feed 100billion people. But if the Creator is omnipotent, why keep us in a state of rationing? Why not have the land overflow with food, water, and other resources, so that EVERYONE could have not only what they need, but enough to truly please their appetites? Wouldn’t it be better if we could have a feast everyday? Why does the Creator want to keep us in a state of rationing?
Dear One
Why do the priests not yet understand how it works – isn’t it what a priest is assigned to? There is only One Holity – and that is Unity – how can we get independently in faith above reason united? How can we find without blows the way to faith above reason? Love is eternal independency in unity?
We’ve heard many times that every corporeal occurrence has it’s spiritual precedent. Since that is the case, what is the spiritual root of a kabbalah congress?
What ,in the upper worlds, leads to us gathering in corporeality?
Arvut!
Hello,
I have difficulty understanding the notions of Adam HaRishon and Adam Kadmon. How do these ‘Adams’ differ? How should these two terms be understood from one another? At what point in the creation process does each ‘Adam’ represent?
Many thanks
Dear Rav,
It is said that human cloning can be advantageous in a situation such as a parent with leukemia cloning a child to have the same dna so that the child can provide bone marrow to the parent. I found this in a religious site. It is repulsive to think this and an ultimate act of egoism. What are your thoughts about cloning?
Ahava,
Gigi
Crisis to ‘claim lives of 56,000 Asian children’
“More than 56,000 children in Asia will die as a result of the economic crisis gripping the world economy, the Asian Development Bank said on Sunday.”
AFP
Dear Rav,
In relation to the linked news story, how can one reconcile this prediction of calamity? As it was mentioned, it is also a social crisis, with this awareness, how can it be prevented when the conditions are beyond control? Does one just face this bravely and chalk it up to reshimot? It seems so cruel. What about arvut? How can we build a future generation when this is happening globally? This is too painful to comprehend.
Ahava,
Gigi
I’ve been doing some reading on the Zohar…I’ve found that the majority of Religious authorities rejected it when it was first published, and that Moshe Cordovero is the one who not only commended it to written word, but invented it as well. There are various sites such as “Path of Abraham” who call upon those who rejected several of the concepts and/or the entire work all together, all highly respected in their time.
How do we know the Zohar is real?
Also, I read somewhere that, according to the Zohar, Masturbation is worse than murder. Is this so?
Hi
I am confused by the meaning of this verse from Genesis 6:4?
“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown. “
Is it necessary for all Jews studying Kabbalah to keep the laws of Kashrut? Around the world there are many Benei Baruch students who are not Jews, naturally. Is Kashrut beneficial to them? Also, how do I participate in the L’chaim’s over wine which isn’t kosher?
All the old teaching of Kabbalah is in Hebrew. What is more important, the Creator seems to have used the Hebrew letters to create the world. Thus Hebrew is essential in understanding the Books of Creation. How can we, the ones not knowing Hebrew, hope to ever come to the true knowledge of Kabbalah? it is known that any translation is a betrayal of the original. What we get is in the best case second-hand knowledge, mediated knowledge and incomplete knowledge. You say Kabbalah has opened to the world at wide, but how can we overcome the obstacle of language? We stand no chance of ever coming close to the Jewish teachings.
Can you give the meaning of this article –
Shamati 138
138. ABOUT FEAR THAT SOMETIMES
COMES UPON A PERSON
Dear Rav,
Being that there is no freedom of choice, how can person have freedom in his reactions to these pre-determined events? No one can be in agreement with painful events to him or his loved ones, and you say that in fact there is no advancement from suffering. But if He gives me that suffering, because there is no other force, it seems that the root of the work for a suffering person is to accept that the pain is from Him? This seems like a cruel game and im sure my view on this is wrong, but i simply cant discern how else to view this. Can you please explain? Thank you very much.
Dear Rav,
What should a person on the path do (or a person in general for that matter) who is given a painful medical condition with which there is no cure for? If he tries every doctor imaginable and no one can help him out of his pain, what is he to do? Taking this to the most extreme, tragic levels what if, God forbid, a person or his loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness? What should the outlook/ actions be at this point? Thank you very much.
Are some souls charged with correcting more egoism than others and destined not to achieve personal correction? Can one justifiably feel that the klipot are especially fond of him and that the Creator does not want him integrated into the group, despite one’s best efforts to be?
thank you
Rav, you said that the Holy Zohar are for those people who have attained a higher degree already. Why is that, that when i read the Zohar, i feel like elevated or some sort. There is a profound feeling that i have felt when ever i read the Zohar, and all the passage that i read are sometimes very clear to me, that i can comprehend it (Not Literally) and grasp the essence of what the Zohar is telling me, i can feel the greatness of the Creator whenever i am reading it.
And besides that, this profound sensation that i have felt is somewhat unique and different from the sensations that i have felt whenever i am studying the Writings and Articles of Baal HaSulam and of the RaBash. I am not saying that i am already a Kabbalist or highly spiritual or some sort, but does this mean that i have already attained a higher degree or is this sensation just normal to us?
Hello.
Are homosexuals shunned from studying Kabbalah? Are they totally welcome to study.
Thank you.
Karen
Can you comment on the swine flu? Why is this happening?
Hello Mr. Laitman. So the meaning of our lives is to fufill our creator’s thought, by becoming of equivalence in form with him? And is Death the necessary expansion of our mind and desires to meet that form?
Thank you, your a brilliant soul.
I engaged with Kabbalah since October last year and from January I started feeling a lots of ups and downs. I don’t know what’s happening with me. One day i feel a bliss and the other I fell like I want to die. What happens with me? I am about to kill myself. I can’t stand it anymore. I think i am not a normal person anymore. I fight with my girlfriend and she thinks that Kabbalah’s intention of unity is not going to happen because according to her there are many bad people in this world and we’re not going to reach that unification with all the souls. So it’s not real.Today we broke up. And i am lost. We have a wonderful daughter who lives with her, but not with me. I have suicide thoughts, but i don’t need a psychiatrist, I need your opinion.
Will you please speak about the process and purpose of clarifying our understanding of the teachings in the morning lessons by way of writing and drawings?
Emergence of the “pig flu” virus is one of the examples where it seems that nature acts against human connectedness. Medical experts offers only one prevention – minimizing social contacts, which is our own natural ‘reflex’ from the start. (Another example is that we have economic crisis because of which the same ‘reflex’ is telling us to minimize our personal dependence on the global system by self-isolation…)
How can we clearly and correctly decipher what is the real message we’re getting from the nature by immersing us inside such events? What can we do about it?
Dear Rav,
i have a question about dissemination and study, which quite troubles me.
I am very interested in studying more advanced and technical material, even though i dont understand it at all. Also in the dissemination i want to translate technical articles, because for me, this is important.
On the other hand i feel great repulsion, when i watch all those talks about unity and especially how we have to warn others against crisis. I feel like most of friends, who talk about such things are either forcing themselves, they are blind or they all alredy attained. How can they talk about something they dont really feel?
I refuse to do this. And i espesially refuse to convince someone about something that i dont really feel.
I feel like people, who will listen, usually want deeper material. And people, who are on the level of “be nice to each other or crisis will get you”, wont listen anyway.
After all isnt person corrected by the ilumination of authentic texts instead of trying to be “nice”? And how can he think himself into uniting? And how can there be any intention, if all thoughts come from Creator?
do you answer questions in all languages, in which people ask? how many languages do you speak/read/write in?
Dear Rav,
I read and try to study your material eagerly and at the same time have a strong passion for the study of the most important texts of traditional judaism, such as the Tanakh and the Mishnah, even if i’m not a Jew.
Lately I read a parenthesis in an article of yours in which you admit you are far less more orthodox than your teachers, and indeed I found out that both Yehuda and Baruch Ashlag were ordained rabbis, while I read elsewhere that you’re not, and the customary “Rav” title is granted by you by your Kabbalah students.
My question is: is it possible, given the link between Jewish heritage and Kabbalah, to be a trustworthy master Kabbalist without the rigorous education usually given by jewish schools about their traditional texts?
Obviously, my question is made out of curiosity and keeping in great regard your person and your teachings, and it is by no means provocative.
Thank you very much!
Maybe this is a question that will be useful to everyone. I believe a lot of people (including myself) are ready to accept The Truth and change their lives accordingly because they’re getting dissatisfied with how things are today. There are already enough obstacles keeping people from doing what they need to do and lack of proof should not be one of them. So how do we know if what you’re saying is the real deal? You say, “Try it for yourself,” but that’s not a good response. I once even thought that this must be true because your organization is so widely distributed and has such a sophisticated web presence yet you do not charge, but this is no different from many of the other cult groups today. So Mr. Laitman, how do we really know we can trust you? What proof do you have for us?
I have been following you more then four moths. You have showed us that Kabbalah is nice. Thank you for that.
I Like to help people who realy need a help or i know that he is kind person. I refuse to help rest of it. Because there are lots of people in my work, wanting me doing extra personal job that i dont have to do. I prefer to give help to a person who realy need it? I get confused. I want to know what you think about it?
Sometimes i get tired giving these egoists. Maybe i expect to recieve a food or dinner. But i dont want anything from them. I have a friend that he used me too much and he behave me like i am not important. I stop my relation with him. What do you think about it. How i should behave to these egoists?
Thank you
Dear Rav;
How should one respond in business when you are blatantly being sabotaged on a continual basis by a client without having to deal with the negative force that will come back to you in dealing with him? He works within the corporation that is one of my mainstay customers..
How do you study kabbalah correctly?
I would like to ask what is the root of insanity?
This is not popular question about people studying Kabbalah going mad, but i think you once said that if the desire is too strong, but person lacks sufficient intellect, he can go mad during studies of Kabbalah. Is there a way to cure such a person by ordinary means?
This following question assumes that there will be a physical reality once humanity is corrected. In a physical perspective, what form will unity take? Will this appear as a global government, or perhaps no government?
If God created us so that we would have adhesion with Him, in other words to bond with Him, then does it make sense (and is it beneficial to us BOTH) to talk conversate with God as we would with a human? What exactly is the nature of our relationship?
What is the spiritual root of water?
In the future society that we need to build, will there be people in all levels (still, vegetative, animate and speaking), or will there be only those who have reached the speaking level? You mention the importance of education, but do we have to teach people to follow the laws of nature in their particular levels, or should education be aimed at rising everybody to the speaking level?
Dear Rav,
I’m a graduate of the learning center Fall 08 class and have been studying with you for some time now. Recently I came up with an idea that might serve as a stepping stone to altruism for humanity in general. I propose a campaign to redefine the word ‘profit’.
Profit is currently defined as “The positive gain from an investment or business operation after subtracting for all expenses.” I envision an addition to that statement; that profit will not be at the expense of any other person.
When a farmer grows a sustainable crop all persons benefit, not just the farmer, but the planter, fertilizer manufacturer, grocer, end consumer and so on. However, many current industries require a ‘loser’ in order for them to ‘profit’, insurance, banking, auto salesmanship (most salesmanship in general) are examples of industry that cannot succeed without another failing.
If we were to change ‘profit’ to include the collective impact it could serve to educate people of the real system. Is this thinking a manifestation of altruism or would you say it is still rooted in ego?
Thank you,
Ben
Scientists observe altruism on the animate level.
Altruism in insect societies and beyond: voluntary or enforced?
Dear Rav Michael Laitman,
I feel very lucky to have stumbled upon your teachings and wish to thank you for the effort you employ in disseminating Kabbalah throughout the world.
At your convenience I ask that you would elaborate even more in regards to a response you provided to Eden Harel in an interview titled ‘Can a Kabbalist also be a Buddhist’. The video is posted on Kabbalah.info
.
Eden Harel: But what’s so good about the ego?
Rav Laitman: … One has to be cruel, and to feel himself as tight fisted and as a careless spender and as lustful and everything, and he has to go on living with all this and not to suppress anything, but on the contrary, to develop it.
The print reveals you are suggesting to be cruel, a careless spender and lustful. How can one live this way with such qualities and expect to make progress with their study of Kabbalah? Surely if your students acted this way the Bneu Baruch – Kabbalah Education and Research Institute would surely dismantle from poor organization and moral.
Thank you for giving this letter consideration and time.
May peace and security be upon Israel,
Jason M
Hello!
My name is Signe and I’m a student of theology. At present I am writing my bachelor work about Kabbalah view on human negative emotions and this view integration in Interpersonal psychotherapy. And a question have arose – will be it right, in the context of Kabbalah, to choose the opposite emotion of the negative emotion (which we have recognized), and to integrate it in our life. If this view is right, maybe You could recommend some Kabbalistic works where this idea I could find.
With the best regards and hoping to get the soon answer –
Signe
Hi Rav
People seem to be getting worked up about a big secret that religions have kept from the masses. This group of researches have picked the truth out and going to release there findings in next month or so. Its something to do with star formation, orions belt and a nearby star. They claim an advance race came to earth from that star system to aid mankind. They claim, they will return soon to put stop to wickedness on earth. There is soo much evidence its hard not to believe them. Is there any truth in these stories?
http://keyofsolomon.net/
the ancient talismans look very real.
Hello Michael Laitman,
I’m confused about the meaning of the Messiah. Can you please post a comment about the Messiah and explain it.
My next question is has the Messiah been in this world already?
Thank you for your time
-Kiran
Why did Susan Boyle touched so many people around the world with her voice? Can you talk about this, please?
What is the Kabbalistic significance of the holiday LAG BA OMER?
Thank you
Dear Kabalist
I want to ask you advice about being Shomer Habrit. In America it is very hard to be able to keep being Shomer Habrit. Even though I know that I did not look or saw anything temptational I seem to spill seed or have high temptations to do. I want ot ask your advice about this. My Kabalist friend said that thier is some breathing techniques which can release the temptation. Please if you have reference to internet information or anything you advice to read, anything helpfull.
Sincerely Iosif
Dear Rav,
On the topic of pain, I remember once you said that suffering in no way advances us and if we think it does, we only fall into the concept of being a martyr which puts us deeper in our ego. At the same time, you’ve said we have to be thankful even for the suffering because He specifically gave us our situations to advance us. Can you please explain the difference?
