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Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction
by Joseph DanIn Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction, Joseph Dan, one of the world's leading authorities on Jewish mysticism, offers a concise and highly accurate look at the history and character of the various systems developed by the adherents of the Kabbalah. Dan sheds light on the many misconceptions about what Kabbalah is and isn't--including its connections to magic, astronomy, alchemy, and numerology--and he illuminates the relationship between Kaballah and Christianity on the one hand and New Age religion on the other. The book provides fascinating historical background, ranging from the mystical groups that flourished in ancient Judaism in the East, and the medieval schools of Kabbalah in Northern Spain and Southern France, to the widening growth of Kabbalah through the school of Isaac Luria of Safed in the sixteenth century, to the most potent and influential modern Jewish religious movement, Hasidism, and its use of kabbalistic language in its preaching. The book examines the key ancient texts of this tradition, including the Sefer Yezira or "Book of Creation," The Book of Bahir, and the Zohar. Dan explains Midrash, the classical Jewish exegesis of scriptures, which assumes an infinity of meanings for every biblical verse, and he concludes with a brief survey of scholarship in the field and a list of books for further reading. Embraced by celebrities and integrated in many contemporary spiritual phenomena, Kabbalah has reaped a wealth of attention in the press. But many critics argue that the form of Kabbalah practiced in Hollywood is more New Age pabulum than authentic tradition. Can there be a positive role for the Kabbalah in the contemporary quest for spirituality? In Kabbalah, Joseph Dan debunks the myths surrounding modern Kabbalistic practice, offering an engaging and dependable account of this traditional Jewish religious phenomenon and its impact outside of Judaism.
The Kabbalah: Its Doctrines, Development, and Literature (Routledge Revivals)
by Christian D GinsburgOriginally published in 1925, Christian D. Ginsburg examines the origins of the system of religious philosophy, the Kabbalah, and its influence on Judaism. Ginsburg also explores the ways in which academics have approached the Kabbalah, with a detailed timeline of their findings.
Kabbalah: The Way of The Jewish Mystic
by Edward Hoffman Perle EpsteinThis pioneering, popular introduction to Jewish mysticism was the first survey written for a general audience, and it's now available in Shambhala Classics. Epstein presents the methods, schools, and legendary practitioners of Kabbalah, unraveling the web of ancient traditions hidden in such texts as the Sefer Yetzirah and the Zohar. The words of the great Kabbalists appear throughout the book, giving instructions on practices such as contemplation of the Bible's secret teachings, ecstatic prayer, and intensive meditation.
Kabbalah
by Moshe Idel Shahar ArzyIn this book, the world’s foremost scholar of Kabbalah explores the understanding of erotic love in Jewish mystical thought. Encompassing Jewish mystical literatures from those of late antiquity to works of Polish Hasidism, Moshe Idel highlights the diversity of Kabbalistic views on eros and distinguishes between the major forms of eroticism. The author traces the main developments of a religious formula that reflects the union between a masculine divine attribute and a feminine divine attribute, and he asks why such an "erotic formula” was incorporated into the Jewish prayer book. Idel shows how Kabbalistic literature was influenced not only by rabbinic literature but also by Greek thought that helped introduce a wider understanding of eros. Addressing topics ranging from cosmic eros and androgyneity to the affinity between C. J. Jung and Kabbalah to feminist thought, Idel’s deeply learned study will be of consuming interest to scholars of religion, Judaism, and feminism.
Kabbalah: A Love Story
by Lawrence KushnerSometime, somewhere, someone is searching for answers... in a thirteenth-century castle... on a train to a concentration camp... in a New York city apartment. Hidden within the binding of an ancient text that has been passed down through the ages lies the answer to one of the heart's eternal questions. When the text falls into the hands of Rabbi Kalman Stern, he has no idea that his lonely life of intellectual pursuits is about to change once he opens the book. Soon afterward, he meets astronomer Isabel Benveniste, a woman of science who stirs his soul as no woman has for many years. But Kalman has much to learn before he can unlock his heart and let true love into his life. The key lies in the mysterious document he finds inside the Zohar, the master text of the Kabbalah.
