What Is Truth? How Can We Define Truth?

Truth and falsehood are among the most fundamental yet misunderstood aspects of human perception. Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam) writes that “no merit is more important than the quality of truth, and there is no such disgrace as the quality of falsehood.” Yet, in our world, truth seems elusive. Everyone has their own version of truth. This is the root of much confusion, where people constantly replace truth with lies and lies with truth.

How, then, can we determine what is indeed true?

The problem lies in our inability to measure truth against an absolute standard. In philosophy, psychology, and religion, there is no single, universally agreed-upon truth. Laws and moral codes vary from country to country, and even fundamental values like freedom and equality are interpreted differently by different people. If human beings lived in isolation, separated into small groups with no interaction, perhaps these variations would not matter. But today, the world is interconnected, and without a common foundation, misunderstandings and conflicts arise.

Is There an Absolute Standard for Truth?

In the physical world, we accept that certain laws are unchanging. Gravity, for example, applies equally to all people, regardless of belief or culture. If social laws were similarly universal, we would have a solid foundation for human relations. However, because we are egoists, where we each desire to enjoy for personal benefit at others’ expense, we shape social laws to fit our own desires. Instead of searching for an objective standard, we continuously adjust our perceptions of truth and falsehood to serve personal interests.

The wisdom of Kabbalah teaches that truth is not static but must be sought continuously. “Seek justice and truth,” the sources say, which means that we must actively pursue truth throughout life. It is a process of refinement that takes place from one generation to the next, which leads to a society that develops and advances. If we abandon this pursuit and insist on holding to our own subjective truths, we remain divided and stagnant.

Why Is Falsehood So Deeply Embedded in Human Nature?

It stems from our inherent desire to enjoy for self-benefit. When a person operates solely from self-interest, then truth and falsehood become secondary. The sole consideration then becomes what feels good in the given moment. In such a state, each person justifies their own viewpoint, convinced they are right while others are wrong. The world, therefore, becomes fragmented into conflicting perspectives.

This divergence of opinions is not inherently bad. In fact, people’s differences are necessary and beneficial. The real problem is that we do not know how to work with our differences to reach a common higher truth. Instead of rising above our disputes, we let them separate us. Kabbalah does not call for erasing differences but for finding unity above them. We would thus be wise to learn how to rise above our egoistic divisive drives in order to unite.

What Is More Important: Truth or Unity?

Unity. Truth and falsehood, as we perceive them, are relative. They depend on our level of understanding, our desires, and our emotions. What one person considers true, another might view as false. But unity is an absolute necessity. A society that prioritizes positive human connection and mutual responsibility will naturally align with truth over time. Even a lie, if used for the sake of unity, can be justified. For example, a parent might deceive a child in order to guide them toward something beneficial. Likewise, if a person annuls their egoistic drives for the sake of society, they then can reach the best possible state for both themselves and others.

There is a reason the sages say, “Truth grows from the ground.” The ground symbolizes the human desire, which is at its lowest, most egoistic state. From there, a person must ascend to a unified and altruistic state. The movement toward truth is always a vertical climb, requiring a continuous motion to rise above one’s self-interest.

Do Kabbalists Lie?

Yes, but only for the sake of a higher goal, which is unity. The wisdom of Kabbalah explains that truth is not about factual accuracy but about alignment with the purpose of creation. This purpose is for all people to achieve complete connection, forming one unified whole. To reach this state, we must understand the laws of nature, how they operate and where they guide us. The highest truth is not found in individual perspectives but in the universal law that ultimately develops us to a state of complete connection.

At the same time, we need to preserve people’s individuality. Unity is not about making everyone the same. Instead, we achieve unity when diverse individuals voluntarily integrate into a greater whole. Truth, therefore, takes place when all unique perspectives merge together harmoniously.

How Do We Determine What Is Indeed True?

What is this common goal we must unite toward? It is connection itself. According to Kabbalah, we reveal the true nature of reality only through our connection. The Creator, the ultimate truth, is not some abstract concept but a force of love, bestowal, and connection that becomes revealed in people’s unity. There are no examples of this that we can see with our eyes in the physical world. Instead, we need to experience it internally. The key principle is to place the desire of others above our own, as expressed in the commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” When we reach such a level, we become active parts of the one unified system and begin to feel the Creator’s presence.

How Does Kabbalah Distinguish Between Different Types of Truth and Falsehood?

The wisdom of Kabbalah makes an important distinction between two types of analysis: truth and falsehood versus sweet and bitter. Truth and falsehood are determined by the intellect, while sweet and bitter are perceived emotionally. From birth, we naturally operate on the basis of sweet and bitter. That is, we view “good” as what feels or seems good to us, and “bad” as what we feel or envision as bad for us. A newborn instinctively seeks pleasure and avoids pain with no intellectual evaluation as an automatic bodily response.

However, as we develop, we gradually learn to apply the second analysis: truth and falsehood. We need to be able to recognize that something can be sweet but harmful, or bitter but beneficial. For example, medicine might taste bitter, but it leads to healing. In contrast, something pleasurable in the moment can lead to long-term harm.

The challenge is to learn how to integrate these two types of analysis. How do we align our emotional and intellectual evaluations so that they work together rather than in opposition? The key is in learning how to constantly refine our intellectual analysis to evaluate our emotional impulses.

Based on the video “Truth and Lie - Spiritual States with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.”