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Kabbalah: The Bnei Baruch Association – Kabbalah Education & Research Institute.
Correcting Our Approach To Nature And To Society
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by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD.
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Question: In that case, we may say that the purpose of creation, according to the Kabbalists, is to attain the true and correct balance with the laws of nature.
Yes, nothing else, nothing more than that; regardless of whether or not nature is referred to as G-d or something else, based on its numerical value. If we thus discover nature, study It, identify with It, attain equivalence of form with It and achieve a balanced state with all of these forces, we will have attained the highest level of existence.
Question: And what will happen then? What will that do for us?
First of all, do I have a sixth finger? I don’t. Do I feel a lacking from its absence? No. But a sixth finger notwithstanding, I do feel something missing, and that is the driving force now within me.
I am not acting out of some abstract notion that just popped up in my mind all of a sudden, like “let’s find out what happens if I have another finger on my hand.” I rather act out of necessity to discover the meaning of my life. That is what I need to find out, that is what I desire, and that is what I have a drive for.
We do not come to Kabbalah or start these kinds of investigations when our lives are going well; no one ever does. We rather come when things are bad, which is why these things are definitive, simple and close to every single one of us. We are therefore unconcerned at the moment, as Baal HaSulam says, whether It is called Nature or G-d. Is He all-knowing or sensitive?
I just think about myself, and that is what one starts with. I care about nothing and no one in the world. I care only about myself and what happens with me. That is, in fact, the healthiest state, the only one from which we are able to advance, because anything other than that is short-lived—it may exist today and be gone tomorrow—and we certainly do not need to be “bleeding hearts” around here.
“Now it is vitally important for us to observe the commandments of nature and know what it demands of us, lest it would mercilessly punish us. We have said that nature obligates man to lead a social life and that is simple.”
Why is it simple? Because this is how He created us. We are unable to survive without society, and our lives depend on how we get along with society. On the other hand, we see that those people who have exploited society to the fullest, as well as those who are being exploited by society, all suffer, and there is no perfection.
In other words, we do not really know what the correct conduct is, according to the commandments of nature and the laws of society that are also rooted in nature. We do not know what the genuine laws really are. In our social and political societies, we are constantly under this notion that we need to keep establishing these kinds of laws and other kinds of laws.
I have heard that in the United States they change about thirty thousand laws in one year alone. What do they base these changes upon? Have they performed any investigations into nature that resulted in a genuine understanding of what social and individual human behavior should be? What is the basis for these changes?
In other words, this is just an indication of the unfortunate state humanity is in, lacking the proper understanding of what to do or how; thinking that it somehow understands what to lay on the individual in the form of behavior that one must adopt.
Moreover, the fact that they make amendments to thirty thousand laws from one year to the next clearly shows how critical this situation has become. If they had only altered one or two laws, seeing that things are not functioning that well, one could say: “Oh well, we are progressing, we are going to do things a bit differently.” But the way it is done today is a clear indication of their absolute helplessness.
The correct relationship between us is certainly rooted in nature; we are just unaware of and unfamiliar with it. We each therefore do whatever we think is right. Take a look at the assortment of constitutions and laws that have been created in every nation.
In that aspect, the relationships that used to exist among ancient tribes and barbarians were the healthiest relationships, because they resulted from a natural closeness to one another. They were all a single family, a clan; and that is the most natural thing.
The farther humanity has gone from these kinds of relationships, establishing other kinds of relationships based on our own intelligence and evil desires, the more we have corrupted the relationships between people, and that is the cause, the reason why we are ruining our lives.
“But we need to examine the commandments that nature necessitates us to observe in that respect, meaning the aspect of society.
When we generally examine it we find that there are only two social precepts to observe, which can be called ‘reception’ and ‘bestowal.’ Meaning, each member must, by nature, receive his needs from society and must benefit society through his work for its wellbeing. And if he breaks one of these two commandments he will be mercilessly punished.”
In other words, nature defines the relationships between an individual and society in terms of “giving” and “receiving.” There is nothing more than that and we can also see it in our lives. For instance, there are those who receive a hundred per cent and give zero per cent and there are those who give perhaps a hundred per cent and receive zero per cent, and there are also varying percentages in between those two extremes. But there is nothing apart from these two aspects: giving and receiving.
