Interesting development: The next Bnei Baruch Congress has been announced, but not publicly. Only the students in the video courses know about it. In the past entire websites were set up to announce the Congress. Could this mean something? I don't know!

Hi everyone,

I stumbled across your discussions here and just had to share a few things with you. I can share that I have experienced firsthand the manipulative mind control techniques used at Bnei Baruch, but before I do that, I thought you may be interested in reading the follow excerpt from an interview made of Mr. Laitman, the leader of Bnei Baruch:

===============================================A Threat of Destruction Talks With a Kabbalist

A Threat of Destruction
Talks with the Kabbalist, Rabbi Michael Laitman
Vesty newspaper from November 4th, 2000

This is the second part, where Mr. Laitman begins to say something I find very sad.

E.S.: Is there still a way out of that trap?

R.L.: Yes, of course. But I need to warn you that this is the only way out and that you should use it immediately if we want to survive here and not to get drowned in our own blood. Today, when the process of capitulation is moving ahead in full pace, when the army is paralyzed, when the head of the state is paralyzed, when people are demoralized, we should still apply the maximum effort and swiftly change it all.

We should show the entire world that we would not let anyone destroy us. Israel should declare a state of war - we need a military rule, a government of national salvation, a government of generals and colonels - Sharon, Barak, Nataniyahu, whoever is ready to be a military chief, let them decide for themselves. These days we don't need a Knesset (parliament) where our natural enemies are sitting. Those enemies are the Arab deputies (by the way they don't hide it) and the peacemakers who paralyzed the people's will to live on this land. They gave weapons to our enemies and they are responsible for the blood that's been shed in the past several weeks.

It is not a government of national unity that we need but a military rule, which should take the full force of power and responsibility and make an intense preventive strike against Syria who is our main enemy. We should completely destroy its military machine and the camps where terrorists are trained. With Syria we are even formally in a state of war. It keeps Hizballah as a chained dog and this dog is trying to rip that chain and destroy us. Through it, Iran supports and trains the groups of terrorists who capture our soldiers. It's now time to acknowledge that the so-called war “Shlom aGalil” was an unjustified attempt to solve nothing. That's because how can you wage a war against guerillas who are supported and fed by Syria? It is only Syria who is our military adversary, who creates, trains and feeds all our enemies, both inside Israel and on the side of Lebanon. And is the fact that it does not conduct the war from its territory really clears the charges against the enemy?

We should destroy that threat. The Territories should be entirely blocked and a 24-hour curfew should be upheld. Of course, all this assumes complete disarmament of the Palestinian bandits and suppression of any resistance. Everyone, who does not want to live under those restrictions of the military rule and under full military control of Israel, should be deported to Syria (I hope I don't need to explain why not to Jordan).

I foresee a lot of shouts and objections against this scenario: international sanctions, international boycott, complete isolation. But I repeat once again, there can be nothing worse, than what is awaiting us, in case we do not resist. These are temporary, but completely necessary measures. To accomplish all that, we need not only the military power, but also the revival of the spirit, completely destroyed by the “peace process”. The alternative is the destruction of Israel, in fact, a terrible destruction.

We should clearly state to the world - we will remain on this land and will build the Third Temple for all mankind. We still have the strength and the capability to endure and to remain standing. If we do not take advantage of that now, it will be too late. We should show the world, that we will not let them annihilate us, even if we have to threaten to use of nuclear weapons.

We have been pushed into a tight corner - and I do not want to examine it on another level, where it is obvious, that we pushed ourselves into it. But everything is done by somebody else's hands, and those hands are dipped in our blood. Only the passionate desire to survive, understanding of the fact, that everybody will try to prevent us from doing just that, and the clear picture of our future, if we do not take advantage of this last opportunity, can save us.

I repeat: all kabbalists, who are capable of seeing and understanding the mechanism of how the future is formed, see one thing - a sea of Arabs and a sea of Jewish blood. And do not amuse yourself with illusions – illusions that you can escape and hide somewhere. As soon as Israel is overcome with a huge wave of Muslim invasion, as soon as blood bath starts, the terrible hatred will reach Jews everywhere - throughout the “enlightened world” (It will be even worse in the “blessed” America).

