“What Does Cause Some Jews To Endure Poverty In Israel?” (Quora)

Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What does cause some Jews to endure poverty in Israel?“

When the country’s citizens make no effort to strive for a warm, family-like sensation, they let a high tension atmosphere develop that chokes its citizens from one day to the next. Such relations give rise to a country with great wealth and amassing poverty.

The Cause of Poverty: Not Sensing Each Other as Members of a Single Family

Israel’s “rich country, poor citizens” state is bigger than merely an economic situation, and thus cannot be solved at the economic level alone. It requires the implementation of connection-enriching programs through its education and media systems, regularly explaining how all Israeli citizens are members of a single family, and which aims to pass a family-like sensation among everyone.

It might sound like a socialist idea, but it’s not. We saw such examples in history, and they all failed. The reason was because they did not to take nature’s laws into account.

The laws of nature are integral laws of interconnectedness and interdependence. They guide us toward more and more connection, and in our times, the connections we need to form are at the level of our attitudes to each other: that we develop a feeling toward strangers as if they are members of our own family. By aligning our attitudes to each other accordingly, we guarantee ourselves a harmonious future.

2 Steps to Solve Poverty: Disagree With Division and Promote Connection

The first step toward a change of attitude to each other is disagreeing with our present separation. Social division is the principle cause of poverty, and our disagreement with this situation makes room for a new desire to appear—a desire to change our relationships so that we feel ourselves connected like members of a single family.

By activating and encouraging the desire for family-like connection to spread among society via educational and promotional means, we would then start seeing the erasure of our emotional remoteness, and likewise, its symptoms of poverty.

The Kabbalistic Explanation as to Why There’s a Growing Gap between Rich and Poor

According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, the state of imbalance between rich and poor takes place due to an imbalance between Ohr Hochma (light of wisdom) and Ohr Hassadim (light of mercy), i.e., when there is a lot of Ohr Hochma and only a little Ohr Hassadim.

What are these two lights in relation to this current situation? Ohr Hochma signifies spiritual abundance and wealth, while Ohr Hassadim expresses the desire to give that abundance and wealth. Ohr Hassadim is a condition that prevents the desire to keep receiving more and more for personal benefit to imbalance our systems. In other words, Ohr Hassadim can be thought of as a regulating device that warms the heart, which otherwise becomes continually colder in an encasement of egoism without such conditioning. Therefore, when we apply Ohr Hassadim upon our instinctive desire to devour everything for self-benefit, we build a new sense, a tool that gives us the ability to receive the Ohr Hochma in a balanced manner. In this way, we can have a country where all its citizens experience spiritual abundance and wealth. Without such a regulator, we then continually head in an egoistic direction and bear witness to the “rich country, poor citizens” situation we are in today.

Moreover, without the Ohr Hassadim regulator that aims to give the abundance to others in society, then not only the poor citizens feel as if they are deficient, but also the rich feel a constant lack. More wealth is never perceived as enough wealth, and thus they continually seek how to increasingly fulfill themselves. This is how the pressure of the Ohr Hochma is felt. When we aim to receive for self-benefit alone, then pleasures we receive ultimately encounter an empty space within us, like a black hole that extinguishes any self-aimed pleasure we absorb.

Therefore, whether or not we have a little or a lot depends on our attitudes to each other.

Abundance Reaches Everyone When Society Becomes as a Single Family

We can organize our relationships in order to create an abundance that fills the space between us. When we open ourselves up to others, we become conductors of that abundance, like hubs and nodes in a network that pass signals to each other, and then our lives becomes rich and diverse.

Therefore, the more the idea of our need to connect as a single family upon our innate division spreads among society, both rich and poor, then the more we will find that there is plenty to go around for everyone.

The Jewish Choice: Unity Or Anti-Semitism—Anti-Semitism Above Nature

Throughout the period of the last exile, the people of Israel had no awareness of their spiritual mission. We do not see such signs in the statements of Jewish philosophers and thinkers. The wisdom of Kabbalah was greatly concealed. It was a preparatory period: now with more inner or surrounding light, and afterward less, and accordingly, humanity was drawn to one direction, and afterward to the other.

