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Questions I received on feeling weak, doubtful and unsure along the spiritual path

Question: I just don’t understand: Why does a person have to fight himself in order to enter this fictional “other” state? And why does he even need this?

My Answer: You’re right: If you don’t have a point in the heart, then go on living without any worries. After all, a person only realizes the desires that awaken in him. If a person’s point in the heart has awakened, then he is driven by the desire to reveal, understand, and feel the Creator; and he has to attain this.

Question: I have been trying to understand how is it even possible to change one’s nature, because more and more, I keep discovering just how egoistic all my thoughts and desires are, and they are only becoming more egoistic. So why should I be destroying myself with this useless work instead of living a normal life?

My Answer: You’re absolutely right: A person cannot change his own nature! Nevertheless, if he persistently strives towards the goal, then his perseverance will help him, and the Creator will give him the strength to reveal Him (see the “Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot,” item 133, where it talks about people climbing the mountain). Only the force of the Creator’s revelation can pull a person out of this world – out of the perception “inside oneself.” And then one reveals an eternal and perfect world. But again, only the Light, which created the creation, is able to change it and lift it to Its level.

Question: As a person gets older, he grows weaker and needs more strength. But where will he get it if he never gets a response from the Creator?

My Answer: The entire path up until the revelation of the Creator, the Machsom, consists of ever increasing disappointments. It’s written that coming out of Egypt happens by sending plagues to Pharaoh, our egoism. These plagues become more and more painful, making us feel more disillusioned about our ability to attain the goal, to come out of egoism and enter the perception of the Upper Force, the Creator. These plagues reveal our nature - egoism, the Pharaoh, and just how much he is ruling us inside. Read the section in the Torah where the Creator keeps repeating to man (Moses): “Go to the Pharaoh, because I have hardened his heart.” This means that the Creator keeps increasing our egoism on purpose, so we’d reveal how absolutely evil it is for us and desire to run away from it!

Question: Sometimes it seems like I don’t have enough time left in this life to attain the goal, the revelation of the Creator.

My Answer: In this case, just like on the entire path, there is only one “Kabbalistic” principle to use : “Knock that tempter’s teeth out” (the tempter that throws you off the path), and keep being stubborn, advancing by “faith above reason,” in spite of your common (regular, animalistic) sense. And look for the Creator’s help inside all this, in order to be able to follow these two principles.

Question: Maybe it’s better to live a “pleasant lie,” like the people who buy what Berg sells - psychological support and imagined but sweet confidence that tomorrow will be OK, that everything will be fine, and that everything can be changed for the better. This has a psychological affect on you, gives you strength, and helps you survive. And you get the positive results up front!

My Answer: Who can object to these centuries proven methods! If I could, I’d buy red strings and holy water myself. But no one is even inviting to Kabbalah those people who can comfort themselves with these methods, and who can convince themselves that they work. But while they shut their eyes to the illness and take painkillers, the illness keeps spreading.

And there are others who can no longer be helped by these painkillers; they understand that this is a lie. These people keep searching, because a person cannot remain unfulfilled, and this state of futility and emptiness is worse than death, because their spiritual desire already demands to be fulfilled. And so they keep searching. And it’s for these people, who can no longer find anything that can fulfill them in this world, that Kabbalah provides the answer: Fulfillment comes from the Upper Light, to the degree you are similar to it!

Question: It still seems absolutely impossible and unfeasible that every person and all the people together will be able to desire to come out of egoism voluntarily, instead of being pushed by plagues that are worse than death itself, when even death seems like a salvation from the suffering.

My Answer: The Creator says that it is simple and easy to come out of the corporeal nature and enter the Upper Nature, provided that one diligently carries out the Creator’s conditions, or the precise, strict laws of nature. No one has the strength and the desire to ascend above this world, above one’s nature. But you can receive these desires from the correct environment (the worldwide Bnei Baruch group), by studying Kabbalah according to the authentic sources - the books of Baal HaSulam. And then the Light will lift you, and there are thousands of examples to prove this. The choice is yours!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Why Does a Person Get Beaten?

 

 Lesson on the Article "Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot," item 133 [01:23:47m]: Play Now | Download

 

 Lesson on the Article "Introduction to Talmud Eser Sefirot," item 133 [01:23:47m]: Play Now | Download

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The Torah. The Book Bamidbar. Chapter Baalotkha (abridged)

And G-d said to Moses: “Tell Aaron: when you light the lamps, seven lamps shall turn their light to the front of the Menorah.” And the structure of the Menorah is as follows: it is forged from a single ingot of pure gold, to its very foundation. According to the image that G-d showed to Moses.”

And G-d said to Moses: “Take the Levites out of the environment of the children of Israel and purify them: sprinkle them with purifying water, let them shave their bodies and cleanse their garments and purify themselves. And you shall lead the Levites to the Tent of Revelation, and you shall gather the entire community of the children of Israel. And the Levites shall come before G-d, and the children of Israel shall lay their hands on the Levites. And Aaron shall devote the Levites to G-d on behalf of the children of Israel, so they shall serve G-d. Thus you will separate the Levites from the environment of the children of Israel and the Levites shall become Mine.” [Read more →]

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A question I received: It’s been around the news lately, that in Ethiopia, in the city of Aksum, archeologists have found the palace of Queen Sheba. Inside, the researchers found an altar and Judaism’s most valuable treasure - the Arc of the Covenant. According to legend, the Arc contained Moses’s stone tablets with the Ten Commandments, and it was brought to Ethiopia by Menelik - the son of Queen Sheba and King Solomon. The scientists believe that Menelik changed his faith and began worshiping Sirius, but he kept the Arc - a chest made of acacia and covered with gold plates. ITAR-TASS notes that there were evident traces of calf sacrifices around the Arc.” In your opinion, could this be true, or is it just another piece of gossip?

