Hello,
If someone know story were family relationship was destroyed by Bnei Baruch [...] ?
Your information would really help me a lot to expose this cult and try to prevent my son from going to Bnei Baruch.
Thanks in advance

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/23/2009 09:10PM by rrmoderator.

I get many docs from the innergroup, as I'm in the inner group... Actually I'm leaving the BB Group.

I believe that the study has great fonts, and is the most real thing that approaches kabbalah from orthodox jews to the BB texts. But, always a but, when you start you are not required to pay anything... so I believe that if we stay in a very low profile is good, and the study is good, just do not try to be an inner member otherwhise, they will tell you that the only way is paying 10% of your money, and works a lot to help them (for free!). I just in the beggining realise that, if I'm working a lot normally in the real world I will get paid... sooooo, if I refuse receive any payment is like a Maaser! but I do not think the BB will accept such thought.

Here is something I have, think by yourself, and in the future I hope we dont create a wikileak of that:


The Charter of Bnei Baruch Members
“Laws are threads and ropes which help me get connected to the group.”
“These rules are aimed at involving a person into the group and into the state of Arvut (Mutual Guarantee)”
“These are the conditions on which basis you set frames for yourself, and if you don’t observe these conditions, you move away from them and fall out of the Kli.”



2. Work

A group member is obligated to be a working man, even if he is financially provided for.



Contributions

• Every student is obliged to pay his part of expenses for the premises, equipment, and public utilities.
• Once a month every student has to allocate 10% of his income for the current month (after the deduction of all state taxes) for dissemination of the science of Kabbalah.
• 20% of the Maaser (tithing) the group collected is to be sent to BB for issuing materials for dissemination (books, CDs, etc). (Actually I have a schedule that the group in the reality is paying only 10%, why this group do not pay correctly?????)



Bnei Baruch is a non-profit organization for teaching and sharing the wisdom of Kabbalah. To maintain its independence and purity of intentions, Bnei Baruch is not supported, funded, or is otherwise tied to any government or political entity.
Since the bulk of its activity is provided free of charge, the prime source of funding for the group's activities is tithing, contributed by students on a voluntary basis. Additional sources of income are Dr. Laitman's Kabbalah books that are sold at cost, and donations.

Question: Is it possible to cross the Machsom without paying Maaser?
My Answer: No.

- Question about this: Before Latman said that we need only 4 years to cross the machsom (in 2003), after that, everybody (in the world) are needed to cross, and in some text, Gay people need to correct themselves before cross, and only men married can cross. So, in the end, nobody have change to cross the machsom if all requirement is not complete (homosexual be a man, and marry, everybody paying 10% to BB, everybody united in the same path, etc)? Ok, I’m not gay, I’m married, my wife is engaged in Kabbalah, and I study for 8 years. I need to wait every others correct themselves to cross-together machsom… looks convenient to guilty the Ego to tell me why I did not cross the machsom. How to believe in such Laitman’s Phrases if all the time is changing with the time. To adapt you could say. But, I do not see the point, when Laitman says that BB receive in the voluntary basis, and all groups Obliged every student to pay! If every student pays is a physical matters that is against again with the BB that states we do not perform any physical matters (candle, meditation, letters, red string, holy water, mitzvoth, Shabbat, etc…) but pay masser, marry, be obligated to dissiminate, etc are physical!!! How incongruent this looks like!
- Also When someone is questioned, I know we are instructed to not answer immediately, to give a chance to that answer come by itself, but this is important to be answered, otherwise all materials including internal discussion in the inner group will be freely sent out to all students and media to think about what BB is doing… I believe and dedicated 8 years to do my maximum, my wife as well, but all physical groups acting as a mechanism to receive money, and money, and no group create harmonic place, all the times is discussions, all the time is about money, is about perform such things as put all efforts and your life to dissiminate and you will save your soul!!! This is Religious! Maaser is religious, do not accept gays in the inner group is religious and obviously Homophobic, and much much more!
- I need correct answers, otherwise, let the students give us the correct answer. What about my 10% goes to an counter dissemination explains exactly happens in the inners group, and how things work to do a brain wash to gain your salvation. Why all those things is hidden and only after the student was engaged those things is showed? Tell me where this is different from all those things BB was against, I believe in a Future society where I can use my life time to help another, I believed in the past, when Laitman told us that we are going to live in a spiritual way, and I can understand cleared the necessity of give 10%, but why need to be money? I’ve worked for free to BB for 8 years, if I get paid for that, I’m sure that I give back 100% of the money for that “voluntary” work… So, I’m rejecting 100% of the money, to give BB my efforts to disseminate, to help, and using my money to buy papers, food, everything to keep running BB… I believe that many many people will do the same for free, better, instead to get paid to do it, refuses the money from BB, giving free work!!!! How you can explain me What Laitman said that is not possible without paying maser… why need to be money? Money money?