It was a time when we had to find out our attitude to religions, check at what price we were willing to sell ordinary, corporeal Judaism and leave our faith. The human soul consists of four levels: inanimate, vegetative, animate, and human; all these levels also need to be scrutinized.

Therefore, the matter did not reach the wisdom of Kabbalah and our duty to humanity,  the revelation that we have a higher mission than the simple traditional fulfillment of the commandments.

This was a period of scrutiny that continues today. Until recently, people in America thought that the modern emancipation and assimilation of Jews would help them dissolve into American society. It really seemed that it was possible to do this: there was almost no pressure or outright anti-Semitism. If there was some rejection, it was very intelligent and hidden.

Many Jews in America, as they once did in Germany, thought that anti-Semitism could be eliminated by even greater assimilation in American society because the problem is caused by the fact that the Jews are not sufficiently dissolved in Americans. It turns out that 3,500 years ago in the time of Abraham, the nation of Israel emerged from all the nations, from Ancient Babylon, and today, being in modern Babylon, we want to return and assimilate among the nations. This will be the end of us.

However, we fail to understand that the choice is now becoming more spiritual. After all, there are no big problems with corporeal differences: customs, the philosophy of Judaism, and education. In the modern world, everything is mixed up.

The question arises: Why is modern anti-Semitism rising and increasing everywhere, all over the world? This does not apply to culture, education, or statehood; it is a completely illogical, irrational, universal phenomenon that is above nature.
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah Lesson 1/9/20, ”The Jewish Choice: Unity or Anti-Semitism,” Chapter 6

² Minute 43:00

The Jewish Choice: Unity Or Anti-Semitism—Not A Simple Connection

The connection that Kabbalah offers as a solution to all problems is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. Initially, this topic can cause confusion and misunderstanding. If we look at our historical path, was it always beneficial for the people of Israel to connect? On one hand, connection is good. But it is important at what level it occurs.

Perhaps we are shutting ourselves off from all others by this connection? Or are we selfishly connecting to escape corporeal problems? Or are we connected in order to fulfill our spiritual mission toward the whole world? The people of Israel can connect in different ways, and accordingly their connection must be evaluated, otherwise we will get confused when it is for the good and when it is harmful. There were many periods in history when Jews connected among themselves, but this connection only demonstrated how much it was not for the benefit of the general process of correction.

On one hand, we exist in the corporeal world, but on the other hand, we must achieve our spiritual purpose while we still are in this world. What matters is the purpose for which we are coming closer to each other, and also the purpose for which we are moving away from each other. Both can be beneficial and harmful. It is impossible to judge our closeness or separation unambiguously, but only in relation to the purpose of creation.
From the 1^st part of the Daily Kabbalah lesson 1/9/20, ”The Jewish Choice: Unity or Anti-Semitism,” Chapter 6

¹ Minute 0:20

“Is There A Rise In Hate Crimes Against Jews In 2019?” (Quora)

Michael Laitman, On Quora: “Is there a rise in hate crimes against Jews in 2019?“

At least in the United States, nearly 60% of crimes religiously motivated in the last year were committed against Jews, with 1,879 such incidents reported during this period. Physical attacks on Jews have also increased nationwide by 105% over the past year. In New York alone, anti-Semitic assaults make up more than half of its reported hate crimes.

The question then becomes: How can we disallow anti-Semitic crimes and threats from becoming the new norm?

While some American Jews justifiably fear an unknown future, the majority of U.S. Jews are still skeptical about the possibility that a terrible disaster could hit in their homeland. However, reality shows that American Jews’ sense of immunity has been lost. That Jewish places of worship, community centers, and homes have become targets is a situation that was inconceivable in the past.

In my recently released book, The Jewish Choice: Unity or Anti-Semitism, I detail at length similarities between pre-WWII Nazi Germany and today’s America, and aim to show how throughout history, whenever the Jewish people become divided, anti-Semitism rises, and often ends up in disaster. On the other hand, as I have been extensively explaining for many years, the way to salvation from anti-Semitism by the Jewish people is in its unity.