Also, it seems that He forces us to be martyrs in a way, because many of us suffer from painful conditions with which there is no help for. So, it’s as though such a person either has to be proud of hurting, or simply falls into the abyss and cannot take it anymore. How can we make sense of such discernments?
Thank you.
Hello Michael Laitman,
I’ve just bought your one books, which is called: Kabbalah Revealed: An Ordinary Person’s Guide to a More Peaceful Life. I want to ask you one question that came from reading it. If you say that people thought that technology, achievements, etc. will make their lives better, so why are we still trying to learn and invent new gadgets? What should we do instead of that? It’s impossible to stop all investigations and studies, so what should we do?
Thank you,
Simona from Lithuania.
What advice can you give us for our inner work?
Dear Rav,
On your recent Ask The Kabbalist program you said that the only real thing a person can do for someone who is ill is have good thoughts for that person. What does this mean exactly? The illness comes from the Creator, as do our thoughts, so what does this leave for us to do towards such a bad situation? Also, what does it mean to pray for that person being that the Creator gave him the illness?
Thank you very much!
.
Dearest Rav,
Here’s the link to the news regarding the question that I just asked
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/1500-farmers-commit-mass-suicide-in-india-1669018.html
Love always,
Wela
My dearest Rav,
I came across this news -
1,500 farmers commit mass suicide in India
Wednesday, 15 April 2009
Over 1,500 farmers in an Indian state committed suicide after being driven to debt by crop failure, it was reported today.
The agricultural state of Chattisgarh was hit by falling water levels.
“The water level has gone down below 250 feet here. It used to be at 40 feet a few years ago,” Shatrughan Sahu, a villager in one of the districts, told Down To Earth magazine
“Most of the farmers here are indebted and only God can save the ones who do not have a bore well.”
Mr Sahu lives in a district that recorded 206 farmer suicides last year. Police records for the district add that many deaths occur due to debt and economic distress.
In another village nearby, Beturam Sahu, who owned two acres of land was among those who committed suicide. His crop is yet to be harvested, but his son Lakhnu left to take up a job as a manual labourer.
His family must repay a debt of £400 and the crop this year is poor.
“The crop is so bad this year that we will not even be able to save any seeds,” said Lakhnu’s friend Santosh. “There were no rains at all.”
“That’s why Lakhnu left even before harvesting the crop. There is nothing left to harvest in his land this time. He is worried how he will repay these loans.”
Bharatendu Prakash, from the Organic Farming Association of India, told the Press Association: “Farmers’ suicides are increasing due to a vicious circle created by money lenders. They lure farmers to take money but when the crops fail, they are left with no option other than death.”
Mr Prakash added that the government ought to take up the cause of the poor farmers just as they fight for a strong economy.
“Development should be for all. The government blames us for being against development. Forest area is depleting and dams are constructed without proper planning.
All this contributes to dipping water levels. Farmers should be taken into consideration when planning policies,” he said.
This article is from The Belfast Telegraph
______________________________________________
I would like to know your view or thoughts on this. You said that suicide is a very extreme expression of egoism. The banks didn’t give these farmers a chance. They probably intended to repay the loans but don’t have the means to do it and the banks are squeezing them. I have a hard time seeing these farmers as egoists. Please help me understand.
Thank you !
Aloha,
Wela
Dearest Rav,
I recently lost my job, due to the current economic situation. In spite of the fact that I lost a large amount of my family’s income, I was actually very excited to finally have time to devote to my studies. However, instead of studying more and doing more dissemination work, I find that I am becoming more complacent, and not really that enthusiastic about getting moving! This scares me! When I had a full-time job, I forced myself to study at least an hour per day…now, I think….I have time later today, but never get around to it. I want to advance! I even dreamt that the Creator visited me and pushed me to study!
Could this be a decent or is it that because I am a woman, my soul does not need to study as much as the men? I feel that this is a crucial time for humanity, and I want to make a difference!
Thank you for your reply!
Love, one of your students,
Catherine Wyatt
Dear Rav
Should women give more importance to the dissemination than to study?
The more I study i feel sometimes that I more and more do not understand the material…. Am I on the right track?
Dear Rav,
Tonight on 04/15/09 I am watching “Fox News”.Protests have occured throughout the U.S. today, 600 to be exact.”Tea Parties” is what they have called the protests.This name is reflecting an event that occured in American history,where people protested high taxes.Middle class families,young people,old people,Democrats and Republicans all united for these protests.
They were unhappy about government spending,higher taxes,and big government.Some Govenors expressed how they thought the government was becoming oppressive-refusing to take bail out money.One general concern was socialism.
On a personal note,I have heard many complaints and fears from co-workers,and family members.A general thought of distrust seems to be threading through the nation.
My questions are: Do you think that this may be a general trend ?What could happen if it continues and escalates?How could something like this affect our path for correction?How does this look to the rest of the world?America does need to appear strong and cohesive to the rest of the world,dont you think?
How can I connect to others if I have nothing to offer them. I find myself in this situation. Even when I do offer smalll things like my share of the rent, or a pack of noodles, or even a ride. People seem to forget about it the next day and I still feel a very small connection between us.
I have asked, ‘why am I here?’
And the answer I received is, “Because I AM”
I understood that to mean that, we exist beacuse that is the nature of God – to create.
That is His nature. There is nothing He needs or wants or purposes other that to create.
Therefore, my exisistence is nothing more than a gift, to be enjoyed and cherished.
Why must that which He created have a purpose or than just being?
Sincerely,
Greg, a Learning Center Student
Dear Rav,
You said that Rabash gave you Shamati on his death bed, and noone had seen these articles prior. But if There’s None Else Besides Him is the cornerstone article of Kabbalah, why wasn’t he teaching this to all his students? And if he wasn’t teaching this, what was he teaching? Where are his other students today?
On the same topic of There’s None Else, you said in an old lesson that we must believe that anything and everything that could possibly happen is only from one force, and it is the Good. That sounds all well and nice, but how is a person practically able to believe this for even a moment? How can I say that everything bad I see and feel in my life and those around me is not only an illusion, but is in fact good? How can a person take pain with grattitude? I know this isn’t the objective, but it sounds like ultimately this is how a person must look at it.
Thanks so much!
Dear Rav
What is your opinion of Equidistant Letter Sequences/Torah Codes? Thanks!
THE secrets of unconditional love, one of the most mysterious emotions, are being uncovered by scientists tracing the unique brain activity it creates.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/science/article6078485.ece
I know authentic Kabbalah does not officially sanction the red string bracelet. If I wear one, am I offending the Creator? I have found since I have been wearing
it that it sparks discussion with people I meet, giving me an opening to talk about the Wisdom of Kabbalah and how it is changing my life. Is this acceptable, do you feel?
Scientist discover that bacteria talk to each other. That a bacteria cell all by itself does not produce any “Light” however when together produce “LIGHT” . After reaching a critical mass these bacteria produce light .
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/bonnie_bassler_on_how_bacteria_communicate.html
Rav, during the President’s recent world tour, he stated that Americans are/or have been arrogant. I have an opinion on this but the rest of the world seems to be learning from America. Aren’t they all a bit arrogant and what wil bing them out of this state? Will they soon realize they are not on the correct path?
Can a person be your Tikune or Satan? Or do we have tikune’s with people that need to be settled? Or is the Tikune with us and the person is just from the light to show us we need to settle the tikune? I have had a relationship which has ended about 3 weeks ago, yet we are still in each oher’s lives, pushing and pulling each other out of the relationship. I feel powerless over her and cant break away. I have been in relationships that have been similar in the past and feel this maybe my tikune and would like to break through this. How can I settle this? Can I settle my tikune with my existing relationship?
Is it justifiable to use the Creator as and excuse for poor behavior and treatment of others?
Dear Rav,
How can a person be expected pay Masser and disseminate before he has confirmed to himself that Kabbalah is in fact the Truth? From his perspective, since he does not yet have attainment and only believes it is true, he could be disseminating and funding something that is in fact false and therefore misleading to people. Thanks so much!
Dear Rav. Laitman,
What is your opinion, or what kabbalah tells us about closing a women’s womb forever via surgery or natural resources after having couple of kids, or planning a family?
Thanks for everything you give us.
Does the world crisis reveal evil more, or less? (sometimes it actually feels like less). If evil is being revealed to a greater extent, then doesn’t it make it more difficult to correct since it is no longer as concealed from us? Can we say it’s an indication that we’re getting closer to the Upper Nature – a new degree? What is the new effort we need in our work? And what about those who haven’t yet been working on revealing evil? Do they now miss the opportunity since it’s openly being revealed to the world today?
Do Kabbalist make great fighters?
Can we use our ego, our will, in any constructive ways ?
It would seem natural that only a great ego can accomplish geat things, both here in the physical world and in spirituality.
Isn’t this necessary to advance from katnut to gadlut ?
If we accomlish raising above our will to receive for one self alone, to the intention to receive in order to bestow, the needs ( desires) of the many far exceed the possible needs or desires of only one, to the extreme of maintaining the needs of all of creation.
Although we may transform the deisre to receive from selfish to altruistic, without “will” there would be chaos at best, or no existance at all.
Shouldn’t our ego, will, intention be to relfect the will of the Creator which we can only perceive by observing His obvious intention to sustain creation ?
Another student on the intermediate forum had this question concerning pesach:
“In the passover hagadah ceremony there are three matzot that are used. These are located one on top of each other.
First, the one in the middle is broken in two unequal pieces. The smaller piece is placed back between the other two and the larger piece is hidden to be used later as the Afikoman.
Later in the ceremony, the Hazan takes the three matzot again for another blessing, removes the Matza on the bottom and uses both the upper and the small piece in the middle to distribute the pieces among the participants, who eat these with the spices.
Again later, the third piece (the bottom) of matza is distributed for eating.
Finally the Afikoman (the larger piece from the first breaking) is found and also distributed among the participants.
it clearly seems to be an allusion to the Breakage of Adam HaRishon, the later division GE and AHaP, GE adheres to the Upper.
Is the Afikoman (larger piece of the middle Matza) equivalent to AHaP? Why is this piece eaten the last?
What’s the lower matza? is it Malchut? Why is this piece eaten 2nd to last?”
-seems like a pretty good and appropriate question for this sacred time.
Thank you
I found this video on hotmail of an 11 year old Taliban fighter telling us what his idea of “holy war” is:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/30104672#30104672?GT1=43001
Is this type of brainwashing a reshimot that must be played out? Or this this the type of thinking WE as kabbalists correct in OUR holy war?
Arvut!
Dear Rav,
Is there a more clear and definitive way to explain the “methodology” of Kabbalah? ..
The vague understanding of it so far is that we are to get outside of our own feelings…and enter the feelings of another (in that individuals desire for God), engaging the template of the Soul that we learn from the authentic Books of Kabbalah.
Is that it?
Is that the entire method of correction?…aside from the fact that it’s a process..
I have great respect for you Dear Rav…but I am frustrated with how the method is to be delivered to Humanity.
Yes…okay, we are all egoists. Those who control the federal reserves are me.
Okay, got that. Well, if that’s so, then by virtue of the One Law…all of us are also corrected…already in a state of perfection that is yet to be revealed to all ….Humanity.
So…please forgive me for asking, but what makes us so unique and special? This is the part where I am feeling a bit lost. How can we allow ourselves to feel that we (Israel) have a greater desire for God…and that others do not.
Isn’t it the feeling part that which makes or breaks the bond? Wouldn’t it be more efficient to feel/discern that others had the desire for God?
Now, this brings up another issue…the issue of the command for Israel to “be separate, and come out from among them.” Is this entire project only about “Israel”…and not all of humanity? Do we already have all the souls that comprise Adam HaRishon? Is the connection and correction of this unique body of people the only way to reveal the world of perfection?
So, the question now is: where is the power in dissemination?? How does dissemination help us to feel the perfection in the other?
Please forgive me for being so straightforward, but these are very urgent questions.
Dear Rav,
In an old lesson I just watched focusing on “There’s None Else Besides Him,” you spoke about how the path of pain is not a path at all, yet you also said, if I understood corectly, that if a person simply wants to escape his pain into spirituality, he will surely not reach it. I’m very confused by this. What then is the point of the pain if He does not want us to recognize it and then escape it into the Upper World? And even more so, what about physical pain, for example, that a person cannot rid himself of by any medical means? How can he focus on anything but his pain ? (yet the Creator provides no means physically to heal it, and even spirituality is not the answer for him?)……
It just seems as though there are people who are put in positions where both spirituality and contentness in corporeality are completey out of reach. A bigger question is, how can we silence all these terrible contradictions (this world is filled with nothing but denial of the Good seeingly) to come to, at the very least, a belief that it is all from Him?
Thanks so much Rav!
Do you think that ecology could also and together with kabbalah provide humans with the means by which we can excercise the values needed to overcome our destructive drives and finally to reconcile with nature?
An article in the major magazine Newsweek highlights polls that show that Christianity is on the decline in America.
http://www.newsweek.com/id/192583?GT1=43002
What are your thought?
Arvut!
Dr. Laitman,
I was surfing the net and I came across this article in which is titled “Cooperative Behavior Meshes With Evolutionary Theory” and as I read the article. I began to think how the upper force and nature are based on the law of bestowal. Furthermore, I felt a sense of horror when realizing that our science is based out of egoism and is antagonistic to natural law. My question is once we equilibrate with the law of bestowal will we be able to develop a more true perception of science and other disciplines?
Dear Rav Laitman
I have been studying Kabbalah with BB Learning Center for one year now and am very grateful for the opportunity given. There is one thing that keeps me confused: Is it possible that Kabbalah describes what “official” science would call psychological phenomena to a certain extent. I have noticed these similarities but am afraid to be wrong. Of course, I do not think the Kabbalah is psychology but only that certain descriptions would fit perfectly into officially accepted psychological processes.
Thank you very much for sharing your knowledge with all of us
Dear Rav,
Kabbalah teaches that the correction of a man is different than the correction of the woman.The man part is the screen that is broken and has to be repaired.The woman is the desire.