Question: Do we correct ourselves during the initial period of study, when we do not contribute the Maaser?
My Answer: Yes, but only at your first preparatory stage. Kabbalists never accepted students who refused to follow this condition. After all, no matter how much a person tries, Malchut, the tenth Sefira, becomes corrected only when a person gives away to others one tenth of what belongs to him.
Question: Do new students who are in their first year of studies also need to give the Maaser? When should a person begin to pay the Maaser?
My Answer: One should begin to pay the Maaser when he begins to understand that he desires spiritual development. A person will not advance without making efforts. Maaser is the tenth part of the desire, which can only be corrected this way, by being given away.


- Again, I understand my desires for the spiritual, and I understand that I need to give and make efforts, but my efforts could be a maser, without paying CASH MONEY, as I did not receive any payment from BB to be in the inner group, to disseminate, and so on…



And finally I saw many groups, that do not pay attention to the other who not pay MAASER!
Folow some discutions in the inner group:

Hi friends, I was told that certain people who neither are members of BBA nor involved in common dissemination work and not paying Maaser, wrecked our planned Sunday Meetup schedule and on half way through the meetup initiated debates related with group's business and open critics of certain group members. I think this is totally unacceptable(!). All issues must be discussed on common inner group meeting and only between members of BBA. Regardless of whether their critics and arguments were justifiable or not they shouldn't be creating such a clutter in the middle of the meetup. I think this is a serious blunder of ours, and it shouldn't happen again! Although it is entirely our organisational fault I think those people should very gently be told of their place. No regards our group situation I suggest to meet ASAP and discuss the situation we are in. I see that there is no trust, no understanding, no integrity, brakeage of communication, and finally no UNITY between us. We, firstly, as Bnei Baruch group secondly, as dissemination factory, as well as legal entity cannot carry on like that, and should sort the situation out now as a matter of urgency. I see the 3 wayouts of the situation: 1. We forget the past, rise above all grievance and begin a constructive dialogue. Get back to the level of communication we had several months ago when we had weekly meetings, with minutes etc. Back to working together basically.. 2. We go under the management of BB. Don't quite know how it going to work yet, but I have a feeling that the reason why creator is sending us all the obstacles is to show that the way we have chosen to move forward is not quite right, and we should be managed by BB. 3. Shut up shop and go home I suggest to meet this Sunday at 11:30 to discuss everything. Some may say" that we tried many times..". and "there is no point to discuss..". they" won't listen..." and etc. But we need to do it otherwise there is no other way as split apart(!). Let's give it another go, m? Any comments, suggestions, are welcome

Someone in the group answered:


