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Michael Laitman
Founder and president of Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute

The Long and Winding Road (We Needn’t Take)

We need to understand the uniqueness of the current state of humanity. All over the world, a new system is emerging. In this system, we are all connected, unwittingly, unwillingly and irreversibly. The system has always been there, but now the threads are pulling us closer and closer together until we can no longer ignore our interdependence, even though we hate the thought of it.

It is becoming apparent that all of creation is headed for interconnection, and those who resist it will lose. We are marching down a long, winding, and painful road when we could be taking a short, quick, and pleasant one. All we need in order to get on the desirable path is to embrace connection. If we reject it, we will remain on the current, painful path until we finally agree to connect.

The intensifying disasters and crises that seem to storm the world from all directions are the twists and turns on our path to connection. Each time we pull away from it, reality forces us to realize that we are dependent on each other and we had better act the part.

Look at the rising prices the world over; look at the soaring costs of transportation, the clusters of cargo ships packed outside ports for weeks waiting their turn to unload. Look at how we infect each other with new strains of Covid every few months. Look at how the shortage of silicon chips is crippling global production of everything from cars to computers and to home appliances. These are all unpleasant and unnecessary signs that we are all connected.

There is no real shortage of anything. There is enough food, enough goods, enough computer chips, enough oil, enough of everything to satisfy everyone. The only thing that is unsatisfied here is our ego, which derives its satisfaction from abusing others. To put others in distress, our egoism creates crises where none should have existed. We do not realize that because we are all connected, when we hurt others, we also hurt ourselves.

We need a new mindset. We must realize that in the emerging reality, countries and organizations that adapt to the requirement to connect will reap the rewards of their efforts, while those that refuse will be left behind.

Granted, it is a process. It will take time for us to truly change our thought patterns. However, we need not succeed right away to initiate the change. The very effort to reroute is enough to create a positive momentum that will put us on the right track toward a satisfied and content humanity. Refraining from exertion will keep us on the long, winding, and increasingly painful road until we bow to the dictates of reality and finally agree to connect.

About the Author
Michael Laitman is a PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah. MSc in Medical Bio-Cybernetics. Founder and president of Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute. Author of over 40 books on spiritual, social and global transformation. His new book, The Jewish Choice: Unity or Anti-Semitism, is available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jewish-Choice-Anti-Semitism-Historical-anti-Semitism/dp/1671872207/