Only here you can save yourself and only here you can save all the Jews in the world, but it has to be done immediately. Salvation lies only in the full realization of the task at hand. It is said by prophets that as soon as Israel wishes to rebuild the Third Temple, the people of the world will
carry the sons of Israel on their shoulders to Jerusalem, and will help them do that - “Thus says the Lord God, Behold, I will lift up my hand to the nations, and set up my standard to the peoples: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried on their shoulders”
(Isaiah 49, 22).

E.S.: But where were you before, why were you silent when the process of capitulation began? Unlike the leaders in the national camp, you cannot say today, “I warned you!”

R.L.: I am neither Clinton, nor Netanyahu to appear on CNN or in our Knesset. I wrote articles, spoke on the radio, mentioned the prophesies of great Kabbalists in my books. Was there anyone who heard me? Today, when we are standing on the edge of the abyss, there is a slight hope that somebody will hear me. But what could I do then?

E.S.: Is there any time left to change things? Or, maybe, the laws of the upper worlds have already “snapped”, and the mechanism of our destruction has been activated. More than 50 years ago, Baal Sulam wrote about “the sea of Arabs” here.

R.L.: The violations of the laws of creation do not cause immediate reaction in our world. Enough time is always granted to correct things. Today time is really running out, but we can still try to stop this wheel of destruction. Concrete steps should be taken both in the political arena, by saving the state, and in the spiritual spheres, having received at least minimal knowledge of the laws of creation.

We have to do that in order not to violate them completely, to stop the impending annihilation and exile, to prevent the bloodbath, based on the model of the Jews who got lost in the Arab city of Ramallah (maybe not everyone have noticed that the prototype of things to come has already been demonstrated).

Right now, Israelis have to realize at least one simple thing: they must stop. The Peace process has never existed. The illusions of both Kremlin and Jerusalem dreamers about the immediate and universal prosperity, have always lead to bloodshed. At last, it is time to think not about the universal prosperity or the mythical peace and friendship among all nations, but about the survival of our own people and the given task that we have to accomplish for other peoples.

You have to clearly state - this is ours and we are not moving anywhere from this land. We can survive only here, and only here we can fulfill the mission assigned to us by the Creator. Even those who do not believe in this Creator, who do not want to hear anything about Him, should at least want to remain alive on this land.

Answering a question on building Kibbutzim in the Negev, where there is no water and no vegetation, Rabbi Ashlag once said: Anything can be achieved through prayer. But they do not believe in G-d - he was retorted. – That does not matter, - he answered, - they want to master this land so badly, that their desire is a prayer.

You cannot even imagine the power of the clearly directed intent of Jews to remain on this land! On the spiritual level, this is the main thing that can halt the terrible process, which leads to our annihilation.

And let no one think: they can cope without me, somebody else will stop it. All Jews carry collective responsibility for everything that is happening. This is the unbreakable cycle that is built into us, being the chosen people, and it is not revocable. Our only salvation is to fulfill our mission.

We have always been and will remain a chosen nation. But we have to always remember, what is the purpose of this “choosiness.” Only we can create a connection between mankind and the Creator. We introduced the concept of monotheism and of One common “supervision” from above. On this first stage, we, or more correctly, our forefathers, have fulfilled our mission.

E.S.: And what did we received back - exiles, persecutions and the culmination of that - Holocaust?

R.L.: What culmination are you talking about? I am trying to explain here that much more horrible things are still awaiting us! But you persistently refuse to hear that. We got exiles and persecution, not because we tried to fulfill our mission, but because we stopped doing so. Like today, nobody heard the warning about the Holocaust, which could have been avoided.

You always have the freedom of choice. One cannot revoke the laws of physics or the laws of the upper worlds. But we can use those laws if we understand them. The Jews did not want to go to Eretz Israel and create their own state.

E.S.: But the state of Israel was created anyway. Do you think it was an accident? Do you think that we got 50 years to enjoy our country in the Holy Land, only to have it all revoked now?

R.L.: Yes, the state was created, but it is not enough! I already explained that for every action from above, we have to respond with the corresponding action from below - that is from us. I have already mentioned in my previous interviews with you, that we were given back the land and the book of Zohar was “opened”. But we refused to accept neither one of them.