We also have to put spirituality above everything. There is none else beside him. Therefore the disruption was caused by ourselves. Irrespective if it is members or not we are providing a service. Furthermore I am not in the army and any aggressive approach is not acceptable therefore. As a I am the only person out of this email group who has been brought in Britain I understand the environment, culture, people by going to school, attending the girlfuides, social clubs, working visiting most countries around the world has given me an understanding of cultures, religions etc and in Britain this means opening the doors to all nations. Like the rav when he hosts the Zohar convention if some annoys him he does not close the congress and tells them it is over and blames other people for disruptions. Currently the position is there are almost 10 people who are students of beni Baruch who wish to complain about conduct of certain Bba uk full members and I am in aggreement with them. I do not accept bullies from our organisation who are in the inner group. The clutter was the one who stopped us listening to lessons and that person needs to be told gently of their place as a full member. I personnally will not stop my spiritual work with Kabbalah and if the choice to shut up shop, I am prepared to open another shop for the creator is good and will supply me with the right people and environment. If we are experiencing the current situation then this tells me. Bb management are going through the same situation that's why no one knows what they are doing. We have to learn from the past I understand then when you started bbuk in Hendon this was the same situation. A way forward is to treat people with human dignity. And work towards unity. Evey week I meet 500 hundred people and I have to me polite to them even when they shout abuse this I have learnt this is caused by pain of their teeth so they act that way however when the pain is gone they are so nice. People are in pain and are looking for spirituality. This means a relief from pain thereforw Kabbalah environment should be where children can come. As in my past as a martial arts instructor and had a classs with 30 children. Their parents entrusted me as they felt the environment to be safe to learn. At present we do not have that. If we are prepared to discuss in a dignified way they the meeting on Sunday is good. As I have been a board member for several orgainsations from school governing boards to business entities I have a good understanding of codes of conduct. Furthermore due to s’s efforts in starting the meetup forum is why we are able to meet people and thank him for that. Currently, we should from those who have been brought up in the Jewish culture/faith and if we find that the people we have to have a quite word who are not members you will find that they are Jewish so be careful at who you attack!!!

(note the person who write this last letter, is not attending the group anymore, and after that many discutions ahead in the physical meeting created a problem for everybody, specially when many states that if some one are not paying MAASER can not discuss anything… wow, how spiritual level those guys are!!!)



Regards,

Comparative Analysis of Kabbalah and Philosophy
Continuation
Lesson of June 22, 2004
[www.kabbalah.info]

Question: So is there connection between the spiritual and the material?
Answer from Laitman: Baal HaSulam says that those who think that the material dresses the spiritual are wrong. This leads to the erroneous conclusion that one can influence the spiritual through the material with one's properties, desires, powers, thoughts, and physical actions. This is impossible! We have no means for that.
Such means appears under the influence of sublime energy, the Upper Light, and it is called the screen. Therefore, it is said, "Yagati ve Matzati," which means that I make efforts and deserve the screen as a gift. However, I do not create it within me by myself. The screen is an anti-egoistical force which enables me to affect the Creator's altruistic forces, to interact with them to the extent of my similarity to them. Otherwise, being in different dimensions, these forces do not feel each other.
The realization that the spiritual is not clothed in the material is necessary first of all to avoid the erroneous notion that with the help of some material actions we can do something spiritual. We can do nothing like that.
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.

Versus (same teacher different visions?)
Maaser Is A Law Of Nature
Posted on January 11th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Questions I received on Maaser:
Question: Can we advance spiritually if we don’t pay a tithe (Maaser)?
My Answer: No.
Question cont’d: I bought the book Kabbalah for the Student and printed “The Introduction to The Book Of Zohar” from it myself. Is this considered as a tithe?
My Answer: No.
Question cont’d: With the obligation of paying the tithe, many people will be turned off to Kabbalah and this will not be a solution for them. At first they engage in Kabbalah with all of their desire, and after a while they understand that they have to pay Maaser in order to advance spiritually. I wonder, if a person is already above the Machsom, will he also be obliged to pay Maaser in order to attain the whole goal?
My Answer: Yes.
Question cont’d: Even on the last 125th degree of the ladder?
My Answer: Yes.
Question cont’d: But the poor won’t be able to advance even a millimeter.
My Answer: If they’re poor, their Maaser is also small, accordingly.
Question cont’d: I am very disappointed that one has to pay to attain spirituality. The Maaser has to be removed because it is a limitation to attaining the so called “new civilization.”