We cannot even say that we could have been part of some other nature or system of existence, where there might have been some other types of relationships that are devoid of “giving” and “receiving,” given that these two aspects are the only ones we can see. Where does this come from? It is simply the result of the creation of the vessel by the Light, resulting in no more than “giving” and “receiving.”
All the laws, that we thus have to learn about, are located here, between “giving” and “receiving.” This is, in fact, the big question mark that is most significant to us, and it is defined as “the speaking level of existence.”
“We need not excessively examine into the commandment of reception because the punishment is carried out immediately, which prevents any neglect.”
In other words, as far as receiving is concerned, that aspect is already taken care of by the mere fact that society in its entirety is immersed in the healthy and egoistic desire to receive, which somehow places the proper limitations upon every individual, and thus keeps every person from receiving what they do not deserve.
This arrangement, however, is also beyond our comprehension; we are merely following our minds and our egos, believing that “one should not receive from society that which one does not deserve, or which does not belong to him.” We do not know, however, the real meaning of “mine” and “not mine,” and are therefore not implementing these terms in their ideal form.
Baal HaSulam will later explain to us, that the ideal form is similar to what we already know regarding a healthy body. For example, every cell in the body takes everything it needs from the entire body to sustain its life while providing the body with everything it requires in order to function properly. Meaning, the cell receives the necessary minimum and gives the most it possibly can. That, in fact, is the condition for sustaining life in a live body.
That is what we observe in the vegetative and animate levels of existence. It is thus possible that the same rule also applies to the speaking level, to our relationships, but we do not know anything about our bodies at their speaking level of existence; namely, at the level in which we are all interconnected, in our humanistic form.
But if that law does in fact apply to the speaking level as well, we will unfortunately be forced by nature to fulfill that condition—to receive the minimum necessary for our survival and to give the maximum—as this is the way life is, and without it, life cannot be sustained in any living organism.
If things are, indeed, designed that way, then what does it mean, “to take” or “not to take” from society? Taking from society means that one takes only what one requires for one’s existence. “Giving to society” means that one gives to society what one is required to give for the sake of the entire society’s existence, without thinking of oneself after having received the minimum necessary for one’s own subsistence, and for performing the act of giving.
We see this scenario taking place naturally in living creatures, since it is a law of nature and it was implanted in the creatures by the Upper Force, by Nature, at their developmental levels, their levels of existence.
For now, we just say that when an individual receives something from society, society then determines its standpoint on that interaction, according to which, one is slightly blamed for stealing a little, and greatly blamed for stealing a lot. But if you steal through an attorney, not only do you not get blamed for it, you are actually said to be wise and successful. It all follows the laws that we have established.
“But in the other commandment, that of bestowal upon society, not only does the punishment not occur immediately, but it is given indirectly. Therefore this commandment is not properly observed.”
In other words, in our generally defective society, we do not require much from an individual in terms of “giving.” The only thing we ask of him is not to cause any harm. He can park himself under a tree for the rest of his life, being left to himself, so long as he does not get in anybody’s way.
Society does not wish to deal with these people, because dealing with them would mean spending lots of resources on them, which would cost a lot more than if they just sat idly, staying clear of everybody’s way. This is why we refrain altogether from dealing with one’s “giving” to society.
Imagine a live organ in a body suddenly saying—“what do you want from me? I am alive and I do not have to serve you”—would the body be able to continue living? In other words, this system seems to be constructed such that this reciprocal law of giving and receiving must be meticulously followed, just like in a live body.
The only question is, where do we find the power to see that it is so, thereby attaining the understanding and perception that we are forced to adhere to that law, and evading the alternative of remaining in a system that constantly awakens suffering within us? In other words, if that law is genuinely true, how could we reach the state where we would be able to abide by it?
Question: Why don’t we put it to the test? We’ll take a few people, each of which will take the minimum necessary for themselves, and give the maximum. Then we would see whether or not we attain that said equilibrium with nature and feel good as a result of it, like in the other natural systems, and it would then be very easy to…
They tried to do these things in the kibbutzim (lit. communal settlements) and in Russia and in all kinds of small and closed communities. Even today, there are communities in the world that aspire to live like that, living in clans and communes. But it does not work, as there is another condition on nature’s part: that this healthy body must have a higher purpose for its existence. But we are not talking about that yet.