We do not wish to know which spiritual force is weighing on this land, and what is its nature. We do not explore the laws of connections between this land and our people: some scream - abandon the fairytales about the holy rocks and ground, only our life is holy. Others are screaming with the same loudness: this land was given to us by the Creator, but they do not have even the slightest desire to know why, what for, and who is He, anyway.

That is why, “hazara-be-tshuva” - or return to faith - does not have anything to do with the spiritual work that Jews have to perform on this land. We can see today that speculations on religion lead the country to a terrible split. One can also see the unbelievable hatred towards religious people in our society. All rational explanations of this hatred are not adequate.

Religious Jews do not serve in the army, they say. It is such nonsense to bicker about a small percentage of the male population, when they were talking about significant reductions in military draft. Non-kosher shops have to be closed, they say. No kidding! In Jerusalem alone their number have tripled over the last 10 years. Streets are being closed for prayer? But it takes only 3 minutes to go around it. This is all children's play.

The real reason of hatred towards religious Jews is the fact, that they do not fulfill their spiritual mission. Likewise, the reason of hatred towards all Jews lies in that they do not fulfill their mission towards mankind.

Generations of kabbalists worked to relay the Zohar to us and to make it accessible to our generation. And so what - one can find it in any bookstore, but how many people actually do open it, in order to understand our connection with G-d? According to which laws and how do we have to work with our soul, with our ego, to comprehend the Creator? How many people open it to grasp His plan, and then to operate the world with Him and in place of Him, in order to unlock the way to the spiritual worlds for all of mankind. We, in turn, are refusing our role in this world, and precisely for that, other peoples are persecuting and want to annihilate us.

E.S.: Until now the relationship between Jews and G-d has been their personal affair, hasn't it?

R.L.: Of course not! And non-Jews either understand or feel it unconsciously. We are slowing them down on their way to grasping the Creator. Many times outside of Israel, I heard complaints of non-Jews, who very clearly sensed our mission and asked, “Why don't you build the Third Temple? Why don't you master the highest levels of “command” and relay that knowledge to the rest of the world?”

This is an absolutely accurate question, which is being asked by the people who understand our goal. In your paper you published a letter from Muslim leaders in Italy. Take a look at what they say: “The Jewish people must once and far all acknowledge their G-d given right to the Land of Israel.”

I don't want to bring up here long citations, but don't be lazy and look up what Muslim believers are writing, quoting passages from Koran. They know, as many others do, that in fact the people of Israel have to bring the “highest” knowledge to the world. If we do not bring this knowledge of the spiritual world, of the laws of this world, to other peoples, we are putting up hurdles for all the people in the world to achieve “correction”, and therefore perfection and happiness. This is being felt subconsciously everywhere in the world, and is revealed in the hatred of Israel.

But the Creator is asking the same of us. That's why we feel pressure from both sides - neither the Creator, nor any of the peoples of the world, are our friends and guardians today. Anti-Semitism is a demand of the peoples of the world from the people of Israel to fulfill its purpose. I am telling you this, so that you understand the concept of anti-Semitism on the spiritual level.

I hope that you will not conclude, based on the above, that this acquits anti-Semites in the material world. And getting back to the material level, you can see for yourself that we provide an opportunity to be thrown out of here. While it was done at the negotiating table, we, like stupid lambs were friskily running toward the mirage of peace. Now that we are being shot at, we are shyly firing back, leaving the wounded to run out of blood, due to the fear of hurting the peaceful Palestinian shepherds.

E.S.: You are saying that all Kabbalists are seeing the same horrible picture. But during the last seven years, hundreds of totally secular people, who know nothing of Kabbalah and of higher worlds, were giving exactly the same warning. Whom did that help?

R.L.: Certainly, there are enough sober and reasonable people in Israel, who can figure out historical causes and effects. The problem is that no one believes reasonable people. The only people who believe them - is the small amount of other reasonable people. Crazies and people, who are possessed by a universal intoxication of immediate peace - even if only for 48 hours - and happiness for all of mankind. They will call those reasonable people obscurantist instigators, as well as I, who did not study history, and do not understand politics, but have different tools to foresee our future.

