From Today’s Daily Lesson:
Related Material:
* Food Crisis: The Rising Food Prices and the Meaning of Life - taken from Michael Laitman’s Personal Blog: www.laitman.com
Kabbalah Introductory Lecture on Second Life
Today, Sunday March 30 at 6:00PM PDT
Second Life users are invited to the ARI Online Kabbalah Education Center’s first Kabbalah introductory lecture being held today, Sunday March 30 at 6:00PM PDT, on Second Life.
About the Kabbalah Introductory Lecture on Second Life
Authentic Kabbalah provides a response to escalating global issues by demonstrating how we all interconnected at a higher reality. The goal of this introductory lecture is to begin recognizing this parallel reality to ours in order to restore harmony on our planet. By teaching us how to reach wholeness, completeness and balance with nature, the method of Kabbalah enables us to discover our role in creation, and what can be done to lead the world to stability and peace. Further classes will also provide insights about where the world is heading, and how we can help avoid future crises.
The Second Life lecture and its further series of classes at the ARI Online Kabbalah Education Center will address the many misconceptions about Kabbalah while shedding light on current affairs: The escalating global crisis: natural disasters, terrorism, collapse of health and education systems, collapse of the economy; Freedom of choice — where we have it and where we don’t; Reality — how we can expand our perception of the reality we live in and learn to design it.
Register Now for Today’s Kabbalah Introductory Lecture at Second Life
To reserve a seat in the Second Life Kabbalah classroom write to slkabbalah@gmail.com.
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Second Life Related Articles
* ARI Online Kabbalah Education Center Opens Virtual Classroom - a press release on this lecture at Second Life’s SLReports.net Online Publication
* What Is “Second Life”? - Second Life is not a computer game. It is a website enabling visitors to enter a huge 3-D virtual world with millions of participants.
* Better Than the Virtual World!? - Second Life - You can find anything here, or at least anything the human mind can think of. An entire world of 3-D figures living a virtual life in the palm of your hand. All you need is a mouse, a monitor, and plenty of imagination. But what’s really the deal with this “virtuality” trend? What lies behind the passion for the virtual?
An introduction to Kabbalah by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD with more-heated-than-usual questions from an audience of 500, in Times Square, New York City. Lecture given on October 25, 2007.
This lecture was given as part of Rav Laitman’s The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Kabbalah United States and Canada Tour, October 2007. More from this tour: http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/kabbalah-worldwide/rav-michael-laitman-october-tour-2007
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SAN FRANCISCO (October 11, 2007): Rav Michael Laitman, PhD gave a public lecture at the Embarcadero Center, Le Meridian Hotel entitled “The Kabbalah Experience”—an introduction to the wisdom of Kabbalah.
Rav Laitman opened the lecture stating that the wisdom of Kabbalah has it written that the year 1995 would see the beginnings of the disclosure of the wisdom of Kabbalah to humanity. In order to explain this, Rav Laitman compared the state that humanity is in today to the state that humanity was in 5,000 years ago, and why this difference has come about.
Rav Laitman was asked to clarify what makes the Kabbalah he teaches authentic, as well as answering questions on how Kabbalah treats the ups and downs of everyday life, who or what is the Creator, how is peace found in one’s life, Kabbalah on the family, Kabbalah on the education of children, and whether there are age restrictions on the study of Kabbalah.
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Baal HaSulam: Bear in mind, that two forces serve to push us up the rungs of the aforementioned ladder, until we reach its head in the sky, which is the purposeful point of the equality of our form with our Maker. And the difference between these two forces is that the first pushes us from behind, which we refer to as the Path of Pain, or the Way of the Earth.
Commentary by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD: Progress always arises out of pain. As a result, our entire life turns into flight from misfortunes and problems towards something that is possibly better. Baal HaSulam calls this path “the path of pain.” Generally speaking, its benefit is that it gives us a possibility to identify our ego as the source of pain. Without having the ego, I would not perceive nature that continuously acts upon me and pushes me forward. I would develop in a different manner. Let’s see what the other path of development is.
Baal HaSulam: The second force pushes us consciously, that is of our own choice. That force stands in front of us and pulls us forward, and that is what we determine as the Path of Torah and Mitzvot. For observing Torah and Mitzvot in order to bring contentment to our Maker, rapidly develops that sense of the recognition of evil, as we’ve shown in The Revelation of Godliness.