My question is ; why do women feel so broken?Why does their desire make them have such a powerful longing for connection to the Creator, and at the same time feel so seperated, with a love for the male part,wanting to be with him in his correction?She is not envious of him,she loves him and wants to be with him,and feels seperated.She also feels broken.
I know you hear these questions all the time,
Dear Rav,
The way things are in the world today ,makes many people distrustful of politicians and leaders in governments.It is as if they have a secret agenda that does not necessarily include the general population.Do you think that this distrust will grow?If it does grow,and I can’t see that it will resolve;could it make the people rise up against their governments?What would be the outcome of such a thing?I can see something like this occuring in the USA-because the population are somewhat independant in their thinking,especially the male part.
Love
Sharon
Althogh he lacks nothing and can recieve from no one does it please the Creator to create ? I mean the act itself. for example when i play music it has a pleaseing effect on me. When i paint or write i get positive feelings. Is this only a human thing?
ARVUT!!
Dear Rav Laitman
I am quite drawn to the teachings of Kabbalah, but have some difficulties concerning your way of in a way devaluating other teachings as not touching the core of existence and being possible paths for spiritual pursuit for people
What would you think The Dalai Lama would gain from the studies of Kabbalah? I think your answer to this could be clarifying to many who have the same questions about your attitude to other teachings.
Greetings
Rachel
Hello,
If Jews are provided with the task of being a light unto the world and teaching humanity Kabbalah, why is it that some non-jews (Gentiles) become corrected before jews? I mean, how is it possible for non jews to attain the purpose of creation even before a single jew if jews are the ‘chosen people’?.
thank you.
After the world and humanity is corrected, will separate countries and cultures and languages still exist as they do today, or will humanity live in one culture with one language?
Dear Rav,
don’t people need to reject there old beliefs in the creator and the creation in order to find and relies and accept the wisdom ?that is how i found it and i think it is the headrest part and people will search for a long time until they find it? is that true and do we all advance in the same way? if it is then what can we do to hasten this step and make the world pass it in an easy way, although the hardest thing is replacing old beliefs with new ones, in other words will there be some kind of religion’ or faith crises like the financial one? and what can we do if it comes ?
Thanks for posting my interview with Bruce Lipton on your website. The more exposure to these evolutionary ideas the better. And I appreciate you outlining the points.
But one of the key things I feel in the discussion were the last lines, where Lipton says that when humanity as the receptors of Gaia form a new singularity, “the Earth as a single organism will hook up with other Ones.” The great revelation to me was that: of course there is life throughout the universe looking to link with each other to form a greater collective whole. Humanity coming together is an invitation for other humanities to join with us to share more information. In fact the much anticipated date of 2012 is nothing but the acknowledgment of the Earth in its galactic relation (with the center of the Milky Way), as opposed to our solar orientation.
So what does the Kabbalah say about that?
Alan Steinfeld
Shalom Rav Laitman,
I have been studying with Bnei Baruch for three years. I greatly appreciate you and World Kli. Kabbalah has literally saved my “corporeal” life and so much more. I excited about attending my first Conference in May so I can see you and connect with the Friends.
I have all of your books in English. I have completed the introductory courses with ARI Learning Center. My concern is that even though the courses and your live lessons include both the technical and principles lessons, I seem to only have interest in Peticha. I view the archived lessons and then read and reread and reread each chapter. Yet, I do not study Shamati, Attaining the Worlds Beyond or the articles by Baal HaSulam or Rabash except when I study with your during the Friday morning lesson.
Am I incorrect put all of my focus on only the technical lessons?
L’Chaim,
Yehochanan
If the science of Kabbalah is the methode of correction, The Tree of life spoken in the Bible then is there also a science for the tree of Knowledge ?
If Shabbat is a symbol of the full correction are we intering the periode of Shabbat now since enerything is changing back to the way things where ?
I am a young woman and I read on an earlier blog how marriage is not very favored amongst the youth. I however cannot seem to get my mind off of it. Why can’t I keep my mind off of marriage?
Another question I have; I am in a relationship and we both study Kabbalah together. My partner understands that he should be married, and we both want to. However, he has been stalling for sometime to get married. Is there any advice you can give me to not worry so much about marriage or give him advice to encourage him to get married?
I would also like to know if it is a necessary for us to be married for him to advance spiritually?
Also does the marriage need to be done by a priest or Rabbi, or can it be done by a justice of the peace for him to advance?
Q. Rav Laitman, my husband died 6 years ago and I cannot seem to deal with closure of his depart. Does Kabbalah have anything to say to me?
Teacher,
I would first like to thank-you for the difference and positive change you bring to the world.
I need your guidance . I am working on a spiritual project that I know will be of interest to you.
May I have your email address so I can send you the information.
catsinthebag@shaw.ca
Phone 204-783-9875
Shabbat Shalom
Shauna
While reading Shamati 86, I came across this phrase:
“They see that the wicked are left with the thread and did not correct the thread while there was evil inclination; and it was the time to correct it since then the will to receive was evidently a sin, whereas now it does not seem like sin, but like a thread. Hence, if there is no reason, there is no place to correct”
Is this statement saying that,1) there is the discernments of desires both good and wicked within an indiviual and that once the evil inclination(Klipa: the will-to-receive in order to receive) is anulled, those desires discerned as wicked remain because they’ve no incentive to correct themselves as the sensation of slavery to these desires has been anulled? Are these desires an individual’s “stony heart”?
Or, 2) one must attempt to invert desires to receive into desires to bestow while the discernment of Klipot is present lest one fail to reach complete Dvekut?
Or, 3) These things happen automatically and is the degree upon which the degree of righteous( receiving-in-order-to-bestow) is built as exhibitted by the following?
“It follows, that the righteous receive the strength to go from strength to strength through the wicked, and that the wicked have become dust under the feet of the righteous, and the righteous walk on the discernments that remain as wicked.”
I don’t know to whom else I can direct this question. It concerns me because I discerned my degree as requiring , for the time being, that I only concern myself wth the attaining of bestowal in odrer to bestow. Yet, the Creator has never brought something to my attention that didn’t require scrutinizing or that was not pertinent to my developent within that degree.
Arvut!
Soil salinization in ancient Mesopotamia: how to cultivate crops without changing the environment?
Perhaps the first known example on the effects of human activities on the environment is coming from the ancient Mesopotamia. People were using irrigation to cultivate crops. This practice caused soil salinization and decreased crop production.
My question is: we need to eat every day, so we need to cultivate crops. Nowadays, agriculture has tremendous impact on the environment though the use of fertilizers, pesticides, etc. How agriculture would look like when people will correct their egoism? Is it possible, in principle, to cultivate crops without changing the environment?
Dear Rav, I would like to know your definition of money from a spiritual point of view. In particular, the fact that nowadays and for thousand of years money has been created “out of thin air”, since last century even more explicitly because of the fiat money, what means from a spiritual viewpoint? And a money creation out of thin air under the control of governments, the people’s representatives, would be spiritually correct? Thanks.
Best,
Daniele
Dear Rav,
I wish to engage my mother in this study, yet uncertainty has the better of me, though it is not unreasonable. I must hear your response or otherwise I felt I lack some relevant information.
My mother was a healthy woman at the time of my birth, this eventually declined to due to development; much needed push. This force, shattered her mind’s strength, coercing usage of previous useless medication. She now shallow a few tablets in order to subdue certain symptoms, which would hamper the efficiency of the household, and by extension, my father. These medications range from treatment for her initializing schizophrenia and other illnesses, as well as what seems essential, a medicine for her Hepatitis damaged liver.
I ask you, is it possible for me to engage her in the greater dynamics of Kabbalah? Would the study benefit her?
dear rav.
it is written that Islam will rise and try to control the world in the time kabbalah is reveled, there are to versions of islam, sunni (lead by saudi arabia), Shi’ite (iran). and now there is a great conflict between those two teams. every one is trying to destroy the other. what is your point of view on this and which islam is going to rise ?
dear rav.
does not the “rise of islam” as explained in the article clash or at least make it harder to disseminate kabbalah in muslim countries ?
dear rav,
as a kabbalah student in saudi arabia i do not know if i should stay here and disseminate in secrecy through the internet, or should i immigrate to a country where i can work freely and there i think i could benefit the world more?
is it normal for me as a kabbalah student to have a lust to power, reaccept, control and wealth ? some times i try to convince my self to ignore these desires but i feel like i am lying to my self, is that bad, and how can i control it and use it in a good way ?
dear rav,
i study finance and i am in my last years in the university, although its not my favorite topic, but suddenly i found my self studying it , i did not plan for it. the extensive studies in the university are bothering me with the kabbalah study and preventing me from coming to the congress because i cant leave the university, is that a part of the problems i should over come ? and how should ii drop should i balance ? plus i am not really interested in working in finance and banking i, privet business is what i plan for. i really need your advice.
thank you
can a kabbalah student be a successful business man / woman ? if not can you explain why ?
Dear rav,
the name yud – heh – vav – heh is not to be spoken in Judaism out of reaccept to the the name and god, and i noticed that you in the lessons may writ it correct but you pronounce it as hvyh instead of the correct pronunciation. why not pronounce it correct or any other way why not vhyh for example ? does that have any kabalistic significant or is it out of reaccepting the traditions of your nation ?
Do you advocate the practice of meditation? If yes, what method?
Dear Rav,
I recently read that one of the main sources that the system known as “Pranic Healing” was created from was the Kabbalah. You often speak of authentic Kabbalah vs the nonauthentic. I believe I understand the difference between the two. My question is, do you have any first hand knowledge as to whether or not the founder of Pranic Healing, Grand Master Choa Kok Sui studied Authentic Kabbalah? If not, is there a way I could find out?
The meditation being sold on their website can be viewed at http://www.globalpranichealing.com/ps/cd/universal-kaballistic-meditation-on-the-lords-prayer/
Many thanks,
Neil
Dear Rav,
Today, we are preparing for the North American Congress in an environment where the people are watching their savings evaporate, their dream of what their life would be like change and the number of lost jobs growing daily. What is the purpose and use of having people meet physically and how can it affect the world crisis?
William Jackson
Rav Laitman,
I have been a student at the Learning Center since September, and Kabbalah has definitely changed my life. I have a concern about who will lead us or guide us when you physically leave this world. I have heard several times that you are last in a line of Kabbalists. This concerns me because the world needs Kabbalah.
Thank you,
Peace, Love, and Light, Betsy
I have a question about rumours and talking behind the back of our fellow man
it seems like we people enjoy so much that practice (sometimes it seems to me like the worst and less useful form of communication), in latin america for example is like a olimpic sport, what´s the spiritual root of this practice that makes problems that could be solutioned in a day, last for years?
thank you rav
I hope I’m not repeating a question
daniel
.
If the Ego is able to create “something” out of “nothing” then is it not “God”? Therefore to defeat Ego is to “defeat” “God”.
Mr. Laitman.
I am concerned American living in New York. I have been your studying Kabbalah for about 7 months. I often see you referring to America as things are not as bad YET as they will be. Is there something that American people need to know ( Like there are video’s appearing on http://www.YouTube.com about New World Order and possibility of WW 3…. There have been stones erected in the state of Georgia with the 10 Freemasons laws, and 1 of the laws says keep the population under 500,000,000 ..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_Guidestones
.. Are you subliminality trying to warn the people of United States of America that something big is about to happen and if so what can we possible do (do we leave United States?) Please help clear this up for the American students.
Dear Rav,
If all is predetermined, at least at the level of this world, how can it be said that Israel’s role determines both our own future and the future of the rest of the world? How can we prevent blows and disasters that in fact come only from Him? And afterall, what is there to prevent if there is but one force? Thank you very much.
Dear Rav,
In these difficult financial times here in the United States, when many people are out of work or struggling to make ends meet, is it still considered a priority that we make efforts to attend the North American Congress in May? Also, to what extent do we add any additional stress or burden to our family finances by choosing to attend the Congress?
Many thanks,
Sandra
Good morning Professor Leitman. First sorry for my bad english, I’m french.
I vould like propose to you to gone on my website seing San Francisco. It’s my work . I’m artist, photographer and after see your video about Kabbale and quatum sciencie, I think that my work traduct the duality of the reality, the way about the thing are not like the majority see.
And i would like that you say me if it’s true or false.
Thank you Professor
Dear Rav,
A question has arisen: in what aspect does mental instability influence one’s study?
I am one perceived as “depressed,” given medication to counter my developing illness. If my stability varies so at times I may not be capable of study, what is concealed here?
I began my study in a stable, healthy state, only to erode with time. Is this a result of descent, or am I lacking in strength?
My best regards!
Dear Rav,
In yesterdays morning lesson you mentioned about the advice that will be made available in establishing new ways of dealing in business and education. My question is. Will this happen in adhoc manner, or will there be a structured way of doing this? Who are the contact persons with regard the same? Thanks
Hello Rav,
I have a few questions for you:
1st- You have written earlier that Judaism has only made it to our days because of the tradition, how about Kabbalah? Would Kabbalah made it to our days if there were no Judaism “Iron Wall” to preserve it as a method?
2nd- I’ve been reading on the history of kabbalists throughout history, i’ve read that most of them worked towards unification of the Jewish parties and revolted against orthodox currents. Why were most of them (the kabbalists) Jewish even though Baal HaSulam clearly states that ‘one should only correct one’s internality’ ? If there’s nothing but ‘guarding light’ associated with ‘material mitzvoh’, why did Kabbalists carried them out?
This is all,
Tov kol
Tiago
Did Rav Baruch Shalom Halevi ashlag ever punish you?
Being that you were his student, that he was your teacher, I suspect that rabash employed various tacticts to get trough to you. Would you please share with us some of the harsher punishments that you were dealt by your teacher, if in fact he did use a stick to you at some points.
An aditional question: We all know by now that you love d your teacher very much. Did you also fear him? if the answer is yes, then would you please tell us about the nature of your fear, etc. Please elaborate on these questions raised as much as possible.
Thank you,
Shalom
Are you the Messiah? Since you the only one that have direct information to understand what is happening around us more then anyone else and you sound very wise and everything you are saying is the truth. Can you please answer my question, even if you have to email it to me in private… Please answer the question.
