I joined Bnei Baruch , a Kabbalah group in Israel, well before the study of Kabbalah became fashionable due to the efforts of people such as Madonna and friends. Bnei Baruch met daily, led by Rav Michael Laitman. I participated actively on the group for more than two years, following every lesson that was hold by the Rav Laitman each morning from 3.00 to 6.00 am. I developed Spanish and Italian departments for Bnei Baruch, regularly giving lessons and lectures.
From the beginning I was fascinated by the teachings of Kabbalah. The depth of the teachings gratified both my intellectual and irrational sides. I undertook an extended apprenticeship in the Hebrew language. During this time I assimilated many ideas which I later used to teach others in Italian and Spanish. At a certain point I started noticing cracks within the theory, cracks in the human and social attitudes of the group. After prolonged deliberation I finally made the difficult decision to leave the group.
I wish to express my thoughts here. This is no more than anecdotal opinion, based on my personal experience, however, I hope it may be helpful to those willing to listen to more than just Bnei Baruch’s propaganda.
Following in the footsteps of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai (Rashbi), Rabbi Itzhak Luria (Ari) and Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (Ba’al Hasulam), Bnei Baruch’s single, only, goal is that of reaching “equality with the Creator” by means of the “surrounding lights”. On achieving this objective one will attain an inner feeling and understanding of the Creator, the result of individual intention and following the spiritual road-signs contained in the books studied by the group. More precisely, the goal is to reach the intent which somehow activates the surrounding lights contained within the books, resulting in an uplifting of our souls towards the Creator. This is more technically defined as a correction of the egoism of our desires.
Beginners are not able to understand the language of the books, being composed of words that are not used for anything else than to express the Kabbalist’s knowledge of the ‘upper words’. After an extended period of study the words become familiar, even if the student never really knows what they are talking about. Such an understanding happens only when they break on through to the other side.
The way of Kabbalah is considered scientific because it is rational, descriptive, provable, and universal – but then rationalism ends where faith must begin (although to secular people Kabbalah is offered as completely detached from Faith), descriptions may only be truly understood by Kabbalists, proofs belong only to the Kabbalists’ words. As a result, one cannot experience spirituality, and universality is nothing but a pyramidal theory where only those at the top experience direct contact with the Creator, while others have to accept their roles as only supporting.
One cannot discuss, or hold opinions on, the Kabbalist’s writings because it is incomprehensible, however, students are supposed to study daily and strenuously, and to spread the message of Kabbalah all over the planet. This is to develop a tool of acceptance of the Upper Will called “faith above reason”, which will enable the attraction of surrounding lights that will drag them upwards.
My academic studies of science taught me that modern science has a theoretical basis which may be modified if needed. Nevertheless scientific theories are based on pragmatic demonstration, experimentation, an openness to dialogue, the critical use of the ideas of others, and popular fruition and publication of its results. Kabbalah does not meet any of these criteria, and therefore, even if this does not deny the way of Kabbalah, it surely negates the current epithet that Kabbalah is “scientific”.
Bnei Baruch takes the perspective that it achieves a new vision of the world, a view sometimes promoted also by scientists. This comes from theories that refer to, or are derived from the Theory of Relativity and the Quanta Theory. Both theories fascinate modern people tired of hypotheses that limit experience and imagination to this physical world, and they also, on a popular level, restore to science a feeling of indeterminateness and mystery that was lost during the rationalism and materialism of recent centuries. It could be said that these theories modestly reintroduce magic back into science.
Bnei Baruch regularly plays on this new scientific common knowledge to reinforce its own ideologies. Two points are determinant:
(1) subjectivity of reality (referring to the Theory of Relativity) and
(2) interdependence of observer and observed object (referring to the “Indeterminacy Principle” of Quantum Physics).