Member Statute of Bnei Baruch
“Laws are threads and ropes which help me get connected to the group.”
“These rules are aimed at involving a person into the group and into the state of Arvut (Mutual Guarantee).”
“These are the conditions on which basis you set frames for yourself, and if you don’t observe these conditions, you move away from them and fall out of the Kli.”
1. Selected extracts from Rav’s words
• The opinion of the group is above everything.
• After the group has made a decision, it’s preferable to err together with it than to be right alone.
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 1
• It’s necessary to treat the personality of each friend carefully, so that he won’t loose his individuality.
• The purpose of the group’s existence is to enable me to invest into it in order to achieve bestowal towards the Creator.
• If a friend has a distinct opinion and doesn’t express it, then this is considered to be a robbery.
• The morning lesson is a place for work. • The best means to impress our friends is
through one’s personal example. • It’s forbidden to talk with friends about personal sensations connected with inner states. This measure is aimed at preventing bad influence upon them, even
if this is done unconsciously.
• To choose a better environment every time means to see friends in the more corrected state in comparison to the state with which my desire to receive shows me.
• Only the actions aimed at unity between us will lead us to the goal of creation.
• There isn’t a more praiseworthy action than leading a friend out of the state of a fall.
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 2
• Thoughts are to be directed in the following way: how to give the power to achieve spirituality to all the others.
• We have to take care not of the quantity of the desire, but of the quality of the intention.
• It is prohibited to discuss the spiritual states of a friend. Only his exterior actions should be discussed.
• The group has to establish its own values and to demand that they will be observed.
• It’s necessary to show to a friend that good attitudes and care about him are consequences of the greatness of the goal.
• You have to be responsible for every word you say in the group and to remember that by our thoughts and actions we act upon the group.
• It’s necessary to keep up the spirits of the friends, even artificially.
2. Relations between friends in the group
2.1. Each of us should treat the study and common work as an opportunity to build the collective Kli, not as a means of increasing our information and knowledge.
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 3
2.2. Every absence from lessons, gatherings of friends, mutual work or group action, etc., is considered to be a detachment from the group and damages the creation of the collective Kli. In case of illness, vacation or obligated, necessary/desperate situations, a group member must inform the person in charge of attendance that they will be absent.
2.3. Everyone has to care about his friends in a friendly and amicable way, with love and devotion.
2.4. Every group member has to try to help his friend to overcome bad moods.
2.5. A person who is in the state of a descent entrusts himself to his friends, and only then are they able to help him. This is the way his attitude should be.
2.6. The group members have to take care of all aspects of life of every friend (economic, internal, etc). For this reason, if one of the friends gets into trouble or into a needy circumstance, and this may put at risk his spiritual path, then the other friend has to inform the person responsible about such problems (internal and economic problems, problems with health, etc) on behalf of the group.
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 4
2.7. A group member has to ask his friends to help him in difficult situations, when he can loose the sensation of the importance of the goal. The group members have a right to use various means in order to lead a person to group events (lessons, gatherings of friends, etc). A group member asks his friends in advance to disregard his claims, which he might make in such a state, and not to think of how logical or persuasive they are.
2.8. It’s forbidden to keep inside oneself any resistance towards what happens in the group. On the contrary, a person should bring this to discussion to the social commission of the group. Otherwise, this will do harm to the whole group.
2.9. All group members must carry out some duty in the group. If a group member was left without any duty, then he has to find a new duty for himself immediately. If a friend has taken upon himself the fulfillment of some duty, and, according to the group’s opinion, doesn’t do this properly, then the person responsible for this sphere has to give the responsibility to another person.
2.10. Every group member has to arrange for himself frames of activity in the group and in dissemination of the science of Kabbalah so that they
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 5
will place pressure on him all the time and, especially during falls, will enable him to carry out simple mechanical actions.
2.11. Every group member is obliged to protect the group and themselves from other “spiritual” movements. If someone from the group members deviates from the path of the group, then he’s obliged to inform his friends about this immediately, and they have to help him to return to the better.