Kabbalah and Catastrophe: Historical Memory in Premodern Jewish Mysticism (Stanford Studies in Jewish Mysticism)
by Hartley LachterWhile premodern kabbalistic texts were not chronicles of historical events, they provided elaborate models for understanding the secret divine plan guiding human affairs. Hartley Lachter analyzes innovative kabbalistic doctrines, such as the idea of reincarnation and the notion of multiple successive universes, through which Jewish mystics sought to demonstrate that the misfortunes of Jewish history were in fact necessary steps toward redemption. Lachter argues that these works, mostly composed between the early 14th century and the generation affected by the Spanish expulsion in the early 16th century, enabled Jewish readers to make sense of the troubling misfortunes of their own time. Kabbalah and Catastrophe uncovers the remarkable variety of ways that kabbalists deployed esoteric tradition to argue that God had not abandoned the Jews to the inscrutable forces of history. Instead, they suggested to readers that Jews are history's primary actors, and that despite their small numbers and lack of military power, Jews nonetheless secretly push history forward. For scholars of Jewish mysticism and medieval Jewish history, Lachter articulates how premodern mystical texts can be crucial sources of insight into how Jews understood the meaning of history.
Kabbalah and Consciousness
by Allen AftermanAn interesting modern interpretation of the Kabbalah and is very clear and concise.
Kabbalah and Ecology
by David Mevorach SeidenbergKabbalah and Ecology is a groundbreaking book that resets the conversation about ecology and the Abrahamic traditions. David Mevorach Seidenberg challenges the anthropocentric reading of the Torah, showing that a radically different orientation to the more-than-human world of nature is not only possible, but that such an orientation also leads to a more accurate interpretation of scripture, rabbinic texts, Maimonides and Kabbalah. Deeply grounded in traditional texts and fluent with the physical sciences, this book proposes not only a new understanding of God's image but also a new direction for restoring religion to its senses and to a more alive relationship with the more-than-human, both with nature and with divinity.
The Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism
by Israel GutwirthThis authoritative study of the Kabbalah celebrates the history and wisdom of Jewish mysticism while dispelling popular misconceptions. In recent decades, the Kabbalah has aroused widespread interest well beyond the realm of Jewish scholarship. Unfortunately, this popularization has also led to numerous distortions of Jewish mystical doctrine, with some alleged experts drawing on material other than original Jewish sources. In The Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism, acclaimed Torah scholar Israel Gutwirth provides an essential corrective to this trend. Here is a retrospective look at the major figures of Jewish mysticism and the parts they played in shaping the Jewish religion. Divided into three parts, this volume examines the significance of the Zohar and the great Jewish mystics, Hasidic leaders who were distinguished exponents of the Kabbalah, and notable figures of the golden age of Jewish culture in Spain.
A Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism Reader (JPS Anthologies of Jewish Thought)
by Daniel M. HorwitzAn unprecedented annotated anthology of the most important Jewish mystical works, A Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism Reader is designed to facilitate teaching these works to all levels of learners in adult education and college classroom settings. Daniel M. Horwitz’s insightful introductions and commentary accompany readings in the Talmud and Zohar and writings by Ba'al Shem Tov, Rav Kook, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and others. Horwitz’s introduction describes five major types of Jewish mysticism and includes a brief chronology of their development, with a timeline. He begins with biblical prophecy and proceeds through the early mystical movements up through current beliefs. Chapters on key subjects characterize mystical expression through the ages, such as Creation and deveikut (“cleaving to God”); the role of Torah; the erotic; inclinations toward good and evil; magic; prayer and ritual; and more. Later chapters deal with Hasidism, the great mystical revival, and twentieth-century mystics, including Abraham Isaac Kook, Kalonymous Kalman Shapira, and Abraham Joshua Heschel. A final chapter addresses today’s controversies concerning mysticism’s place within Judaism and its potential for enriching the Jewish religion.
Kabbalah and Sex Magic: A Mythical-Ritual Genealogy (Magic in History #23)
by Marla SegolIn this provocative book, Marla Segol explores the development of the kabbalistic cosmology underlying Western sex magic. Drawing extensively on Jewish myth and ritual, Segol tells the powerful story of the relationship between the divine and the human body in late antique Jewish esotericism, in medieval kabbalah, and in New Age ritual practice.Kabbalah and Sex Magic traces the evolution of a Hebrew microcosm that models the powerful interaction of human and divine bodies at the heart of both kabbalah and some forms of Western sex magic. Focusing on Jewish esoteric and medical sources from the fifth to the twelfth century from Byzantium, Persia, Iberia, and southern France, Segol argues that in its fully developed medieval form, kabbalah operated by ritualizing a mythos of divine creation by means of sexual reproduction. She situates in cultural and historical context the emergence of Jewish cosmological models for conceptualizing both human and divine bodies and the interactions between them, arguing that all these sources position the body and its senses as the locus of culture and the means of reproducing it. Segol explores the rituals acting on these models, attending especially to their inherent erotic power, and ties these to contemporary Western sex magic, showing that such rituals have a continuing life. Asking questions about its cosmology, myths, and rituals, Segol poses even larger questions about the history of kabbalah, the changing conceptions of the human relation to the divine, and even the nature of religious innovation itself. This groundbreaking book will appeal to students and scholars of Jewish studies, religion, sexuality, and magic.
