Entries in the 'kabbalah' Category

Lost In Translation

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “The Peace”: To avoid having to use both tongues from now on—nature and a supervisor—between which, as I have shown, there is no difference regarding the following of the laws, it is best for us to meet halfway and accept the words of the Kabbalists that HaTeva (Nature) has the same numerical value (in Hebrew) as Elokim (God)—eighty-six. Then, I will be able to call the laws of God “nature’s Mitzvot (commandments)” or vice-versa, for they are one and the same.”

This is very important and leads to numerous consequences. In the past Baal HaSulam was accused of being close to Spinoza in his views and that he didn’t consider the upper force as “God” in the conventional religious sense, but rather compared the Creator to nature, which is mindless and lacks any feeling and develops according to “mechanical” laws.

Actually it is very interesting to see how Baal HaSulam describes his attitude to the Creator and to nature. This should also be our attitude. If we combine these two concepts, we will achieve the greatest thing in life, revealing the Creator as “nature” and in all things. Indeed, we are part of nature, which is the Creator.

“In general examination, we find that there are only two Mitzvot to follow in society. These can be called

  1. reception
  2. and bestowal.

This means that each member must, by nature, receive his needs from society and must benefit society.”

Science confirms the fact that on every level in nature there are two opposing active forces: In the inanimate it is in mutual physical chemicals and mechanical actions, in the vegetative world it is photosynthesis, and in the animate level it is in the cells and the organs… these forces are revealed especially on the level of man, that belongs to the spiritual world. The higher we rise, the more they diverge from each other as a result of the differences in creating the wealth of attributes that separate the human race from the inanimate, vegetative, and animate.

The data of the wisdom of Kabbalah aren’t different in any way from scientific data. Thus the “Creator” and “nature” is actually the same thing.

But there is another question here: Is there a preliminary goal in nature which determines the process of evolution and the final state? According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, “the end of the act is in the initial thought.” Let’s call it not a plan, but by the scientific term: “law.” So is there a general universal law? In this case Einstein also spoke the same language as Baal HaSulam and Spinoza. He also spoke about the unity of nature. Thus the views of people separated by three centuries come together.

Let’s come back to our times. Today we speak about mutual guarantee, adhesion, love, unity, common fate, mutual incorporation of desires, and the influence of the environment on the individual and the influence of the individual on the environment…. If we could explain all these concepts on the level of nature’s laws, it would be easier for us to disseminate. We will also feel more strongly to what extent it obliges us. After all, we are talking about a law and there is nothing one can do against a law. Everyone understands that there is no point resisting nature.

We have to adapt our language. Terms that seem religious, spiritual, and mystical should be changed to scientific terms and definitions. Thanks to this, our message will flow in the right channel and we will be regarded as researchers of nature. Humanity’s general situation today requires us to do that.

We must shift from the terms Kabbalists used to parallel scientific terms. We won’t be able to tell people about Reshimot (informational genes), the direct Light, the returning Light, or HaVaYaH…. We have to try and express all that in modern scientific terms, and then we will be able to approach humanity.

The second system for this approach is to translate the language of Kabbalah to psychological terms.

Thus, through the mind and feeling, we will convey our message to people. The technical terms, the “mechanism” of the forces, and the laws will pass through the brain and the emotional part will be expressed in psychological terms. Thus we will free the wisdom of Kabbalah from this complexity that stems from being “lost in translation.”
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/6/12, “The Peace”

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There Are No Stops Along The Way

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: What is the “stop on the way” that Chanukah symbolizes?

Answer: In the spiritual world there are no “stops” as we know it. It isn’t that you are free from the spiritual work and can go home. The meaning of “a stop” is that we acquire the attribute of Bina and now we have to make a shift. We’ve raised Malchut to Bina and here comes Hanukkah.

Now we begin to make a shift, to lower Bina to Malchut, to work with the vessels of receiving (AHP). Thus we work with a growing desire to receive until we descend to its deepest levels. The ascent of Malchut to Bina is called the Maccabean Revolt, “to bestow in order to bestow,” and the descent of Bina to Malchut is already Purim, “to receive in order to bestow.”
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From the 1st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/26/11, Writings of Rabash

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Light Inside A Crystal

Dr. Michael LaitmanWhat are our qualities and how are they connected to the desire? After all, the will to enjoy is the only thing we have.

