To Serve and Care

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Do not be surprised if I mix together the well-being of a particular collective with the well-being of the whole world, because indeed, we have already come to such a degree that the whole world is considered one collective and one society. Meaning, because each person in the world draws his life’s marrow and his livelihood from all the people in the world, he is coerced to serve and care for the well-being of the whole world.
 
Baal HaSulam
Kabbalah for the Student
Page 92

Who’s Truth?

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In theory, everyone willingly agreed and took it upon themselves to not deviate in any way from the truth.  But in fact, they conducted themselves completely opposite from the truth.  And since then, it has been the fate of truth to always be in the hands of the most deceitful and never in the hands of the weak and righteous, so they could even be somewhat assisted by the attribute of truth.
 
Baal HaSulam
Kabbalah for the Student
Page 90

No Light

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But the matter is as follows. There is a general rule: “there is no light without a vessel”. That is to say, it is impossible for there to be a filling without a lack. Therefore, when a person gives a toil, and invests strengths and efforts in order to arrive at the state where he is bestowing to the Creator, and the more that he invests powers, there is awakened in him more lack for the filling, that is to say, according to the degree in which he toils to reach a level of bestowing, he sees that he is far from it. And who makes him understand that he is far from being bestowing? It is the work itself.
 
Rabash

Establish a Bond

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In this manner, events progress until, having exhausted our own potential, and having done everything that is in our own power, we recognize that we are unable to help ourselves.  We must turn to the Creator, who places these obstacles in our path to compel us to turn to Him for help and to arouse in us a desire to establish a bond with Him.
 
Rav Michael Laitman PhD
Page 72

Lose the Thought

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All the hardships that we feel each minute in our lives come because we lose the thought that everything that takes place is connected to the Creator.  We forget that all that we feel, or exist in, all that happens to us comes from Him.  If I get a hold of this rope, this communication line with the Creator and know that everything comes from Him to get me closer to the right intention, if I do not lose this connection even for a second – after this, nothing can be hard.  Then, on the opposite, all that happens with a person becomes like a lever that advances him and strengthens the connection.  In our common thought, in our intention, let us reach the condition where none of us lose this connection with the Creator and always know that what happens to us comes from the Creator.  In this way we will pass the obstacles and manage to reach the goal quickly.
Rav Michael Laitman PhD 
New Month Meal
November 2004

Understanding Receiver

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Meaning, our language only aims us toward the roots; it does not do more than that. It does not explain the roots to us. Rather, the explanation depends on the person, how that person rises from branch to root. He might be the most intelligent person, but not be in this process, and will not reach the root. The explanation must always be, if it is an explanation from person to person…just as in our world, I can explain something to someone who has the same intelligence, sensations, and understanding of what I am talking about, who has the same knowledge, who is in the same society, had the same upbringing. Meaning, that person has the right foundations to understand what I am conveying to him, and receive a picture according to what I am passing onto him. So there are many conditions that have to be met in the other in order to convey from the wise to one who understands with his own mind. Otherwise, it might be a great corruption. He will misunderstand it, and I have no way of testing if he understood it correctly or not. And perhaps, instead of benefit, there will be only harm. That is why the wisdom is not just passed onto anyone, but it says that you do not study unless “this and that” condition is met. Only on such conditions: “From the mouth of a wise Kabbalist to the ear of an understanding receiver.”

Commentary by Rav Michael Laitman PhD

The Essence of the Wisdom of Kabbalah- Lesson 5

The Law of Purpose

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The end result of an action is already contained in the initial thought.

All actions and thoughts of an individual contribute to the whole human system.

When a person is unaware of their effect on the system, they automatically act with an egoistic intention.

When these intentions are combined, they are naturally in conflict.

At the global level these crises reveal the initial thoughts behind our actions.

Becoming aware of these egoistic thoughts, the individuals can then consciously determine the purpose of their actions.

It is clear to see that changing the thought behind an action, is the only way to produce positive, and purposeful results.

Character: Unfortunately, no one ever really looks at their intentions…

Rav Michael Laitman PhD

Face to Face

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But we must still understand what was the purpose for which the Creator created this lot? Indeed, it is to elevate him to a Higher and more important degree, to feel his God like the human sensation, which is already given to him. And as one knows and feels one’s friend’s wishes, so will he learn the words of the Creator, as it is written about Moses, “And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaketh unto his friend.”

Any person can be as Moses. Undoubtedly, anyone who examines the evolution of Creation before us will see and understand the great pleasure of the Operator, whose operation evolves until it acquires that wondrous sensation of being able to converse and deal with one’s God as one speaks to one’s friend.

Baal HaSulam

The Teaching of Kabbalah and its Essence

Kabbalah For the Student

Page 31

Active Participation

glassesbrightblurry1Basically, Kabbalah does not do that so as to tell us what else we are going to experience under the light’s constant influence, from our present state up to a complete equivalence of form with the light called the Gmar Tikkun.  It, rather, encourages us to make our own earnest effort and by our personal and independent participation shorten this process.
 
At that, we go through the same transformations, but they become desired; hence, we, in anticipation of the bright future states, perceive our spiritual ascent, our life as positive and pleasant.  In other words, an active participation in the process of correction elevates man to a fairly good level the moment he makes his decision.
 
Commentary by Rav Michael Laitman
Page 62

Sharing

heartinairIn general, if one shares one’s feelings with another person, the two create a common vessel, a larger vessel for sensations.  There is an additional feeling in that vessel: that of the other person.  That is why it is more pleasant to share an experience than to experience something alone.

 
Rav Michael Laitman PhD
Page 215