Kabbalah and Sex Magic: A Mythical-Ritual Genealogy (Magic in History)
by Marla SegolIn this provocative book, Marla Segol explores the development of the kabbalistic cosmology underlying Western sex magic. Drawing extensively on Jewish myth and ritual, Segol tells the powerful story of the relationship between the divine and the human body in late antique Jewish esotericism, in medieval kabbalah, and in New Age ritual practice.Kabbalah and Sex Magic traces the evolution of a Hebrew microcosm that models the powerful interaction of human and divine bodies at the heart of both kabbalah and some forms of Western sex magic. Focusing on Jewish esoteric and medical sources from the fifth to the twelfth century from Byzantium, Persia, Iberia, and southern France, Segol argues that in its fully developed medieval form, kabbalah operated by ritualizing a mythos of divine creation by means of sexual reproduction. She situates in cultural and historical context the emergence of Jewish cosmological models for conceptualizing both human and divine bodies and the interactions between them, arguing that all these sources position the body and its senses as the locus of culture and the means of reproducing it. Segol explores the rituals acting on these models, attending especially to their inherent erotic power, and ties these to contemporary Western sex magic, showing that such rituals have a continuing life. Asking questions about its cosmology, myths, and rituals, Segol poses even larger questions about the history of kabbalah, the changing conceptions of the human relation to the divine, and even the nature of religious innovation itself. This groundbreaking book will appeal to students and scholars of Jewish studies, religion, sexuality, and magic.
Kabbalah and the 22 Paths of Healing
by Marco Marini33 Hebrew letter cards, comprehensive healing guide, and therapeutic CD for 22 paths in Kabbalistic traditionIncludes Tree of Life, Hebrew letters and meanings, related body functions and parts, benefits, and adviceTarot connections are explored
Kabbalah and the Art of Being: The Smithsonian Lectures
by Shimon ShokekThis new approach introduces Kabbalah as a spiritual Jewish way of living, a practical wisdom for living, creativity and well being, and not merely a religious phenomenon or esoteric theology. Professor Shokek suggests that the Kabbalistic theme of Creation is the central ingredient in the spiritual teachings of Jewish mysticism. He skilfully reveals the core questions that emerge from the wisdom of the Jewish sages, opening up a lively avenue of debate in this increasingly popular area of study.
Kabbalah and the Founding of America: The Early Influence of Jewish Thought in the New World
by Brian OgrenExplores the influence of Kabbalah in shaping America’s religious identityIn 1688, a leading Quaker thinker and activist in what is now New Jersey penned a letter to one of his closest disciples concerning Kabbalah, or what he called the mystical theology of the Jews. Around that same time, one of the leading Puritan ministers developed a messianic theology based in part on the mystical conversion of the Jews. This led to the actual conversion of a Jew in Boston a few decades later, an event that directly produced the first kabbalistic book conceived of and published in America. That book was read by an eventual president of Yale College, who went on to engage in a deep study of Kabbalah that would prod him to involve the likes of Benjamin Franklin, and to give a public oration at Yale in 1781 calling for an infusion of Kabbalah and Jewish thought into the Protestant colleges of America.Kabbalah and the Founding of America traces the influence of Kabbalah on early Christian Americans. It offers a new picture of Jewish-Christian intellectual exchange in pre-Revolutionary America, and illuminates how Kabbalah helped to shape early American religious sensibilities. The volume demonstrates that key figures, including the well-known Puritan ministers Cotton Mather and Increase Mather and Yale University President Ezra Stiles, developed theological ideas that were deeply influenced by Kabbalah. Some of them set out to create a more universal Kabbalah, developing their ideas during a crucial time of national myth building, laying down precedents for developing notions of American exceptionalism. This book illustrates how, through fascinating and often surprising events, this unlikely inter-religious influence helped shape the United States and American identity.
