Are There Random Thoughts?

Question: Is the collection of our feelings and emotions predetermined or can they be developed? And if so, who develops them: the individual or society?

Answer: During the course of one’s life, a person does not choose anything; he does not have freewill. He gradually moves through various experiences that are given to him so that he will eventually acquire a certain quantity and quality of experiences and arrive at their correct differentiation and realization.

This can go on for many lifetimes until he accumulates the necessary quantity of experiences. And then he comes to Kabbalah.

The set of all the person’s collection feelings and reactions to different events is determined in advance. There is nothing random on any level of nature, not even the smallest detail. But for the individual, it is confusing: it seems like he does something, influences something, then suddenly something accidentally happens. There are no accidents; everything is completely predetermined!

Question: So, a thought is a product of a desire within me. Am I only able to think about what I want?

Answer: Yes. Thoughts always steer you toward new fulfillment. What you want is what you think about.

Question: Sometimes some strange thoughts come into my head, over which I have no control. Let’s say, I am sitting in a lesson and suddenly I remember how six years ago I sailed on a ship or drove somewhere in a car. It is not clear where these thoughts come from?

Answer: There is a continuous rearrangement, classification, connection, and ordering of our thoughts that goes on within us—there is nothing random in this process. It is possible that it seems completely incomprehensible or unnecessary to you, but it just seems that way. In reality, it is not “the ship” or the “six years ago,” but rather those data that are recorded in specific compartments of the sensory and mental memory so as to ultimately lead you to some spiritual sensation.

Question: How do you work with this?

Answer: You don’t. You must continue to move forward only with what is presented to you in the given moment. And these are not disturbances, these are what there is in this moment. Do not pay attention and against the background of all this, continue to focus only on one thing: sorting out your thoughts, your feelings, and aiming them toward the goal to connect with others in order to reveal the general force of unity called the Creator.

Then you will enter a level where everything will open to you and you will understand all the details, all the connections, everything that exists.
[217247]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 8/13/17

New Life #387 – Employing The Wisdom Of Connection On A Kibbutz

New Life #387 – Employing The Wisdom Of Connection On A Kibbutz
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

Summary

Is it possible to connect on Kibbutzim (collective community) today? It’s not only possible, but it’s imperative. We need to study the laws inherent in nature that can teach us about mutual development, interdependence and the power of connection. It is through this type of integral education that we will heal and learn how to live together.
[155627]
From KabTV’s “New Life #387 – Employing The Wisdom Of Connection On A Kibbutz,” 5/29/14

Video: Play Now | Download

Audio: Play Now | Download

The Unchanging System Of The Upper World

Question: What is special about the Ari’s methodology compared to the Kabbalists who came before him?

Answer: Systematization. Nothing new. No subsequent Kabbalist can add anything to the work of the previous Kabbalists other than to further elaborate on the conclusions made in their discoveries and to give a greater systematic description of what may have been described with just a few phrases. That is all.

Question: Can it be said that the language also changed?

Answer: Of course. For example, if we take a physics course written 200 years ago and compare it with a current textbook, naturally there will be a difference between them. But, in principle, the essence of the information contained within them remains the same.

That is why great Kabbalists—pillars appearing once in several generations—significantly added to previous discoveries.

Question: Did the means of attaining those discoveries remain the same?

Answer: Yes, because the structure of the upper world does not change.

There are two forces in existence: the force of bestowal and the force of reception. The interaction between these two forces forms the upper system and controls our world through it. This is pure physics—a simple mechanism of control of our world.

That is why Kabbalists cannot reveal anything new, but can only explain in greater detail what was previously disclosed. After all, that which was attained by Abraham, Moses, and the Kabbalists of the First and Second Temples continues to act and to be discovered today.

There is nothing new in the upper world. It is a stable, constant system. It is just that the Kabbalists, through their attainment, add clarification for the next generation so that it may be easier to understand. In this way, in each generation the language of the explanations changes in order to make it more comprehensible for that generation. That is why Baal HaSulam (in the early 20th century) and Rabash (late 20th century) are our closest Kabbalists.
[217019]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian, 7/23/17

A Science About Feelings

Question: What are feelings from the Kabbalistic viewpoint?

Answer: A feeling is a sensation in the desire.

Desire is the matter of all of creation, and the sensation inside the desire is called feeling. Since all of creation is one differentiated, integral desire, then all that exists inside it is feelings.