From the very beginning Bnei Baruch taught that:
(1) We perceive only what penetrates us. The essence of the outside reality actually remains unknown and is called the Creator. We, the human beings, are portrayed as a box with five openings (our senses), through which the outside world enters. No other human experience, except the
sensorial, is ever considered (subconscious, imagination, dreams, ESP, etc.). They are said to belong exclusively to the physical world, because their abstract shape could lead us to misunderstanding them for something spiritual.
The bottom line is that our physical senses allow us to communicate with the outside to a certain degree, but they lie about the real essence outside. In order to understand we need to acquire a supplementary sense, called the sixth sense or the soul (technically - “screen and returning light”) which will gradually equalize our qualities with the quality of the Creator. Until then we continue to live in a world of illusions.
(2) Currently, as explained by Quantum Theory, both the observer and observed object are interdependent. This theory is used by Bnei Baruch to suggest that the only way we can get to the Creator’s feeling is by equalizing our qualities with His own. In contrast, our present conditions (called egoism) never allow us to feel Him. This is the goal of all the Kabbalah studies, called “equivalence of form” with the Creator or “adhesion” to Him. In becoming the object one observes, the interference is lost and the two elements coincide.
What is very interesting to note here, and leads us on to the next chapter, is that from the first Kabbalah lesson on life, Bnei Baruch starts to take us in a direction that, although completely underestimated at the beginning, reveals its full power in time. By this I mean the syllogism: What is outside of me is the Creator, and I am supposed to equalize my own inner qualities to Him. The world outside is an illusion created by my perceptions, both physical and psychological, but I have found a place where everyone has the same desires as me (and therefore a common initial quality), i.e. to equalize one’s own inner attributes with those of the Creator. This place is the group and it is outside of me; therefore, in first instance, all I have to do to equalize myself with the Creator is to make myself equivalent to the group (in desires, actions, words and… thoughts).
As a result, from the very beginning, neophytes are directed towards bipolarization of inside-outside, which is found during the studies in many other sources and circumstances, more or less noble.
Bnei Baruch, the Group
Now, what does it mean to be part of this group?
How does this group relate to the outside world?
How does this group behave towards its members?
It is considered a great honor to be part of Bnei Baruch, not because the people within the group are special people, but because the Creator chose them to reveal the Wisdom of Kabbalah and spread it throughout the world – therefore they are special.
This very peculiar situation is supposed to build a strong team spirit between group members, reminiscent of that in the military, which, from an elementary psychological perspective, is very easy recognizable by most Israelis. Bnei Baruch students learn indirectly and subtly to look upon themselves as ‘the soldiers of truth and freedom’. The same morning lessons are often called “struggles”; and in Laitman’s words the act of reaching the first spiritual level is said an “attack”. The group enjoys singing a song in which it calls itself a “commando of strong and special people”. As in the Army, everyone is said to depend on the each other, and the group itself on each and every single “fighter”.
This general attitude is combined together with the inducted feeling that whatever is outside the group, being part of the big swindle (or physical appearance of creation), is fake, low, pathetic and unbearable. As a result Bnei Baruch members measure people who belong to the group and those who don’t in a completely different way from the norm. The group is your life, the air you breathe, your refuge, your family, the gathering of your only friends, your only and exclusive spiritual hope. Outside the group there is no life, people are like beasts (meaning their behaviors and desires are no different from those of animals) and there is nowhere to go. The group owns the Way, the group owns the only tools to possibly reach the target, the group owns the truth. Everyone, once they have been accepted to become one of the group, is indoctrinated to fear finding himself outside!
The group’s behaviour towards its members can be summarized by the motto “either with me or against me”. The comparing of opinions is allowed and promoted inside Bnei Baruch, as long as it doesn’t exceed the theoretical limits outlined by Laitman’s teachings. Could it be any different? Should it be?
Unfortunately things become problematic when it concerns the view and treatment of people who have, for one reason or another, left the group. The one who is sent away, or leaves the group for ideological reasons, becomes infected, ceases to exist and ‘dies’. As a rule, people within the group are not allowed to talk with them anymore, nor even look at them and say “hello”. I will try to be more precise with a personal example, and it merely illustrates many other similar cases.