If you wish to know these laws of nature, although they are now concealed, they will become revealed, and at that time they will provide you with the ability to fulfill them, under the condition that you wish to become familiar with them; not for the sake of remaining in the animalistic, human level, that is, in a corrected human society, but that you wish to use them for the purpose of inspiring and elevating society to its highest level of existence: eternal, spiritual life.
In other words, nature does not reveal its laws and teach us how to observe them just so people can improve their lives in this world, filling their bellies and becoming corrected beasts that feel good in mind and body.
It is just the opposite: The entire concealment is at the level of the speaking so that one is forced to attain the higher level and discover that this higher level is, in fact, the purpose, and that society is the actual means for attaining it.
In other words, there is another level here called, “the Upper level.” So if you wish to attain this Upper level, these laws will support you. But if you just want these laws for the sake of fixing human society and not for the purpose of attaining that Upper level, it will have a reverse effect: These laws will strike back mercilessly, causing detriment both to you and to your society. This was the case with the Russians and the kibbutzim; however, the Russians were less fortunate in that they had no one to pump them with billions, the way the kibbutzim had in the state of Israel.
Question: It isn’t clear. Creating a state of equilibrium in the system—in the human society—is not considered a Higher state?
No. We gain nothing by treating each other nicely, living in a beautiful, ideal society where everyone behaves nicely and justly to one another. This just allows us to go through these seventy years of ours, living like beautiful and corrected beasts: “We have everything, thank G-d, no one is suffering and we are all healthy and living well...”
Nature can easily do that; there is no problem with it, except that we would not achieve the higher purpose of attaining eternity, which is an entirely different level of existence than to just spend our lives here in this kind of existence for seventy years.
The purpose of our lives is to come out into the spiritual, infinite life. So if you apply your position in this world to ascend to that higher level, you will succeed, but if you do not do it for that purpose, you will not succeed; that is how this law is set up.
In other words, this natural law is set up to influence you, such that you attain equivalence of form and balance with it. This can only be achieved by taking into account this factor, this condition: that equivalence of form with nature must take place at the Upper level of existence, not at the speaking level. You need to become comparable not to the speakers, the members of society, but to the Upper Force.
That is the purpose.
This means that acquiring a beautiful, correct and totally altruistic attitude toward society is not enough. This always raises the question: Why didn’t the Creator then create us all good and beautiful, corrected and totally altruistic, to begin with? This question would only be appropriate if creating a better society was the purpose of creation. Do you understand?
Question: But if I now follow the scientific investigation and consent to it, even though I have not actually discovered it, but I accept that the Kabbalists are correct and that this law is binding. Out of that agreement and adherence to it…
What do you mean by “consent”? What does it mean “to accept”? They gave you a few beatings and you are already willing to say “I agree”? Is this what you call “consent”? Have you actually attained that law and opened it? Have you seen a beginning and an end to it all? Would you wish to abide by it even if no one forced you to? Even if you were given the whole world, would you still desire nothing but to comply with it? That is the meaning of “consent.”
What is the meaning of “consent”? It certainly does not refer to my loving of another on account of his wealth or his being something–or–another… That does not mean that I love the person, but that I love something that person has: “He gives me a good life so I love him.” That does not mean that you agree, it just means that you were “bought,” you see…
In other words, and here we are getting a little ahead of ourselves, the human being is required to ascend from his or her level to the Higher level, and nature will never allow humanity to be exempt from fulfilling that obligation. We see it with everything that is going on in all those kibbutzim and in Russia, as well as with anyone who ever wanted to create a commune, including the Israeli Labor party. Creating a commune just for the sake of having a good physical life here in this world will never be possible. The higher purpose is the whole supplemental aspect that determines our success.
If we could therefore explain this to ourselves and to the rest of the world, it would then open our eyes, eliminating our problems altogether. That is the key to the effortless creation of a society where every member is happy, not only during our seventy-year lifespan on Earth, but right from the start, every individual would be able to live blissfully in the infinite flow of all life, beyond this life.
“Because of that humanity is being fried in a heinous turmoil and strife and famine and their consequences do not cease to this day.”