And maybe, possibly, that it is exactly for those people, who are deaf and possessed with “peace” (which is a case of religious ecstasy), a warning by a Kabballist - the last argument, that can stop them on the edge of the abyss, where their beloved “peace” fell, and where it is pulling all of us.
That is why I say, “Stop and defend yourselves, otherwise you will die a horrible death!”

We, immigrants from the former USSR, know very well what to do when “the motherland is in danger” [Reference to WWII]. And if we did not compose any new songs that raise the spirit of the people, at least let us remember the old one, “We are in the people's war, the sacred war!” Yes, we will have to fight “the cursed horde” and we should not have even the smallest illusions regarding its intent to annihilate us.

We must fight and we must win. We no longer have the right to beg them for peace and humiliate ourselves. In this humiliating posture it will not take them much effort to destroy us. Israel is ready for war, but only on the technical level. In order for the fundamental changes to take place, the
people have to want it and demand it from their leaders. Without this demand from below, without the will to live and resist, Israel cannot be saved.

Interviewer: E. Sotnikov
Translation: P. Stremt, I. Kohov
Proofreading: C. Marce, C. Ratz
===============================================

This is published on their site until only recently, when they finally pulled it from online after several students questioned it.

Pleas note that the date this was first published was just before things began to deteriate again into violence, after all the hard work Pres. Clinton and his administration did to bring peace to the middle east. Therefore, one can only blame Mr. Laitman for at least being a part of the negative influence on the middle east again. It is such a shame too.

Skippy, I wonder why the public announcement for the next Congress has been pulled from the website? Are only BB students the chosen people to receive the light now?

Welcome Venice. Do you mean that the reason why the Mideast Peace Plan brokered by Clinton failed because of Laitman's influence, sort of like a self-fulfilling prophecy?

From the BB/ARIonline message board, which now openly (to forum members only) announces their next get-together. The fact that it's closed to anyone not registered on their board is a little odd to me. Really trying to build a bond I suppose. And calling it a retreat just makes it extra creepy. Notice that it claims extra progress will be made by attending. I swear, they used to be a lot more secretive about their creepiness:

Some Basic Info on the October Learning Center Retreat

Just to let you know we received all your email responses and we thank you for them.

As soon as we can we’ll be posting a page with details of the event and a registration form.

To clarify, this event is not a general congress for the public but a retreat, a Kabbalah Intensive just for people who are registered as students with ARIonline. If you’ve been with us for the last year, or if you’ve only joined us lately you’re welcome. Its purpose is to immerse a student in a group learning environment where it’s possible to grasp the goal and method of Kabbalah in a simple tangible way. Even though it’s only 2 ½ days, Friday to Sunday noon, it can do more to advance a person than a year of virtual study and will help you advance to your next level. There will be 2 or 3 daily lessons with Rav Laitman, workshops & tutorials, group meals, and many more activities.

The beautiful rustic setting is like a little village in a suburb of St. Louis with cabins that can be shared, several halls for activities – plus there are 2 adjacent hotels if you prefer.

The proposed dates are October 26, 27, 28.
Details to Follow

When I read the lies that Bnei Baruch write, or the ones Laitman says in so many videos running around the internet today...I just hope people are lucky enough to perceive.

Here is a pearl from ARI on line:
"The science of Kabbalah does not study our world and humans in it, as traditional sciences do. Kabbalah investigates everything that exists beyond the Machsom ."

How convenient.

Incidentally, on a related note, Machsom is a term invented by Michael Laitman. (how convenient). Contrary to what he would like you to believe (as with pretty much everything else he says about Kabbalah) this term is not a Kabbalistic term, and does not appear in Kabbalistic books.

So the basis of Bnei Baruch is:
A science not related to the world (and therefore absolutely impossible to verify in any way) based on the ability to go beyond a term that was invented by them.

What I ask myself (almost every day) is: How do sooooo many people fall for this?! It is so completely absurd. It's painful.

jaim--I fell for it for three main reasons:

1. The Kabbalah Centre is so obviously a money-making scheme and their teachings are so basic a thoughtful teenager could have created them. Finding a free resource that is much, much deeper and more complex caught my interest right away and didn't seem like there would be a problem.