Hi Rav.
I was wondering, are there any ghosts? I have encountered many paranormal activities and I wanted to know if this is all imaginary or has it something to do with the spiritualworld, that some people are closer to it than other?
Hello DR.LAITMAN my question is. i am confuse about jesus christ . are we to accept jesus as the son of god. and our saver ? please explain . thank you
Rav, Ihpe you may offer some guidance on a continuing situation I have. How does one reconcile your past? It is a past dotted with illness all my life and “child abuse” early on culminating with a statement at a family reunion in front of my Grandparents that my Mother wished I would have died and my brother lived. I agree I should be long past this BUT it keeps reappearing and dealing with it is what is holding on to me. I want so much to get into Kabbalah but there is this “cord” holding on to me. How does one rid or clear my thoughts of this? Am I not receiving infromation correctly or do I not see what is in front of me?
Hello friend
I’m studying the videos and texts on the site and I’ve been learning a lot! I’m a teacher of philosophy in Brazil and I’ve a foccus of study that is the thinker Baruch Spinoza, a cherem jew of XVII century.
Well, Spinoza spoke about a God like Nature, a God not external, but internal and equal the Nature (Nature not seem only like trees, clouds, and so on, but the superior nature that include all of thing and energies). The Kabbalah sees God like what? What Kabbalah think about Spinoza’s Philosophy?
Thank you in advance
Guilherme
Dear Rav,
It’s an understatement to say: it’s wonderful that a Kabbalah School has opened Israel.
Will the cirricullum be made available to order as the kabbalah Books?..and/or for d/l? Kids world-over, really need to learn the Laws of Nature from an early age.
Moreover, though…how can we make this knowledge available in a more generic form? “Metaphysics of Earth?”..or something of that ilk??
Somehow, we should intimate the fact that there’s responsibility involved, so that the ego can latch onto this Higher Knowledge from the proper orientation.
Until the esoteric stigma that the word Kabbalah carries, is eliminated…we need to be creative in bringing The Intention to the education system.
Please comment!
Thank you!!
Much Love,
Helen
Hello Rav,
I have been a student for about 7 months. It has been an emotional roller coaster. I feel good and then I feel bad. I understand that this is normal part of the correction process. Lately, however I find my life is becoming more complicated and difficult. I am emercing my self more into study and dissemination. I feel like I am becoming a different person but it seems that it is effecting me more and more in a negative way. For example, I am constantly evaluating myself and seeing how my ego seems to be growing. I am also becoming judgmental of other people as well.. I am beginning to see how their ego is ruling their actions. This makes me very irritable and abrasive to people. I am becoming angry at my ego and I am angry at other people for their ego. Even though I know I have no right to judge others and only work on myself.
I don’t know what to do at this point. I know this is probably a private question. But I really need your help in dealing with this. I feel angry, emotionally exhausted, and unhappy…which is the opposite of what I am suppose to be. I am suppose to feel bestowal from the creator.
At this point I don’t know what I should be asking the creator for. I am almost affraid to ask for correction. The more I try the more I get beat up, and the more miserable I feel.
Please help.
Thanks,
Eric.
Hello,
Is there a way I can pray to the Creator for Him to change me so I can have a better life, make friends, and get a boyfriend? I’ve felt socially rejected by my peers since I was a child, and now I’m 25 and I have social anxiety problems and I’m very lonely and unhappy. Is there a way I can pray to the Creator so He can change me and change my distorted, dysfunctional thinking patterns so I can make friends, and boyfriend, and be normal and happy?
Thank you,
Shana
Hello once again Rav!
Recently i have found out that probably i have jewish genes on my fathers side, due to the only sephardic jews in portugal that resisted conversion to christianism or being expeled from the country, they we’re called ‘marranos’ and isolated themselves in a small comunity that lived in a place nowadays called Belmonte.
I have a question to ask you, if Judaism made it possible for jews to maintain themselves throughout the centuries as one nation, how about Kabbalah, would kabbalah have resisted and endured to our timesif Judaism had perished in the past?
Much love, T
If the Creator has no gender-why do we refer to Him as “He”?
Why is it that the male is the broken part and not the female also?
Does “The Thought of Creation”mean that the Creator thinks?
The Creator is Love and Bestowal.He hears our heart cries for help.When we receive in order to bestow contentment to our Maker-does this mean that the Creator has emotions?
If it is only the Creator and the creature,and the creature is in concealment-is the Creator aware of the creatures actions?
Dear Dr. Laitman, would you be kind enough to explain the reason that the creator created us in this form, with Only the will to receive. Why do we have to go through this process at all? Why couldn’t we be created more like the creator? doesn’t the whole creation look like a Game to you.
I am a new student of Kabbalah and have already began to appreciate the concept. In fact, believe it or not, I worked out this concept by approching it from System Engineering prespective about five years ago. since then, I have been searching for any proof that credits my findings. Kabbalah has only confirmed everything that I theorised for myself.
I look forward to your reply. Kind regards. Prof. Kambiz Pourhady, UK
Greeting Mr Laitman ,
I am a student of teh virtual learning center and I along with others are awaiting and very anxious for you to acknowledge a question from another student .
Your answer is very important to us .. I am copying the question again :
I’m just reading the book Kabbalah, science and the meaning of life.
On page 128 I found following quote: Because our caveman would not have the sense that perceives
the wall as Matter or as Form in Matter, he would be able to
go through walls as if they were air.
Unless I misunderstood the information, the statement is inherently wrong. Just because one doesn’t know an object doesn’t mean one cannot interact with it. The text mixes concepts from quantum mechanics and reality from out macro world. The applied logic is not logical. Matter will always be perceived as such, regardless of the form it takes on because our senses are made to perceive matter. In cases where our 5 senses are not sufficient, matter can be perceived with proper instruments.
Example: when I did my first scuba dive I was surrounded by a huge number of forms and shapes I never saw before. Yet, my senses were able to register them.
Please clarify the above statement.
Thank you in advance , Dian
Hello,
When will we as humans in general realize the extensive ramifications of existing within olam Ein Sof (World with no end) ?
I’m just reading the book Kabbalah, Science and the meaning of life and stumbled over some comments that must be considered inherently false.
quote:”Because our caveman would not have the sense that perceives
the wall as Matter or as Form in Matter, he would be able to
go through walls as if they were air.”
We are constantly coming in contact with objects we never saw in our life, but that doesn’t make them unperceivable for us. In other words, even if one never saw a brick wall and runs against it, he still bumps his head.
Is the fear of the unknown (creator) that’s make people think that they want to try live forever in corporeality?
If God sustained a permanent state of pleasure there would be no need for belief, it would not be necessary. And being that the negative and painful is what blinds and severs our connection to the Creator proves that belief itself is our only real weapon in defeating the negative. It is belief that we must take on faith, this is vital and necessary.
I just put ” Rabbinic interpretations of Christian scripture ” in my search bar, and to my surprise nothing came up, I thought I would find at least something. Being that nothing came up I thought it might be a good idea for a project. As a Christian I thought it would be most beneficial if Christian Scripture be interpreted along strictly Kabbalistic guidelines. I think such a project might do much to correct the ignorance, bias and prejudice that most of us inherit. It seems certain that all of us are in fundamental agreement that Gods essence is that of love. That being the case it seems to be a question of technique as far as far as the attainment of that love goes, and in this many of us certainly seem to differ. In my opinion to attain a genuine shift in forging a greater unity our paths must converge, the answer to all of our problems lies in the fact that we all have much to learn from each other, and this is they key to forging a genuine and lasting unity.
Another question – I feel the need to unite with others who have the same goal in mind (attainment of the creator). But at the same time I feel like I’m being selfish to my friends and family because they either do not believe in Kabbalah or are staunchly against this. I know I’m an important part in their life, but they don’t see the problem in the lives we’re all living. Is my place to stay with them and to hope that eventually they realize that things need to change, or do I need to separate?
Dear Rav
I live in a community that is ravaged by gangsterism. Plagued by drugs and unemployment. In this local community there are some trying to make it better for the rest. Most of these attempts point at local goverment, for poor service delivery. My question, In this morning’s lesson you spoke about pragmatic ways of engagement – where consideration is the hallmark. How, through education can one uplift such a community. How involved can one get with organizations doing the same kind of work?
Hi Rav
I have been studying Kabbalah for just over year now. I have come to state were i dont have want to do my current job,i work in IT, anymore i want to become a private trader on the stock markets. In current climate this seems to be worse possible move i can make.
Is it normal to experience lost of desire for your job during process of studying Kabbalah and should i just remain in my IT job?
One Man One Soul
Dear Rav,
my father left most of his money to one son, leaving the rest, just a bit.
needless to say this has caused much friction between us.
Our Mother G-d rest her soul wanted everyone to have an equal share, that was literally her last words. She is the best Mother a person can have, and her spirit is alive in me today.
What do you suggest i do, as my anger is building to the point that i want to ruin my brother, and i have to means to do this very easily.
please help me to do the best thing in this situation. i dont even care about the money, its a lot of money which i would gladly give to Bnei Baruch to spread Kabbalah though. but now its just principle.
i try to honor my father even though he is such a cruel miserable man who has no desire to become better even a bit. and no matter how much i take care of him, he still sides with the others.
please advise what is the best thing to do, as i know that revenge may not be right, but it sure feels right today.
very sincerely and respectfully yours
Gabriel
Dear Rav,
My question is, do you think maybe the time has come that there can be female kabbalist who can help to instruct men and not just other women?
Love,
Wendy
In many of the photographs on your blog, you are engaging in various corporeal diversions. I enjoy going to the movies as a corporeal diversion. Is this desire for entertainment an indication that the goal is not of sufficient importance to me? I disseminate on the web, am training to be a BB editor, tune in for the morning lessons regularly, and rigorously engage in the inner work. Are my efforts still lacking if I’m able to make time to go to the movies once every one or two weeks?
Arvut
Dear Rav,
We talk everyday about the crisis, and just generally how a person must realate everything to Him, but my question is this. It seems like we forget about those with hurrendous diseases and chronic pain conditions. To them, their eintire lives have been a crisis far worse than anything financial, and one in which they’d like nothing more than to leave.
Take for example this disease : “Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) or tic doloureux (also known as proeopalgia) is a neuropathic disorder of the trigeminal nerve that causes episodes of intense pain in the eyes, lips, nose, scalp, forehead, and jaw.[1] It is estimated that 1 in 15,000 people suffer from trigeminal neuralgia, although the actual figure may be significantly higher due to frequent misdiagnosis. TN usually develops after the age of 50, more commonly in females, although there have been cases with patients being as young as three years of age [2]. The condition can bring about stabbing, mind-numbing, electric shock-like pain from just a finger’s glance of the cheek.”
It’s known as suicide disease because those who have it are in so much pain that they are said to be “begging to die.” I ask you Rav, how can a person with such a hurrendous disease possibly ever relate this to “The Good That Does Good” ? Who is strong enough to say that all of this terrible pain is for the best and comes from a Good Source? And why do certain people have to go through such terrible, pain-filled lives?
Moreover, if we cannot cross the machsom without a group and paying masser, than it seems that truly this person has no chance of escaping himself, medically or spritally. So please Rav, can you give some insight into how those who suffer from such problems should relate to them? Thanks so much.
I apologize for not using my real name but I don’t want others to know what state I’m in. -or rather I do because I am vain and proud. I hate my misuse the pride the Creator gave me. Here’s my situation: I know the importance of dissemination toward the nations of the world and bestowal upon the group.
My problem is that everytime I answer questions on the intermediate student forum or disseminate on question/answer sites I experience a sensation that feels pleasurable. I start off with the intention to bestow but this sensation quickly turns me toward self-reception, INTENSELY! I turn into a mindless pleasure-chasing robot and can’t stop until I realize what’s happening; many times not even then! Many times when I notice this, you, “coincidentally” give a lesson regarding klipot and suckling that same day.
How can I possibly hope to serve the Creator, if everytime I get a little Light, I start using Him for the sensation of that Light. Does He awaken this desire in me because He doesn’t want my service? And how can I be of use to the group with this horrible flaw? Should I cease disseminating and helping fellow students until the Creator enables me to do so without sinning?
Arvut
How is the commandment “Thou shalt not kill” to be reconciled with the mitzvah of killing a false prophet? My initial interpretation reasoned that one commandment may be proper for a priest and one more proper for a soldier, but of course have no idea if I’m on the right track.
Not a question but maybe something worth a quote. Today Germany’s President Horst Köhler held a speech about the crisis. Here’s a faboulous quote (my english is not too good, I can’t guarantee an accurate translation):
“The big chance of the crisis consists in the fact that now everyone can recognise: Nobody can create permanent advantage only for themselves anymore. Humanity sits in a (one) boat. And those who sit in a (one) boat , should help each other. Self-interest in the 21-st century means: care for each other.”
http://www.bundespraesident.de/-,2.653300/Berliner-Rede-2009-von-Bundesp.htm
B’H
I have seen you write on several occasions that there are no miracles in this world. I find this difficult to integrate with my understanding of Judaism. Our written and oral history is full of miracles. In fact, most if not all of our holidays are structured around miracles, many overt. Please help me to reconcile these two facts.
Thanks in advance.
Allan
According to the teaching, the correction of humanity takes 6000 years and most of this time span has already passed with just 200+ years left.
Why do we only now, at the very end of this phase start using Kabbalah as a path for correction ? And even now, most people aren’t even aware of Kabbalah. So, at the end, almost all the correction will be through suffering anyway. So why do you put so much effort into the teaching of Kabbalah, virtually at the last minutes of correction ?
Why is it said that one only can make the final step in spiritual attainment when paying 10 % Maaser ?
Isn’t the upper force a static force that doesn’t react to our deeds ? I understand there is no higher force that is going tu punish us for not paying Maaser. Also, by the same logic, paying a higher Masser must then result in faster attainment. Please clarify.
Why do we need equivalence of form with the creator to perceive the upper world ?
We perceive a flower or hear music or feel the wind without any equivalence of form from our part. So why should our 6. sense be different in respect from our other 5 senses ?