Commentary by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD: We attract upon ourselves the Upper Light paying absolutely no attention to the ego, pain and everything else. Only a Light that Reforms is important to us. We are drawn forward as a result. Naturally, we feel everything that is awakened by pain, egoism, and our nature as evil. However, we long for good and because of this recognize evil very quickly.
View this lecture: wmv video | mp3 audio (55 min)
Read lecture transcript: html | doc
Read Baal HaSulam’s original article: html
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A review of the first Online Learning Center lecture, written by Ed Stedman.
The new semester of the Online Learning Center started on September 4th with a Fundamentals lesson by Tony Kosinec with more than 800 new students. This was followed by an intermediate lesson also taught by Tony with more than 100 students.
Students come from all around the world including many unlikely places such as China, Saudi Arabia, and Monaco. Of course the 8:00 PM EST time is impossible for some locations on the other side of the world, and so many students will watch the recorded lessons instead of watching the live lessons.
As always, the first Fundamentals lesson started with an explanation of what Kabbalah is and also what it is not. There were the usual questions asking whether Kabbalah could coexist with various religions and mystical practices and also about the nature of reality:
• Can Catholics study Kabbalah?
• Does practicing Judaism help in coming to spirituality?
• Can commandments be skipped altogether?
• Is this world a reality or a dream?
The difference between the new fundamental students and the intermediate students who have already completed the fundamental course is a testament to just how effective the fundamentals classes have been. Tony’s first intermediate lesson featured the “Peace in the World” article from Baal HaSulam and questions centered on the intricacies of the attributes of truth and mercy (discussed in the article).
Many of the intermediate students will be going to the Learning Center Retreat that has been scheduled for October 26th through 28th in St. Louis, and there was some discussion and anticipation of this event.
Further Study
The first fundamental and intermediate technical lessons from Mike Kellogg and Igal Zahavi respectively are scheduled for Sunday September 9th while the first of the Advanced Tutorials conducted by Mark Berelekhis is due to happen on Monday September 10th.
Want to enrol to the new Online Learning Center course? Click here for free registration and more information
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Next Course Begins September 4
Part One of our free online interactive courses explains the key to this long hidden wisdom, and provides a firm basis in the Fundamentals of Kabbalah revealing its methodology making clear its true purpose and use. Those who are interested can then move to Intermediate study (semester 2) after which they can join classes taught by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD.
Click here for free registration and more information
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Click here to read lecture transcript
A transcript from a public lecture filled with Q&A given by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD in Toronto (January 7, 2007) is now available. Rav Laitman first gave an overview of humanity’s egoistic development and some of the key stages of egoism’s growth in this development, and then answered the following questions:
? Is there a connection between the Torah and Kabbalah?
? How do Kabbalists feel about all the existing religions?
? Are you aware of the energetic images which constitute the Kabbalistic tree of life, and which were received as a consequence of extrasensory perception?
? From what I heard, famous Kabbalists are of the Jewish faith. Are there any Kabbalists of other faiths?
? Will everything written in the Torah occur in reality, or is it just an object of one’s imagination and unreal?
? What is the Creator? How do you see Him?
? How do you feel about Berg’s Center?
? Can a person join a group the moment he realizes or feels his “point in the heart”?
? Is it possible to change your fate once you grow spiritually?
? How does a person’s diet influence his studies in Kabbalah?
? How does Kabbalah differ from theosophy?
? Has any scientific data been collected affirming Kabbalah?
? Why did the Book of Zohar only become available in 1995?
? Are there Kabbalists-scientists who are not of Jewish descent (except Madonna)?
? Why do you call egoism an integral part of Kabbalah? Why is it egoism specifically, and not another positive word? Doesn’t egoism refer to a situation when something is done for one person, while Kabbalah wants the opposite, for everyone?
? Based on Kabbalah, as a science, can you assert that there is immortality?
? For how long does one need to study Kabbalah, and what will happen once a person learns it?
? Does having a grasp on Kabbalah help to conquer illnesses?
? What awaits North America?
? What can you tell us about the works of the Roerichs and the Blavatskys?
? Are the laws of the Upper Providence known?
? Can one study the original sources in translation?
? What do cybernetics, the theory of informational governance, and Kabbalah have in common?
? Why did Kabbalah become available during World War II?
? Kabbalah rejects religion. What connection does Kabbalah have with following a religion? In particular, what is the meaning of the Kippah (yarmulke)?
? Is there such a thing as reincarnations of souls?