3. Working
A group member has to work, even if he is a well-to-do person. If a friend is dismissed from his work, then all the group members undertake to help him in job searching: firstly, because he violates the conditions set by Baal HaSulam and Rav Baruch; secondly, they do this proceeding from consideration of the necessary minimum of subsistence. A group member undertakes to do his best to find a job. If he doesn’t manage to find a suitable (proper) job, then he accepts the job, which is similar to what he was searching for. Friends are obliged to treat job searching for their friend as if it were they who were searching for a job and help them with their actions;
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 6
morally, physically and spiritually to carry out the above-mentioned duty regarding his spiritual path.
When a group member doesn’t work, it’s desirable that he come to work at the Centre, however, he shouldn’t do this instead of searching for a job.
4. Rules of behavior in the BB centre
4.1. Lesson
4.1.1. A person has to have his own book available.
4.1.2. Each personmustobserve silenceandnot hinder others before and during the study.
4.1.3. It’s necessary to prepare all the books one needs before the lesson starts.
4.1.4. During the lesson every student has to keep the book open in the place where Rav or a reader reads.
4.1.5. Absence from the lesson:
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 7
a) To carry out work on dissemination during the lesson one has to get permission from the group or from the head of the department.
b) A friend can miss the lesson because of serious illness of one of the members of his family, which demands this, and because of childcare.
c) It’s allowed to miss the lesson because of one’s own illness only by consent of the head of the health department.
4.2. Behavior in the group (in the Centre and not during the lesson)
4.2.1. It’s forbidden to bring to the Bnei Baruch Centre any outside literature, except the cases when it’s necessary for the purposes of dissemination.
4.2.2. It’s categorically prohibited to loiter about in the Centre (without any task or group action).
4.2.3. It’s necessary to follow the directions of those responsible, who have been chosen by the group.
4.2.4. Every Bnei Baruch member has to participate in duties.
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 8
4.2.5. Every Bnei Baruch member has to take upon himself a certain duty.
4.2.6. A friend, who is leaving for vacation, has to inform the head of the attendance department and the head of the department he works in.
4.2.7. A Bnei Baruch member is forbidden to engage in financial transactions with other group members, i.e.:
• It’s forbidden to employ a friend for salary or in any other way for carrying out any work;
• Relations like “seller-buyer” are forbidden; • It’s forbidden to lend or to borrow a large
sum of money; • It’s forbidden to “cash on a friend:” to bring
him in contact with various insurance companies to receive a commission, or with various distributors of products like Herbalife, cosmetics, and load stones, etc.
**** Exceptional cases are permitted only by the group commission.
5. The group decision
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 9
Decisions made by the group or by the board of directors of the enterprise are to be accepted by a group member as law.
6. Using BB materials
6.1. It’s forbidden to utilize unedited materials.
6.2. It’s forbidden to utilize any kind of media which hasn’t been edited, checked and approved (video and audio materials, texts, etc.) for copying outside.
7. Using the “Bnei Baruch” name outside of the group
The utilization of the name “Bnei Baruch” and its advertising by the unauthorized entities is categorically prohibited. For example: in clubs, various societies, centers and in the press for the purposes of promotion, or dissemination or for any other reason. Each action of this kind is permitted only if it has been agreed upon by the BB board of directors.
8. Observation and introduction of changes into the statute
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 10
8.1. This statute is obligatory for all the group members.
8.2. Every group member, who has signed this statute, can make suggestions about introducing changes into it.
8.3. This statute can be changed by the agreement of the majority of the group members.
9. Contributions
1.Every student is obliged to pay his part of expenses for the premises, equipment, and public utilities.
2. Once a month every student has to allocate 10% of his income for the current month (after all the state taxes) for dissemination of the science of Kabbalah.
3. 10% of Maaser (tithing) the group collected is to be sent to BB for issuing materials for dissemination (books, disks, etc).
10. Who is considered to be a group member
A group member is any one who is ready to subject himself to it, to step over himself in order to
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 11
receive from the group assistance in achieving the Creator.
One who enters the group has to take upon himself responsibility for the spiritual advancement of the whole group.
One who forgets about his friend even for a moment halts the advancement of the entire group.
A friend joins the group if he’s ready to take upon himself such a measure of responsibility.