First of all, it varies in might (P). But is there another parameter by which we can measure it? Yes, there is: It’s the limit (H). Besides different degrees of might, it also divides into different degrees of limitation.

Initially none of my desires are limited. But when I take one desire and begin imposing a restriction on it, the form that emerges gives me a certain quality. Thus, every quality is created from a specific restriction on the force of a certain desire. My desires are distributed along the scale of might, but that’s not enough: Precisely their limitation creates forms or qualities in me.

Let’s imagine our totality in the form of one large crystal that consists of many small crystals. The Surrounding Light pours upon this crystal. How does it penetrate inside and reach every little crystal? How does it expand and spread among them? How does it fill the general structure? Everyone participates in this: Every part limits the others, every one forms the friend and passes the Light to him, and every one receives Light from the friend after it passes through the others.

 

Maybe the example of a crystal structure will make it easier to understand how the Light passes through everyone and flows through all the axes. This is determined by the total, mutual correspondence of our qualities. Obviously, every little crystal has its own inner structure.

We cannot change it, but we can deform it and distort the connection. Then we will need a long time for correction. That means the only thing the world needs is an optimization of the connection between people. Our connection is the most important thing, which is why we constantly urge people to unite above all the differences.

In reality, all my qualities precisely correspond to the quality of all the others, being an irreplaceable segment of the common system. Therefore, we cannot try to change anything about a person, suppress any part of him, cut off any part, or on the contrary—try to make him grow something extra. We must only make sure that he develops in the right interconnection with others, while everything is tacitly preserved in him until the right time.

Therefore, we don’t touch a person’s spiritual facets. Despair, exhilaration, confusion—no matter what takes over him, we only offer general support, wrapping him in warmth, while unchangeably abiding by the principle, “raise a boy in his way.” After all, all of one’s qualities conform to the totality of humanity, and if anything in him is harmed, the entire system is harmed. This is a very important aspect in upbringing.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/2/12, “The Freedom”

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The Psychology Of Altruism

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: How can we avoid the danger of our egoism and turn the clarification of it into psychology?

Answer: There is nothing bad about psychology! In fact, Kabbalah is an internal spiritual psychology. Psychology of this world is egoistic by nature; it investigates the human ego.

But there is another type of psychology that concentrates on studying those who strive to develop properties of bestowal within them, those who learn how to work in bestowal and see reality through this quality rather than through the property of receiving. This kind of psychology is called the wisdom of Kabbalah. That’s the only difference between these two types of psychology.

Psychology of this world studies behavioral laws of the desire to be fulfilled for one’s own sake. The wisdom of Kabbalah explores behavioral laws of the desire to be fulfilled for the sake of bestowal.

Spiritual psychology leads us to self-study. The tools that allow us to achieve love of the Creator are as follows: our desire to be pleased, our intellect and heart, the group, the goal of creation, our connection with the group, and the mutual guarantee between us. According to the goal that was set by us, we study Kabbalah rather than plain psychology.

It can appear to be psychology, but in fact, it is a revision of ourselves. The material we study are our senses and the desire to be pleased. This is a subject of psychology, since its goal is to teach us how to feel better.

Other sciences such as physics and chemistry pursue other, more abstract goals. Actually, we develop them only to start feeling better. We are unable to make the slightest movement in this world that pursues an alternate goal.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/15/11, “Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Breaking The Iron Wall In The Heart

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam opened his “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot” with these words:At the outset of my words, I find a great need to break an iron wall that has been separating us from the wisdom of Kabbalah, since the ruin of the Temple to this generation. It lies heavily on us and arouses fear of being forgotten from Israel.”

According to its definition, the wisdom of Kabbalah is a means of revealing the Creator to the created beings. The Creator is the only upper force that exists and rules over creation. The created being is completely detached from Him and doesn’t know why, for what purpose, and how he exists. And here appears the means called “the wisdom of Kabbalah,” designed to connect the Creator and the created being.

This connection is called “revelation of the Creator to the created being,” and it is carried out according to the development of the created being. The Creator is concealed not because He hides Himself from us on purpose, but because the attributes of the created being do not allow him to attain the Creator and discover Him.

Thus, it is necessary to change the attributes of the created being, given to him from the beginning, to other attributes. Then the created being will discover the Creator and become similar to Him. This means that he will arrive at the same form of existence.

