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| Judaism Judaism and the Jewish faith: issues and dicussions |
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08-29-2005, 04:32 PM
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#32 (permalink) | |
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Elder Member
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
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I posted something about the opening of the third eye and how this may be symbolized in the story of David and Goliath .... David hits Goliath in the middle of the forehead with a stone (both powerful symbols) .... and then I said "sometimes people experience the opening of this inner eye by a knock on the head "...... well just yesterday I was reading the book "In the Shadow of the Ladder .... Inroductions to Kabbalah by Rabbi Yehudah Lev Ashlang" (which was recommended by bananabrain) and here is something interesting "Rabbi Yehudah Lev Ashlang - Born into a Chassidic family in Warsaw in the year 1886, Yehudah Lev's interest in Kabbalah was awakened at a young age, even thought he could not as yet understand it. The story is told that at the age of eleven, a book fell off a shelf and hit him on the head. His father picked it up and while replacing it, told him that it was a book for angels, not for people..... So he started to study Kabbalah secretly ....." .... this story really made me smile as I thought of the young Yehudah Lev devoting his life to this study .....me ke aloha pumehana, pohaikawahine |
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09-11-2005, 09:46 PM
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#33 (permalink) |
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New Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 28
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
what exactly is "the mountaintop," it's equivalence of form with the Creator, and a direct perception of him, I don't really see any other paths offering that as an option,
I have also looked into a lot of other "paths," every other path claims that someone in the past had a revelation of the Creator and to follow what they say, or that there is no Creator, they're all based on speculations and metaphysics. Kabbalists only write about what they have attained, and say that it is possible for others to attain it as well, as Baal Hasulam said "From now on we do not need those crippled methods, dipped in metaphysics." Baal Hasulam left behind writings, describing the Upper Worlds in a very precise language, and a method that anyone who has the desire to, can use to enter the Upper Worlds, have a direct perception of the Creator, and then check his writings and see that they are solid facts, not an imaginary place no authentic kabbalistic book refers to a "third eye" and also, who published "in the shadow of the ladder"? if it's in english, who translated it? |
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09-12-2005, 01:54 AM
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#34 (permalink) | ||||
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Elder Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 599
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
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are you saying that one can only be a kabbalist once they have attained some sort of enlightnment .... are you a kabbalist???? if so, and according to your description, you have attained this state and can tell us about the upper worlds .... if not, how can you speak to solid facts or imaginary places if you have not been there .... just curious Quote:
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does that mean that neither mark cohen or yedidah cohen could be authentic kabbalist because they mention the 'inner eye'????? it is interesting that you sign on as the 'kabbalist' but you view seems very rigid, not a good setting for the opening of that (not to be spoken) 'inner eye' ....just a small suggestion kabbalist, you may want to lighten up on this path .... it will help .... me ke aloha pumehana, pohaikawahine |
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09-12-2005, 02:16 AM
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#35 (permalink) |
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Elder Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 599
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
kaballist .... forgot, you did ask where was the book published ....
Nehora Press Har Cana'an, Safed Israel the translators Mark and Yedidah Cohen state that "when we study the kabbalah, we are connected with an ancient tradition whose roots go back, perhaps even as far as the dawn of humanity. It is teaching about what human beings are, where we come from,and where we are going and how to get there. We are all on the way to enlightenment and in this we have no choice." "Kabbalah was never meant to be just another body of knowledge. Its purpose was always to serve as a tool for self-transformation. " both mark and yedidah cohen were part of a group that studied the works of Rabbi Ashlag |
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09-12-2005, 02:45 AM
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#36 (permalink) |
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New Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 28
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
The thing about Kabbalah being the only path is, just as objects separate according to physical proximity in the world, in the spiritual world, they separate according to equivalence or similiarity of form. So if another path was the same as Kabbalah, they would have merged into one.