Nor will they ever cease, until we personally discover this law of “receiving and bestowing correctly, to our fellowmen, in accordance with the purpose of our development in nature.” Because, on the whole, we see that we are evolving, unlike the inanimate, vegetative and animate levels of existence, where there is a constancy of states, relationships and balance with nature. The creations at those levels—those objects, plants and animals—do not undergo a process of development and thus do not need to add anything to their natural existence.
We, however, do keep evolving and we must therefore introduce changes, time and again, in our relationships as well.
“And the wonder about it is that nature, like a competent judge, punishes us according to our development, for we can see that to the extent that mankind develops, so increase the pains and torments providing for our existence.”
This means that the more developed we are, the harder our lives become. So is it worthwhile to develop? No, it isn’t. But is there a choice? No, there is no choice. In other words, there is an ingrained process in nature driving us to develop into such an unbearable state that we will be forced to ask—“What is the meaning of our lives?”—just like the question raised by Baal HaSulam at the beginning of the Introduction to the Study of the Ten Sefirot.
This question would then force us to find out the secret to our lives and what all those laws are, the ones under which we exist, those laws that are causing all those bad things to happen to us.
“Thus you have before you an empiric, scientific basis, that His providence has commanded us to observe with all our might the commandment of bestowal upon others with utter precision,”
What "utter precision"? We do not know. But receiving and bestowing must exist. That balanced relationship must be there, however we do not know what it is. Also, Baal HaSulam does not yet answer the question regarding that additional requirement for needing this whole system of relationships with our fellow men, namely: “Why didn’t the Creator set it up that way to begin with?”
The Creator could have set us up just like animals and beasts, but He did not do it to begin with so that we would have to connect to a higher level, from which we would receive the strength and the understanding to establish the correct life among us, which would in turn provide us with the necessary knowledge, intelligence, understanding and ability to live in the Upper altruistic system above us; all of which would result in our attainment of something beyond our nature.
Say we discover a simple system of give and take where one knows that one has no other choice but to give ninety per cent and receive ten per cent; a system where everyone works like a robot or a puppet or maybe even under society’s guard, thus arranged to fit each and every person in that particular niche.
Even if we were to live that way, we would never rise above the inanimate level. But nature’s plan is to elevate us above the speaking level. In other words, at the speaking level, we are prohibited to create the kinds of relationships that are based on the law we are forced to uphold in our anticipation of good or bad consequences.
That is, my ability to foresee the negative results, for example, out of taking from society as little as one gram above and beyond what I deserve. Even if I anticipate the punishment as being in the next world, or even if it means something could happen, G-d forbid, to my children, or something like that; it makes no difference, as it is forbidden for us to observe the laws of society on account of our certain anticipation of a positive or negative result. It is because this is the kind of behavior on the animate level and not on the speaking. In that we only follow the rules out of necessity, the way animals and beasts do.
If there is no concealment and everything is revealed, my will simply functions straightforwardly and mindlessly and it would never allow me to refrain from fulfilling its desires. In other words, when things are known and clear, I follow them to precision and I do not need to actuate myself into all kinds of deliberations of convenience; everything follows a simple and dry calculation. There is no speaking level in that.
Why then, did nature conceal all that from us? It was probably done so, in order for us to attain, somehow, the proper system of relationships. Not to have it clear from the start, but to get us to a point where I, myself, would want to create this altruistic system of relationships, out of my own free will, thereby discovering—if I attain the correct notion, the totally free and independent notion about that system of relationships—that this system does, in fact, exist that way in nature.
This whole process causes me to make myself equal to nature, to bring myself to that same level, because through that process, I, myself, have made myself, have created myself as part of that system that was already in existence, though unbeknown to me. And I now become aware that I have actually elevated myself to the Upper level of altruism, the actual level of the speaking. This is why it is concealed; because it is only through suffering that I am driven to that position, to that revelation.
This raises a few questions: Why then, do we need the wisdom of Kabbalah and the Kabbalists? Is it impossible for human society to discover these things? After all, they seem to be very natural things; I did not speak like a Kabbalist, but like a mere investigator of nature that could make all those assumptions and arrive at those conclusions through logic, without the need for great wisdom. We will gradually come to discover all that later on.
