{"id":15022,"date":"2026-01-13T19:50:30","date_gmt":"2026-01-13T19:50:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.kabbalah.info\/?post_type=book&p=15022"},"modified":"2026-01-13T19:50:30","modified_gmt":"2026-01-13T19:50:30","slug":"applying-the-change-to-life","status":"publish","type":"book","link":"https:\/\/www.kabbalah.info\/en\/applying-the-change-to-life\/","title":{"rendered":"Applying the Change to Life"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/a>We need not look very far to find ways to implement the principles of bestowal to life. When Christakis and Fowler made their astounding discoveries regarding the impact of the human network, they were relying on existing data that was collected for a very different purpose: the Framingham Heart Study, a project to understand the roots of heart disease. The reason why the researchers of the Framingham Heart Study did not discover the implications of the network\u2014that we \u201cinfect\u201d each other psychologically almost as we do physically\u2014is very simple: they were not looking for such implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, there are many ways to observe the effects of the law of bestowal, if we only look for them as we analyze existing data. The Social Interdependence Theory, displayed here by Johnson and Johnson, is one way of observing its effect on systems, but there are many other ways to observe it. In my discussions with Professor Ervin Laszlo, philosopher of science and system theorist, we were in complete agreement because every system theorist knows that no system can persist without its parts yielding to the interests of the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similar agreement transpired in my conversations with evolutionary biologist, Elisabet Sahtouris, with primatologist, Jane Goodall, and with many others. In fact, any physician, network scientist, or biologist knows that to keep a system in balance, or \u201chomeostasis,\u201d the interests of the system must override those of its parts. Each field of science refers to this principle by a different name, and Kabbalah calls it \u201cthe law of bestowal.\u201d Essentially, however, these are different names pointing to different manifestations of the same law.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Earlier in the book, we described the views of pioneer quantum physicist ,Werner Heisenberg, \u201cUnity and complementarity constitute reality,\u201d <\/a><\/a>[182<\/a><\/strong>] as well as similar quotes by his contemporary, Erwin Schr\u00f6dinger, and by Albert Einstein. Other contemporary sciences, such as network science, and of course, the chaos theory with its (by now) clich\u00e9, the butterfly effect, take connectivity and interdependence as a given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the negative side, the effects of not following the law of bestowal are evident. The growing alienation in society and the escalating isolationism on the international level, as demonstrated by publications such as Christopher Lasch\u2019s, The Culture of Narcissism  <\/a><\/a>[183<\/a><\/strong>],<\/em> Twenge and Campbell\u2019s The Narcissism Epidemic <\/a>[184<\/a><\/strong>],<\/em> and Joseph Valadez and Remi Clignet\u2019s essay, \u201cOn the Ambiguities of a Sociological Analysis of the Culture of Narcissism,\u201d <\/a><\/a>[185<\/a><\/strong>] clearly demonstrate our poor social health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Indeed, the adverse effects of narcissism are beginning to show on the international level despite repeated declarations supporting unity, such as the ones quoted earlier in this chapter. On December 3, 2009, an Associated Press news item declared, \u201cIsolationism soars among Americans.\u201d <\/a><\/a>[186<\/a><\/strong>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A poll by the Pew Research Center survey found that \u201cAmericans are turning away from the world, showing a tendency toward isolationism in foreign affairs that has risen to the highest level in four decades.\u201d <\/a><\/a>[187<\/a><\/strong>] The poll also found that \u201c49 percent told the polling organization that the United States should \u2018mind its own business\u2019 internationally and let other countries get along the best they can on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another, even more disturbing aspect of our alienation is hunger. Earlier in the book we shared the alarming statistics that more than one billion people worldwide are hungry. But perhaps even more surprising is the fact that within the United States<\/em>, \u201cThe number of households characterized as having \u2018very low food security\u2019\u2014meaning food intake was reduced because of a lack of money\u2014jumped from 4.7 million in 2007 to 6.7 million in 2008, and the number of children in this situation rose from 700,000 to almost 1.1 million,\u201d according to a Los Angeles Times<\/em> editorial titled, \u201cA rising tide of hunger.\u201d <\/a><\/a>[188<\/a><\/strong>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just ten days prior, The New York Time\u2019s<\/em> Jason DeParle published an essay titled, \u201cHunger in U.S. at a 14-Year High,\u201d stating, \u201cThe number of Americans who lived in households that lacked consistent access to adequate food soared last year, to 49 million, the highest since the government began tracking what it calls \u2018food insecurity\u2019\u2026 the Department of Agriculture reported.\u201d <\/a><\/a>[189<\/a><\/strong>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But the problem is not lack of food; it is lack of mutual responsibility and a basic understanding that we are going to survive together or perish together because this is the law of life. There is no shortage of food in the U.S., but there is certainly a shortage of collaboration. On January 1, 2009, Andrew Martin of The New York Times<\/em> described \u201ca glut of milk\u2014and its assorted byproducts, like milk powder, butter and whey proteins\u2014that has led to a precipitous drop in prices.\u201d <\/a><\/a>[190<\/a><\/strong>] Martin explained that the milk products were being stored in warehouses and deliberately kept out of the stores to prevent a further drop in prices. How hard could it be to find a satisfactory arrangement to guarantee the financial stability of farmers while not depriving millions of Americans of a staple such as milk? Clearly, if we followed the law of bestowal, even if only within the U.S., such absurdities would not happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, both manifestations of following the law of bestowal (and its mundane attire of yielding self-interest before the interest of the system) and manifestations of breaking this law abound in our world. All we need in order to realize its inclusiveness is to become aware of its existence. And for that, we need to start with education.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

REARING CHILDREN TOWARD MUTUAL RESPONSIBILITY<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The great Kabbalist, Rav Avraham Kook (1865-1935, best known as the first Chief Rabbi of Israel), wrote on several occasions that in the 20th century we should all study Kabbalah. However, in some cases he explicitly said that we must cultivate new ways of doing so. In a letter, published in the book,  Letters<\/em>, he wrote, \u201cI wish to awaken all the young people who wish to be encouraged toward spiritual life. We must acquire literary skills, a lively and colorful style, and prose, and allegories. If there is anyone among us who feels inclined toward poetry, let him not neglect his gift. \u2026We must prepare our timely weapon\u2014the pen. We must translate the whole of our sacred treasure into a contemporary style, \u2026to bring it closer to our contemporaries.\u201d  <\/a><\/a>[191<\/a><\/strong>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, in \u201cIntroduction to the book,  Panim Me\u2019irot uMasbirot<\/em>,\u201d Baal HaSulam wrote, \u201cWe must establish seminaries and compose books to hasten the distribution of the wisdom.\u201d  <\/a><\/a>[192<\/a><\/strong>]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By making Kabbalistic texts accessible, Ashlag and Kook wished to make its wisdom popular so people would know the basic laws of life and would know how to conduct themselves against the mounting egoism. If their advice had been heeded, Kabbalah would have been made popular a hundred years ago, and people would know about the law of bestowal before the atrocities of World War II took place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, there is a rule in Kabbalah: Never look back in remorse\u2014only take what you can from the past to prepare for the future. It is certainly not too late to begin to inform people of the hidden laws of Nature, which affect our lives in a very real way. Just as everyone studies the basic laws of physics and biology at school, youths today should learn the basic laws of Nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In school, the principles of the Social Interdependence Theory can be a wonderful beginning, if combined with the understanding of the ultimate goal of life. If children apply these laws to their schooling, they will benefit in many more respects than just education. In the previously mentioned research, Johnson and Johnson came to several far-reaching conclusions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n