The Message
Bnei
Baruch is a diverse movement of many thousands of students worldwide. Each
student chooses his or her own path and intensity, according to one's personal conditions and abilities.
In
recent years, the group has grown into a movement engaged in voluntary
educational projects, presenting genuine Kabbalah sources in contemporary
language. The essence of the message disseminated by Bnei Baruch is unity of the
people, unity of nations and love of man.
For
millennia, Kabbalists have been teaching that love of man is the foundation of
the people of Israel.
This love prevailed in the days of Abraham, Moses, and the group of Kabbalists
that they established. Love of man was the fuel propelling the people of Israel to extraordinary
achievements. In times when love of man shifted to unfounded hatred, the nation
declined into exile and affliction. If we make room for these old-but-new
values, we will discover that we possess the power to put aside our differences
and unite.
The
wisdom of Kabbalah, hidden for millennia, is now stepping out. It has been
waiting for a time when we would be sufficiently developed and prepared to
implement its message. Today it is emerging as a message and a solution that
can unite the factions in and between the nations and bring us all, as individuals
and as a society, to a far better state.
Kabbalah Lessons
As
Kabbalists have been doing for centuries, and as the centerpiece of Bnei Baruch's activities, Dr. Laitman gives a
daily lesson at the Bnei Baruch center in Israel
between 3:00-6:00AM Israel
time. On Kabbalah TV, the lessons are simultaneously translated into seven languages: English,
Spanish, Italian, French, German, Russian, Portuguese and Turkish. In the near future, broadcasts
will be translated into more languages (see all languages currently available and in development at Kabbalah International).
As
is true for all activities of Bnei Baruch, the live broadcast is provided free
for thousands of students worldwide.
History and Origin
Michael Laitman, Professor of Ontology and Theory of Knowledge, PhD in
Philosophy and Kabbalah, and MSc in Medical Bio-Cybernetics, established Bnei
Baruch in 1991, following the passing of his teacher, Rav Baruch Shalom HaLevi
Ashlag (The Rabash).
Dr. Laitman named his group Bnei Baruch (sons of Baruch) to commemorate the memory
of his mentor, whose side he never left in the final 12 years of his life, from
1979 to 1991. Dr. Laitman was Ashlag's prime student, personal assistant, and is recognized as
the successor of Rabash's teaching method.
The
Rabash is the firstborn son and successor of the greatest Kabbalist of the 20th
century, Rabbi Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag. Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag is author of the
most authoritative and comprehensive commentary on The Book of Zohar,
The Sulam Commentary (The Ladder Commentary), the first to reveal the
complete method for spiritual ascent. This is also the reason for Ashlag's epithet, Baal HaSulam (Owner of the
Ladder).
Bnei
Baruch bases its entire study method on the path paved by these great spiritual
leaders.
Funding
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.
About Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman
Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman is an international authority on authentic Kabbalah. His background is highly unusual for one renowned in the spiritual: he was educated in the sciences, holds an MS in bio-cybernetics, and has pursued a successful scientific career, later turning to Kabbalah to further his scientific research. He received his PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah from the Moscow Institute of Philosophy at the Russian Academy of Sciences. In 1976, he began studying Kabbalah, and has been researching it ever since.
In 1979, seeking new avenues in Kabbalah, he came across Kabbalist Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag (1906-1991), the firstborn son, and successor of Kabbalist Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag (1884-1954), known as Baal HaSulam for his
Sulam (Ladder) commentary on
The Book of Zohar. Michael Laitman was so impressed with Baal HaSulam’s son, that he became Baruch Ashlag’s closest disciple and personal assistant, spending the bulk of his time in the company of his revered mentor, and absorbing as much as he could of his teachings.
Today, he is regarded as the foremost authority on Kabbalah, having authored over forty books on the subject, translated into over thirty languages. His live lessons are broadcast daily on the Internet around the world. In recent years, he has become a sought-after lecturer in academic circles in the United States and Europe.
Dr. Laitman is the founder and president of Bnei Baruch - Kabbalah Education and Research Institute, which operates the largest and most extensive internet site on the subject of Kabbalah, www.kabbalah.info, including the hosting of KabU, the largest online Kabbalah course platform that has taught over 150,000 students worldwide.
The website provides access to Kabbalistic texts and media in over thirty languages.
Since the year 2000, Encyclopedia Britannica recognizes kabbalah.info as one of the largest Internet sites for both number of visitors and quantity of educational and informational materials on the science of Kabbalah.
Outreach
Our mission is to teach and share the wisdom of Kabbalah with the entire world.
In the most direct way, people interested in Kabbalah and things related to Kabbalah are those who find us. This includes people searching for topics such as Kabbalah,
The Zohar, as well as myriad spirituality interest topics that Kabbalah has been connected to. Spiritual seekers often hear about Kabbalah and initially seek it out in connection with one or more of the following topics:
Religion, magic, mysticism, witchcraft, divination, cults, healings, meditation, self-help, philosophy, theory, parapsychology, ESP, telepathy, clairvoyance, new age, psychokinesis, superstition, dream interpretation, phrenology, tarot cards, mantras, yoga, red strings, holy water, blessings, Judaism, Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufism, past life regressions, personality tests, holistic medicine, numerology, faith healing, aromatherapy, secret societies, reiki, hypnosis, channeling, transmutation, phrenology, astrology, astral travel or projection, lucid dreaming, spiritualism, communicating with the dead, out of body experiences, magnetism, voodoo, freemasonry, theosophy, reflexology, UFOs, creationism, fanaticism, Kaballah, Cabala, or any other belief…
Moreover, besides Kabbalah being of interest to people who seek it out directly and indirectly, it is also of interest to people experiencing existential, situational and developmental crises.
The fundamental question that the wisdom of Kabbalah was made for answering is “
What is the meaning of life?” People who experience one of the above-mentioned crises are those who seek such a question and related questions, including but not limited to: “Who am I?” “Why is there suffering?” “Where did we come from? Where are we now? Where are we headed?” “Is there free choice?” “What is reality?”
Therefore, in order to achieve our mission—to teach and share the wisdom of Kabbalah with the entire world—we branch out to many different direct and indirect interests that this wisdom provides answers to.
Kabbalah International
