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2 Ways to Achieve Perfection

Two Paths
A lecture Rav Michael Laitman, PhD gave on
Baal HaSulam’s article “The Essence of Religion and Its Purpose”

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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The Zohar and the Wisdom of Kabbalah Hold the Key for Spiritual Success

The Zohar
Rabbi Hya’s Vision
Article in Kabbalah Today issue 7

The Zohar reveals a new perspective on life: that all the troubles and suffering we experience are intended to make us realize our own imperfections. To rise to the perception of the complete reality, we need to prefer the internal to the external, to find opportunities to incorporate the wisdom of Kabbalah into our lives. When we do that, we will rise, like Rabbi Hya, to a higher spiritual state, to the reality we truly do exist in. In that state we will be like all the Kabbalists before us, and discover the reality where all the souls are united in their perfect state. more…

–from Kabbalah Today issue 7

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MUSIC: Hine ka Chomer

Listen to the file by clicking on the Flash player’s button below:
[audio:http://files.kab.co.il/audio/eng_song_seth-haim_hine-ka-chomer.mp3]

Hine ka Chomer
Melody by Baal HaSulam

Hine ka Chomer

1. Download Version by Seth Breitman and Haim Cotton
2. Download Instrumental Version
3. Download Vocal Version performed by Rabbi Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag (Rabash)

“Those who sing praises at night raise, by their singing, all whose soul sings that song.

When the lower ones begin life by song, the Upper Ones help the lower ones with power, so that the lower ones realize and attain what the mortals are not able to attain. Earth and heavens, Zeir Anpin and Nukva, rise by this power, thanks to this singing.”

The Sulam Commentary on The Zohar, Shemot, pg. 104.

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New Online Education Center Semester Hosts 1000 New Students

Online Learning Center

A review of the first Online Education Center lecture, written by Ed Stedman.

The new semester of the Online Education 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 Education 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 Education Center course? Click here for free registration and more information

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