In order to thrive and survive, the people of Israel have to be united “as one man with one heart,” i.e., to live in mutual responsibility according to the rule, “love your neighbor as yourself.” These are not merely pleasant or empty words. It is the order of the day.

Unity of the Jewish people is intended to bring spiritual prosperity and well-being not only to the Jews, but to humanity. The role of the Jewish people is to be a “light unto the nations,” providing every person on this planet with a method to achieve unity and the manifestation of a positive unifying example.

Anti-Semites harbor unexplained irrational enmity toward Jews. According to the wisdom of Kabbalah, this negative sensation is inherently a longing for unity among Jews, one that will fill all of life’s gray spaces with light and vitality.

There is a chance to unite, and by doing so, stop further escalation of anti-Semitism. But we need to act in the direction of coming closer to each other and rising above our differences before it is too late. It is as written, “once permission has been granted to the Destroyer, he does not distinguish between righteous and wicked.”

When Hitler came to power in 1933, first Chief Rabbi of Eretz Israel and Kabbalist Rav Kook delivered a sermon in the old city of Jerusalem in which he spoke about the terrible Holocaust, years before it began:

“Enemies force the Jewish people to be redeemed, blasting the trumpets of war, bombarding them with deafening threats of harassment and torment, giving them no respite in the Diaspora. The shofar of an impure animal becomes the shofar of Mashiach. Amalek, Petilura, Hitler and their ilk- awaken us to redemption. The one who did not listen to the sound of the first shofar and the ones whose ears are closed up and do not want to listen to the sound of the second, ordinary shofar will listen to the sound of the impure, invalid shofar. They will listen against their will.” (Berachot 51b)

Today, President Trump is pro-Israeli, but sooner or later, the administration will change, and a leader can enter into office with a lot less sympathy for the Jews.

In such a scenario, the media will limit its coverage of violent incidents against Jews. Less awareness from the authorities and the public would thus make anti-Semitism take a far uglier turn from its current intensification.

If the message of our better future depending on our unity reaches listening ears, we will experience a shift to safety, peace, and calm. As long we are given an opportunity to disseminate the method of connection — the wisdom of Kabbalah — it is our duty to do so, as it holds the potential to dissipate all threats and bring us to a newfound harmony.

Freedom Of Choice, Part 11

Humanity Is a Single Organism

Question: Nature has been combining cells for billions of years until they were combined into more complex organisms. We see that it is good. Organisms became more complex, the spectrum of their sensations became much larger than that of the amoeba. Does nature push us to this only at the level of society?

Answer: Yes, only in thoughts and feelings, in the mind and in the heart. If we reach a state where our thoughts and feelings will be in one system, then we will become such a powerful community that rises above all nature, to the level of the Creator, into a state of eternity and perfection.

Comment: On one hand, it is good that we are all different. Nature develops us so that individualism is constantly growing.

My Response: Naturally. This is a template of the Creator, aimed to ensure that we are correct and achieve perfection.

Question: Are we as parts of one organism in which there are kidneys, the liver, and other organs, and all have different functions?

Answer: Absolutely. What we see today in technology, computers, and everywhere else is built on plus or minus.

Question: Does it turn out that the life of the whole organism is more important than the life of any particular organ?

Answer: No, here, on the contrary, the property of integrality is manifested, where each particle, each property, is as important as all the others combined. We do not do anything here, do not sacrifice anything.

Question: So what should we unite around?

Answer: Around one purpose. The ultimate goal is our complete unity. Therefore, we need to constantly shrink more and more among ourselves to achieve it.

And our general condition, when we are united in our heart and mind, is called the Creator. Thus, we will all rise back to our common root. This is the principle and purpose of our development.

Question: Is this freedom of choice?