Thank you so much for the opportunity to say something about BB . I was a member for some time and once I was fortunate enough to realise that they are nothing but another cult i left immediately !!! Amongst other things I was asked to create different profiles on social networks and have discussion with my "other selves" about greatness of Bnei Baruch and Michael Laitman , I was asked to lie about how they saved my life and other nonsence that is not even worth mentioning . Once I complained about it I was told that it is a way of helping people , I will NEVER forget how used and cheap I felt...
Stay away from them ...as far as possible!!!!

I ran across the Bnei Baruch site recently. Been reading up on Kabbalah lately for various reasons. Was glad to see a FREE version of the Zohar available. However the rest of the site, the way it seemed to be to be marketed, triggered some worries...seemed very flashy, reminded me of, well, a cult who shall remain nameless, but has come to nearly be the gold standard for abusive religious organizations.

I see that this thread has been going on since...2006?! 5 years? wow! lot of stuff to go over.....however the last 2-3 posts almost make it sound like a branch/front group of Berg's US based "Kabbalah Center" - about which i've read several reports of abusive behavior.


SO, what are people's thoughts on the value of their english translation of the Zohar?

Here is the thing with their forum , it is all censored . Most of the questions there are scripted by their "Ideological department" and than answered by ...you guessed it ; by people from "Ideological department" . Even program called "Ask the Kabbalist" where you apparently get to ask Michael Laitman things about Kabbalah . Well , while I was still doing dissemination for them, they would sent us list of questions which to ask , and we would have to do that with our "imaginary names and places of living" ( I never did it, that was the time when I finally made my decision to live) . So none of it is real and believe me it has nothing to do with spirituality let alone Kabbalah! I know of people of having psychotic breakdowns as a result of studying with Bnei Baruch and NOBODY in that organization would want to even talk about them anymore ....Please stay away from them. I truly feel that it is my OBLIGATION to warn people about that Cult .
As far as Zohar is concerned there are many good translations out there , but I would not claim to be an expert on that . Maybe Soncino Zohar .
I am studying at the moment "The Tree Of Life" Chayyim Vital's Introduction to the Kabbalah Of Isaac Luria
Good luck with your search for Truth!

There's a new website on Kabbalah and how to identify trouble.

[www.alfassa.com]

And this page from the same site.

[www.alfassa.com]

Confirmed from an monitor -Riggan -Rshisto- on BB forum. Maybe Rick could comment on the Statute.



Re: FaceBook Page for the Spring 2011 students
Sent: 31 May 2011 13:04
From: rshilsto
To: joe1234

joe1234,

Each group establishes their own statute / member guidelines. This appears to be the one from Petach Tikva, although I have no idea if it is current or not. The statutes are living documents that change as the group matures in their understandings of the writings of the Kabbalists. Just this weekend, Rav was suggesting that the group review and update their statute.

Assuming this is the Petack Tikva statute, this is NOT something that is applied to everyone. It is only for those who are very advanced and fully committed to work their work towards the spiritual goal and within Bnei Baruch. These are people who want a solid structure that will keep them directed toward the goal even when their ego is giving them all kinds of excuses not to do so. Even so, if someone really decides that they no longer want to abide by this statute, there is no pressure to force them to remain. They do not have to agree to this statute in order to study with Rav. All of the articles in here are designed solely to provide the best environment possible for that spiritual goal.

There are other groups available even in Petach Tikva that have other statutes more suitable for those who are not as far along their path or as committed to the goal, such as the Young Group. Most BB students will never reach a level where they are asked to agree to terms such as those below.

Not too long ago, our group had discussions with Bnei Baruch about what should be expected of group members (once again, these are people who have already decided that they want this to be a serious part of their life, not just a casual study). In general, we were told that it is reasonable to ask someone who wants to participate in a physical group to:

* pay their share of the cost of keeping the facility operational (rent, utilities, etc)
* participate in dissemination in some fashion
* pay maaser, although there should not be any checking on this - it is between the person and the Creator

Best wishes,
Riggan

Subject: FaceBook Page for the Spring 2011 students

joe1234 wrote:
Riggan is this also part of the group thinking ?