Kabbalah and the Power of Dreaming: Awakening the Visionary Life
by Catherine ShainbergA dynamic exposition of the powerful, ancient Sephardic tradition of dreaming passed down from the renowned 13th-century kabbalist Isaac the Blind• Includes exercises and practices to access the dream state at will in order to engage with life in a state of enhanced awareness • Written by the close student of revered kabbalist Colette Aboulker-Muscat In Kabbalah and the Power of Dreaming Catherine Shainberg unveils the esoteric practices that allow us to unlock the dreaming mind's transformative and intuitive powers. These are the practices used by ancient prophets, seers, and sages to control dreams and visions. Shainberg draws upon the ancient Sephardic Kabbalah tradition, as well as illustrative stories and myths from around the Mediterranean, to teach readers how to harness the intuitive power of their dreaming. While the Hebrew Bible and our Western esoteric tradition give us ample evidence of dream teachings, rarely has the path to becoming a conscious dreamer been articulated. Shainberg shows that dreaming is not something that merely takes place while sleeping--we are dreaming at every moment. By teaching the conscious mind to be awake in our sleeping dreams and the dreaming mind to be manifest in daytime awareness, we are able to achieve revolutionary consciousness. Her inner-vision exercises initiate creative and transformative images that generate the pathways to self-realization.
Kabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity: An Existential History of Chabad Hasidism (Stanford Studies in Jewish Mysticism)
by Eli RubinKabbalah and the Rupture of Modernity provides a comprehensive intellectual and institutional history of Chabad Hasidism through the Kabbalistic concept of ṣimṣum. The onset of modernity, Eli Rubin argues, was heralded by this startling idea: existence itself is predicated on a self-inflicted "rupture" in the infinite assertion of divinity. Centuries of theoretical disputations concerning ṣimṣum ultimately morphed into religious and social schism. These debates confronted the meaning of being and forged the animating ethos of Chabad, the most dynamic movement in modern Judaism. Chabad's distinctive character and self-image, Rubin shows, emerged from its spirited defense of Hasidism's interpretation of ṣimṣum as an act of love leading to rapturous reunion. This interpretation ignited a literal conflagration, complete with book burnings, denunciations, investigations, and arrests. Chabad's subsequent preoccupation with ṣimṣum was equally significant for questions of legitimacy, authority, and succession, as for existential questions of being and meaning. Unfolding the story of Chabad from the early modern period to the twentieth century, this book provides fresh portraits of the successive leaders of the movement. Innovatively integrating history, philosophy, and literature, Rubin shows how Kabbalistic ideas are crucially entangled in the experience of modernity and in the response to its ruptures.
The Kabbalah Deck: Pathway to the Soul
by Edward HoffmanAn introduction to the Jewish mystical tradition that’s become a source of wisdom and guidance for people around the world.The mystic tradition of the Kabbalah is no longer exclusively for people of the Jewish faith. Embraced by dreamers, seekers, and believers alike, this ancient source of wisdom and spiritual guidance offers a practical method for attaining tranquility and fulfillment in everyday life.This unique ebook provides an engaging way to explore Jewish mysticism. With pages devoted to meditation and divination as well as an exploration of the tenets of this ancient practice, Kabbalah: Reference to Go offers the spiritual key to unlocking endless joy and inner peace with feet still firmly planted in this world.
Kabbalah for Beginners: Understanding and Applying Kabbalistic History, Concepts, and Practices
by Brian Yosef Schachter-BrooksGain a better understanding of the Kabbalah path to spiritual transformation and a deeper connection with the Jewish faithComing from the Hebrew root that means "to receive," Kabbalah is known as the "inner" or "esoteric" dimension of Judaism. Kabbalah for Beginners is your introduction to a great spiritual tradition that will help you deepen your experience of the Divine through Kabbalistic portals into the Eternal Present.Divided into four categories: theosophical, ecstatic, Hasidic, and contemporary, this book explores everything including ancient concepts, core teachings, practices and traditions, and even misconceptions of Kabbalah. Written in a contemporary tone and point of view, this beginner's guide brings this ancient discipline into the here and now.In Kabbalah for Beginners you'll find:God is existence—The Kabbalist method is that God is not a being, not even the most supreme being, but is rather Being itself.What is Kabbalah—Get inspired by interspersed quotes from the Torah and frequent sidebars that highlight the Kabbalah's relevance to readers' experiences.Spirituality simplified—Learn through a clear straightforward language to bring intuitiveness to deep philosophical concepts.Discover a contemporary guide to this ancient wisdom and move toward spiritual transformation.
Kabbalah For Dummies
by Arthur KurzweilKabbalah For Dummies presents a balanced perspective of Kabbalah as an “umbrella” for a complex assemblage of mystical Jewish teachings and codification techniques. Kabbalah For Dummies also shows how Kabbalah simultaneously presents an approach to the study of text, the performance of ritual and the experience of worship, as well as how the reader can apply its teaching to everyday life.