My Answer: I don’t know whether it’s true and I don’t care. With the fall of the Second Temple, when people fell from “love thy neighbor” to “unfounded hatred,” holiness left Israel, as well as all of the Temple’s paraphernalia, because it’s the people who make these objects holy, and not the objects themselves. Rather than striving for material objects, which don’t contain any spirituality, we should strive to obtain the property of bestowal and love for all people, since this is holiness and the property of the Creator. However, as it seems, we are willing to do everything but this!

Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Corporeality Has No Effect on Spirituality
Laitman.com Post: A Kabbalah Museum - Can There Be Such a Thing?
Laitman.com Post: Egyptian Pyramids and Spiritual Geography
Kabbalah Today Article: Inherit the Land
Baal HaSulam Article: The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah

 

 Jerusalem of the Heart: Play Now | Download

Filed under: Science - 2 Comments →

A question I received: Could you please date the transmission of the Torah from Moses to our days?

My Answer: It is written that Moses received the Torah on Mount Sinai (in 1312 BCE), and on the day of his passing he passed it on to his student Joshua (1272 BCE). Joshua passed the Torah to the elders or sages (1244 BCE), and the elders passed the Torah to the prophets (889 BCE). The prophets passed the Torah to the members of the Great Assembly (352 BCE). Whatever happened after that (from 312 BCE until our days) requires a separate, detailed review…

 

 Film: History of Kabbalah (1 of 2) [40:59m]: Play Now | Download

 

 Film: History of Kabbalah (2 of 2) [43:16m]: Play Now | Download

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

 VIDEO: Kabbalah Books [03:00m]: Play Now | Download

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A question I received in response to my post “It’s All for the Best (But We Can Get to It Faster)“: How can we progress without someone of Moses’ level guiding us forward? We don’t see the Creator’s participation in our daily routine. So who can we turn for answers? The group? Rav? Perhaps if we recognize our egoism and begin to move in the right direction as a group, then the Upper Light will become our guide? Who will guide us through the desert and the disasters that are coming at us so rapidly that we can’t even catch our breath?

My Answer: Baal HaSulam writes that his method can pull everybody out of egoism, and I’m certain of that. Also, I see from your progress, that you see it too. However, everything depends on our combined efforts. We can no longer reach the goal individually, as Kabbalists have done over centuries of exile. Instead, we are now beginning to build a group of “refugees” from egoism, from Egypt. We are facing the same task they faced: to reach the “Mutual Guarantee” (Arvut) - a mutual responsibility in reaching the goal. Our Moses is Baal HaSulam and Rabash, who are walking along with us. Soon you will discover them inside our group.

Filed under: Spirituality - 3 Comments →

News Stories:
* Food Prices Rising Across the World – Food Crisis Looming
* Bats Perish, and No One Knows Why
* Chinook Salmon Vanish Without a Trace

Apparently, we should get used to these headlines, as we’ll be seeing more and more of them, coming from all directions. Only then we will understand that there are no direct methods that can stop or even delay this downfall.

The only thing we need to do is balance ourselves with nature. Some say that we need to restore this balance; however the problem is that it had never existed in the first place. While our egoism was still small, this lack of balance wasn’t that dangerous. And even if we wanted to, we could never compensate for it, as we didn’t have any means to do so. [Read more →]

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Question for ML: You define God as laws of nature. In the times of Tanach, Moses spoke to God and God spoke back to him and to the nation. Why then, is your definition of God different? I find it very difficult to think of God as laws, as opposed to someone I can cry to or talk to in times of trouble. I understand that the Creator’s laws and orders must be followed, but I don’t understand why your definition of Him is different.

My Answer: We often project our qualities onto nature and then expect nature to react in the same way. For example, we get mad at the computer or at traffic lights. The Creator is absolute, and as such, He is perfect and invariable. He is kind and creates only goodness. His actions are wonderful, but I sense the opposite! So what should I ask Him? I should ask Him to change my perception, so that I can understand Him and see the perfection of His actions in everything. In other words, I’m asking for the correction of my qualities - from egoistic to altruistic. I will then understand His actions and justify Him, because I will be like Him. I will sense eternity and perfection just like Him. This is what I have to ask for!

Talking about the Creator and talking about Nature is the same.

Filed under: Perception - 1 Comment →

News Story: Moses high on Mt Sinai: Israeli study

A professor of The Hebrew University in Jerusalem has come to a conclusion that Moses was under the influence of psychedelic substances at the time of receiving the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. “’Such mind-altering substances formed an integral part of the religious rites of Israelites in biblical times,’ Benny Shanon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem wrote in the Time and Mind journal of philosophy.

‘As far as Moses on Mount Sinai is concerned, it was either a supernatural cosmic event, which I don’t believe, or a legend, which I don’t believe either, or finally, and this is very probable, an event that joined Moses and the people of Israel under the effect of narcotics,’ Dr. Shanon told Israeli public radio. [Read more →]

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