We are not talking just about the universe here, but about all the worlds, about the entire, vast creation. There are two kinds of feelings found there, hatred and love, and we exist between them.

Therefore, we must see how to differentiate them, on what basis do we make a verdict: the feeling that I treat with hatred or love, whether the feeling itself is called “hatred” or “love,” or do I determine how it will be in relation to a certain sensation? In other words, it is a science about feelings.
[217228]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 8/13/17

Lie And Truth, Part 4

Question: Are love and truth always inseparable?

Answer: Love exists in the heart and truth in the head. Love must come from the heart; that is, I need to change all its qualities, all my desires, in order to direct them to the benefit of the loved one. This is called “an open heart.”

I measure the truth relative to the level of a person’s development: how much is beneficial for him to hear, how much can he feel and understand, and I treat him accordingly. Perhaps I will have to hide something from him or maybe even to lie if from my loving heart I see that it will be better for him this way.

A person who seeks the truth constantly checks himself for what lie he is in.

Question: Why is a person attracted to the truth? Why does it acquire value for him?

Answer: An informational gene from the upper degree begins manifesting in him. The upper force is called truth. The word “truth” consists of letters “Alef-Mem-Tav,” that is, it covers the entire alphabet from the beginning to the end; it is the general name of the Creator, who is good and does good, absolute love and bestowal outside of Himself. We need to think how to become similar to Him, even just a little. This is what is taught by the wisdom of Kabbalah.

There are people in whom such informational genes are awakening. Apparently, in their basis, they were closer to the Creator and therefore the corresponding records have remained in them. Now these genes begin to manifest in them and pull them to reveal the qualities of the Creator.

This gene is called a point in the heart, a desire to reveal the truth. No matter what it turns out, the main thing is that it is the truth. Even if I do not like it, I nevertheless aspire to it, as it is written: “Buy the truth and do not sell it.”

Question: I know many people who absolutely do not believe in God, but nevertheless are very much drawn to the truth . Why is it so?

Answer: The aspiration to truth is completely unrelated to faith. Everyone who seeks the truth is invited to come and reveal it. The wisdom of Kabbalah has nothing to do with religion, but striving for the truth is a necessary condition.
[217137]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” 11/16/17

New Life #386 – Living In A Cooperative

New Life #386 – Living In A Cooperative
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

Summary

People feel safer and more supported within loving communities. These days, our egos keep us apart and we end up experiencing the resulting lack of warmth and mutuality. In the future, communities will care for everyone’s needs just as extended families did in the past. We will create heaven on earth by connecting as one man with one heart.
[155574]
From KabTV’s “New Life #386 – Living In A Cooperative,” 5/29/14

Video: Play Now | Download

Audio: Play Now | Download

“The Strong Swallows The Weak”

Baal HaSulam, The Writings of the Last Generation: It is a natural law that the diligent class will exploit the backward class as best they can, like fish at sea, where the strong swallows the weak.

Today we see how the elites of all countries cannot stop in spite of the fact that they have already stuffed their own pockets. No logic can explain why a man with 50 billion needs another 50.

The fact is that the infinitely growing egoism requires this. Therefore, a person cannot do anything with himself; he must follow this. The miserable elites are also controlled by their infinitely growing egoism and are obliged to reduce the entire population to poverty, leaving them not even a crust of bread!

On the other hand, this is unnatural. Even during times of slavery, it was never like this. A slave was expensive! The owner had to take care of him, treat him well, etc.

Now we are separated from the connection between master and slave. An entrepreneur does not care that there are millions of people behind the gates of his factories. He must extract everything out of them!
[215906]
From Kab TV’s ”The Last Generation” 8/7/17

The Spiritual Root Of Gossip

Question: Does gossip have a spiritual root?

Answer: Of course, it is called Lashon HaRa – evil tongue.

It kills everything between the friends. If I speak behind my friend’s back, I betray the Creator. I cheat on Him. There can be nothing else here. After all, the Creator puts the ten with all of its problems before me. Behind a friend’s back, we can only talk about how to help him and about nothing else.
[217068]
From the Convention in Vilnius “From Chaos to Harmony,” Day One 11/3/17, Lesson 1

New Life #385 – Cooperative Life On The Kibbutz Today And In The Past

New Life #385 – Cooperative Life On The Kibbutz Today And In The Past
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Tal Mandelbaum ben Moshe

Summary

The founders of the kibbutz came from Russia and the Ukraine where life was very hard. They built the kibbutzim (plural of kibbutz) in order to survive. The cooperation was egoistic and they formed closed societies. In the future, there will be a new form of cooperative living that functions in accordance with the laws of nature.
From KabTV’s “New Life #385 – Cooperative Life On The Kibbutz Today And In The Past,” 5/29/14

Video: Play Now | Download

Audio: Play Now | Download

True Love

Question: What is love? Is it power, a field, energy?

