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Jerusalem is indeed a unique city, not just geographically, historically, or religiously, but experientially. People visit Jerusalem from all over the world and many report strange emotional states, a sense of heightened meaning, and even psychological disturbances. This phenomenon, known as “the Jerusalem Syndrome,” affects dozens of visitors each year, regardless of their faith or background.
Why does this happen? It is because Jerusalem leaves an imprint. It breathes with the weight of millennia, standing as a crossroads of civilizations and as the center of three world religions. The past, present, and the longing for something eternal seems to pulse in its atmosphere. It is thus no surprise that it overwhelms some people.
However, it is a psychological response and not mystical or otherwise. Similar experiences happen in places like Rome, Mecca, or even while standing before the Mona Lisa. Human beings are deeply impressionable. We are vessels of desire, and when a place carries centuries of collective yearning, projection, and symbolism, it stirs our inner world.
Still, the real power of Jerusalem is not in its stones or streets. There is no sanctity in material objects. The air in Jerusalem is not spiritually charged on its own. What makes Jerusalem “holy” is what people have spiritually invested into it. The real Jerusalem is not on a place on a map. It is within our hearts. It is a level of spiritual attainment, a state of inner unification.
What is the Jerusalem the prophets wrote about? It is when people come together in a common yearning to rise above their egoism and connect in love and mutual bestowal. That is the city that belongs to the Creator, i.e., the upper force of love and bestowal, which the soul seeks.
So yes, Jerusalem has a special aura. However, it is not due to ancient architecture or sacred geography, but it is unique in the inner echo it evokes: a faint memory from an upper world that is hidden from our perception in this world.
When humanity finally learns how to unite above differences, when love for others replaces hatred and separation, then the spiritual Jerusalem will become revealed. It will be the capital not of one nation, but of all humanity: a collective heart built from the connection of many hearts. That is the true inner Jerusalem that we must build together.
Based on KabTV’s “News with Dr. Michael Laitman” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman on December 5, 2024. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.
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