2. Machsom, as a concept, doesn't seem too outrageous to me, especially if people experience the crossing of it. (I'm also intrigued by people who speak in tongues too--I'm not narrow-minded about spirituality... even when I, perhaps, should be.) It wasn't until it was posted in this thread that I saw the claim that BB made up the concept of machsom. A quick web search indeed found that only BB used the term, except for places that descriptions of Kabbalah (but even then it was BB that supplied them with the information). This was a very powerful discovery. Furthermore, it has been weaseled out of Tony that none of the instructors have crossed machsom (remember that their rule is not to discuss spiritual progress, so getting this confession was quite difficult), so there isn't even anyone at BB who claims to have crossed machsom. Created by them, taught by them, experienced by no one.

3. Their craziest and most obvious antics seem to be starting with this ARI Online study group. These things have apparently been going on all along, but with ARI Online it's become more apparent.

I'm absolutely convinced that some people will never see through it. Some people's brains seem to be extremely susceptible to such things. I see that I am susceptible to such techniques and practices, but fortunately I have just enough of a grasp on reality that I can pull out before it gets dangerous. But it's something I have to always keep in mind for the future too. As another example of this, someone on the ARI forum that I was talking to previously escaped from a very dangerous cult and was worried that BB might be a cult. Not even this thread convinced the person that BB was dangerous. I don't think it's as simple as making a bad choice. I think there is something in the brain that allows such deception and I'm not sure it's easily fixable. I'm willing to bet the person will, at best, always have to be extra careful.

I never knew that "machsom" was a term invented by Laitman. I don't know for what purpose he would invent such a term but the term certainly forms a central part of BB theology. Every effort is directed towards crossing the "machsom" into "spirituality". The more efforts youj make, the more light you attract which in turn makes it more likely for one to cross the "machsom".

How do so many people fall for this? I don't know exactly but I can venture a guess: Israelis and Russians, I think, who form the vast majority of BB participants, have been raised with strong, authoritarian, group-oriented ideologies. When someone like Laitman comes along promising spiritual ascent, an escape from this reality, I would think it feels very familiar and enticing.

Speaking for myself alone, I didn't have a strong background in Kabbalistic works before BB and BB seemed to be the only group out there providing Kabbalah studies - free of charge by the way - since when I studied Kabbalah with Jewish organizations, I was always left feeling disappointed because they always seemed to be taking a bogus shot at re-packaging Judaism. Laitman spoke of Kabbalistic concepts I had never heard of, especially in the everyday Jewish world. I always felt uncomfortable with the group think and the group's always wanting to be together and was always astonished at how the Russians and the Israelis seemed to just lap it up seemingly without thinking.

Like Skippy, I think I had a firm enough grasp on reality to be able to get out, but it took me a while. For the future, I also have to keep it in mind especially since I now tend to see cults everywhere; I think this experience may have made me a little paranoid. But if there are at least open lines of communication in a group and freedom to behave as one wished without group pressure - as was not the case in BB - it might have been a little different.

Venice, we never heard back from you. It would be great to hear your experience with BB.

skip,

I really liked the way you put it explaining how sometimes one is just in a certain state of mind and there isn't mich to do.

As for Habib's question as to why would someone introduce the term machsom, I think it's a very effiecient tool to control the student.

"Didn't understand something which actually sounds completely absurd? "
It's because you didn't pass the machsom..

"Other people seem to be against you taking part in BB?" It's because they have not crossed the machsom. (in which case you did, suddenly YOU did).

Anyhow, Habib, what you write: "Speaking for myself alone, I didn't have a strong background in Kabbalistic works before BB and BB seemed to be the only group out there providing Kabbalah studies... "

I think that is really a strong point. Matter of factly BB do not teach Kabalah at all. They use Kabbalah texts to transmit a concept that is very different from what the text actually implies. Also, many of the texts are hand picked and others are never shown. There is plenty to choose from, considering the thousands and thousands of pages that Baal Hasulam wrote, and that is just one person...