Approximately one year ago, for reasons connected to bad feelings she had collected in the space of two years and partly related to what I’m writing here, my wife decided to leave the group. The women of Bnei Baruch rapidly rejected her, to the point of ignoring her existence. The men simply supported, or even pushed, their wife’s position, or encouraged me that ‘after all she was a bit crazy’. They suggested that this was only a disturbance that, as always, would lead me closer to the target because, for His mysterious reasons, the Creator likes torturing those He loves… Someone said “her eyes are dead”, another tried to convince me to behave like the horse in George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” and told me “work harder!”, others suggested that I should consider getting married again and that a woman after all is nothing but a cow that brings cattle into the world. Most of the so-called friends were apathetic.
Now, the terrible thing is that in other places or ages, behaviors of this kind would surely have resulted in a harsher dismissal, such as lapidation (stoning), mutilation, or other violent abuses of human rights. Only the fact that we are living in more enlightened times spared everyone from falling into such an abyss. Nevertheless, the quality of the facts remains unchanged. To make it clearer, we could call it social lynching. This behaviour might be considered normal for a pack of hyenas that fights over a chunk of meat, but it is unacceptable when originating from the “most developed souls” of the world. It is much closer to a sectarian or tribal behaviour than to the attitude I expected from those who want to spread the universal religion of “love thy neighbor as thyself” all over the globe.
The sectarian aspect of Bnei Baruch may be necessary to facilitate spiritual work, but it shouldn't lead to harm and disrespect for human life and feelings.
Bnei Baruch and society
Bnei Baruch’s social identity is deliberately unclear. Bnei Baruch is not a religious group – in reality religious life is only superficially respected. It is encouraged by the Rav Laitman as something useful like a tradition. For example, Shabbat is respected in a very peculiar way, the daily lesson is recorded as usual, translated into Russian and English, but posted on their Internet archives with the date of the day after. Bnei Baruch is not a scientific academy, although they like to call themselves “ World Academy for Kabbalah Studies”. On the contrary, its basis is completely different from those of science.
Bnei Baruch is close to a hybrid social movement, apparently apolitical, with a religious background and scientific claims. It hopes to become the leader of Israel’s social renovation and spiritual awakening, and therefore the welcoming organization for all those who will try to reach Jerusalem when the time will come, as written in the prophets.
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). Their techniques, when the entire world is concerned is something unknown, but surely God will give them the solution.
I conclude by telling you how this group has started realizing its universal ideology of “love thy neighbor as thyself”.
Their Israeli congresses are held in a place called Kfar Sitrin, not actually a village but a secondary school that helps young people with familiar social problems such as antisocial children.
Bnei Baruch had the project to find a place like Kfar Sitrin, or Kfar Sitrin itself, to open a holiday village where people could rest while studying Kabbalah. I don’t know how far along this project is now, but their Internet site reports that the project “Hatzlaha” has begun (http://www.kabbalah.info/hatzlaha/sitrin_campus.htm). Thanks to this project, people from all over the world will come to Israel, pay substantial fees, study Kabbalah, serve in the Israeli army (while most students of Bnei Baruch do their best in order to avoid their yearly service callback) and… sojourn in Kfar Sitrin. What does this actually mean?
It signifies that the school, partly private and partly sponsored by the government, will be bought by Bnei Baruch and closed. All the teachers will lose their place of employment, and all those problematic children will be sent back to their families and their pathetic daily issues.
Their Zionist project – open to all those that belong to the “traditional religion”, a smart way to fog the Jew Agency for Israel that sponsors their plans, and at the same time allow people from every religion to take part in their business – starts with the bombing of a few Jews, but the ‘beastie kind’, those we have seen above who are unimportant.
As usual, the spreading of God’s real will should not stop at anything. “Love thy neighbor as thyself” – Bnei Baruch probably sees the dismantling of Kfar Sitrin secondary school as the best way to start implementing its target.
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