Why are Kabbalah and Darwinism incompatible ? It seems both can coexist without contradiction.
In the concept of the future society, Baal HaSalum advertises altruistic communism.
My question is: Why do we need altruistic communism to solve humanity’s problems ? Wouldn’t it be sufficient to reach a balance, not only within humanity but within all nature ? That would still allow for individuality, something that seems to be lost in altruistic communism.
Shalom, Rav Laitman!
I have been a student of Kabbalah for 23 yrs. & know that there are a # of “schools” out there. Your “school” seems to be exclusively concerned with the writings of the Ashlags. Are there any other authors, “schools”, materials, etc. that you (& Bnai Baruch) hold in high regard? In particular, I would like to know your thoughts on the writings of Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan & Rabbi Yitzchak Ginsburgh. In your video about “Who are the great Kabbalists of history”, you leave out quite a number of people & material – I wonder why? No mention of The Bahir, either. Why?
The Kabbalah has also been categorized as “Jewish Mysticism” & not wrongly so. But it sounds like Bnai Baruch rejects the term, & dismisses other practices which have been associated with Kabbalah, most notably Meditation. Why?
For more than 20 yrs., the Kabbalah study group that I have associated with has used the Sciences (Physics, Brain Chemistry, etc.) to prove the validity of Kabbalistic beliefs, & very effectively! Meditation, Yichudim, the Hebrew letters, the Sefirot & the “energies” associated with them, practical applications of Kabbalah in everyday life, etc. are the main objective of this group. Are you & Bnai Baruch opposed to such studies & activities?
I would REALLY appreciate a response, as Kabbalah has become my life & I openly embrace the insights of fellow Kabbalists, provided that they too approach the subject with an open mind. I’ve heard very good things about your online course, & have learned much from exploring your site. So, toda raba for that! Thank you for your time.
Anxiously awaiting your response, I remain,
Mary Wade
Dear Rav, I’m summer 2008 student and I’ve got two questions for you;
After a I read spirit and body article I found a case of spiritually still born, what is the premise on this condition? is it reaching spiritual unconsciously (ex; near death experience, or because he doesn’t grasp it fully so their still in the world of Assiya )?
Moreover at the structure of creation (from TES), I quite confuse on the phase of the soul is fatherless, could you elaborate it more
“Contemplate and delve on the path of the light and taste and see that the lord is good”
Dear Rav,
I,ve been studiing Kabbalah for two years.
My daughter will have Batmitzvah next year. I’d like to make this day for her more spiritual than a regular b/d.
Please, explain me what is Batmitzvah in the Kabbalah way and how you do it in Bnei Baruch.
I’d happy to hear from you.
Thank you.
please explain there is life after death?
Why weren’t women in Bnei Baruch not advised to pay masser until a couple of years ago?
What has changed so that now women need also to pay masser in order to cross the machsome whereas before women could have theoretically crossed the machsome without having paid masser directly from their own wage?
Also, how does this requirement relate to women who do not work and have no personal income – How can they give the 10% required of themselves?
Thank you for your clarification.
I have a desire to start paying Maaser,
I don’t want to go behind my husbands back to do this, but he does not study Kabbalah and is very suspicious about the whole thing. I want to ask him if we can pay 10% of our income. I’m thinking of asking him to give it a trial run and to wait for us to be blessed. Of course this is not why i want to pay Maaser, but i am hoping this will appeal to him on his level. If he says no then i will accept his decision. What do you think?
Thankyou
Kvod Harav Laitman
Thank you thank you thank you thank you I can not say enough for what you are doing
I would appreciate very much your opinion and advise about this question – can you finish 20 years of marriage with 3 kids – after trying and trying and trying to accept your partner the way he is and you still can not – because you can not live any more with heavy verbal abuse with constant balme and criticizm and complaints with no support financialy
or anything. where the kids hear the father swearing at the mother and being disrespectful. Does the woman need to stay because that is the husband the Hashem gave her………..
What will be the purpose of the Land of Israel after humanity attains correction? Why does it matter if Jews (and the rest of the 10 tribes, when they return) live there if ultimately kabbalah is for the entire world, not just Israel? You also state that the 10 tribes number in the hundreds of millions – I cannot imagine hundreds of millions living in such a small area, but perhaps after the correction they’ll learn to live together peacefully in such a small place?
On 3/22 in the first lesson was discussed how to make tv shows that the average person can relate to. I live in the USA so don’t know what you play on tv, but from the lessons on the web site I can offer a suggestion. When Rav speaks to current events I am VERY interested as I’m able to follow his thoughts on common ground. I learn a great deal from this as it is more natural somehow. Can you make a weekly “news” program which gives world news through the Kabblalistic lens? The web site offers a great deal of this, spread throughout the lessons but not in this particular format. Maybe an unemployed worker will stop in front of the tv for 5 minutes to hear a “news bite” that talks about unemployment. This format hits home in the desire.
Please tell Rav thank you on my behalf
Dear Rav,
We who are compelled to study Kabbalah, per se…meaning the Books, the Group, and the Rav…
Why? ….because we are those “chosen ones” who are focusing our efforts on the Unified Soul of “Adam haRishon?”
I ask because I cannot see my two brothers having any interest, much less a connection to this Group.
They do not value it at all (not yet)…where for me, it is my entire aspiration…to return to my root…the state of Israel.
The whole Earth groans like a pregnant woman in the advent of giving birth. But, the real question is: who are we, Rav?????? Who are the Nephilim…and Melchizedek that are mentioned in Bereshit? Can you please expand upon these concepts?
Thank you!
You say that paying Masser is required. I know that this may be accomplished through buying Kabbalah books and distributing them etc. etc. If one wishes to pay masser directly to Bnei Baruch, how can people see exactly how the money is being spent?
Is there a possibility that Bnei Baruch can start publishing any financial reports on the BB website? This may encourage further donations or more people to pay masser. I understand that Baal Hasulam insisted that government taxes must be payed so I’m not sure why finanical information has not been availible.
I’m sure the money is being spent wisely, but I think that BB as an important international organization that will continue to grow must begin to be more transparent to the public in its dealings and to operate in a more visibly accountable fashion that will be more acceptible to foreigners who esteme the stated objectives of BB and want to contribute but are used to dealing with organizations where financial and management processes are more orderly and transparent.
Thank you my dearest Rav and friends!
And by the way, while I’m here, I thank you and the group for the deep effect that you have had on my life. I owe to all of you who I am today and for giving me what is most precious to me. Le chaim Bnei Baruch!
You frequently say that Kabbalah is the only way for man to reach spirituality, resolve the crisis, etc. Many cults and fundamental religions say the same thing. I am wary of any path that claims to be the “only way.” Why do you feel it necessary to speak in such absolutes? While it may indeed be true that Kabbalah IS the only way – I don’t see what is gained by such rhetoric.
Dear Sir,
I watched the recorded sessions about Quantum Physics meeting Kabbalah and have had quite a fear filled experience which seems to have evolved as I study Kabbalah. I was wanting your insight as to whether this fear is illusionary and simply totally misplaced.
My current understanding is our reality is totally generated from our ego. All things in this universe, our religions, our science are projections from our individual inner reality, which we see as a perceived realty which is actually ‘dead’… yet as this is generated from within we perceive ourselves as separate… but in my understanding this perceived reality is generated by our collective but broken Adam Ha Rishon.
The Creator initiated this process through laying a blueprint, so to speak, of unrealised potential, in order to create the creature, which ultimately, in potential would be greater than the Creator.
My fear is, we are working towards a growing virtual group to develop a capacity of ‘intent’ hitherto unrealised… I ’see’ the holographic like event horison that is our egoistic universe pulsating with the force of Ohr Makiff and Kabbalistic based human ‘Intent’ to be like the Creator…Will this intent, with the potential of reaching a critical thought massl overwhelm the egoistic universe, cause it to simply disappear… I only see blackness after this and woke up struggling to breathe and fearing the death of the Creator and His rebirth upon completion of the steps of ascention. It is like the Serpent biting it’s own tail.
Yours sincerely
Felicity
Rav, i don’t understand about Masser. So everything that happens in our lives is actually good, and meant in order to push us into spirituality, even if it feels bad. How can it then be that I must pay a fee called Masser in order to enter spirituality? Isn’t all of nature pushing me and everyone else into spirituality with everything that takes place? It’s as though you are saying “everything is for the good, but the only way to percieve this is if you pay a certain fee.” Please explain more, Im very confused. Thank you.
Dear Rav,
Kabbalah was kept secret for several millennia because it was considered “dangerous” in the hands of
the wrong people, meaning, of course…in the hands of those who would use it for purely selfish outcomes.
The world leaders of the past and the present, supposedly undertook studies of a “secret nature,” forming their lodges and brotherhoods, etc.
They use this knowledge to manipulate, and undermine the dignity of the common fellow, which is precisely how they got to positions of power and influence.
Is the egoism of these so-called “men” controlled by the forces of Lillith?
dear rav,
Here is an example of Natures systems, connecting and relating – music is an amazing language.
My first thought when I saw this was regarding the way animals “sense” Nature’s shifts, and can get out of the way of danger, when people cannot. My second thought was,.. wow… pure joy and laughter!
http://www.maniacworld.com/bird-loves-ray-charles.html
love,
debra
Hi Rav.
Me and my girlfriend have decided to move to Israel to put ourselves into a more spiritual enviroment. What we would like to know is how we can begin studying with you at the BB center (that is possible we hope?) ?
Hi!
My wife sometimes get sneeze attacks and allmost everytime she sneezes our two cats makes strange sounds after. There are allso many myths about it so I wonder if there is something to it.
What happens when we sneez?
I have a problem as I am shy around women. I have to get married and have a desire for this. How should I relate to a fellow Kabbalah student that may become a relationship.
In short What is a Kabbalistic courtship, and particular one that starts online.
I know you don’t usually answer this type of question, but this interests me much. Besides it can’t hurt to ask so, here goes. I read the following in the glossary at the end of “the Science of Kabbalah, Pticha-Volume One”:
Motrei Mocha( מותרי מוחא )excessive light in the brain – the lights that the brain cannot bear due to the lack of correction, hence they get outside the Partzuf Galgalta. They are also called “hair”.
a) The level of Haya is completely filled with “Yud” – the Gematria AB:
b) The level of Nefesh is determined by HaVaYaH filled with “Hey” – the Gematria BON:
c) The level of Neshama is filled with “Yud”, except for the letter Vav filled with “Aleph” – the Gematria SAG:
d) The level of Ruach is filled with “Aleph” – the Gematria MA:
What exactly is going on here?
PS- I tune in to the lessons every night. Arvut!
hi
i really enjoy studying Kabbalah. However i am not married, and i dont know if i will be able to find a wife any time soon as god in his kindness took my first one.
what should i do, should i stop learning until i get married. Or should i continue learning, as it has helpmed me a lot.
thank you
g
I have a question regarding the following excerpt from the First Talk
for Beginners.
“After the Shvirat Kelim took place, four kinds of desires were
formed. These are: a) the purely altruistic desires that were present
in the first nine Sefirot, b) the altruistic desires that have become
mixed with the egoistic desires, c) the egoistic desires that have
become mixed with the altruistic, and d) the purely egoistic desires.”
Can you help me understand the difference between desires of types b)
and c)?
Thank you.
- Georgi
Dear Rav,
Can you explain exactly what is this world we live in and if a woman does not feel grounded or connected to this world, but has not attained the next one yet what should she do,especially if there is nobody else she knows that studies Kabbalah.
Thank you.
Here is a news article from the BBC that I though you would find interesting!
Global crisis ‘to strike by 2030′
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7951838.stm
Scott
Dear Rav,
It has been researched that the forefathers were Africans including Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Bnei Baruch teaches that there is only one lineage of true Kabbalists. If that is so how did the lineage from the original Africans get passes to Jewish people of European descent?
Dear Rav,
At the preparation to the morning lesson today (03/19/09) you explained the importance of sleeping and the right preparation before going to sleep, emphasizing that a person should read a Kabbalistic text and then fall asleep in this relaxed, Kabbalistic mood. What should you do if you have a chronic problem of not being able to fall asleep for hours because of racing thoughts, and even if I read a Kabbalistic quote before going to sleep, I will only fall asleep hours later, after many other thoughts and worries? If I have this quality, how can I still use the time of preparation to sleep and sleep in the best way for spiritual progress?
Thank you!
Dear Rav,
As far as my understanding reaches: I heard you teach to the women that they are Malchut, and AHP.
Also, that you consider the general public, the world, as AHP.
So, would not women with a point in the heart, the women in Kabbalah, be a natural link to the (women of the) world in desseminating the idea of connection, of being one organism etc.?
So should not the women in Kabbalah, each in their own locality, seek contact with the many women’s organizations that already exist ( for example fighting for peace or justice or even for their own rights) to desseminate the ideas of Kabbalah about the laws of Nature etc, so that they can then influence the men?
Another question: you said in your teaching to women that it is natural for parents to teach altruism to their children (for the protection of them). So would this not be a natural factor that we could connect to positively in order to spread these ideas (about our connection) to women in particular?
Thank you for your guidance,
Respectfully,
Lisa
After the crash, Iceland’s women lead the rescue. The tiny nation, with a population of just over 300,000 people, has been overwhelmed by an economic disaster that is threatening its very survival. But for a generation of fortysomething women, the havoc is translating into an opportunity to step into the positions vacated by the men blamed for the crisis, and to play a leading role in creating a more balanced economy, which, they argue, should incorporate overtly feminine values. [The Guardian] http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/feb/22/iceland-women
Rav, Is this formulated balancing act a move toward or against Nature?
I always though that our soul choose our parents until I read an article that said no! but did say why or why not. So my question is…
Do our soul choose our parents? Explain please
where did the financial crisis began and where it spread?
Dear Rav-
I have been told that when you look at a person you can see the person’s soul from its begining to its end of correction.
Is this true? What does that mean? What does it look like?
Ahava!