For example, in one of those texts, Baal Hasulam writes about the danger of teaching Kabbalah to the masses and how that could bring trouble to the world (doesn't that sound familiar... only the opposite of what BB write? well then..) He goes on to write that one should be careful of people who have the ability to speak in an interesting way and will sell Kabbalah in a shallow but intriguing enough package. (I think the word he uses could best be traduced as charlatan).

Although the same text goes on to write about how the correct expansion of Kabbalah to the masses could be useful after all (provided one follows through caring for the dangers involved as he explains them there) I was surprised enough (at first) to find out no one in BB ever heard of that text. It is obviously the largest piece written by Baal Hasulam about transmiting Kabbalah to others, yet people at BB do not know it exists.
I don't think even the moderators such as Tony etc/ have a clue about it...

Talk about information control...

Hi,

Got to hear once or twice about Bnei Baruch, so I don't know what about them, eventhough they seem quite different from the Berg Kabbalah center.

I just wanted to relate to a few point I have read in this thread.

I am doing academic research on theology and made specialisation in Kabbalah and Baal Soulam (Maybe some of you know the work of Charle Mopsik, to which I participated).

So anyway,

first point, to relate to what jaim wrote:
Baal Soulam never wrote that it is dangerous to teach Kabbalah to the masses, I can sign you on this one, I have even checked all of books and his manuscripts, it is just not written. And you relate it as being a major piece of work. It is quite surprising as no one is actually aware of this work. Even Moshe Idel, one of the leader on academic research on this topic, in Jerusalem, never mentioned it. On the contrary, Baal Sulam is writting on many places about the need to open this knowledge to the world.
I am not saying Baal Sulam is right or wrong, but from an academic point your statement is simply incorrect.


Regarding the word machsom, it simply meaning barrier, barrage, this is used in different places in many writings, I do not think it is specific to any kind of kabbalistic modern trends.

Regarding the "group" concept, someone mentionned above, it is something you will find in the Zohar, just as in Kotsk Hassidism, or middle age famous Kabbalist Ramchal. It is part of standard Kabbalistic concepts. If you have some basic on history of Kabbalah, you will find it as recurrent element from as far as history goes. Not so long, I have read in some jewish study journal about some new documents relating life in the Abulafia's group. The Safed Kabbalists were also studying in group, like the student of the Rabbi Moshe Codovero, or the student of the Ari in the 16th century. So there is nothing to surprised about.

Regarding something else, someone got upset that Kabbalah is only about spiritual world, on not this world. But, that what can be read in Baal Sulam texts, one may not agree, as each on is free to believe what he want, but if we just analyse the text, to know what Baal Sulam wrote, you can read at the first page of the Talmud Esser HaSefirot, a commentary on the writtings of the Ari, published in the first part of the 20century, with the support of the Rav Avraham Kook, who actually checked the book.

Again, I have no idea if Kabbalah is true or not, for me it is a research topic, I guess each one chose its own way to spirituality, but I brought some of these fact here, just for general knowledge, since lack of knowledge can lead to misunderstanding.



Best Regards,
Arthur Carnet

You write that Baal Hasulam never wrote it is dangerous to teach Kabbalah to the masses. Well, he did write it. The fact you are unable to find where it is written is not my fault. Try the book Or Habair.

Regarding machsom. I wonder if you read Baal Hasulam's writtings at all. Perhaps you would remember what he writes about how specific each meaning of each word is.

If you studied in English and not Hebrew, here are some more bad news going your way: Baal Hasulam prohibited his writings of being translated. This is an obvious prohibition, notiing to what point the Kabbalah language is related to Hebrew. Anyhow, the word machsom is not used.

(Perhaps that would explain why you think he didn't write about the danger of teaching Kabbalah to the masses, considering that a huge part of his writings has not benn translated.)

In Hebrew there is a clear distinction between the word machsom and masach, (the 2nd being a major term in Kabbalah).

Also the idea behind the word machsom as BB define it clearly does not exist in any Kabbalah writings.

I do not know to what you refer regarding groups. Group bonding is a major concept in Judaism. That concept existing at BB is no problem at all.

Also, clearly Kabbalah is related not only to the spiritual but also the physical. This is obvious all alog the writings.