Deuteronomy, 21:10-25:19
This Week’s Torah Portion | September 11 – September 17, 2016 – 8 Elul – 14 Elul, 5776

In A Nutshell

The portion, Ki Tetze (When You Go), details special and infrequent Mitzvot (commandments), such as the attitude toward a rebellious son, a firstborn son of the loved one or the hated one, and the commandment to send a bird from the nest and not harm it, when taking the bird’s eggs or nestlings.

The portion also details many Mitzvot that deal with everyday life, ethics, and social order, such as returning a loss, divorce, and the obligation to be considerate of others in vulnerable situations, such as poor, proselytes, orphans, and widows. Additionally, the portion mentions the importance of a just sentence. The last Mitzva (singular of Mitzvot) is to always remember what Amalek did to Israel when they came out of Egypt, when it jumped them when they were unprepared, and to blot out the memory of Amalek.

Commentary by Dr. Michael Laitman

The portion marks a stage in the spiritual development after the reception of the ego, the reception of the evil inclination from Egypt. First, the evil inclination in us should appear, as it is written, “I have created the evil inclination.” That appearance happens when we try to achieve love of others, to come out of ourselves. When we attempt to do it, we discover how much we are actually immersed in self-love and hatred of others. At that time we determine that our hatred of others and our love for ourselves are what is called the “evil inclination.”

That revelation is profound inner work. It is no small task. There is a very good reason why it is written, “I have created the evil inclination.” “I have created” means that the Creator created. The recognition of the evil inclination in a person—that it is hatred of others and love of oneself—is precisely what brings us into contact with the Creator. From that recognition, a person marches on a path of hard work, trying to be good to others, as it is written, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Then a person discovers great internal obstacles, which actually come from above, from the Creator. This is man’s first contact with the Creator.

Following the initial contact with the Creator, a person begins to move along with Him, in partnership. This is when there is, “I have created the Torah as a spice,” and a person has someone to turn to, someone to help one correct oneself.

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The Series “General Overview” is a six lesson documentary given by Dr. Michael Laitman to his students on the topic of the Structure of Upper Worlds. The series clarifies the process of creation of the spiritual worlds, from the Initial Thought of Creation, through the creation of the soul of Adam HaRishon and its shattering, up to the development of Man in our world. It also includes the awakening of desire for spirituality in our times. The series is mostly based on the article “Preface to the Wisdom of Kabbalah,” by the Kabbalist, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag.

Lesson 4 – How do We Make Corrections?

The Spiritual Reality is comprised of five Worlds that are actually five degrees of concealment from the Creator’s Light. For Man’s correction, the most significant world is the World of Atzilut, also called the “World of Correction”. It is a world in which the correction of our Soul is carried out in practice. In lesson 4, we’ll learn about the emergence of the World of Atzilut and Its structure.

What Is Life?

DOES LIFE HAVE A MEANING? Why are so many people suffering? What happens to us when we die? Where did we come from? Authentic Kabbalah was made to answer these and all of life’s deepest questions. Take a tour of the laws shaping your life. Discover insights the ancient Kabbalists had into nature’s program and the purpose behind it. In this two hour lecture, we’re going to debunk the many myths surrounding Kabbalah, answer your questions, and explain how you can take the first step into the path of spiritual attainment using Kabbalah’s most practical methodology.

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Nature operates by a law of bestowal & love. To discover a perfect life for everyone, we need only let Nature influence us the way it wants.

The Creator’s commandments are the laws of nature—both the laws of nature of our world that we partly see, understand, and know about, and the laws of the upper nature that is concealed from us—which are based on the attributes of love and bestowal, mutual cooperation, and understanding. The system is built so that if we are normally incorporated in it and fulfill our role, taking our niche in nature, all of nature operates harmoniously, thus filling each of us with harmony.

The law in the love of friends is to want to see the friends’ merits and not their faults. If one sees some fault in one’s friend, it is a sign that the fault is not in his friend, but in his own love of friends.

If we want to see the world as a perfect place, we have to perpetually change ourselves and correct our egoism to be adequate for a new perception of the world. It’s called “loving one’s friends”. Look at what great possibilities for work that the group (friends) and the environment give us. It’s totally enough if we perpetually test ourselves by asking, “What do I think about them? How do I support my friends? How do I connect with them? Are we together or not really?”

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Deuteronomy, 16:18-21:9
This Week’s Torah Portion | September 4 – September 10, 2016 – 1 Elul – 7 Elul, 5776

In A Nutshell

The portion, Shoftim (Judges), continues to explain the Mitzvot (commandments) connected to the entrance to the land of Israel. The portion begins with appointing Judges to make the laws and officers to enforce them, so there will be true justice in Israel.

The portion describes the laws of the king, who must be chosen from among the people. The portion also deals with the prohibition to engage in witchcraft and turns the people to the true prophets. Finally, the portion teaches the people how they should conduct themselves in a time of war.

Commentary by Dr. Michael Laitman

The Torah was given to every person, for one to correct oneself, as it is written, “I have created the evil inclination, I have created for it the Torah as a spice.” Every person, whether or not one demands social justice, should first discover that one is filled with the evil inclination. We must discover that we are completely egotistical in order to perform our correction. Put differently, we need to discover that we are living as criminals.

During the High Holidays we say ^[1], “We are at fault; we have betrayed.” It is written about these words, “Keep far from a false word” (Exodus 23:7). We need to discover that it is we who have committed those transgressions. If we think what is written is overstated and is not a true depiction of who we are, it is a sign that we have not yet come to know who we truly are, and that we still need to discover the entirety of our evil inclination. This is when the Torah comes to us, because “the light in it reforms them.” That is, the Torah instructs us on how to elicit from it the light that will reform us, so we may achieve the love and bonding with others.

There is much work for us to do: We walk in the darkness, in the desert, in cries, in scrutinies, in raising MAN, in various transgressions, such as with the spies, and the waters of quarreling, until we reach the boundaries of the land of Israel. We correct ourselves until we can use our desires in order to bestow.

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