Question: It is quite understandable and it can also be seen in our world that an individual would have to utilize his studies in order to personally acquire those systems that are not natural to him. By the same token, it is also possible to understand why one would have to personally construct or acquire the highest level, from that concealment. But it is still unclear to me, what the whole purpose of it is…
The purpose of this whole process is to become independent; to become independent at the highest level. I have no independence at the inanimate, vegetative or animate levels of existence; what kind of independence do I have? This is why we say: “Forget about this world and everything in it.” Independence can only be achieved by resembling the Superior, and that is why we say that the whole work takes place at a level above human feelings and intellect. We must acquire the mind of the Superior: His laws and His nature.
Question: Who is Baal HaSulam addressing when saying: “Thus you have before you an empiric, scientific basis, that His providence has commanded us…”?
He is addressing any sensible person, any rational person. What we have been discussing thus far, was that not sensible? Did you have to believe anything as a prerequisite? Did you have to wear phylacteries or do any praying in advance? Or did you even have to take any philosophy classes in some university prior to it?
Anyone who reaches a point where he or she starts asking about his or her life can arrive at these same thoughts that are written here, just by taking in and observing everything there is; by following mind, understanding and feelings.
There is nothing here outside of a scientific and empirical research, and Baal HaSulam says it: “Thus you have before you an empiric, scientific basis;” meaning that anyone can get there. If one is able to think and has the sensibility for it and sufficient experience in life, as well as the mind capable of taking things apart and reconstructing them, one then reaches it.
Who is he addressing? He addresses anyone who has the capability for it. And one who does not have that capability, is guided through it by his explanations. How else would he have discovered all that? Did it come to him in a telegram from Above, from that other world? All the Kabbalists’ writings are the results of their investigations into nature and the changes that they have made within themselves during that process.
It is just like in our drawing, where we illustrated the relationship between myself and the world: If the world and everything in it is fixed, and my problem is only within me, then if I change internally, I then perceive the world differently, every time.
So how do the Kabbalists discover the worlds, discover reality and other new things? By changing themselves on the inside, their internal images, their minds and their thoughts become consequently transformed. Baal HaSulam has advanced in much the same way, slightly more than we have, by performing his internal work, and is therefore able to tell us about things that are a bit more advanced. If we would improve internally, just like he had, we would be able to attain the same things as him.
Question: None of the other levels of existence, be them inanimate, vegetative or animate levels, are required to reach equivalence of form with a higher level of existence, they attain equivalence of form within their own levels of existence…
They attain that equivalence of form with their peers in a natural unconscious manner. Does a plant know what laws to observe and what not to? We might actually discover in the future that it does, in fact, have a mind and all kinds of discernments, but it is merely a result of the integration of all levels of creation—the inanimate, vegetative, animate and speaking levels—one with another. But in truth, everything at those lower levels occurs in a natural instinctive way, according to the laws that are already impressed upon them by nature. Now, what was the question?
Question: The speaking level of existence is required to rise above its level, to a Superior level, and only then can we reach an understanding and attain equivalence of form.
Yes.
Question: Right. So how can Baal HaSulam say: “Thus you have before you an empiric, scientific basis?” He could say: “I can see with my own eyes,” but how does he present it to us as “an empiric, scientific basis,” given that “empiric” suggests some sort of experiment, or action?
No. The experiment comes from our lives; is that not clear? Our lives show us where we are. Before I read any of Baal HaSulam’s writings, I used to dedicate myself to bio-cybernetics and I was totally immersed in science, wanting to know how this whole world functions. So I started asking questions. I did not attain all of what Baal HaSulam tells us about here, not to mention the more advanced things that lie ahead, but I did have the same questions.
For instance, if nature manages to subsist appropriately in the inanimate, vegetative and the animate levels of existence, why then, is that not true for the speaking level? What is it lacking? On the other hand, if the speaking level of existence is so wise that we humans have an understanding about our lives to the degree that we are supposedly fit to rise above life, does that mean that we are really capable of existing at a higher level than life, or not?
Even the mere thoughts about the life before and after this seventy year span; where do they come from? The animate level of existence does not have that; it always sticks to the present moment in its life. It has no philosophy, no history, nothing. So why do we have that? The reason for this is that if nature provides information and power, as in mind-power and willpower, and emotional strength, it is all done for the purpose of development.