Kim
Shalom Rav Laitman: Recently on reading a book “Meron HaBite Joseph” I came across the expression ” a house for prayer requires twelve windows, a kabbalah secret.” I wonder if you would provide some insite regarding the esoteric meaning of this statement? Respectfully, Bentzeon
I was wondering I read Shamati and am currently studying it and several books as I go through the beginning class of Kabbalah at the learning center. The last page of your book caught my attention. You wrote,, this book was printed in living memory of Miriam bat Geulah. After some searching,, am was wondering is this a real person or something much deeper with meaning?
With love,
Wendy
Today we see spirituality and traditional science as 2 pair of shoes.
Do you think that at some point traditional science and spirituality will merge into one discipline ?
Huffington Post reports that the global slowdown is being felt in the Latin America and Caribbean GDP as the money that migrant worker regularly send home to the regions is declining sharply; noting the severity of the crisis in source countries, it is anticipated that continued decline could vitally affect the regions economies.
We know that this reciprocal “butterfly effect” will only exacerbate the global crisis, but how can we explain this to the migrant worker that is merely trying to weather the crisis when we see already the tent cities going up in California?
Dear Rav,
What would you consider the appropriate age for a man to begin a family? Today we see people having children much later and it seems that men especially mature later than in generations past. Also, why are people given the ability to reproduce at such a young age? Finally, how do you feel about contraception? Thanks so much.
Base on the following words below of Prime Minister Gordon Brown, that G20 must ensure that the world moves away “from beggar-thy-neighbour policies to support-thy-neighbour policies” is the right policy yet?
Mr Brown stressed the need to restore global trade by avoiding the protectionist path taken in the earlier recession of the 1930s, insisting that the G20 must ensure that the world moves away “from beggar-thy-neighbour policies to support-thy-neighbour policies”.
And he added: “We will be seeking agreement on rules and best practice and on a stimulus for trade around the world, a move from beggar-thy-neighbour policies to support-thy-neighbour policies.
Shalom Rav,
My question is regarding the Holocaust, although i hate talking about it and i know you do too. I know that Baal Hasulam foresaw what was going to happen, and tried to get the Jews out of Warsaw, but they didnt listen. But wasn’t it the Jews’ very belief in the Divine Providence that caused them to stay throughout Europe? Didnt they all feel that because they were God’s chosen people, He would watch out for them? They believed this right up to the very end, as poeople were starving to death. But Kabbalah speaks of just this— that He always bestows and takes care of us, all is pre-determined, and we need not worry for ourselves.
So Rav, it seems no wonder that most Jews have backed away from religion and anything that even speaks of a Creator. Can you please help me and others to have a correct attitude toward the horrible events of the Holocaust, and give some overall insight? Thank u very much.
Sincerely,
Aaron
Do you consider Mother Theresa a Kabbalist?
My question is base on words from the Prime Minister Gordon Brown( below extracted from the article below), is G20 on the right path yet?
Mr Brown stressed the need to restore global trade by avoiding the protectionist path taken in the earlier recession of the 1930s, insisting that the G20 must ensure that the world moves away “from beggar-thy-neighbour policies to support-thy-neighbour policies”.
And he added: “We will be seeking agreement on rules and best practice and on a stimulus for trade around the world, a move from beggar-thy-neighbour policies to support-thy-neighbour policies.
Article
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has set out a blueprint for action to stimulate global trade and counter protectionism during the current economic crisis.
Mr Brown was speaking after talks in 10 Downing Street with European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso, at which he said they agreed an “ambitious but necessary agenda” of reform to the international financial regulatory system.
He acknowledged that the UK’s regulatory system was now “outdated” and had failed to keep up with changes in the fast-moving banking sector.
The two men were meeting ahead of a European Council summit later this week and the G20 gathering of the world’s biggest economies in London on April 2, at which action to beat the global recession will top the agenda.
Mr Brown stressed the need to restore global trade by avoiding the protectionist path taken in the earlier recession of the 1930s, insisting that the G20 must ensure that the world moves away “from beggar-thy-neighbour policies to support-thy-neighbour policies”.
Following indications from the head of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke that he expects America’s recession to end this year, Mr Brown declined to put a date on when recovery will arrive in the UK, saying only that the speed of recovery will depend on the extent of international co-operation.
He urged fellow members of the G20 to fulfil aid promises made to poorer countries in Africa, which he said were being hardest hit by the current downturn.
And he added: “We will be seeking agreement on rules and best practice and on a stimulus for trade around the world, a move from beggar-thy-neighbour policies to support-thy-neighbour policies.
He said: “We are going to propose more rigorous monitoring mechanisms for avoiding tariff and non-tariff barriers with a clear remit for the World Trade Organisation (WTO) to monitor and scrutinise more closely and report on protectionist actions taken by countries in breach of their commitments.
“Secondly, we want supervisors around the world to support banks in the expansion of trade credit by allowing them to hold less capital against trade finance for a temporary period, as we have already done in the UK. Thirdly, we need a significant and co-ordinated expansion of trade finance. Governments, export credit agencies, multilateral development banks and private-sector banks around the world need to work to deliver a significant and co-ordinated expansion of money available for trade credits.”
I understand what you said about the ape and man genetics being similar.Where i live in Oregon rehsus monkeys have been cloned at oregon health science university.The university stated that this was the highest animal on the mamalian chain ever cloned.I was wondering if you could comment on the effect of cloning the human has on the soul. Can a soul be split? Or would a cloned human have a different soul altogether?Are clone armies possible one day?
Dear Rav,
I found Bnei Baruch before building a family. My desire for spirituality is much stronger than my desires for family/marriage but then again I’m only 26. Will my lack of marriage/children prevent spiritual attainment? Thanks
Ben
I had been studying Kabbalah with the other kabbalah center for 4 years when I came upon your web site. I am following you and am involved in the dissemination project as an editor in training. With all due respect I am baffled about the lack of unity in the The International Kabbalah Center and The Authentic Kabbalah Center. How can we hope to achieve Unity the Goal when there is such huge diffrences in your teachings? Should we not all be in this together somehow and help heal this crisis? How can we ask the world to “love thy brother as thy self ” when this is not happening in the world of kabbalah.
Respectfully,
Diane Powers
When you find yourself in the same situation again and you recognize it, is it possible that the outcome can be the same but with a different internality? Or does a different internality ALWAYS manifest a different externality?
Why does a man resist the influence of the woman in spirituality?
what does the story about Kein and Avel form the Bible says to us?
If Life is a dream according to Kabbalah,then what are dreams?
Shalom Rav, just a couple unrerlated questions:
1. I understand that this economic crisis is very bad, but I don’t understand why we talk about this as though before it things were somewhat OK in our world. Loosing one’s job is certainly bad, but talk to a family whose child was murdered last week and this “Economic crisis” doesnt mean anything. What I’m trying to say is, both before the crisis and during it, there are far more terrible things going on in our world than economic matters. And no one has any answers as to why any of these thigns have happened. Even depression and suicide, these problems are totally independent of money, as we see that the more developed a country, the higher the suicide rate. So what can we say to those whose pain and suffering is not even related at all to the economic crisis? I feel most of humanity is in this state,
2. How can a person be expected to disseminate or pay masser before he has crossed the machsom? Regardless of how much Kabbalah answeres all of his questions, isn’t it it true that before he attains something, he cannot actually confirm anything about the wisdom? And why would a person want to financially contribute to or disseminate a wisdom that he has not yet benefited from or confirmed? For example, lets say a person studies for 10 years, and still has not reached any attainment. To this person, wouldnt it be fair to say that the wisdom has proven to be false? Because if it were true, and he put in all possible efforts, wouldnt he have crossed between 3 and 5 years, or at least attained something?
I’m sorry for the pessimistic nature of this question, i just feel like things have to be addressed from all perspectives. Thank u very much Rav.
Shalom,
here are my questions.
what is the difference between religion and spirituality?
what is reception and giving?
do we need Kabbalah, and why?
what is the purpose of Kabbalah?
who are we and what are we?
what is a Soul?
does the soul enjoys physical life ?
are we realy humans we could have been called something else?
thank you.
Regards,
Flori
I believe women have the hardest task; hence she needs not to work in this correction as men needs to. We have to work, raise our kids to mold a man, care for our home, work for an employer, and ultimately be strong to the psychological abuse of our daily life. We don’t know how to separate the physical state as we cannot keep our mind from being disturbed from the crisis in the system we live in. So please tell me if everything is acted out in the upper world before being acted in the physical world, what is happening to the feminine part that is so painful in our world?
Thank you,
I am blessed to ask your developed soul/
How not to confuse egoistic love with ‘love thy neighbors as thyself’?
Dear Rav,
why does Kabbalah not allow a man to go back with a his wife if she commited adultery on him?
also why is this not the case for a man?
thank you
Hi
Dear RAv
my question is on inheritance.
if a parent left soo much more for other members of my family then myself, what does Kabbalah say to do about it?
thank you and i am very grateful to all your teachings
Considering the intensity of the collective will to receive, and the powerful klipot presented as alternatives to our dissemination (e.g. Zeitgist movement), does it look like the masses’ development will have to undergo an extremely painful process in order for them see the necessity for the wisdom of Kabbalah?
Dear Rav,
At what point can we consider a dissemination attempt successful? For example, if we simply tell a person that there is a practical method to improve their lives, that we’re all connected through natural laws, etc., but never mention Kabbalah, is that dissemination? Unless I specifically mention “Kabbalah” to a person they assume I am just a Marxist, and I am curious if I need to be more direct. The less direct approach seems appropriate for many forums, online newspapers for example, but I’d like to know it’s not a waste of time.
Warm Regards,
Erik
do you have a daily prayer book you can recommend?
glynis
Dear Rav,
You said today: A person must protect his life, even if he has to kill someone who wishes to kill him. But at the same time, if a person is faced with the choice, “Kill someone else or we will kill you,” then he must sacrifice his life, as otherwise he will be a murderer.
Can you please give an example and elaborate more on, “Kill someone else or we will kill you”. What is the difference according to Kabbalah between killing and murder?
Thank you
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/12/a_head_with_a_heart/?s_campaign=yahoo this article appeared interesting…. is this a form of correction in behavior and thought that is going to be revealed more and more?
I am very fond of the teachings of kabbalah , but my own religous practise is krishna conciousness – you may know it as we chant the “hare krishna” mantra to revive our god conciousness – this results in spiritual ecstasy and bliss , both traditions have so much in common – spritual world , that this life is primarily for attaining spritual goals , that one must work and be married if a man , the soul , upper worlds. Have you ever come across the hare krishna or gaudiya vaisnav tradition and have you any views ? Thank you – Gouranga Nityananda
Frequently,or rather ,all the time it seems that there is a theme or focus for my inner work. At these times, every text I read(even randomly) refers to a specific topic. Your lessons also follow whatever the theme of my inner work is. Consistently.
As Purim approached, every piece of Kabbalistic media I randomly selected centered around Purim. I don’t believe in chance. Now everything I’m randomly encountering is centered around the necessity of Hochma; even your lessons. My question is : what am I observing? Are these themes phases in the general kli’s correction? Does my individual correction follow a different chain of reshimot than that of the general kli? I ask because,as I understand things, my focus needs to be only on Hassidim at this stage of my correction. Am I mistaken?
Arvut,
Montie
i really need you advice…i have been studying with you awhile and i feel differently to the la kabbalah center…i wanted to please ask you for some help…i have really enjoyed the holidays that they do…i have no other means of celebrating them other thru them….and shabbot services are very important and they have live streams….will you in the future? also will you have in the future the books that are only hebrew esser siefrio example in english? also can you please let me know of other volumes of zohar that i should look into? some of the bergs are missing pieces…can you recommend other publications that have the english translation…i really would like you help with the above….i thank god for you after every lesson.
glynismorrison@netscape.net
Dear Rav,
I have always had great difficulty building and maintaining relationships, and at this point have let all my most important relationships lapse: parents, long time friends, and other relatives. Recently, my temper and selfishness have caused me to harm and sever my two most valued relationships, one of whom is an innocent and loving child. I am at a complete loss and hate what I am made of.
On various occasions I’ve heard you say we should should act in this world to remedy our afflictions, by taking medicine say, and only after realize that He has done all actions. On the other hand, I’ve heard you say we should not try to change ourselves, only our connection with others. Where does psychology rate as a remedy? Should I see a psychologist to help me manage my impulses in addition to studying Kabbalah? Is there anything else at all I can do?
Thank you.
Warm Regards,
Erik
Dear Rav Laitman,
In this morning’s 3rd lesson, Oren discussd the global event called Earth Hour, where the “nations of the world” will gather together virtually, to turn off their electricity on March 28 for one hour. We’ve been petitioning for ways in which “Israel”, those who study at B’nei Baruch, can reach out to “the nations” and disseminate the wisdom of Kabbalah. How to reach the common man has been a common thread in the morning lesson questions.
Isn’t this event, where “the people” of “the nations of the world” are gathering together virtually to perform a task (even if it is a corporeal one), a ready-made event for “Israel” to infuse something impactful into the concerted efforts of this group of people?
Since a person can influence only one thing, and that one thing is the connection between human beings in order to connect to and reveal the Creator, then wouldn’t Israel joining together to join this virtual gathering of “the nations” in our great desire and focused intention for the unity of all of the parts becoming the whole, be an affective and effective method of dissemination?
I don’t have all of the ideas for implementing an effort like this, but perhaps others do. I’m thinking very simply that for that hour, the students of B’nei Baruch, “Israel”, could join our efforts together, and draw the Upper Light. We could infuse the real electricity (Light) into this gathering. What do you think?
The names of God are His qualities,His properties?But only He IS these qua- lities,meanning His essence is all that He is? And accordingly- “His names being upon one person”-means that God has bestowed HIS qualities upon that person?Thank you!
when a reshimot is revealed, (lets say you have a fear of being alone) do you leave all those you love to experience this fear and over come it by seeing that it comes from the left line?while striving to remind yourself that it is not your suffering? all the while taking it to the lesson while focusing on asking the prayer?
