'The sensuality of a Russian man makes him prone to understanding Kabbalah - the future will be such that Russia will attract the higher light': Soviet-born rabbi Michael Laitman
Kabbalah, and that's all!
Almost 3,000 people from all continents arrived in Tel Aviv for the Kabbalah World Congress. The correspondent of "Izvestia" joined the ranks of the participants.
"All our hearts should unite at one point to create a common great desire when the differences between us are overcome," said the man on the stage, and thousands of men, hugging their shoulders, heed. He looked like the god of Sabaoth and aroused complete trust: - First we will build a model of relations between us, then we will extend it to all mankind. Already this year you will find that the Kabbalah is increasingly moving to the center of the world. A hundred years ago, people knew only Newton's mechanics. While our thoughts are not clear, but soon people will understand the power of Kabbalah. You will be the spiritual government of the world.
For a few days I felt like Miklukho-Maclay on an exotic shore. It seemed to me that I was surrounded by outwardly ordinary people, only in their heads everything is arranged in such a way that it is easier to find a common language with a Polynesian. No one really knows what Kabbalah is, and there are the most incredible rumors about it. The Kabbalah has national roots, but now it accepts all peoples. About 200 Kabbalists came from Russia, even from Rybinsk and Krasnodar. Among ours were the owner of a federal newspaper, the owner of a leasing airline, big businessmen. More than 100 people represented Ukraine. Many Kabbalists from America and Germany spoke Russian. Russian, along with Hebrew and English, was the official language of the congress. The gray-bearded and similar to the Old Testament prophet Michael Lightman, the founder of the International Academy of Kabbalah, is also our compatriot. Born in Vitebsk, graduated from the Leningrad Polytechnic, at the Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion he studied brain and cybernetics. He has been living in Israel for more than 35 years. 10 years ago he had 30 students. Now there are thousands of followers around the world.
"Russians and Jews are the most sensitive to the Kabbalah, and to the West it is to the lantern," said one of the leaders of the Kabbalah Academy. - Because he is mired in individualism. But we will break through the West, and then the East will mature, although there are few Russians and Jews there.
Journalists were not allowed to go to the congress for a cannon shot, and I, having hidden the notebook, was a "brother" for the Kabbalists. I listened to lectures, participated in rituals and did not pretend that deep down I was afraid to merge to the same point with everyone. Devil's individualism interfered, and for some reason I wanted to protect personal space. At the congress, no one kept the distance: at every opportunity, the Kabbalists hugged, so that, as the teacher said, to feel like sailors on the same ship, because it can sink if not joined forces. The threat is serious, but I still feel uncomfortable when I am hugged by unfamiliar sailors, even from the same boat.
Our day was busy. In the morning we listened to lectures. For some reason, no one recorded, and many, like real students, sat with their eyes closed. The lunch was prepared by the attendants - it was simple, but aceful. During lunch, you could drink vodka, which was cooked by the Kabbalists themselves and added red pepper. There was no limit, but no one was recruited. The undercooked bottles merged and prudently returned to circulation.
After the meal, we played musical instruments, sang and danced, again hugging our shoulders. The women sat and ate on their half, but even there they had no right to have fun. The teacher introduced a rule during the congress: "Men should not look at women. And women should not catch the eyes of men." I forgot to find out if we, men, are in the same boat with women when we merge at one point.
They were returning from the lawn to class, and there were more Kabbalists with their eyes closed. Again, there were questions, and the women affected by the rights were more curious. We ate and drank more for dinner, toasted, ending them with a thousand-voiced "Lehaim!" The toasts were interspersed with popular songs, but the words were corrected on a Kabbalistic theme. From the Russians sang "Little raft", "There's nothing better in the world," "Chita-drita, wah!" From Ukraine - "Shaid by one chain." While singing, everyone, hugging tightly, jumped tirelessly. By the way, I found that only one song did not change a word, and it apparently perfectly corresponds to the spirit of the Kabbalah - "Everything is in this world raging..."
The fun was crowned with a dance resembling a letka or the final scene from the Sorkin "Day of the Oprichnik". The Kabbalists lined up with a caterpillar and run around the hall tirelessly. This dance obviously led to excitement.
- Why are we jumping all the time? - I asked my neighbor, taking a breath.
- If you don't move, there will be a stop and the target will disappear.
- That's exactly what the Komsomol members said.
- The Komsomol members were instilled by the Kabbalists. Where else could they get this wisdom? - the interlocutor replied, rushing into a common string.
And then I was told in between that Christ and Mohammed were under-to-learned Kabbalists...