If we have questions and desires for things, it is certain that we are required by nature to attain them; not that we may or may not, but we must attain them. It took me years of inquiring about these things and about those who might know anything about them, to find the Kabbalists; but the whole search was done in a purely logical manner.
Even here in this article, does Baal HaSulam ask you to believe anything? Don’t. On the contrary, he keeps repeating that we have “an empiric, scientific basis.” All he is saying is: “Friends, let us all get to know nature; it will be good for us, because we are all part of it and cannot run away from it,” that is all.
It is quite the opposite, in fact. He tells you that if you think that nature is G-d, you are better off thinking that it is just nature. Because when one thinks about G-d, one automatically starts attaching all kinds of things to that name, such as “things might get better, I will appeal to Him, He will change,” and so on.
Nature does not change. You are the one who will have to change. You are the one who will have to abide by the rules. This is why you are better off thinking about the Creator, about the Upper Force, as Nature and not as G-d, and this is where humankind has basically gone wrong. If humankind had really thought that it is in fact, part of nature, unlike all of those images painted by the various religions, it would then certainly suffer less, and it might have found a solution long ago.
Let’s proceed.
“Thus you have before you an empiric, scientific basis, that His providence has commanded us to observe with all our might the commandment of bestowal upon others with utter precision, in such a way that no member of our society would work any less than the measure needed to secure the happiness of society and its success. And as long as we are idle in performing it to the fullest, nature will not stop punishing us and take its revenge.”
There is nothing more to add here. There are rules. If you abide by them, you will be well off; you do not, then you won’t. These laws are also specifically arranged to take you to the purpose.
“And besides the blows we take today, we must also consider the drawn sword for the future, and the right conclusion must be drawn, that nature will ultimately defeat us and we will all be compelled to join hands in the following of its commandments with all the required measure.”
You see how he says “nature” and “its commandments,” meaning “its laws,” “compelled to follow.” It is expressed in a simple and decisive manner; not out of faith, nor out of any type of desire or lack thereof. It is just the recognition that there is no other choice, and this is, in fact, the knowledge that Kabbalah brings to the world.
This shows us how imperative this knowledge is, which is why the world is now beginning to awaken and feel inside that there might be something in the wisdom of Kabbalah that could actually function as a remedy. Also, since Baal HaSulam says that the world is, in fact, in that situation, it is our obligation to reveal the wisdom of Kabbalah to the world, as a means for correction.
Question: Repeating my prior question, Baal HaSulam writes: “Thus you have before you an empiric, scientific basis,” meaning that any sensible and rational person can understand those things and accept them; and in truth, these things are very logical. But he follows it with: “That His providence has commanded us.” He doesn’t say “that Nature has commanded us,” but that “His providence has commanded us.”
That is unimportant. It bears no importance. Baal HaSulam only wants to get you accustomed to that terminology. For example, that G-d Almighty is called “Partzuf Zeir Anpin de Atzilut,” and that if you liken yourself to Him, you cause an action and that causes a reaction, meaning, something happens to you as a result.
The laws there are very clear; above Partzuf Zeir Anpin de Atzilut there is G-d, which has the numeral value of “Nature,” and is also the force of Bina. Baal HaSulam simply wants you to get used to all those names that represent nothing more than a system of laws operating on you to take you to the Highest level of awareness. That is all.
And with that, we will conclude for today, and we will continue tomorrow, with “The Proof of His Work by Experience.” We will have to get used to the fact that we live in a system of laws called “The Creator,” “G-d Almighty,” “The Lord,” and so forth. All of those names represent the diverse ways in which the Upper Force affects us. It is a somewhat new approach to things, but we will eventually get used to it.
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Kabbalist Rav Michael Laitman, PhD.,
Kabbalist, Rabbi, & Author
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World leading Kabbalist, Rav Michael Laitman, PhD has an MS in Bio Cybernetics and a PhD in Philosophy and Ontology.
Rav Laitman is the author of 25 internationally selling books on Kabbalah; his books have been translated into nine languages.
