A Year After October 7: How the People of Israel Can Save the World Through Unity

It has been a year since the tragic events of October 7, 2023, and I find myself reflecting deeply on what this moment in history means for the people of Israel, for the world, and for the path we need to take to a harmonious and peaceful world. As we continue facing mounting pressures from all sides — whether it be the hostility of nations, the rise of antisemitism, or the internal divisions that tear away at our nation — I cannot but help but return to the core teaching of Kabbalah: our strength and our survival lies in unity.

Throughout history, we have seen that the nation of Israel is always in a state of separation at its outset. This separation, though painful, is necessary. It prepares us for the correction that we are meant to bring to the world. We were scattered, both physically and spiritually, for thousands of years, and today, even as we return to this land, the divisions remain. The world continues to point fingers at us, as if we are failing to fulfill some unspoken obligation.

It is because we are.

The root of these pressures is not political or military — it is spiritual. The nations of the world subconsciously sense that the people of Israel have a fateful role to carry out in the greater process of humanity’s evolution. That role is to unite and to set an example of unity for the rest of the world. We must understand that when we fail to connect, we fail not only ourselves but all of humanity. The suffering we endure — this unrelenting pressure — is the result of our stagnation in pursuing our unity among each other and with the positive unifying force in nature.

As my teacher, Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag (RABASH), and his teacher, Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), had stated — the time for this correction is now. We must strive to be connected “as one man with one heart.” It is not merely a beautiful sentiment; it is a necessity for our survival. If we achieve such unity, we will see the hatred and the chaos around us transform. The nations of the world will no longer press against us, because we will have fulfilled our mission.

However, I also recognize that we are a stubborn people, a “stiff-necked” nation, as it is written. We resist change, even when the cost of our resistance is unbearable. We prefer to escape the blows rather than confront the real work of internal transformation. Yet, I am convinced that we have no other choice. The time is now. The words of the Prophets and Kabbalists are unfolding before our very eyes. With due warning, we are living in the days when the world’s demands upon us are louder than ever.

The solution to our every problem, whether personal, national, or global, is connection. Only through connection can we draw the positive unifying force dwelling in nature to correct our world.

The events of October 7, 2023, have brought us to a crossroads. We can either continue on our path of disconnection and egoism, which leads only to more suffering, or we can choose the path of unity. The latter will elevate us above the dangers we face and let us fulfill our purpose — to bring harmony, peace, and light to the world.

The choice is ours. And the time to act is now.

(Based on the Daily Kabbalah Lesson with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on “The Nation” by Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag on October 7, 2024. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.)