From Pythagoras to the Madonna
Kabbalah is an ancient, several millennia, teaching that has Jewish roots. According to legend, the first Kabbalists were the prophets Abraham and Moses. As the Kabbalists say, it is difficult to explain what Kabbalah is, but in general terms it is a doctrine about the full picture of the universe and its comprehension by man. In Europe, the Kabbalah was learned in the XIII century. Kabbalah has always been a secret science, and Kabbalists were often persecuted. Nevertheless, Plato, Nostradamus, Spinoza, Leibniz, Newton, Borges were seriously interested in the Kabbalah. Pythagoras wrote that Kabbalah is the root from which all philosophy grew. Cardinal Richelieu had a trusted Kabbalist Gaffarel, who knew how to foresee the future. In terms of conspiracy, Kabbalists could give a hundred points ahead to the Masons, but in recent years Kabbalah classes have become fashionable, and the famous Kabbalist is Madonna. In Russia, a prominent member of the Federation Council created his own group and became a Kabbalah teacher. The recently dismissed but not released minister is often photographed against the background of bookshelves with the difficulties of Kabbalah.
Man and woman
A Kabbalist man should be married because he needs support. Without the help of a wife, serious spiritual advancement is impossible. For a woman, the husband is the Creator who completely fills her spiritual world. In other words, the husband is for a woman in the supreme position in which the Creator is for a man. And that's why the wife can't change her husband. For his part, a husband may well change his wife. But it makes no sense, because the mistress is no different from the wife - as for the Creator, all people are the same. The way of a woman is to pass from the hands of her father to her husband, and only in this is the fulfillment of women's fate. If a woman is looking for herself in a career, she is filled with suffering and, in the end, realizes that she lived in vain. Even children don't replace a woman with a husband.
"As far as I fill my wife spiritually, financially, sexually," the frank Kabbalist told me, "so she turns out to be my faithful ally. We are one. I don't need all the models and artists I used to have to fuck.
The wife of this Kabbalist said that if her husband cheated on her, she would not be abnid. They talk to each other very gently.
The life of a Kabbalist
- I don't even know who in Russia is preparing to become president, - Alexander Kozlov smiles serenely. He, like Kasyanov, is a beautiful nomenclature article that looks through the bristles mandatory for the Kabbalist. - Once I knew all the oligarchs, and now for me Luzhkov and Zhirinovsky - like children in a sandbox. I love everyone, but politics is far from me - like hunting a mammoth.
Alexander Kozlov graduated from Moscow State Technical University, grew up to the chief engineer of the defense enterprise, during the years of perestroika he became a deputy. For 11 years he was the first deputy prefect of the South-Eastern District in Moscow. Gradually, as he recalls, life became fresh, desires disappeared. When I met the Kabbalah, I experienced a sense of completeness of the life search. The Kabbalah filled life with new meaning. "The government of Moscow is a preliminary experience, and the power is an illusory goal," says the former official. Despite the attempts of his friends to reason with him, he left all his posts, left his wife, with whom he had lived for 25 years, and went to Israel. He works in the center of the Kabbalah and brings his new wife and ally, as he says, a "spiritual salary." We talked a lot, and I noticed that any topic except Kabbalah causes him unbearable boredom. The former prefect said that all world religions were created by Kabalists. And for some reason I thought that the power over the minds is sweeter than any other - official or monetary...
Habits and traditions
Kabbalists have more customs than all the other teachings combined. Kabbalists don't wear a tie. Shirts not with a turn-up collar, but with a standing collar. The Kabbalist denotes a beard if the rim is not growing. The famous Hasidic rebbe Menachem-Mendl from the Polish town of Kotsk showered his beard with crumbs to emphasize his detachment from the hustle and bustle. For the last 10 years, he hasn't left the room so as not to be distracted by trifles.
Each Kabbalist studies his own book, and it is not customary to give it to another. You can record your observations in the book, because words are much more valuable than paper. The book should be put on the table with the title page up so as not to stain the word. Kabbalah classes are held every day from 3 to 6 a.m. In order not to peck their nose, Kabbalists sleep out in the evening or, if possible, in the morning. Women are not present in class, but can watch the broadcast. In addition to night vigils, you should come to school almost every day to solve economic and administrative issues. As a result, it seems to me that Kabbalists have neither time nor energy for other hobbies - like books, sports, travel. When I shared these doubts, I was told that it was impossible to eat porridge when I tasted the taste of meat.
Kabbalists smoke a lot, the smoke is a roll. Maybe because they're not getting enough sleep. Even movers don't smoke so much. Alcohol is not forbidden, but you can't lose your clarity of thought. I also noticed that Kabbalists are distinguished by the goodwill forgotten in the hectic world and they are not prone to irritability. When you know that you have joined the highest wisdom, it's stupid to strain on trifles.
You can't take up philosophy without having learned literacy
Berl Lazar,
chief rabbi of Russia
There is no contradiction between Judaism and Kabbalah. In Judaism, it is believed that Kabbalah is a secret, very deep part of the Old Testament and can only be revealed to the elect. The literal meaning of the word "Kabbalah" is "receiving". And this true knowledge can only be obtained through a straight chain, which comes from the righteous known in history. Today, many Kabbalah books are published, and anyone can collect a library. But simplicity does not mean that a person has approached the understanding of the Kabbalah. The essence of the soul is very difficult to comprehend. And without it, it makes no sense to study Kabbalah. It's like studying philosophy without knowing literacy. But I'm not the person who will say: it's a kosher activity, it's not a kosher activity. More and more people from millionaires to ordinary mortals are looking for the meaning of life and its purpose, thinking about how and with what plan the world was created. A person is fed up with material achievements and is looking for a spiritual answer to his questions. Mass fascination with Kabbalah is an objective trend.