Answer: The freedom of will is to get to this, not with imposed suffering, but with your personal participation.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 2/4/19

“The Cause And Solution To Israel’s Increasing Exemptions From Military Service” (Times Of Israel)

The Times of Israel published my new article “The Cause and Solution to Israel’s Increasing Exemptions from Military Service”

New data shows that every third Israeli designated for compulsory military service duty receives an exemption, and that most of them are under the mental health clause. The alarm bells went off since this statistic nearly doubled in the last four years, with the most likely explanation being that healthy youth are doing whatever they need to do in order to register as mentally incapable of serving in the army.

This phenomenon is not new but it does point to an overall downward trend in IDF recruitment. For example, when I enlisted in the Israeli Air Force some 40 years ago, the general atmosphere that enveloped everyone around me was that, “Soon this whole ordeal will be over with, and right after it’s done I’m flying away to wherever it may be, whether America, India or Australia. The main thing is that it’s far away.” This attitude gave the soldiers of the time a certain kind of fuel until their release date.

Obviously, the motivation for serving the country today is much lower. It is all the more so when the derogatory discourse of scorn and criticism of the State of Israel is a daily reality both inside and outside the country. In such a climate, who has the psychological strength and drive to undergo hard training and to fight devotedly for Israel? This general dissipated atmosphere raises Israel’s citizens to think that leaving the country is a much more desirable option than national service.

I, however, would in no way concede such service. Not only did I join the Air Force when I moved to Israel, but I raised my daughters to devote two full years to service of their country. The army is like a country within the country, where citizens from all walks of life come together and undergo an experience that unifies them, giving them a sense of a common identity within a surrounding climate that tears away at that unification. Undergoing such an out-of-the-ordinary experience to protect a common home is something that cannot be felt in any other setting.

It hurts me that we have developed such a disregard of the land of our ancestors. However, it is also clear to me that the inner spirit of Israel, the idea of brotherly love, cannot be eliminated. The Land of Israel will always be the central living spirit vitalizing the Jewish people.

Values that unify the people of Israel should be instilled in upcoming generations because if we continue business as usual, letting contempt toward the country fill our hearts, life will ultimately become worse not only for us, but for humanity as a whole. (On this point, I have expanded at length in other places about the vital role of the people of Israel.)

Thus, we must raise our youth to recognize the importance of our people and State. As part and parcel of our upbringing, we should learn about the essence of our spiritual root, the reason for being granted the Land of Israel, and our duty to unify and pass on this spirit of unification to the world. Through such an understanding, we would then realize the importance of protecting ourselves and our land from enemy threats. Likewise, when the feeling of importance in our role as a unique people and the value of our homeland fills Israeli citizens and especially the youth, then the recruitment percentages to serve Israel will rise accordingly.
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“What Can Be Done To Stop What Appears To Be The Rising Incidents Of Antisemitism In The United States?” (Quora)

Michael Laitman, On Quora: “What can be done to stop what appears to be the rising incidents of antisemitism in the United States?“

The way to stop anti-Semitism in the United States is the same as how to stop anti-Semitism anywhere in the world: to raise awareness of the root cause of anti-Semitism in order to invert hatred into love.

Kabbalistic sources explain both such a cause and solution to anti-Semitism. It is because Kabbalists perceive developmental processes unfolding in our world, and can both warn people of oncoming threats, as well as offer a remedy to prevent such threats from materializing.

For instance, Kabbalist Rav Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), the most renowned Kabbalist of the 20th Century, tried convincing European Jews in the 1930s to leave Europe because he foresaw the oncoming disaster. Both following his example, as well as taking heed to the alerting recent rise in anti-Semitism worldwide, I also feel the need to communicate the message about the root cause of anti-Semitism and its solution both to Jews and non-Jews, and I extensively write and speak on the topic with the hope that, at the very least, a future mass tragedy can be prevented.

In relation to the United States, I have lectured to Jewish communities in the United States at various intervals over the last 20 years. During the 2000s, I was laughed at when I mentioned that anti-Semitism was going to become a growing issue in America.

In the 2010s, after anti-Semitism’s immense exponential growth, both in the amounts of anti-Semitic crimes and threats, as well as in anti-Semitic sentiment, I explained how all signs were pointing to the next Holocaust emerging in America.