The other thing is, that perhaps the most important thing to remember in Kabbalah is "There is none else besides Him" meaning that the Creator is the only acting force in reality. The Creator has a set plan for humanity. All of humanity moves towards the goal of creation unconsciously, Kabbalah is the way of consciously participating in the goal of creation. So technically, all other paths eventually lead to the same goal, since it is a set goal, but Kabbalah speeds up time and allows conscious participation in it. There is only one path, but two ways to travel on it: 1. the path of pain 2. the path of kabbalah. Kabbalists don't ever talk about their inner sensations. Only certain Kabbalists were permitted to write about the descent of the light downwards and the ascent of the souls upwards in a very general, "objective" way of writing. The reason is that everyone's kli is different and since we are talking about perceiving spirituality as an objective reality, it can only confuse a person to hear a subjective opinion on it. oh, and good luck with the Hebrew, my hebrew isn't too good yet either. Once you learn the alphabet and some basic hebrew grammar, check this out: http://www.kabbalahgroup.info/eng/ulpan.php i found this pretty useful in learning Hebrew |
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09-12-2005, 02:49 AM
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#37 (permalink) |
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New Member
Join Date: May 2005
Posts: 28
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
oh and heres a good article explaining what a kabbalist is, generally, a "kabbalist" is someone on a high level of attainment, I guess I consider myself an aspiring Kabbalist
http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/tran..._kabbalist.htm |
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09-12-2005, 03:15 PM
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#38 (permalink) | |||
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: London, UK, Malkhut she'be'Assiyah
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
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b'shalom bananabrain |
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06-12-2006, 08:58 PM
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#39 (permalink) |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 69
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
I have tried my best to ignore it since I joined Kabbalah in Late 2003... I have thought long and hard about this as I didn't want to badmouth others, but at the same time I didn't want people to be exposed to danger. I feel that it is my duty to tell you this out of my compassion. Talking to the group instructors was fruitless as the only purpose they seemed to serve was to repeat the party line. I used to be one of their sheeps who was on the forums doing their dissimination... Please forgive me. Read what I've learned about "Bnei Baruch" Kabbalah... This is sad...
----------------------------- I have had many questions regarding Kabbalah that are now falling in their places. I will try to include as many direct quotes as possible for authenticity sake. First of all, how does Kabbalah position itself? "All other religions speak of internal psychological processes, or processes that relate to one’s animate body and the power that revive it. Animals, too, have bodies that operate according to certain laws, and their bodies are not that different from our own. Animals can also, to a certain extent, predict the future, and even more so than people. They can also feel the other. If there is anything that relates to attaining spirituality in other religions, it is only what has transferred to them from the Torah. " Notice how the talk on other religions quickly turns to the discussion about Animals. Not only Kabbalah is the only spirituality, but other religions took info from the Torah and you are an animal (read what you are allowed to do with animals below)! How self inflating this must be. http://www.kabbalahmedia.info/mekoro...f-kabbalah.pdf "There is no other way to attain the upper world, but the Kabbalah. It is the only way - “The Path of Kabbalah.” You speak of another way - "The Path of Pain" – but it is not a path, but rather a state where a person temporarily weakens and abandons the vigorous progress of the Kabbalah. He waits on the side of the road, so to speak, before agony makes him move again, return to the path of Kabbalah and persist with it. The Path of Pain is not another way to advance; it is not even a way, but merely a temporary state until such time, when one ‘gets wiser'. It is only called “a path” for purposes of comparison. http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book.../book16_02.htm "Except Kabbalah, all other methods were developed by man. Humanity has been searching for thousands of years for the way to attain spirituality. Those searches promoted the appearance of philosophy and other methods for spiritual elevation and enlightenment. But in the end, humanity has found nothing. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book.../book16_02.htm This sort of line gets repeated over and over again, english, russian, hebrew and so on. In text, in audio and video lessons... "We have no other method but the science of Kabbalah, which states: "If you change yourself in a certain way, you will see reality accordingly. If you change in a different way, you will be able to influence reality differently." Kabbalah opens new horizons before humanity while showing how we affect reality by our thoughts and desires, how we connect with it, and change it. We cannot do the same in the conventional sciences because our will to receive is not under our control, influence." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/translated_lessons_(texts)/lectures_at_the_educational_center_nekuda_shebalev /07182004_the_science_of_kabbalah_introductory_less on.htm Ahem... What about Buddhist, Yogic meditative practices, sufi, gnostic and other christian or muslim practices? They can change the person's inner nature.... "I don’t know any teachings but that of the Kabbalah. The difference between all the teachings and the Kabbalah, as I understand it from the perspective of the Kabbalah, is that they are built on nullification of the desires, or at least complete suppression of them, whereas Kabbalah states that the Creator can be sensed precisely by expressing the desire and certainly not by nullifying them, but only if we invert the aim of their use. Perhaps they are very similar on the outside. Besides, another system for entering the spiritual world simply doesn’t exist. The sensations of all other methods are built on the suppression of man’s desire to enjoy. A person who suppresses his ego feels in that passive state something seemingly spiritual from the outside." http://kabbalah.info/engkab/book_16/chapter_7.htm In the first sentence he says he doesn't know. In next paragraphs he is talking how bad they are and how worthless they are compared with Kabbalah. Is this a nice way to talk about other religions? Today we have people who are trying to unite different religions, to find the similiarities.... Not here... "That is why only an ancient Jewish science, the wisdom of Kabbalah, that is not based on the suppression of desires, coercion and abstaining from society, has been and remains the one true means to attain peace, spiritual tranquility, genuine happiness and wholeness while living in this world. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book_18/chap_2.htm No wonder why Michael Laitman is so aggresive when it comes to Eastern Traditions. He is using what Christians might call "Satan's temptations" (more on that later). "No one knows for certain how many JuBus (Jewish Buddhists) there are; the last surveys were conducted in the 1970s. A large majority of the 3 million Buddhists in the United States are Asian, but by some estimates, at least 30% of all newcomers to Buddhism are Jewish. (By comparison, U.S. Jews number 6 million.) " http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...home-headlines Many books have been published in the US about the Judeo-Buddhist phenomenon. Titles include: "The Jew in the Lotus" by Rodger Kamenetz, "One God Clapping" by Alan Lew and Sherril Jaffe, "That's Funny, You Don't Look Buddhist!" by Sylvia Boorstein, "Zen Judaism: For You a Little Enlightenment" by David M. Bader, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jubus So what should a Kabbalist do? "He must expand his will to absorb all worlds (including klipot), including this one. This is the purpose for which he was created. It is not necessary to become a monk or ascetic, or steer away from life. On the contrary, Kabbalah obliges man to marry, bear children and work and live a full life. Nothing has to be given up; everything was created for a reason, and man need not withdraw from life." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book...k1eng_ch07.htm "I want to steal, I lie, I am treacherous, I am a murderer and rapist, you name it. These are my natural properties, and I must not regard them as bad. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/translated_lessons_(texts)/kabbalah_as_a_science_series/06162004_the_introduction_to_the_book_from_the_mou th_of_a_wise_man.htm What is most important? Pleasure! "Embracing Kabbalah does not work by merely avoiding nice things so that one’s desire will nt be kindled. Correction does not come from self-punishment, " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book...k1eng_ch06.htm "Giving charity, lighting candles, or performing some allegedly altruistic act does not affect the spiritual. Even our most exalted thoughts and noble deeds have no influence on the spiritual. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/translated_lessons_(texts)/kabbalah_as_a_science_series/06222004_comparative_analysis_of_kabbalah_and_phil osophy.htm "The more he studies the works important for his spiritual development, the more complicated his study material seems to him. The harder he tries to treat his superiors and fellow students better, if he is indeed advancing spiritually, the clearer he feels that all his actions are prompted by thorough egocentrism. Such results are produced by the principle "beat him till he is willing": http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/answers.htm Notice that the egocentrism is refered to as relating to the studies, not to the outside world. In other words, if you don't work for the group, then you are an egoist, and if everything else fails then beating you until you say "I DO." What a democracy! Such a roman concept of spirituality!!! "The whole of nature, including all the upper and lower worlds were created for man, and rise along with him. That is why he must use everything for himself: to extinguish pests, to grow and slaughter domestic animals, to sow and to reap, to cultivate the good and extinguish the bad. Thus, nature is included within man. Then, if man rises, he raises nature along with him. The purpose of creation is that man will enjoy his surroundings in the most correct way. He cannot act as he pleases – isolation, denial of pleasure, fasting and restrictions are against the mind of the Torah. If you continue to study correctly, you will understand what you must do, although there is not a single word about vegetarianism. Such is the virtue of the Kabbalah: the very study builds in the student the right outlook on life." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book_16/chapter_12.htm Another interesting tidbit about morality. "Kabbalistic method says that man must use everything he has in this world with the intention to give to the Creator." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/o_line_faq.htm "There is a pyramid-like division in this world: still, vegetative, animate, and speaking. The same division also exists in our souls. The Jews are considered to be the chosen people because they were given the opportunity to reach spirituality before other nations. It is not that Jews are any better than others; it is simply that they are the first of mankind to be obligated to correct themselves and attain the spiritual world. There is a certain type of soul called “Jewish,” from the Hebrew word Yehudi—meaning “unique,” or "unified” (with the Creator). The Kabbalah maintains that this is the most egoistic type of soul. It is no coincidence that the Jewish people are described as “stiff-necked” and insubordinate." " http://www.kabbalahmedia.info/mekoro...f-kabbalah.pdf Also remember that in Kabbalah they do not worship a Christian or a Jewish or a Muslim God. They do not worship Yahweh. In Kabbalah there is only "The Light and the Vessel (Kli)". Lucifer by the way is often refered to as "Bringer of Light". Some more food for thought. These points are greatly summarized in Satanism but only in the Kabbalah they are explained in great detail. 1. Satan represents indulgence instead of abstinence! 3. Satan represents undefiled wisdom instead of hypocritical self-deceit! 4. Satan represents kindness to those who deserve it instead of love wasted on ingrates! 5. Satan represents vengeance instead of turning the other cheek! 6. Satan represents responsibility to the responsible instead of concern for psychic vampires! 7. Satan represents man as just another animal, sometimes better, more often worse than those that walk on all-fours, who, because of his “divine spiritual and intellectual development,” has become the most vicious animal of all! 8. Satan represents all of the so-called sins, as they all lead to physical, mental, or emotional gratification! 9. Satan has been the best friend the Church has ever had, as He has kept it in business all these years! http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/NineStatements.html The Nine Satanic Statements from The Satanic Bible, ©1969 by Anton Szandor LaVey The question is not what we believe, but what THEY believe. What THEY want to do. |
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06-12-2006, 09:04 PM
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#40 (permalink) |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 69
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
Part2
Lets see how all of that is achieved. 1)Michael Laitman the leader of this Organization that claims to have hundres of thousands of students and is a very charismatic leader. His profesion is in bio-cybernetics: "My specialization is biological cybernetics. I wanted to uncover the system of the regulation of organisms." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book...1eng_les03.htm Please put accent on system of REGULATION OF ORGANISMS "I might take myself and put myself in the right environment and then through brainwashing myself, as they say, I will convince myself of that and it is not just persuasion, it is an intellect. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/translated_lessons_ (texts)/baal_hasulam_articles/freedom_of_will/08182005_freedom_of_will.htm "This is because together with them I am a part of the common Kli. Their opinions, desires, and thoughts influence me whether I want it or not. We all belong to the same system. I will feel what they want me to feel. This "brainwashing" constantly happens in our group. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/tran...om_of_will.htm 2)The method of Kabbalah is group work. As any decent psychologist knows, group think (herd mentality, group psychosis) can override any induvidial. We have all seen what group psychosis can do, it can send people on suicide missions, it can help sell your product, it can control you in any way. 3) "There are several reasons for keeping the Kabbalah secret: " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/discover.htm Kabbalah a Secret Science, Hidden Wisdom, etc... A cult usually teaches "secret material that only we know". 