New Life #781 – Jewish Culture: Myths About Studying Torah

New Life #781 – Jewish Culture: Myths About Studying Torah
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

How does studying the Torah protect the people of Israel? Is the Torah meant only for Jews? Why is there a separation between men and women at the time of study?

A Yehudi (Jew) is someone who yearns for Yichud (union), for oneness. That is why it is said that studying the Torah is meant for Jews. It is also said that the Torah protects the people of Israel. This is referring to the people who want the ability to connect.

Main points:

• In general, people don’t feel that they hate others, but when they try to get closer to others, this is what they discover.
• In contrast, those who are in a group that studies the wisdom of Kabbalah are actively trying to be as if they are one, like a centipede with one mind and one heart. To the degree that we connect, we receive Light, meaning a special power that develops new intellectual and emotional capabilities. To realize this requires at least ten people who want to connect (men separately and women separately). The concept of a Minyan comes from here.
• A person who observes a group of Kabbalists cannot understand what they are feeling. That is why the wisdom of Kabbalah is also called the hidden wisdom.
• Maintaining the 613 Mitzvot (commandments) means correcting the 613 egoistic desires that are inherent in us. All the customs of Judaism actually signify the spiritual actions that we must carry out to correct the relationships between us. For instance, hand washing signifies cleansing our absorptive Kli from an intention of taking from others for ourselves.
• The correct reading of sacred writings written by those with spiritual attainment can happen only through group study under the guidance of a teacher of Kabbalah.
• The joint reading of books of Kabbalah by a group must be done with texts that were written by those who had spiritual attainment.
• In our era, the secular public is closer to recognition of the true Torah, the wisdom of Kabbalah, as opposed to the religious community, which is satisfied with its form of life.
• The wisdom of Kabbalah will add to the secular public an awareness of the goal of existence and a connection to eternity and wholeness.
  [195578]
  From KabTV’s “New Life #781 – Jewish Culture: Myths About Studying Torah,” 10/20/16

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