? Is there a separation between the soul and the body after death?
? How can we tear a teenager away from drugs? What does Kabbalah say about this?
? How do the governments of different countries that are in authority today feel about Kabbalah?
? Is asceticism necessary in order to achieve the Upper spiritual world?
? Do you teach about the spiritual world?
? There are lots of different directions in Kabbalah. Which of them is correct?
? Are the Ari and Chefetz Chaim primary sources?
? Does Kabbalah engage in medical treatment, such as acupuncture?
? What happens to the soul after a person dies?
? Do all the feelings remain in the soul after death?
? Can Kabbalah explain the fact of life after death, or rebirth?
? Can you briefly state your opinion about the spiritual act called “the blow of fire,” or Pulsa Denura?
? Does this mean that there exists only one reality? …and we will need to return in order to achieve the proper level, or a transition to another reality?
? Is it possible to study Kabbalah without a teacher?
? Who is a Kabbalah teacher?
? How important is it to undergo the beginner stages of the revelation of egoism in one’s development? Is it possible to reach the Upper level, by-passing the lower stages?
? Are the books that laid the foundation for Kabbalah also written by people?
? Is Kabbalah the only way to attain the Upper level?
? How do I rid my wife and children of super egoism?
? By learning Kabbalah, do you believe in God?
? You mentioned that the world is becoming more dangerous. When will this change, when will it become better?
? Is it possible to receive the information we need without studying from books?
? You said that only by developing the soul and attaining the Upper World is it possible to fix our fate. In our understanding, this means finding a better position in this world, getting married successfully, making more money, or finding a better job. If a person attains the Upper World, doesn’t he become a part of the governing system?
Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, Lecture presented at the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education Center, Toronto. wmv video | mp3 audio | ms word transcript
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From Today’s Daily Lesson
What is Spirituality?
Philosophy has gone through a great deal of trouble to prove that corporeality is the offspring of spirituality and that the soul begets the body. Still, their words are not acceptable to the heart in any manner. Their primary mistake is their erroneous perception of spirituality, that spirituality fathered corporeality, which is certainly a fib.
Opening paragraph from Baal HaSulam’s “The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Philosophy.”
Today’s daily lesson featured Baal HaSulam’s article “The Wisdom of Kabbalah and Philosophy” with commentary by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, and with an onslaught of questions by the students of Bnei Baruch.
The lessons will be continuing daily at 10pm EST on Kabbalah TV, and will be available in the Kabbalah Media Archive.
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Altruism is Life’s Principle - The evolution of desires from our egoistic foundation in this world to our altruistic destiny in the Upper World. Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, commentates (with Q&A) on his article “Crisis and Resolution,” prepared for the 4th World Spirit Forum, January 2006.
Peace in the World - Correction of the individual and the correction of the whole of humanity are discussed with the aim of actualizing world peace in the soonest time possible. Commentary by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD on Baal HaSulam’s article “Peace in the World.”
Q&A with BB USA Students - Rav Laitman answers question from BB students digging into how to cross the barrier between this world and the spiritual world, determining truth against falseness, the role of mistakes in the spiritual work, what it means to achieve the level of “love thy neighbor as thyself,” dealing with Klipot (shells) in the correction process, and other inner-work-related questions.
What Does It Mean that the Creator Hates the Bodies in the Work? - Fighting the will to receive and the inner war on desire in the spiritual work is discussed by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD in this 3rd commentary on Baal HaSulam’s 19th Shamati article.
Lishma - An investigation on what it means to work in Lishma (i.e. for the sake of the Creator), and advice on how to attain this spiritual degree. Rav Michael Laitman, PhD teaches based on Baal HaSulam’s 20th Shamati article.
The Profit of a Land - The work of attaining the Creator’s nature - bestowal - through the discovery of the creature’s opposite nature - reception - and the request for its correction. Commentary by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD on Baal HaSulam’s 34th Shamati article.
The Fear of God is His Treasure - The work of cancelling oneself before the Creator and the obstacle of pride in the spiritual work, with advice for how to correct its use. Commentary by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD on Baal HaSulam’s 38th Shamati article.
Love for the Creator, Love for the Created Beings - Creation’s final state of the reconnected soul of Adam ha Rishon, bonded in eternal adhesion with the Creator, with the quality of absolute, unconditional love as the quality needed for the attainment of this state. Commentary by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD on the article “Love for the Creator, Love for the Created Beings” by Baal HaSulam.
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