Member Statute of Bnei Baruch
“Laws are threads and ropes which help me get connected to the group.”
“These rules are aimed at involving a person into the group and into the state of Arvut (Mutual Guarantee).”
“These are the conditions on which basis you set frames for yourself, and if you don’t observe these conditions, you move away from them and fall out of the Kli.”
1. Selected extracts from Rav’s words
• The opinion of the group is above everything.
• After the group has made a decision, it’s preferable to err together with it than to be right alone.
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 1
• It’s necessary to treat the personality of each friend carefully, so that he won’t loose his individuality.
• The purpose of the group’s existence is to enable me to invest into it in order to achieve bestowal towards the Creator.
• If a friend has a distinct opinion and doesn’t express it, then this is considered to be a robbery.
• The morning lesson is a place for work. • The best means to impress our friends is
through one’s personal example. • It’s forbidden to talk with friends about personal sensations connected with inner states. This measure is aimed at preventing bad influence upon them, even
if this is done unconsciously.
• To choose a better environment every time means to see friends in the more corrected state in comparison to the state with which my desire to receive shows me.
• Only the actions aimed at unity between us will lead us to the goal of creation.
• There isn’t a more praiseworthy action than leading a friend out of the state of a fall.
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 2
• Thoughts are to be directed in the following way: how to give the power to achieve spirituality to all the others.
• We have to take care not of the quantity of the desire, but of the quality of the intention.
• It is prohibited to discuss the spiritual states of a friend. Only his exterior actions should be discussed.
• The group has to establish its own values and to demand that they will be observed.
• It’s necessary to show to a friend that good attitudes and care about him are consequences of the greatness of the goal.
• You have to be responsible for every word you say in the group and to remember that by our thoughts and actions we act upon the group.
• It’s necessary to keep up the spirits of the friends, even artificially.
2. Relations between friends in the group
2.1. Each of us should treat the study and common work as an opportunity to build the collective Kli, not as a means of increasing our information and knowledge.
Member Statute - Bnei Baruch 3
2.2. Every absence from lessons, gatherings of friends, mutual work or group action, etc., is considered to be a detachment from the group and damages the creation of the collective Kli. In case of illness, vacation or obligated, necessary/desperate situations, a group member must inform the person in charge of attendance that they will be absent.
2.3. Everyone has to care about his friends in a friendly and amicable way, with love and devotion.
2.4. Every group member has to try to help his friend to overcome bad moods.
2.5. A person who is in the state of a descent entrusts himself to his friends, and only then are they able to help him. This is the way his attitude should be.
2.6. The group members have to take care of all aspects of life of every friend (economic, internal, etc). For this reason, if one of the friends gets into trouble or into a needy circumstance, and this may put at risk his spiritual path, then the other friend has to inform the person responsible about such problems (internal and economic problems, problems with health, etc) on behalf of the group.
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2.7. A group member has to ask his friends to help him in difficult situations, when he can loose the sensation of the importance of the goal. The group members have a right to use various means in order to lead a person to group events (lessons, gatherings of friends, etc). A group member asks his friends in advance to disregard his claims, which he might make in such a state, and not to think of how logical or persuasive they are.
2.8. It’s forbidden to keep inside oneself any resistance towards what happens in the group. On the contrary, a person should bring this to discussion to the social commission of the group. Otherwise, this will do harm to the whole group.
2.9. All group members must carry out some duty in the group. If a group member was left without any duty, then he has to find a new duty for himself immediately. If a friend has taken upon himself the fulfillment of some duty, and, according to the group’s opinion, doesn’t do this properly, then the person responsible for this sphere has to give the responsibility to another person.
2.10. Every group member has to arrange for himself frames of activity in the group and in dissemination of the science of Kabbalah so that they
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will place pressure on him all the time and, especially during falls, will enable him to carry out simple mechanical actions.
2.11. Every group member is obliged to protect the group and themselves from other “spiritual” movements. If someone from the group members deviates from the path of the group, then he’s obliged to inform his friends about this immediately, and they have to help him to return to the better.