Rav Laitman,
Thank you for making true kabbalah accessible. I noted with interest your comments on medicine. I choose to practice in a vitalistic, holistic model and have always had the nagging conviction that everyone is entitled to benefit from this care regardless of ability to pay. Unfortunately, I have not instituted this into my practice. I have been looking to kabbalah as a foundation to build a model of health care and find lifestyle addressed in many writings but little I can interpret to directly influence the delivery of health care. I have found one website that claims to teach one to use wisdom from the kabbalists, including contact with the Tzaddikim to guide decision making. It is oriented to “Jewish Healing.” Since they are selling lectures, etc. on the subject, I wanted to consult you as “neutral” source. Do you see this as true kabbalah? If so, is this tied to the “Jewish soul” and unavailable to one not considered Jewish? Do you have any other resources that may help me? I am learning Torah but am not Hebrew by birth. Thank you for your consideration.
I am a 13 year old boy. I had my bar mitzvah last spring. My mom tells me that all of what is happening has been predicted by our sages. I would like to see for myself.
Does the Book of Zohar speak specifically of our times? Does it also state what is the solution to our problems? If so where? Could you provide specific citations?
Thank You So Much!
David
You talk about the current crisis in terms of economic laws of nature.
But I believe I can show that capitalists have their laws wrong.
I believe the problem also relates to how a value system should work
and therefore to religion and morals.
My argument follows in the attached paper:
Capitalism is Wrong
R. Jones
Department of Physical Sciences
Emporia State University
Abstract
Its argued that capitalist economics has a theory of value which is not consistent with traditional human values and society’s legal system.
We must begin by distinguishing two different sorts of quantities, scalars and vectors.
1. Scalars versus Vectors
A scalar is a quantity that can be described by just a number. Your age, or height or weight or the number of people in a room, these are all scalar quantities. A vector, on the other hand, is a quantity that requires two or more numbers in order to describe it. An example might be the journey (displacement) “3 blocks north and 5 blocks east.” These two distances must remain distinct. Motion northward can not substitute for motion eastward or vice versa.
2. Value Monism versus Value Pluralism
Value monism is the idea that there is only one thing of value (pleasure perhaps?) or that at least it is possible to define a single “common currency” in terms of which the value of all things can be measured (money?) Value pluralism is simply the rejection of value monism, the idea that there are 2 or more things to be valued (e.g. your wife’s love and your child’s life) and that they can not be reduced to, or compared via, some common currency.
3. Utility
In capitalist economic theory a utility function maps any state of affairs (with its costs, rewards, opportunities, etc.) to a real number, a scalar. Frequently this scalar utility is simply money; in other situations it is some more generalized scalar quantity.
4. Needs
Human beings have multiple needs. We need air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat. (It should be noted that air is free, and water is often free, while food can be so expensive that many people starve to death.) To survive we have other needs as well. Many of these needs are “incommensurable,” that is they can not be measured by a common standard; one can not be traded off for another. No amount of water can make up for having no food to eat. A plentiful supply of fresh air can not make up for a lack of water to drink.
5. Utility is a vector
Human values, in turn, arise from our needs and are also incommensurable. (Berlin, 1998, XVIII) Economic “utility” must be a vector quantity (Dasgupta, et al, 1999, and Liu, 1999, 6) it can not be a scalar “money”. Business and capitalism are profoundly in error when they employ a mere scalar utility. A common currency is simply impossible. Keeney and Raiffa, state (1976, 19): “in complex value problems consequences . . . cannot be adequately described objectively by a single attribute (e.g. money).” It is not possible to put a dollar value on your wife’s love or your child’s life. These are examples of values we have which are incommensurable with money and with each other. They are separate components of the value VECTOR.
“Value monism” is wrong, the human value system is simply too complex to be boiled down to a single scalar (Pepper, 1998). You distort human values when you try to sum them all up as a single scalar. Just the instruction, “travel 8 blocks” is not adequate to represent “3 blocks north and 5 blocks east.” When you try to put a price on love you create prostitution. When you try to put a dollar value on a human being you begin slavery.
The “bottom line” can not accurately describe the worth of an enterprise. Business and capitalism are wrong in both the technical sense and the moral sense. Some economists defend scalar utility as simply an axiom. But a science does not get to try just ANY axioms. It only gets to use axioms that fit the facts. In the words of Beardon, et al “contrary to the widely held and inveterate belief of economists, there does exist a preference relation which is not representable by a utility function.” (Beardon, et al, 2002) Human value systems are just more complex than business and capitalism allow for.
Von Neumann and Morgenstern (1944, 19-20) said “We have conceded that one may doubt whether a person can always decide which of two alternatives. . . he prefers. . . . It leads to what may be described as a many-dimensional vector concept of utility.” But they evidently never published further details. In an effort to flesh out such a theory Dubra, Maccheroni, and Ok have published Expected Utility Theory without the Completeness Axiom (2001). Danan and Ziegelmeyer have reported on experiments which show that just such a theory is needed to successfully model human value judgments. I believe our everyday business and economic life must be modified to take account of these discoveries. Money can not be used as the sole yardstick.
A scalar simply contains too little information to do what capitalists want it to do. “Value pluralism” is required. If you insist on describing how successful a man is using a scalar then evolutionary biology tells us it should be something like U=(N-2)/L where N are the number of offspring (children) you have and L is your lifespan. Notice how poorly money will correlate with this in the capitalist world.
A person’s utility is really a vector, having components like fertility, life expectancy, IQ, etc. Suppose you wish to compare Jane and Mary. If Jane has all components of the utility vector greater that Mary then you can conclude that Jane is more successful that Mary. If, however, some components are greater for Jane while others are highest for Mary then no conclusion is possible. Wealth is just a component of such a utility vector. Assuming a scalar utility like money is an approximation. In simple problems it may work fine but in the real world it is inadequate. In comparing and choosing which college you wish to attend one school may have English, Economics and Math majors but no Earth Science major. A second college may have the Earth Science major, English, and Math majors but no Econ major. You just can not create a scalar utility that says which college is “better than” the other. Von Neumann admitted that utility might have to be a vector and was making an approximation when he assumed it to be scalar. See also Thrall (1960), especially chapters XI and XII.
Business and capitalism require value monism while the human value system is characterized by value pluralism. If you have any doubt that human society exhibits value pluralism you need only observe the legal system. Upon being found guilty of some crimes it is only required that you pay a fine, where as in other cases you must pay with your life, or at least some years worth. No one would be satisfied to see a serial killer merely pay a fine each time he took another life. As Arrow says (1997, 757) “Regardless of our all-embracing market theories, we economists must recognize that there are goods that might be bought and sold but aren’t . . . Judicial decisions and votes. . . Use of the market and its language leads to results which offend our intuitions . . . The market is one system . . .Looking at policy issues from the point of any one system is likely to lead to unsatisfactory conclusions” Not all human activities can be accurately modeled as a marketplace. Some are better modeled as family relationships for example.
Occasionally a capitalist may admit that value pluralism is needed in real life and then claim that businessmen do consider more than just their treasured “bottom line”. If there is any truth to this claim I would amend my criticism to say that capitalism makes too much use of value monism and too little use of value pluralism.
References
Arrow, Kenneth. 1997. “Invaluable goods.” Journal of Economic Literature, 35:2, 757-765.
Beardon, Alan, Juan Candeal, Gephard Herden, Esteban Indurain, and Ghanshyam Mehta. 2002. “The non-existence of a utility function and the structure of non-representable preference relations” Journal of Mathematical Economics, 37, 17-38.
Berlin, Isaiah. 1998. Concepts and Categories. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton Univ. Press.
Dasgupta, Pallab, P.P. Chakraborti, and S.C. DeSarkar. 1999. Multiobjective Heuristic Search. Weisbaden, Germany: Vieweg.
Dubra, Juan, Fabio Maccheroni, and Efe Ok. 2001. “Expected utility theory without the completeness axiom” ICER Applied Mathematics Working Paper 2001/11.
Keeney, Ralph and Howard Raiffa. 1976. Decisions with Multiple Objectives. New York, New York: Wiley.
Liu, Boading. 2002. Theory and Practice of Uncertain Programming. New York, New York: Physica-Verlag.
Von Neumann, John and Oskar Morganstern. 1944. Theory of Games and Economic Behavior. Princton, New Jersey: Princeton Univ. Press.
Pepper, Stephen. 1958. The Sources of Value. Berkeley, California: Univ. of Calif. Press
Thrall, Robert M. 1960. Decision Processes. Wiley, New York.
This story appeared in yahoo about yet another mass slaying. A teenage gunman shoots at least 15 people before police slay him. Why is this happening with such increased frequency? Is there a spiritual explanation?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090311/ap_on_re_eu/eu_germany_school_attack
Arvut
Please answer my question. Does saying the prayer (Shema and Shema-Esra) and putting on a Tefillin let you receive the light any faster? If it is not please explain why Jewish tradition does this?
According to what you’ve been explaing in your recent broadcast about 600,000 souls; one can draw a conclusion that holocust was actually a good thing as it was accomplishing the goal of less bodies higher level through their ascend of souls to a higher level?
Following this logic we can say:
more bodies = more egoism and less bodies = less egoism
2. Can you explain what happened in holocust to those 6,000,000 jewish souls?
If there are billions of life forms in this infinite universe and they are as evolved as we humans are, then is there more than one creature? And if not, then even if the 6 billion humans on Earth unite and the rest of the universe is not united then we accomplish nothing.
Rav has been stressing a lot for quite some time that we should disseminate Kabbalah at every opportunity.
Yet he’s been also mentioning that it is necessary to be careful not to use the name of Kabbalah and its terminology when there is a danger that it would be rejected (which is pretty much most of the time, as my experience shows:). He advises us to use our corporeal capabilities and understanding of the subject through the prism of our occupation and in this way try to explain the reasons for what is happening in the world to others.
It is been said many times that it is compulsory for everyone willing to progress to disseminate but is this way of dissemination acceptable without mentioning the name of Kabbalah?
What is “The desire to receive” made of?
What’s the best method for disseminating our newspaper? Hand-to -hand, or more passive measures? How do they do it in Israel?
Arvut,
Montie
Dear Rav-
In the lessons the men keep asking you about the crisis and the futrure. They ask you constantly about what will come. Isn’t this the ego? Even if man is concentrating on the future society as a utopia or as a spiritual place …is this not again the control of the ego?
“The only existence the future actually has is as a thought form in your mind, so when you look to the future for salvation, you are unconsciously looking to your own mind for salvation. You are trapped in form, and that is ego.” Eckhart Tolle The New Earth.
“Only the rpesent moment can make us free….Awakening as a future event has no meaning because awakening is the realization of Presence.” Eckhartt Tolle
The men seem to focus on spirituality as a future event. It is right now. It is right here. They do not see it…because they do not desire it….they are distracted by the future…and the crisis ….they need to live in the now….
I know nothing….I am in concealment….but are my perceptions wrong?
Ahava!
Kim
Rav, how can we connect to other people in a spiritual way?
or how can we connect to people through spirituality and not physicality.
You once said in your lessons that Spiritual Connection is the most important rrather that Physical Connection. But how can we have a spiritual connection then?
What is Kabbalah’s view on this? Especially at a time when one cannot exactly find the strength to be optimistic??
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1883402,00.html
Study: Optimistic Women Live Longer
By Alice Park
It’s getting tougher these days to think of the glass as half full rather than half empty, but if you’re going to survive this economic crisis — literally — you might as well try.
That’s the lesson from a large study of death rates in optimistic vs. pessimistic women, conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh. Using data from the Women’s Health Initiative, an ongoing government study of more than 100,000 women over age 50 that began in 1994, the team found that eight years into the study, optimistic women were 14% more likely to be alive than their pessimistic peers. (See pictures of women around the world.)
The participants were asked to answer a standard questionnaire that measured optimistic tendencies based on responses to statements like “In uncertain times, I expect the worst.” Those scoring highest in optimism on this scale were more likely to be alive eight years later, while those with the lowest, most pessimistic scores were more likely to have died from any cause, including heart disease and cancer.
At first blush, that’s not such a surprise, considering that optimistic people, being more hopeful overall, probably eat better, work out more and make regular visits to the doctor. Previous studies have indeed documented the life-extending benefits of optimism, although most of that research has involved men and has been conducted in small numbers. What’s more, not all studies have done a good job of weeding out potentially confounding factors such as health status and lifestyle. That’s what makes the new study different. “Taking into account income, education, health behaviors like [controlling] blood pressure and whether or not you are physically active, whether or not you drink or smoke, we still see optimists with a decreased risk of death compared to pessimists,” says Dr. Hilary Tindle, lead author of the study. “I was surprised that the relationship was independent of all of these factors.” (Read “The Truth About Women, Money and Relationships.)
So if the women’s lifestyle doesn’t explain their longevity, what does? While the study was not designed to tease out specific factors, Tindle proposes several potential explanations, which she hopes to validate in further trials: optimistic people have more friends and a larger social network on which they can rely during crises; they also tend to cope better on their own with stress, a risk factor that has been associated with high blood pressure, heart disease and early death in previous studies. It isn’t entirely clear how optimists manage stress so well, but it may have something to do with their physiological makeup — genes and metabolic processes that keep them from panicking during troubling times. Or it may simply be that optimists follow medical advice more faithfully than pessimists, giving them a better chance of staving off life-threatening disease. “Our study reveals interesting findings. Now we need to replicate them and find out why this association is happening,” says Tindle.
Another interesting trend that emerged from Tindle’s analysis was the difference in longevity between white and black women. Pessimistic black women in the study were 33% more likely to have died after eight years than optimistic black women, while white pessimists were only 13% more likely to have succumbed than their optimistic counterparts. The numbers in the study weren’t large enough to support any definitive explanations for this racial gap, but “there is definitely a suggestion that whites and blacks may be different in how optimism affects longevity,” says Tindle.
It’s also worth noting that the current report identifies only an association between optimism and longevity; it does not actually establish whether optimism can directly cause a longer life. Additional research will have to be done in order to answer that question. But if a sunnier disposition helps promote healthy behaviors like eating well and exercising regularly, then there’s no reason not to view the glass as half full.
———————-
Thank you Rav!