Answer: It is a force directed from the person outward. The attribute of bestowal, the force of bestowal, is the power of love.

When I value something that is outside of me, higher than me, it is called love for this state, for this desire, or for this person, no matter what we call it.

Question: According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, love is the revelation of love and hate at the same time, unlike in our world, where there can be either love or hate?

Answer: When states of “love” and “hate” exist separately from each other, they are unreal, contrived by us. They are given to us only so we can go through them and reach the real state. It is like the laws of physics: there can’t be minus without plus or plus without minus.

There is no love without hate, and no hate without love. They are built on top of each other, and we use them as states given to us by the Creator.

These are very realistic qualities that we must absorb into ourselves and exist with them both together. In this state I understand all the minuses and pluses in me and in another person. I understand that they were set for us and given to us by the Creator. We put the Creator between us and only then achieve mutual balance in this system: me, the other person, and the Creator between us.

Then, present, past, and future mutually complement each other, as in the system. The state in which I find the complete balance of all opposing properties is called “love.” This is a very special state of the ideal balance of the system.
[216897]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 8/6/17

New Life #918 – The Essence Of Falsehood In Our Lives

New Life #918 – The Essence Of Falsehood In Our Lives
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Nitzah Mazoz

Summary

In order to reach the truth it is up to us to “move” through falsehood. The concept of falsehood exists at the foundation of creation as the opposite of truth. The lie dominates the depths of nature, on a level that we cannot even identify. It is up to us to try to change our characteristics from falsehood to truth, by developing the right attitude towards others from the depths of the heart.[216785]
From KabTV’s “New Life #918 – The Essence Of Falsehood In Our Lives ,” 11/16/17

Video: Play Now | Download

Audio: Play Now | Download

“And Moses Alone Shall Approach The Lord”

The Torah, Exodus 24:01 – 24:02: And to Moses He said, “Come up to the Lord, you and Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and prostrate yourselves from afar. And Moses alone shall approach the Lord but they shall not approach, and the people shall not ascend with him.”

These are steps of development.  There are different levels of desires within a person. The people are the egoistic desire corrected for bestowal, but corrected at a small height.

Then come the Levites, the Cohens, the children of Aaron (Nadav and Avhiu), Aaron, and finally Moses. This whole hierarchy personifies one person. That is, the people and all the righteous are all in one person. And Moses is at the top of the pyramid, so only he can approach the Creator, and all the rest, not.

The Torah, Exodus 24:03 – 24:04: So Moses came and told the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances, and
all the people answered in unison and said, “All the words that the Lord has spoken we will do.”

And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord, and he arose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain and twelve monuments for the twelve tribes of Israel.

The people are all the egoistic desires of man. They are under Moses. He pulls them up like a fisherman who throws a net into the sea and now is gradually pulling fish out of the water.
[216812]
From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 7/1/13

“Then Moses Went Up To The Mountain”

Torah, Exodus 24:15 – 24:18: And Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. And the glory of the Lord rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days, and He called to Moses on the seventh day from within the cloud. And the appearance of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire atop the mountain, before the eyes of the children of Israel. And Moses came within the cloud, and he went up to the mountain, and Moses was upon the mountain forty days and forty nights.

“And Moses went up to the mountain” and disappeared into the cloud means he had completely reached the property of Bina (the 40^th property).Forty is the level of Bina with respect to Malchut. Absolute, complete bestowal is the first general stage of a person’s ascension.

Question: Why did Moses enter the cloud?

Answer: Entering the cloud symbolizes the entrance of the Creator’s power to this stage. And then, over the course of 40 years, Moses rises more fully into this stage and completes the work before the entrance of the people into the “Land of Israel,” into the next state. “And Moses was upon the mountain forty days and forty nights” because there is no day without night and no night without day. A person must first plunge into the night, into all the opposite egoistic qualities and express them, and only then, with the help of the Light, can he correct them to the properties of Bina. Therefore, “and there was evening, and there was morning—one day” means that everything begins at night.