Up until the destruction of the Second Temple, the wisdom of Kabbalah was revealed. This means that the Creator was revealed to the created beings who were in contact with Him and were called the “nation of Israel.” But afterwards, after the fall, the attributes of those who were in connection with the Creator were damaged. This is called “the destruction of the Temple.”

And then the wisdom of Kabbalah disappeared. The connection between the Creator and the created being came to naught, and it hasn’t existed since then. And now Baal HaSulam wants to restore it, which means to restore it in the same form that existed previously, before the destruction. Now we need to restore this connection for the broken desires that were completely severed and distanced from the revelation of the Creator and from equivalence to Him.

Thus, the wisdom of Kabbalah that Baal HaSulam reveals for us is different from the one that existed in the past. In the past it belonged to the already existing system of connections and forms. But in our days people don’t know what the Creator is. The created being is broken and scattered. It is no longer a small group that is more or less corrected, but is a huge humanity in which these broken desires are scattered.

Thus, we must awaken them and make a long journey until humanity begins to discover the Creator. Until then we will need to go through a great number of stages of correction.

These stages of correction aren’t similar to those that the small group that was once shattered has gone through. Now a large group of people are involved, including “the stony heart (Lev ha Even)” and all the attributes of the AHP (the receiving desires). Thus it is not just revealing the wisdom of Kabbalah. We also must pass it on correctly to our generation.

Baal HaSulam calls this separation, the barrier, that exists within us and doesn’t allow us to discover the Creator and the spiritual world “the iron wall.” It is named so since it is indeed so great and strong! And he doesn’t expect it to go away and disappear by itself; he intends to break it.

This barrier exists in the heart of each person. And Baal HaSulam wants to reach the heart of each and everyone and perform this work in it. This means that he, being sure that he has enough strength and one could even say “impudence” to declare that he is able to do this, takes the responsibility upon himself to penetrate the created being.

Indeed this iron wall is the existing separation between the Light that rose to the world of Atzilut after the scattering and between the broken desires that fell to the worlds BYA (Beria, Yetzira, and Assiya) and were separated from the Light. The difference between them is that very wall that grew as egoism developed and added to it all our stigmas, traditions, religions, and beliefs about Kabbalah, and slander against this wisdom and Kabbalists.

Baal HaSulam will need to break all of these barriers in his introduction. But also we must take part in this breakthrough. After all, we receive from it only the means with which we must continue working on our own, for the sake of breaking this partition.

This declaration is the headline for all of Baal HaSulam’s teaching. It explains why he disclosed Kabbalah and offers it to us, which is specifically for the above mentioned purpose.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/18/2011, “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot”

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Dr. Michael LaitmanWe began to study Baal HaSulam’s article “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot,” which appears to me as his most important introduction among all the others. Partly, it includes the excerpts from The Book of Oracles by the ARI, written by his disciple Chaim Vital. In fact, this introduction contains the entire path that we need to go through in order to reach the goal.

Although we have plenty of other materials, nothing explains the path along which we should advance and change as consistently, step by step, methodically, and deliberately. Other articles and introductions give us a general view of the wisdom of Kabbalah or view it from some particular angles.

But this introduction selects a very narrow, aimed line to show the person, either religious or secular, who starts with the question about the meaning of his life, how to achieve his ultimate realization with all the difficulties and scrutinies on this path.

This is why this introduction is unusually deep and not easy for beginners. It takes years to begin to assimilate, understand, and find oneself in it. It needs to be studied in small portions, carefully, until a person grows and might be able to reveal more. We must understand that this introduction was written by the man who stood at the head of a new era, the last stage of human development, which was to go from unconscious to conscious development.

Now we need to rise to a new level from the stage at which we could not even be called human beings but only highly developed animals acting in accordance with instincts and fully managed by the forces of nature. Something designed to be similar to the Creator begins to develop inside this creature.

We need to understand the man who was at the beginning of this process, his approach and view, and try to emulate him.
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From the 3rd part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 12/18/11, “Introduction to The Study of the Ten Sefirot

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Our Uniqueness

Dr. Michael LaitmanBaal HaSulam, “The Essence of Religion and It’s Purpose”: It turns out that our final aim is to be qualified for adhesion with Him—for Him to reside within us. That aim is a certainty and there is no way to deviate from it, since His guidance supervises us in both paths, which are the path of suffering and the path of Torah.