4)Kabbalah uses classic brain washing techniques and Michael Laitman does not deny brain washing used. Some techniques: Study in groups, morning and late at night, incomprehensible Jargon of the TE"S and Kabbalah so that only group members can understand what is going on,, love bombing (any new member is greeted with hugs and ONLY positive comments), and work in the group, to name a few. Those who are in physical groups often do chores especially before holidays such as: preparing food, putting chairs, building stuff, washing floors, watching computers often for no or very little pay. Sleep deprivation, Kabbalists like to study at night and work at day... "Ratz sees nothing romantic in the life of a Kabbala student. He sets his clock every morning for 2:35 a.m. and catches a ride to class with a fellow student." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/pressa/j_p_15_6_01.htm Rav has full control over his close subjects. Nobody dares to question Rav, he and is the authority regardless of what he says. The most important 3 tools are: Rav,Books(which he writes), the group (which reads his books, his lectures, and emulates his teachings). In the Ptiha (Science of Kabbalah) book (http://www.kabbalahmedia.info/mekoro...f-kabbalah.pdf) he says that desire for spirituality should be so big that no other interests exist. In that book and other articles he says that all your free time should be spend studying the Kabbalah. This is another classical technique. The less free time a person has for himself the better. 5)Spreading is the most important. Any virus does that, and any cult is very serious in this matter. 6)Any question regarding anything outside of Kabbalah is forbidden, read English and Russian forum rules. It is kinda strange when you hear this: "We learn about Kabbalah by listening, reading, studying in groups and most importantly, asking questions and receiving answers." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book...k1eng_ch12.htm "Since Kabbalah is a true science, it seeks a real attainment of the universe, when no difficult question can refute a hard fact." http://kabbalah.info/engkab/translated_lessons_(texts)_old/kabbalah_as_a_science_series/06222004_comparative_analysis_of_kabbalah_and_phil osophy.htm and read what the rules of the forum state. Even privately I was mistreated. In any cult outside information is always forbidden. In most (if not ALL) religious,philosophical,scientific forums you will not be banned if you say "Could you please describe in detail advantages of your method vs X" . Try this sort of discussion in Kabbalistic forums! If Kabbalah is not a dogma, but a science, it should have absolutely no problem allowing other material. Why? Because then you would really see superiority of Kabbalah. Micheal Laitman often has a "split personality" . First he says that Kabbalah has nothing to do with religion...When speaking to scientists he: "At the lecture in the Moscow State University I was asked, “So, you don’t believe in God?” I said, “No, I am a rebellious atheist”. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/scie...university.htm But few days later in another lecture he may say that he fulfills commandments (Mitzvot) and read articles such as Matan Torah (Revelation of Godliness) http://www.kabbalah.info//engkab/mat...revelation.htm Please don't be confused by "love thy neighbor as yourself". This doesn't apply to ALL of humanity right now, just the group. A kabbalist is supposed to act one way when he is talking to the Creator, another way with the group, and another way with the outside world. "Rabbi Baruch also writes that we have to hide our relationship with the Creator – our innermost part from a bit more outer part, which is what our relationship with the group is. We also have to hide our innermost part from a more outer part – our relationship with the family, and from the even more outer part – our relationship with the surrounding society. One must establish this inside himself clearly and act correctly. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/sham...ati1_study.htm A classic case of "split personality". 7)No access to outside information "That is why in practice with us and in our groups where we teach, it is customary that a person who comes to the group and wishes to advance correctly follows our advice: read only whatever we allow about spiritual methodologies. In other words, we completely forbid any other spiritual methodologies, philosophies, psychologies, even a person's studies of various medical fields that use, supposedly, various internal forces in a person; meaning everything that can be interpreted as something spiritual in a person, we categorically forbid those things. And out of all the books that talk about the spiritual world we allow only those that describe the spiritual world in a Kabbalistic language. And these are only books by Ari and Baal HaSulam. Beginners are not allowed to use any other books." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/translated_lessons_ (texts)/baal_hasulam_articles/freedom_of_will/04102003_freedom_of_will.htm This is another classic cult technique. 8) Freedom of will can only be found in the group... Guess which one? After I have left, suddenly almost all of my former group members stopped talking to me. They started to ignore me completely. I was refered to mentally ill in one lecture by the lecturer. A classic case of "character assasination". There was a women who also left the group and she was insulted too. "If a person does not have an intention, then there is no person. He is as a screw that is being turned, and lives like a beast. We call a person a “beast” because he is not implementing his free will, free choice. Such a person is at the level of a beast. " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/inte...eart/talk4.htm Intention can only be formed in the group, btw... Single charismatic leader. - Michael Laitman. People always seeming constantly happy and enthusiastic. Especially if you discover that they have been told to act that way for the potential new recruits. Instant friends. - The group members If you are told who you can or cannot talk to or associate with. They hide what they teach. - Laitman has said not to reveal too much to beginners. Say they are the only true group, or the best so why go anywhere else. - Yep, Path of Kabbalah or path of pain. Hyped meetings, get you to meetings rather than share with you. - Presence is most important rather than learning the content. (intro to TE"S point #155). Experiential rather than logical. Asking for money for the next level. - Before mahsom people are encouraged to pay 10%, after mahsom 90%. This was in one of Rav's lectures (in 2003 or 2004) And remember End of the world scare (WW3&WW4) and waiting for the Mashiah. How many cults before used doomsday things. http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/thelastgeneration.htm "Only an equally deep and widespread revelation of the secrets of the Torah can offset apocalyptic destruction and bring repair." http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/pres...z_20041222.htm |
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06-12-2006, 09:06 PM
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#41 (permalink) |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 69
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
So lets see.
We are not allowed to question kabbalah. We are forbidden to participate in other spiritual studies. Rav Laitman uses classic cult techniques. Rav is constantly acting bi-polar (with scientists he is an Atheist. On his lectures, especially from Shlavei Hasulam, etc and etc he is like a Kabbalist).He keeps changing dramatically between different audiences. Of course the more progressed kabbalists will not tell you EVERYTHING that is going on "The Kabbalists begin by teaching spirituality in small doses" http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/book...k1eng_ch07.htm Remember that Heaven's gate did NOT advertise castration and suicide. Remember This "brainwashing" constantly happens in the Kabbalistic group. Any questions, please ask me. I tried to condense this as I could. http://www.kabbalah.info//engkab/mat...philosophy.htm Please don't say "But the Rav has said that nothing occult is in Kabbalah" . COnsidering how he contradicts himself (It usually happens when you lie) all the time, and considering that he teaches us in small doses, brainwashes us, etc etc I am not surprised. Tell me what cult did not lie, withhold information, etc and etc? Heaven's gate? White Brotherhood? Don't you think that they didn't use "Spirituality doesn't have to make sense. Have Faith. You are egoist to think for yourself" in one form or another? So lets see. Mind control, US vs Them attitude, disregard for other opinions, lack of any kind of self critique, brainwashing, Rav is not accountable to anyone, etc.... You get the idea. Please read and REFLECT. http://www.refocus.org/charcult.html http://www.howcultswork.com/ Other than cultish, sectarian and divisive overtones, why is Kabbalah dangerous? Because they have a political agenda. They want to change the world for the better, to make it more altruistic, to defeat egoism. Just like the Bolsheviks, the kabbalists have "congresses", "group meetings", song and dances together. We all know the terror that happened when the Bolsheviks (Communists) came to power. The Kabbalah may have as much as 100s of thousands of people. Read what one former Bnei Baruch Group member has said: "It is clear to members of Bnei Baruch, or at least to the leadership, that in order to enter massively into people’s daily life they first will have to achieve some kind of social recognition. This target is pursued using all possible media to the maximum extent possible – Internet, radio, TV, books, tapes – and trying to access the Israeli scholastic system by holding courses in high schools and universities. We should not forget the use of stars, as taught by Rabbi Philip Berg, such as Madonna & friends. Bnei Baruch in fact chases VIPs and it has already collected some national stars. Although not apparent, everything is planned. Unlike Mr. Berg’s organization, these efforts by Bnei Baruch are not for money to enrich