At the turn of the decade, after a string of anti-Semitic attacks in New York and New Jersey in a relatively short time period, Jewish lawmakers started acknowledging how a “slow-rolling pogrom” was taking place in New York.

Until a sharp sudden rise in anti-Semitic attacks within a relatively close radius took place, I saw little response to this message from the Jewish people. It is written about us, that we are a stiff-necked people, i.e., we have a tough skin that makes it very hard to penetrate such awareness into our perception.

In any case, in order to prevent a future dystopian scenario for the Jewish people in the United States, as well as elsewhere, the message is the same for all Jews: we need to unite, according to the tenet “love your friend as yourself,” in order to become “a light unto the nations,” i.e., a conduit that passes the positive unifying force dwelling in nature to the world. If the message doesn’t become accepted through education, explanation and promotion, then anti-Semitic blows and suffering will rise, “softening our stiff necks,” undesirably increasing our ability to absorb such a message.

That is the state we first reached some 3,800 years ago in ancient Babylon, under Abraham’s guidance, which granted us the name, “the people of Israel” (“Israel” from the words, “Yashar Kel,” which means “straight to God” [“God” being the same as “Nature” according to Kabbalah, i.e., a positive force that connects all elements of reality]). Also, according to the same unifying tendency, we were later named “Jews,” from the word for “unity” (the Hebrew word for “Jew” [Yehudi] comes from the word for “united” [yihudi] [Yaarot Devash, Part 2, Drush no. 2]).

Today, we are reaching new global proportions of anti-Semitism that the world has never seen, since today’s world is more globally-integrated than ever before. Due to anti-Semitism emerging as a natural phenomenon in non-Jews, toward a subconscious expectation for the Jews to pioneer a process toward more positive human connection, then we can expect a future where everyone other than a few Jews will be anti-Semitic.

Therefore, we Jews first and foremost need to show everyone how unity above the growing hostile divisions in society is not only a possibility, but that there is a method of connection to guide our every step of the way. By implementing such a method on ourselves, we send positive unifying ripples throughout humanity’s consciousness, and invite an opposite attitude from anti-Semitism upon ourselves in return. In other words, by witnessing increasing positive connection, and subsequent rises in happiness, support and confidence in society at large, the general attitude toward a unified Jewish people would become favorable and encouraging.

However, if the Jewish people will continue rejecting, ignoring or remaining unaware of the message of the need to unite, then instead of seeing unity form in society’s mainstream, we can expect unity to form more and more in society’s fringes, i.e., as Nazi and fascist unity. Such unity is dangerous, since it is built on uniting around the hatred of the other, and it becomes the infrastructure that can lead to the manifestation of horrific events, as exemplified by the Holocaust.

Therefore, I hope that Jews in general, and especially American Jews, will start noticing that the ball is in our court, and that we need to play the game well: to prioritize our unity in order to spread unity onward. If we do so, we will experience a better general state in America and around the world. However, if we fail to realize what the wisdom of Kabbalah is saying on this pressing issue, then the state will become much worse.

Meaning Of Life, Part 5

Push to the Revelation of the Purpose of Creation

Question: Is the meaning of life from the point of view of Kabbalah in the revelation of the Creator within a person precisely when one exists in this world, in this body, that is, when one leads an ordinary human life?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Is it felt like a great pleasure? After all, it is written in all Kabbalistic sources that the purpose of creation is in bringing pleasure to the created beings.

Answer: Bringing pleasure through what? It is through the revelation of the Creator.

Question: So, does it mean that the Creator, nature, initially develops us so that we would advance from the shallow basic pleasures to social pleasures?

Answer: Yet nevertheless, moving from small pleasures to bigger ones, a person goes through suffering.

Question: Is it suffering that becomes a push toward the revelation of the purpose of creation?

Answer: Yes. The feeling of lack, that I need to reveal more, to understand more, and to feel more drives us forward.
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From KabTV’s “Fundamentals of Kabbalah,” 1/14/19