The sacrament and flying saucers
Salam Huseynov,
Director of the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Academician
The spread of Kabbalah in the modern world has the same objective reasons as that of Scientology, dianetics, ufology, cryptozoology and many other science-like theories. None of these teachings, including the Kabbalah, positions itself as a religion. Everyone speaks the language of science understandable to modern man, but has a metaphysical basis. According to the technique of thinking, a person is guided by the achievement of scientific progress, but his spiritual attitudes still need the sacraments. Similar processes have occurred in history many times, and the heyday of science was preceded by alchemy.
Science is going through an "period of exodus." The heyday of science was due to the fact that it gave hope to solve problems that theology could not promise. Man relied on science, and the world was rebuilt, but we did not reach the harbor of happiness, we did not build paradise on Earth. The age of relie on science is over - and the freed space is occupied by the Kabbalah. But inevitably the Kabbalah and its allies will retreat when science reaches a qualitatively new level. Only no one knows when it will happen.
Russia has a special role to play
Conversation with Rabi Lightman
Question: Could you give an accessible definition of Kabbalah?
answer: Kabbalah is a method of revealing the universe. An ordinary person has five senses, but there is a volume of the universe that is hidden from him. And the Kabbalah opens this volume. This is a purely practical method, absolutely accessible to everyone. A person sees the fullness of causal relationships and at another level of existence acquires qualities that allow him to understand what is good and what is harm. The line between life and death disappears, a person identifies himself with eternity.
c: If the Kabbalah is a science, does it have mandatory signs of science - repeatability of the result, its predictability, evolution?
a: Our textbooks are graphs and formulas. Along the calculated path, the Kabbalist comes to the right point, where another Kabbalist will also come. It's like a city guide.
c: But if the Kabbalah knows everything, why are there no Nobel laureates among the Kabbalists? Or "Oscar"? Or another smaller one?
a: Why? Kabbalah is a spiritual world, and children's games are ghostly.
c: The Kabbalah has been a closed area for centuries. But now you have thrown off the cover of mystery and went to the people. Why?
a: Not Kabbalists and I'm not shouting that the world is moving towards collapse and the earth may be devastated. Let's start climbing together. The Kabbalah knows this way. That's why I spread Kabbalah. The books say that at the end of the twentieth century the development of the world will reach such a height that people will strive to know the meaning of life. It's time to open the doctrine of Kabbalah to the world.
c: If a Kabbalist becomes wiser, does it help to succeed? He can, for example, become a consultant to the oligarchs...
a: Among my students there are both billionaires and unemployed. What does the contents of the wallet matter if the soul feels emptiness? It's boring to do fraud. The Kabbalah brings you to the higher world, raises above ordinary desires.
v: And the place of Russia?
o: Russia has a central role. The West is frozen, and in Russia spirituality has always played a special role. The sensuality of a Russian man makes him prone to understanding Kabbalah. The future will be such that Russia will attract the higher light, and there will be abundance, beautiful relations between people and power will be created.
c: After all, the Kabbalah came out of Israel...
a: Who are the Jews? Stalin said: there is no such nation. Genetically, Jews are no different from other nations. This is a group that, after the destruction of the Tower of Babel, was chosen to preserve knowledge until it was time to open it to the whole world.
The truth for a closed circle
Yuri Maksimov,
religious scholar, teacher at the Moscow Theological Academy
In any religion there are always people to whom the elitism of religious knowledge, associated with easy acquisition of spiritual experience and departure from generally accepted moral norms, seems more tempting than obedient adherence to established rules. Formally posing as adherents of the religion of their fathers, such people give such a peculiar esoteric interpretation of it that traditional believers refuse to recognize them as co-religionists. The movement of such esotericists was Gnosticism in Christianity - one of the representatives of which, a century and a half after the resurrection of Christ, invented and wrote the so-called "Gospel of Judas." Such were the Sufis in Islam, and in Judaism the Kabbalists became so.
Although they presented their teaching as an interpretation of the sacred Old Testament books, it is essentially a perfect...... a different doctrine. The creator preached by the Kabbalah is not the God described by the Bible, it is not the God of Abraham. And magic, which is directly forbidden in the Old Testament, finds justification and application in Kabbalah. Any esotericism is a surrogate of spiritual life, it is a deception, it is a pompous emptiness, it is an imaginary elitism, drawing its origins from a painful attitude towards yourself and others. Warning against this, the Apostle Paul wrote: Keep what has been given to you, turning away from useless vain talk and slandering of false knowledge, to which, having surrendered, some have evaded faith (1Tim 6:20-21). The truth is not hidden in a closed circle of initiates, it is available to everyone, as Christ promised: you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:32).
Source: https://iz.ru/news/333842