Moses received the tablets, the Torah, and the commandments; he descended from the mountain and began to work. This means that a person has pulled himself up to his highest level, got hooked, appeared in the world like a newborn, and now needs to raise himself into the new world.

In order to come to this state, he is given an instruction—a Light of correction that awaits until a person needs it.
[216888]
From KabTV’s “Secrets of the Eternal Book” 7/1/13

There Is Nothing Bad In Nature

Question: If I see a negative property in a friend, I have to complement it. What does this mean?

Answer: There law of nature is such that there is nothing wrong with it. And there is nothing bad in man either—not in anyone of us! The “bad” came from our shattering and so you have his fourth, in another half, and in me a third, etc.

If we collect these properties together, then they form one property of wholeness that consists of a plus and a minus. In fact, when the soul broke, negative properties were formed, and even the positive ones look negative because there is nothing that could complement them.

The wisdom of correction is to correct the separation and distance between us. We need to make our brains work in this direction: there is neither bad nor good. Separation and distance between us are bad. Therefore, we see broken properties, which always seem negative to us.

If there is nothing to oppose a broken property, no matter how positive it is, it will look negative.
[216522]

Lie And Truth, Part 2

Question: It turns out that lies have a very important role: to gradually develop us, to push us closer to the revelation of truth. What level of development does a child reach when he starts lying at the age of three?

Answer: A child just discovers his nature. The shattering is in our basis, the sin of the Tree of Knowledge, as a result of which the lie has completely penetrated into our nature and reigns deeply within us. This is why we are unable to recognize a lie. On the contrary, we regard the truth as a lie and the lie as truth.

Truth and lie are so intertwined with each other that we do not even realize how deceitful we are. How can I measure what percentage of what I said is true? Relative to what can I evaluate this?

Question: According to statistics, a three to four-year-old child lies every two hours, a six-year-old already lies once in an hour and a half, and an adult at least three times every ten minutes. Does it mean that as we get older we become bigger liars?

Answer: Of course, we constantly lie and never say a drop of truth. The only question is whether the lie is conscious lie or not? But it is a lie—100%.

Question: Does the property of deception arise in us under the influence of society or from nature?

Answer: Deception lies in our nature and the environment just helps us use this property and grow it. All our relationships in society have a purpose to multiply lies and to succeed through it.

We educate children with stories that are complete lies from the beginning to end, all kinds of fairy tales about animals, cars, and trains that talk with each other, etc. This does not happen in life! This is an absolutely wrong education. All these deceitful pictures are imprinted in the child and when he grows up he as if expects them to be manifested in life.

It is not enough that we are naturally prone to lies and fantasies, we also educate children so that they become accustomed to lying. Eventually, they get used to living in the world of lies. These are not fantasies that just expand the truth a little; they are completely false.
[216929]
From KabTV’s “A New Life” 11/16/17

Reveal Your Spiritual Potential

Question: Can a person live normally and develop spiritually if he does not feel loved by other people?

Answer: A person must develop in order to reveal his spiritual potential. It is a pity that life goes by in vain. Therefore, he does not need to pay much attention to anything. If he is given the opportunity to study within the framework of our organization, the opportunity to develop his spiritual qualities, then everything else depends on him.

Nothing else is needed. In this, he does not depend on anyone. He can even remain alone in front of his computer if there is no one around him. It is desirable, of course, that he has friends, a group, but if he does not, then virtual connection is sufficient for him to correct his egoism. To correct means to counterbalance his ego with the opposite quality, and based on the contrast between them to attain the Creator.

He will reveal the love that fills the whole universe. After all, a person who begins to deeply engage in Kabbalah sometimes receives such a state when love that fills the whole world is revealed to him. But then this state disappears, and after a while, he must attain this state by himself.
[216881]
From the Kabbalah Lesson in Russian 8/6/17

New Life #420 – Virtual Connections

New Life #420 – Virtual Connections
Dr. Michael Laitman in conversation with Oren Levi and Yael Leshed-Harel

Summary

The virtual connections of today are leading us toward internal connections in the future. Soon, we will have heart-to-heart connections that won’t require any wires at all!
[158363]
From KabTV’s “New Life #420 – Virtual Connections,” 7/8/14

Video: Play Now | Download

Audio: Play Now | Download