Dear Rav-
Who or what is Aba and Ima in Spirituality? What is the Spiritual interpretation of the Torah’s Commandment …Respect Thy Mother and Thy Father?
Ahava!
Kim
Dear Rav-
“The City of Embers” is a movie that my child asked me to watch with him. So much of it reminded me of Kabbalah.
So many themes of concealment…darkness…until a period of time…a forgotten wisdom of the upper world…..descending inorder to ascend, rediscovering a system or path back to the upper world, a serious of steps that needs to be followed precisely….a final staircase that leads them to the light, when they finally enter the upper world (above ground) there is darkness and stillness and then as the sun rises the light is perceived as red and then green and blue, finally the very few…(only 2 people) that strove for the upper light send messages to those that remain below…to bring them to above ground (upper world)
I don’t know why I am bringing this to your attention. I wanted to write a few days ago…but stopped and then here I am again. I have been stuggling with this in my writing as well for months…I seem to be on a path that perceives that the Creator is working and releasing slowly into the world politicians, scientists, and even music and film and art that is speaking and depicting spirituality in Corporeal terms that relates to Kabbalah without people realizing it….yet…
This encourages me to continue to study. It makes the importance of the goal more urgent for me. Because I feel like the KLI is getting closer to achieving our goal, but we need to study more, we need to make this the most important task in our lives. If we don’t keep striving to cross Machsom…and fullfill our corrections ….if we don’t make the revealation of G-d a primary goal in our lives…the momentum in corporeality will stop.
The KLI should be encouraged by these signs…it means to me…that we are not studying in vain….people are awakening and are speaking correctly…but they have no plan…they do not know how to achieve what they know is the right goal…we must continue to work toward the goal…in order to reveal this to them….
More examples of what I am seeing in the world….
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/karen_armstrong_makes_her_ted_prize_wish_the_charter_for_compassion.html
http://search.yahoo.com/search?ei=utf-8&fr=slv8-reg&p=pangeaday&type=
I know that they (these people) do not have the way….Kabbalah is the only way….but could this be the result of our success as a KLI?
I am in concealment. This could be my ego wanting to believe that our efforts are stiring the upper worlds…..if so please tell me so that I can correct my thinking…because my dissemination is suffering….I am not allowed to write or market using anything that refers to religion or politics even though my purpose is to show general man that these are great ideas but without a plan….
I am in Second Life and I have a marketing background. My idea is to use these events like Pangea Day and the TED prize winner Karen Armstrong as a way to connect with the common man who knows nothing of Kabbalah to begin to speak to them about how we achieve these ideas that are being put out by such leaders, as Gordon Browne and Karen Armstrong etc…etc…
You were working with the World Wisdom Council …and scientists…What the Bleep do we Know??? I think the time has come to disseminate these ideas to the public and demand from them…so how do we achieve this???? We agree on the goal…but there is no plan to achieve this. The world is crumbling around us! You are speaking correctly…but you are achieving nothing>>….Kabbalah can achieve this….but you will never know until you investigate and study this method….do it for humanity…do it because you have no other idea…You (general man) make a video ….you write a speech….you meet in a committee…you write a charter for compassion…but it achieves nothing!!!!…..War, poverty, depression, and crisis continues! Kabbalah has the way….it is written ….it is all here for you….what can you lose???
This is what we need to be saying….I see in your approach to dissemination that we shouldn’t argue our viewpoint with religion or politics….well that may be so…but I feel that the time has come to engage with these areas……we must engage with the ego of the common man…the best way to do that is to stir their belief in religion and politics…people are so discouraged by both that they will begin to see…but to attract them into a conversation we must first get their attention by using these clips in our dissemination efforts…
I humbly submit this to you….I am in concealment…Please advise….I want to be effective and I do not wish to hurt the group.
Ahava!
Kim Fox
Sir, I have just backed out of the Learning Center Mentoring Session and posed a question to its organizer that he has referred me to you. Here is my question.
Two months ago, my Rabbi approached me regarding me speaking to the congregation about Kabbalah at our weekly services. We generally have 10 to 15 people at the services. We are a very small Reform Temple in Northeast Pennsylvania. I accepted the Rabbi’s invitation and immediately e-mailed the Learning Center management to come up with an outline that I may use. I fully understand the crucial nature of a proper presentation of information without personal interjection. Today, I asked the Mentoring Session organizer the same question due to his opinions on dissemination and him feeling we are not yet prepared to do this type of work. He referred me to you as he had an opinion but felt I should ask you for advice. He knew what you might say but felt I should hear it from you. Could you please give me some guidance on this issue?
hi
how does one know if one has crossed the machson?
and cna words describe what is it like?
thank you
How does a person know when they’ve crossed the Machsom? Is it a precise moment or a subtle change that takes place over time?
are there any genuine mediums/clairvoyants ? if so, how do they attain the upper worlds without the study of kabbalah?
how does one know the very moment they cross the machsom ?
is this something they just instinctively know ?
I am curious about the increase in violence against women. There seems to be a huge lack of respect, understanding or appreciation for women today compared to just a few years ago. Routine attacks and killing have become almost commonplace in the news, so much so that parts of the world turn a blind eye to these atrocities. Is there a spiritual connection behind this phenomena and if so what can be done about it? Thanks, Sal
Hello Rav,
Sofhia, from Ireland and Brazil:
HI, Please can you try to answer my question: What to do with my past, with the soffer that I have in my veins, to find freedon in side to keep the love in side more confortable? Thank you.
Just to be clear, the past come as a rain, and make me fell angry, and far from light.
I am here to receive your help,
Thank you
Sofhia.
I have begun the study of Kabbalah and have noticed how very egotistical I’ve been all my life. Every time I seem to gain an understanding in the study I get smacked with the recognition once again how far away I am from love thy neighbor as thy self. Is this the process in Kabbalah? Is this what we all go through?
Dear Rav-
We are taught that nothing we do in the Corporeal World has any effect on the Creator or the world we live in. Any practice of Mitzvot in corporeality is in vain.
Now we are being taught about bestowel and the desire to bestowe instead of receiving. Would logic dictate that one should bestowe (carry out mitzvot ) in corporeality…despite the understanding that it does nothing?
Wouldn’t this actually be practicing bestowel? I am not receiving anything for it..not spirituality, not anything…it doesn’t even feed the ego, knowing now that I receive nothing for an act of kindness….so logic would dictate that carrying out Mitzvot in Corporeality, knowing this information , is bestowel…yes?
Kabbalah = Mental Gymnastics
Ahava!
Kim Fox
I could not find an email for you Rav., so I have posted this question for you here. If you receive this please email me back at mommydearestt@hotmail.com. I feel Yeshua’s message was very much misunderstood. I think this had much to do with at that time it was not given permission because that generation was not ready, and I feel a great need to “help” correct this by expressing his words in the way they were “meant” to be and not by the way those who wished to control and minipulate and misuse him. Is it ok with you if I help in correcting this “wrong”. I am in the processing of writing a book, and I for my own reasons, not that I in any way shape or form will say you endorse it, need to know if this is ok with you.
Love,
Wendy
you say that there are no “commandments” in kabbalah other than to have equivalence of form with the creator by way of “love thy neighbour as yourself”…..so why is there the following “commandment” in the Zohar ? is this not an external commandment? how should one “observe” shabbat if not in a religious sense ?
247. The fourteenth Commandment is to observe Shabbat, which is a day of rest from all the actions of creation. There are two Commandments here: to observe the day of Shabbat and to adorn its holiness, namely to receive Ohr Hochma, called “holiness”; and to observe Shabbat as a day of rest for all the worlds, in which all actions are multiplied and realized even before this day is sanctified
Dear Rav,
How should a person relate to fear in this world? By fear i mean fear of harm coming to those i care for or myself. I understand that I must believe that there is None Else Besides Him, but i cannot begin to sense this until i cross the machsom, so what do i do below the machsom with this fear? Must I just force myself to stronger until this shift takes place? Thank u Rav.
Dear Rav,
I’m sorry if this question is repetitive, but i think I’m phrasing this in such a way that you haven’t really addressed it yet. My question is this. A doctor is given permission to heal, but more so than not, does the doctor not have the means to heal terribly painful conditions that humanity is plagues with. We know that a Kabbalist must go to a doctor and treat his beast like everyone else, but what does a Kabbalist do if he has a terribly painful condition that no doctor is able to treat? How does a Kabbalist relate to his untreatable pain/ dissability that physically restricts and dibilitates him? Thank you very much Rav.
Hello, I am a Japanese woman and just started to learn Kabbalah (actually I’d known the name and read some books about 10years ago. but I could not understand and not been inspired at the time… maybe the timing was not appropriate yet…)
Since I’ve started to take lessons, my mind (soul?) was surely changed.
I got a desire and happy feeling that I’ve never felt before.
But I got an another problem.
In my office, some people (colleagues, bosses) are very interested in gossips and blaming others.
I know I should love them whether their attitudes are not make me glad, but those conversations and opinions sometimes really make me sad and exhausted.
And I am sad because I can’t feel we are together when I am in that situation. I’m sad because the separated feeling is the opposite of the goal of Kabbalah.
I felt the awesome desire, and that is so impressive and motivated me very much!!
But on the other hand I feel sadness, too…
How should I perceive this situation?
In according to another method “Law of Attraction” says everything around me is occurred caused of my emotion (desire).
How can I change my feeling??
Can the society bring about the surrounding light to humanity
that is outside the group?
Dear Rav,
My question refers to the following previous question and your answer to it:
“Question: Can one say that the Creator is inside the deepest, innermost point of our “I?”
Answer: This is absolutely right. The Creator is inside our “I,” hence Kabbalah is called the inner part (core) of the Torah. The spiritual resides inside, and everything else is clothed on it as garments or spheres.”
My Question: How to understand the statement that the Creator is inside our “I” in light of the teaching that the Creator is revealed only outside of ourselves in the connection among friends?
Thank you!
i have been associated with the another center and they celebrate shabbots live on the air and we have to pay for this every saturday…they also have holidays and new moon festivals and we all have to pay for this…i don’t mind i know part of my correction is to observe this mitzvot…i am not jewish….or from judaism…but i really feel that the people who are not in the same boat can’t afford this…especially the holidays….they cost thousands….but going has made a big diffence in me and my relationship with the creator….especiallly high holidays…i feel bad for the one who now and especially in the future who can afford this….shouldn’t they at least broadcast this for a small amount ? becase this is part of the desmenation…also do you do all the above and are you going to let all of us around the world see you in action as a rabbi…that would be great…you are really desminating this wonderful wisdom…..
my other question on the above subject is this…they said dismination is without bread of shame…do you feel this is right?
Rav, during the congress I noticed that we had so much energy and no way to express. We danced and jumped and so excited but there was a lack because we could not move beyond what are bodies would allow us.
What should we do different in future congresses
Should we be careful to express the energy internal, which means a quieter congress?
Shalom,
I am looking from material in Hebrew or english regarding the relationship between the soul/Nefesh where initially sins/averot take place, and how they harm the Rema”h evarim and shisa”h gidim as a result of negative actions taken by the individual emanating from the hart. Is there any book that covers the subject completely?
I’ll be gratfull if you could direct me..and Yashar koah for the Great work and opportunities your direction has offered to us.
Shalom Meir
Dear Michael,
I am interested to know if being a channel for healing energy is allowable in Kabbalah or is it considered superstition? Is the intention behind hands-on-healing action, the all-important ingredient? And can the attributes of G-d be the intention for our loved one- eg mercy, peace, balance
I have heard that you are a healer and my request is for one of our kli members [name withheld]. Will you help her heal? She has terminal cancer and going by what she says, the doctors have not offered any hope. She is particularly worried about dieing before crossing machsom.
dear rav…i have been hanging on to bitteness for 3 years….not trusting and allowing people to connect with me the way i used to connect ..i came to greece 4 years ago full of life energy and always happy….but after recieving blows from people who judged me without even giving me a chance to getting to know me…it caused me heartache and i ended up not trusting people again..even new people i come in contact with i doubt….i seem to have lost my balance in life because of the bitterness and anger i hold within….hopefully i will hear from u soon…
Dear Rav-
Did you hear British Prime Minister (Gordon Brown) address to the US Congress today? CSPAN aired it. I would like to hear your thoughts. I thought it was amazing. He spoke of everything you have been teaching. Unity, Integrity, International Banking System, the ellimination off-shore tax shelters, themes of faith, light, love thy neighbor.
I was so moved. Does this mean that we are seeing the results of our (the Kli’s) work?
I am inspired to work harder.
Please have someone find it for you…it is not posted anywhere yet. I watched it LIVE. There will be an additional airing on CSPAN today.
One Goal!
Kim Fox
Rav has often spoke upon the spiritual significance of eating and drinking.What is the spiritual root of people that DON’T eat or drink? I just thought Rav would have fun touching upon this phenomena from a kabbalistic perspective. Here’s a link with more info regarding these unique individuals that don’t eat or drink for years….presumably.
http://english.pravda.ru/science/19/94/377/14815_autotroph.html
Arvut!
Hallo, is it correct that in Kabbalistic holidays eg: Pessach, that students should meet up and celebrate in a Center? Is that very important for ones spiritual journey?
i have a question from last evenings class on “There is None Else But Him.” I post this and it was not answered.
If a person is encountering a life altering event, does the Creator place such events in our lives when the Creator feels we are better set to handle them? Does He feel we are ready for these acts that affect us. They gave the statement that the Creator is responsible for all things. What is your opinion on thi matter?
Dear Rav,
My partner is expressing a quasi-interest in Kabbalah. He signed up for the introductory course in January 2009 but “dropped out” despite agreeing with many of the concepts presented in the first few classes. I sense he has an interest but no desire to push through. I am now interested in going to the May Congress in Philadelphia and he wants to come with me but I am not sure that its for the right reasons. Do you think that I should bring him along and hope for a miracle?
My partner and I have been studying with you for well over a year now. We both partake in dissemination and he partakes in group work with the men. I am concerned that since me and my partner are not married if this could prevent him to bond, or possibly correct himself. Is this possible?
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