3. Working
A group member has to work, even if he is a well-to-do person. If a friend is dismissed from his work, then all the group members undertake to help him in job searching: firstly, because he violates the conditions set by Baal HaSulam and Rav Baruch; secondly, they do this proceeding from consideration of the necessary minimum of subsistence. A group member undertakes to do his best to find a job. If he doesn’t manage to find a suitable (proper) job, then he accepts the job, which is similar to what he was searching for. Friends are obliged to treat job searching for their friend as if it were they who were searching for a job and help them with their actions;
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morally, physically and spiritually to carry out the above-mentioned duty regarding his spiritual path.
When a group member doesn’t work, it’s desirable that he come to work at the Centre, however, he shouldn’t do this instead of searching for a job.
4. Rules of behavior in the BB centre
4.1. Lesson
4.1.1. A person has to have his own book available.
4.1.2. Each personmustobserve silenceandnot hinder others before and during the study.
4.1.3. It’s necessary to prepare all the books one needs before the lesson starts.
4.1.4. During the lesson every student has to keep the book open in the place where Rav or a reader reads.
4.1.5. Absence from the lesson:
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a) To carry out work on dissemination during the lesson one has to get permission from the group or from the head of the department.
b) A friend can miss the lesson because of serious illness of one of the members of his family, which demands this, and because of childcare.
c) It’s allowed to miss the lesson because of one’s own illness only by consent of the head of the health department.
4.2. Behavior in the group (in the Centre and not during the lesson)
4.2.1. It’s forbidden to bring to the Bnei Baruch Centre any outside literature, except the cases when it’s necessary for the purposes of dissemination.
4.2.2. It’s categorically prohibited to loiter about in the Centre (without any task or group action).
4.2.3. It’s necessary to follow the directions of those responsible, who have been chosen by the group.
4.2.4. Every Bnei Baruch member has to participate in duties.
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4.2.5. Every Bnei Baruch member has to take upon himself a certain duty.
4.2.6. A friend, who is leaving for vacation, has to inform the head of the attendance department and the head of the department he works in.
4.2.7. A Bnei Baruch member is forbidden to engage in financial transactions with other group members, i.e.:
• It’s forbidden to employ a friend for salary or in any other way for carrying out any work;
• Relations like “seller-buyer” are forbidden; • It’s forbidden to lend or to borrow a large
sum of money; • It’s forbidden to “cash on a friend:” to bring
him in contact with various insurance companies to receive a commission, or with various distributors of products like Herbalife, cosmetics, and load stones, etc.
**** Exceptional cases are permitted only by the group commission.
5. The group decision
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Decisions made by the group or by the board of directors of the enterprise are to be accepted by a group member as law.
6. Using BB materials
6.1. It’s forbidden to utilize unedited materials.
6.2. It’s forbidden to utilize any kind of media which hasn’t been edited, checked and approved (video and audio materials, texts, etc.) for copying outside.
7. Using the “Bnei Baruch” name outside of the group
The utilization of the name “Bnei Baruch” and its advertising by the unauthorized entities is categorically prohibited. For example: in clubs, various societies, centers and in the press for the purposes of promotion, or dissemination or for any other reason. Each action of this kind is permitted only if it has been agreed upon by the BB board of directors.
8. Observation and introduction of changes into the statute
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8.1. This statute is obligatory for all the group members.
8.2. Every group member, who has signed this statute, can make suggestions about introducing changes into it.
8.3. This statute can be changed by the agreement of the majority of the group members.
9. Contributions
1.Every student is obliged to pay his part of expenses for the premises, equipment, and public utilities.
2. Once a month every student has to allocate 10% of his income for the current month (after all the state taxes) for dissemination of the science of Kabbalah.
3. 10% of Maaser (tithing) the group collected is to be sent to BB for issuing materials for dissemination (books, disks, etc).
10. Who is considered to be a group member
A group member is any one who is ready to subject himself to it, to step over himself in order to
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receive from the group assistance in achieving the Creator.
One who enters the group has to take upon himself responsibility for the spiritual advancement of the whole group.
One who forgets about his friend even for a moment halts the advancement of the entire group.
A friend joins the group if he’s ready to take upon himself such a measure of responsibi