the leader. Money is considered important, but only as a means to obtain the real target - control over people, i.e. power. Obviously the group thinks that everything is done to spread God’s will (but how many times on this planet will we have to listen to people who claim to know God’s will?). I want to tell you a short story that helped me understand what is really happening in Bnei Baruch. During the last Sukkoth celebrations, on the official opening day of their Autumn Congress, a parade was organized. People from ‘all over the world’ marched, like in a troop salutation with banners from their countries of origin, along a boulevard to a stage prepared for the occasion with a fancy illumination, where Mr. Laitman was waiting, sitting on a wheel chair. His family had the ‘seats of honor’ and everyone waved small flags with the logo of the Congress. Laitman then spoke, the Statute of the State of Kabbalah was read, and the flag of the future society hoisted. All this happened “as a game”, a performance that was supposed to strengthen our connection with the importance of the goal and our loyalty to Baal Hasulam’s message. What actually crept in here was the use of symbols and patterns that throughout history have been used by strong political powers to affirm their supremacy and the supremacy of their leadership. Laitman believes that Kabbalah will be the ideology of the future world. What is ideology if not a sclerotic system of ideas? When ideas become an ideology it parallels putting animals into a museum, i.e. they are dead. Moreover, every ideology is nothing but a picture, an image of what it represents. The same of an idol which requires total devotion, blind respect and self-sacrifice…and this looks contradicts the second commandment of the Torah: “Thou shall not make unto thee any graven image”. The structure of the future society, painted in Baal Hasulam’s articles “The last generation” and “The solution”, highlights the passé and utopist social system of a world led by a group of wise Kabbalists. This society, as explained by the Rav Laitman, will have to provide for itself all needed social structures (schools, hospitals, courts, etc.), and all that concerns the community will be managed and solved inside these same structures. Relationships with outside governments will occur only when necessary and their infrastructures used only if inevitable. Nevertheless, their laws will be respected. The State of Kabbalah will be a state without territory that won’t need to fight other states for supremacy, but because of its universal ideal of love, every nation will naturally want to follow its instructions and way of life. (The ghost of Orwell’s “Animal Farm” still seems circling…) Whoever wishes to enter this new society will have to swear loyalty to its principals and will be allowed to leave whenever he/she wants. The universal religion of “love thy neighbor as thyself” will be the foundation of this new society and everyone will have to work for, and give to, this cause with all his/her heart. The economical principal will be “to give according to one’s abilities and to receive according to one’s needs”. Observance will be controlled by a committee of wise Kabbalists, who will evaluate all particular circumstances and decide which action to take according to their ‘tools of bestowal’ (their connection to the upper will). http://www.katot.org/Letters/BeneiBaruchReport.asp Michael Laitman tries to promote his teaching everywhere, through books (he wrote 22 of them) http://www.kabbalahbooks.info/, newspaper articles http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/pressa/index.htm, daily archived lessons at (www.kabbalamedia.info), and even world meetings such as Arosa http://www.kabbalah.info/arosa Films: http://www.arifilms.tv/ari/content/view/full/17934 "Bnei Baruch produces daily live TV broadcasts of Kabbalah lessons and programs for various channels throughout the world. Bnei Baruch also broadcasts live daily video and audio Kabbalah lessons over the Internet with simultaneous translations from Hebrew to English, Russian, and Spanish. The organization established and sustains the largest, most extensive content site on Kabbalah, hosting more than half a million unique visitors ,with more than 2.5 million page views a month, as well as a Newsletter in five languages with 28,000 subscribers. Available on the site are authentic Kabbalah texts in twenty-two languages, and a comprehensive web-based media and text archive, all of which is provided gratis. " "There are about 800,000 people in the world that study within a framework of our Kabbalah academy. We have recently had a Congress which was attended by people from 34 countries – people with different mentalities, social levels, etc " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/scie...university.htm Questions to ask yourself is. How much does it costs to have (maybe a 100 gigabytes) of lessons on the web. How many thousands of dollars per month does it cost to broadcast daily on the TV and the web? How many thousands of US dollars does it take to constantly run congresses and so on? Who is sponsoring them and why? Remember how Kabbalah is against any sort of "self repression" and it demands us to live a full life (including serving the army, for many that will be the Israeli army in which they can kill poor Arabs with King David's honour." "The modern day Kabbalist must participate in normal daily lives, according to Laitman, including working and serving in the army. (His own daughter is about to enlist.) " http://www.kabbalah.info/engkab/pressa/j_p_15_6_01.htm Put 2 + 2 and make your decision. If I was the head of the Federal Reserve Bank (or the president of America or Israel), I'd fully support Micheal Laitman. He is good for the economy (for consumerist society such as USA) and the military! By this point it should be clear to anyone the danger and immorality of Kabbalah. May everyone be happy and free! may everyone attain true spirituality in this very life. The purpose of this text was to reveal what might be going on behind the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah propaganda. Please don't blindly believe me (or them) and check things out for yourself if you are going to join them. Lucky for me, I am not a person who is easy to hypnotize, even though I was brainwashed by them for a number of years... If I have said anything incorrect, please forgive me. "Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it. Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations. Do not believe in anything because it is spoken and rumored by many.Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your books. Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders. But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason...then accept it and live up to it." -The Buddha |
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06-13-2006, 04:59 PM
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#42 (permalink) |
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Super Moderator
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: London, UK, Malkhut she'be'Assiyah
Posts: 1,846
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
human1111,
on one hand i'm very saddened by this - i've always found bnei-baruch to be a good web resource for primary information. on the other, from what i've heard from those who have learned with them f2f, i'm inclined to say not so much "i told you so", but more "those who seek 100% verifiable objective certainty are only setting themselves up for a fall." it is a shame that r. laitman is looking like he will have to be added to the long list of teachers i disapprove of, but i thank you for your honesty and candour. i'm sorry you've had this experience, but i can't say i'm terribly surprised. if you feel strongly enough to want to go on the record i suggest you contact the cult-busters at http://www.rickross.com - he's done wonders at exposing the bergs of this world. a book that might offer you some spiritual comfort is the novel by milton steinberg about r. elisha b. abuya, the famous talmudic heretic: "like a driven leaf". you are not alone in your search for meaning. another word - don't give up on kabbalah. it is best when integrated 100% into your other spiritual practice and is designed to work with judaism, not separate from it. i encourage you to keep posting here and asking questions. b'shalom bananabrain |
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06-13-2006, 05:17 PM
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#43 (permalink) | |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 69
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
Quote:
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06-13-2006, 08:23 PM
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#44 (permalink) | |
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Executive Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Southern Maryland
Posts: 2,463
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
Quote:
"And Jacob went out from Beersheba, and went toward Haran. And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep. And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it." - Genesis 28:10-12 Does this have any kabbalist significance related to what you are talking about? |
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06-13-2006, 09:09 PM
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#45 (permalink) |
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 44
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Re: The Science of Kabbalah
I don't know much about Kabbalah except what I see on TV and what little I've been able to find on the internet. I do find mysticism very intriguing.
However this concept of increasing your desire to receive but turning it into receiving for altruistic instead of egotistic reasons seems a bit fishy to me. For example a coke addict could tell you that they don't really like doing cocaine they just do it to keep their dealer in business and to be an example to others of it's negative effects.  The intent behind receiving pleasure is nearly impossible to objectively determine. I'm not saying that we should forego all pleasures in life only that going to such extremes in anything have proven to be harmful, all things in moderation. Just my 2 cents, maybe I've misunderstood something. If so, I'd appreciate being corrected. -R |
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