His lessons are broadcast live throughout the Internet and cable TV to tens of thousands of students the world over. In recent years he has become a sought-after lecturer in academic and learning circles in the US and Europe
His search for the meaning of life led him to the teachings of Kabbalah in the 1970’s. At first he studied Kabbalah with various teachers in Jerusalem and other parts of Israel. In 1979 he discovered his true teacher, Kabbalist Rav Baruch Shalom Halevi Ashlag (1907-1991).
From the time he met Rav Baruch Ashlag (known as the Rabash), he was never apart from him and spent most of his time in his presence, as his disciple and personal assistant. Up until his death, Rabash passed on to Rav Laitman the wisdom he had acquired from his father, Kabbalist Rav Yehuda Ashlag, known as Baal HaSulam for his Sulam commentary on The zohar (The Book of Radiance).
Rav Dr. Laitman held a successful public meeting in San-Francisco in March 2005 with leading American scientists, participants of the blockbuster hit "What the Bleep Do We Know?" Here are some of the impressions of the scientists after meeting Dr. Laitman:
Fred Alan Wolf, PhD. author of eleven books, among them The Yoga of Time Travel, Matter into Feeling: a new Alchemy of Science and Spirit, and Mind into Matter: "I admire your knowledge. I would love to sit at your feet and study for a long time."
Jeffery Satinover, MD (Psychiatry), MS (Physics) – Author of seven books including The Quantum Brain & Cracking the Bible Code: "The emergence of Kabbalah from its concealment in a genuine form is historically significant and is truly remarkable."
Rav Laitman is the founder and president of the Bnei Baruch Association – Kabbalah Education & Research Institute. Bnei Baruch is an Israeli based non-profit organization that is dedicated to spreading the wisdom of Kabbalah to all of humanity.
Bnei Baruch conducts daily Kabbalah lessons, broadcasted live on the Internet and available for free.
In 1996 Bnei Baruch created, what is now the largest and most popular Internet site on the subject of Kabbalah--www.kabbalah.info. This website provides unlimited access to Kabbalistic texts and media in over twenty languages, and hosts over a million readers every month.
Website: www.kabbalah.info.
Further information is available at www.kabbalah.info.
The following study
e-books, and resources are free,
and available in the formats listed below:
• "Attaining the Worlds Beyond",
by Kabbalist, Rav Michael Laitman, PhD.
Audio book
(MP3 format): www.kabbalah.info/
engkab/
worlds_beyond.htm
PDF:
www.kabbalah.info/
engkab/
book_4/Attaining-Text.pdf
•"Kabbalah for Beginners"
Palm download:
www.kabbalah.info
/engkab/ebook/kab_
for_beginners.htm
•"What the Bleep…"
Video Discussion:
www.kabbalahmedia.info/
~video/KabbalahMeets
ModernScience/Kabbalah
MeetsModernScience_
pilot_eng.mpg
Rav Laitman's Latest Book Releases:
•The Kabbalah Experience
Never has the language of Kabbalah been as clear and accessible as it is here, in this compelling, informative collection. The depth of wisdom revealed in the questions and answers of this book will inspire reflection and contemplation.
•The Path of Kabbalah
“Thou shalt not make unto thee a graven image, nor any manner of likeness” (Exodus 20:3). This commandment from the Bible is the basis of the Kabbalistic wisdom, for Kabbalists know that the only true reality is that of His Essence, the Upper Force.
For more information on obtaining these books and others, visit:
http://www.kabbalah
books.info/default.php
View these fascinating video clips from Rav Laitman's world lectures !!
The Needed Shift in Human Consciousness
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=4Q0NsgtFMhI
05:11
Dr. Michael Laitman's speech at the World Wisdom Council meeting in Tokyo, Japan,
"Creating a New Civilization" - November 2005.
Creating a New Civilization - Tokyo 2005
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=WZF2L4CEfZc
06:23
The World Wisdom Council's 3rd meeting "Creating a New Civilization" in Tokyo, November 2005.
Israeli artists meet Rav Michael Laitman, PhD
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=-mUumQWnlGM
07:36
Israeli artists meet with Rav Michael Laitman, PhD to talk about the meaning of life, free choice, and life's basic questions.
Attaining the Worlds Beyond
http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=uUWl8-WPeKk
05:14
A video inspired by text from Rav Michael Laitman's book "Attaining the Worlds Beyond."
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