There is an upper force that has created the desire to receive and has raised it. It gave the desire everything it needs to grow, but when it grew, it suddenly discovered that it feels bad, and that it actually doesn’t get what it desires. In its youth, while it was growing up everything was fine: It got everything that it desired. Then it desired more and received it. But now when it is grown, everything is different; it doesn’t get the filling automatically. On the contrary, the more it wants, the less it receives. So the desire thinks to itself: “Who or what is the cause of this bad feeling?”

Humanity is divided into several categories when it comes to this question. There are those ninety-nine percent who simply go on, attracted from the bad to the good, enjoying life as much as they can. There are those who go out searching for the truth, meaning looking for the reason for what is happening.

Humanity is trying to explain this contrast in the leadership that changes so dramatically when a person grows up. At first everyone treats him nicely until the real change comes and now everyone demands something from him and treats him badly. This contrast and this conflict are very confusing, and so there are those who begin to look for a solution. The upper force that has created the desire to receive and that has raised it to a great egoism can eventually bring it to the right state.

There are two forces that operate in reality and help us reach that state: there is the pulling force and the pushing force. The egoistic desire loves pleasures and hates suffering. In other words, it loves the filling and hates the emptiness. So it can be managed by these two states. When it is emptied, it runs away looking for a filling. When it is filled, it is drawn to it. By using these two reins we can do whatever we want with it.

But what’s the use if the desire totally obeys the Creator’s reins? After all, the inanimate, vegetative, and animate levels develop this way, so what’s the need for creation? After all, in this way there is no uniqueness and man is also led by pleasures and suffering in life. The originality and the uniqueness of creation, of the worlds, among the created beings can only be revealed in unique creatures that can operate between these two “reins.”

This means even if the desire totally obeys the upper guidance and has nowhere to run, as the forces totally surround him even if they are concealed. The main thing is that these creatures want to attain the actions: What are they? What are they for? Which desires do they affect? They want to attain their own system by themselves and according to it they begin to understand who manages their desires. Thus, according to the principle of “we know You by Your actions,” they attain the operating mind, the force that operates in creation.

So when we grow and discover the two forces that operate upon us, the positive force and the negative one, when we see the “reins” that control our running, it’s a good sign. It means that we have moved from the ninety-nine percent to the one unique per cent, for which creation was meant.

When we discover the Creator’s bestowal in the form of suffering and pleasure, good and bad, coldness and heat, hunger and satiation, we should understand that it’s all in order to make us aware that the Creator is the Absolute Good. The wisdom of Kabbalah is the wisdom for the revelation of the Creator, for the revelation of His actions. Therefore, we constantly study ourselves: “Who am I and what am I? All of reality including the group is inside me.” Eventually I discover that deep inside me it’s the Creator, the Absolute Good that operates inside me.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 11/28/11

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Kabbalah And The Seven External Sciences

Dr. Michael LaitmanThe science of Kabbalah talks about the spiritual world and the forces operating in nature. These forces influence the matter of our world, creating various images in it, which results in an entire universe with everything filling it: still objects, vegetation, animals, and people. But we see all of this on the screen in the reverse part of our brain, and that is why it seems to us that this is in front of us. That is how we imagine reality.

That is why the science of Kabbalah is separated from this entire false picture, even though this picture is what helps us to attain the depth of creation, its intentions, and the Creator’s character. Yet in essence, the science of Kabbalah teaches us how to go from this external picture to the inner, true state where only two forces remain—the force of the Creator and the force of creation.

Of course, each of them divides into many more parts, particular forces and actions. But in essence it is talking only about forces: the will to receive, the will to enjoy, and what happens between them. This makes up all science.

If a science talks about the interaction of these two fundamental forces, then we have the science of Kabbalah. And if it talks about various results from them on different levels of matter—still, vegetative, animate, and human, then we have the sciences of this world.

Of course, these sciences are true because they give us knowledge about the external behavior through which the action of these two inner forces is expressed. But these sciences are very limited and we can only rely on them within the boundaries of our narrow world.

It turns out that the science of Kabbalah, which explains the two fundamental forces operating in nature, is the basis for all other sciences. And that does not include just the natural sciences that study nature and the external world, such as physics, chemistry, biology, and zoology, but also those belonging to man directly, such as music, dance, and art.

All of this is also part of the “seven fundamental external sciences” because it gives us knowledge about man’s abilities to perceive and sense his world.
From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/21/11, “Introduction to the book Panim Meirot uMasbirot”

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What People Demand When They Come Out Into The Streets

Dr. Michael LaitmanQuestion: In the past several weeks, we have seen how in several countries people came out to demonstrate against their governments as if they were protesting their inability to take part in the governing of their country. How can we hand Kabbalistic ideas about integral unity to them so that they feel that it can offer a solution?

Answer: It is a very important question that is gradually becoming more and more vital these days. It is a question of unity that people essentially demand. In other words, a person asks: “How can I, a regular man who lives on two dollars a day (as, for example, the masses in Egypt do), decide something in this life?

They can’t leave the streets and go home because otherwise, they will have to return to this life of extreme poverty, which is “valued at 2 dollars a day.” But for now, as they are protesting, they have a feeling of being able to control, to do something. They feel that power is in their hands, and not in the hands of the government.

This demand cannot be met by adding one extra dollar a day for their needs. It is necessary to think about what to give these millions of people so they may feel that they have received the power to govern and make changes. And today, it is a truly universal, global problem, which is beginning to involve greater and greater masses of people in the world.

The governments start to ponder: What should they do? Political leaders are willing to resign from their positions and yield to various changes, but it will never satisfy their people. We are yet to see numerous demonstrations and revolts, until the decision will finally come to the surface: We must ensure that the very last, simplest person gets to feel that he, too, is in charge, and that he has honor, power, and self-respect.

Humans grew up! They are coming out into the streets and feel they own the situation. When they feel this way, it is impossible to bribe them even with money because such status won’t be enough for them. And they will keep waking up, creating a very threatening predicament. I don’t see how the governments will be able to control them.

Even if one government replaces the other and accepts people’s representatives, then as soon as they have power, they will alienate themselves from the people. As soon as they get their hands on and start enjoying it there, at the top, a person who lives in his urban slum or remote village won’t find them as his or her representative any longer.

We are yet to see this tendency in political development in the nearest future. In the end, no other option will be available. Mankind will come to a state when it will be faced with a question: What can we do to be equal? In truth, only when everyone feels equal, a person can feel that he or she is the head of the government, makes decisions, and is important.

It doesn’t mean that one must have direct power over others, but one needs to feel like that inside. And it is possible to achieve but only through people’s unification that we are moving toward.

Sociologists are not familiar with such phenomenon yet, and they produce very careful, superficial forecasts. But I think that in those countries where this process has already started, it cannot be stopped. A government should fear a people that have already tasted their ability to change something and take charge. Until everyone feels equal with everybody else, they won’t find peace. And this is where the world is headed to.
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/17/2011, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot

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Envy The Creator!

Dr. Michael LaitmanIt is written that “envy, lust, and ambition” lead a person out of this world, which means that we have to use these qualities in order to exit into the spiritual world. But the problem is that a person scatters himself in every direction and reaches for all the desires in the corporeal world.

If one employed all his strength to become a human, rise to the spiritual level, the human degree, he would succeed. But instead, he is chasing after money, fame, and power, and he lacks envy for spiritual properties that would allow him to become a human.

We need to analyze ourselves and connect to the environment which will mold us so that we focus on the most important desire of all: to become a human and fulfill the desires for power, money, and fame only as much as it is vitally necessary. All these properties must only sustain our aspiration to the right kind of envy: to envy the Creator and wish to be like Him! And if I fall and start envying somebody’s wealth, power, or honor, I will clearly not be tuned upward, to the goal.

But how can I envy the Creator if I don’t see or feel Him? This is why we are given the group: to instill the importance of spiritual qualities in us. You will never know who the Creator is until you reach His degree. And besides, His properties are opposite to yours and reject you. Hence, at this point, only the right environment where you can work can help. Only it can change your system of values.

But the problem is that even after a person completes his or her preliminary development at the still, vegetative, and animate degrees and arrives to Kabbalah, to the beginning of the human degree and free will, he may suddenly sway off the path and wander about in other directions for a few, long years, in search of wealth, power, and honor. And by the time he returns, his life is practically over….
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From the 4th part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 2/17/2011, “Introduction to the Book, Panim Meirot uMasbirot

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