Kabbalah For Dummies
by Arthur KurzweilA trustworthy, easy-to-read guide to an integral part of Judaism Kabbalah For Dummies, 2nd Edition is your factual and objective guide to understanding Kabbalah—a spiritual practice, also known as the “received tradition,” that's connected to Judaism. This easy-to-follow resource walks you through how to connect to and better understand the Kabbalistic way of life, through explaining what Kabbalah is and isn't and detailing the Kabbalistic approach to the Torah, the Talmud, the Mishnah, and more Jewish texts. You'll also discover how to practice common rituals, worship, and pray as a practitioner of Kabbalah with this informative resource. Understand the foundations of Kabbalah (including core ideas) Know what Kabbalistic practice and study entails Discover key Kabbalah resources Perfect for practicing Kabbalists who want to brush up on the basics and for the Kabbalah-curious—Kabbalah For Dummies, 2nd Edition is a must-read resource for anyone who wants to understand the fundamentals of one of the world's great spiritual practices.
Kabbalah for the Layman
by Rav BergPrior to the popularization of Kabbalah, Kabbalist Rav Berg synthesized the wisdom's key concepts into a progressive system, rather than the non-linear manner of exploration previously available. This book is the result. The kabbalistic lineage is inextricably tied to the study of the knowledge itself. To this end, Rav Berg includes historical milestones, as well as insights about master kabbalists whose lives and deaths provide a basis for learning and connection. Kabbalah for the Layman is a profound study of deep kabbalistic concepts made applicable to daily life in the 21 century. At the time of its first printing in 1981, this title was considered a revolutionary portal to expanded consciousness, Kabbalah for the Layman Volumes 1,2, and 3 became classics. Newly edited, this book contains the all three volumes for a comprehensive introduction to Kabbalah.
Kabbalah Handbook
by Gabriella SamuelA comprehensive single-volume reference guide to the terms and ideas of Kabbalah by a longtime teacher of Jewish mysticism -perfect for the serious student and newcomer alike. People of all faiths and backgrounds are drawn to the inspiration, knowledge, and spiritual insight that Kabbalah offers. But too often writings on Jewish mysticism are impenetrable for the novice, overly simplified for the advanced student, or misrepresent and sensationalize Kabbalistic practice. The Kabbalah Handbook is the first comprehensive single-volume Kabbalah reference guide that is indispensable for Kabbalah students of every level. The Kabbalah Handbook features: - more than five hundred key terms and concepts in straightforward, easy-to-read definitions and thorough, well-researched discussions; - Hebrew, English, and Hebrew transliteration for each item; - the language of origin for each term; - a discussion of all sides of differing opinions within Kabbalistic philosophy; - pronunciation guides; - nondiscriminatory, gender-neutral language; - important historical information; - extensive cross-referencing that enables readers to find all terms, whether they are looking up a word in English or transliterated Hebrew; - twenty-eight original and innovative illustrations; - thirty-two tables and charts that organize and break down unwieldy material into manageable items; and - appendices covering topics such as the 613 Mitzvot (biblical commandments), the lunar calendar, and the sacred names of God.
Kabbalah in Italy 1280-1510
by Moshe IdelThis sweeping survey of the history of Kabbalah in Italy represents a major contribution from one of the world's foremost Kabbalah scholars. The first to focus attention on a specific center of Kabbalah, Moshe Idel charts the ways that Kabbalistic thought and literature developed in Italy and how its unique geographical situation facilitated the arrival of both Spanish and Byzantine Kabbalah. Idel analyzes the work of three major Kabbalists--Abraham Abulafia, Menahem Recanati, and Yohanan Alemanno--who represent diverse schools of thought: the ecstatic, the theosophical-theurgical, and the astromagical. Directing special attention to the interactions and tensions among these forms of Jewish Kabbalah and the nascent Christian Kabbalah, Idel brings to light the rich history of Kabbalah in Italy and the powerful influence of this important center on the emergence of Christian Kabbalah and European occultism in general.
Kabbalah in Print: The Study and Popularization of Jewish Mysticism in Early Modernity
by Andrea GondosHow did Jewish mysticism go from arcane knowledge to popular spirituality? Kabbalah in Print examines the cultural impact of printing on the popularization, circulation, and transmission of Kabbalah in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries. The Zohar, in particular, generated a large secondary literature of study guides and reference works that aimed to ease the linguistic and conceptual challenges of the text. The arrival of printed classics of Kabbalah was soon followed by the appearance of new literary genres—anthologies, digests, lexicons, and other learning aids—that mediated mystical primary sources to a community of readers not versed in this lore. A detailed investigation of the four works by R. Yissakhar Baer (ca.1580–ca.1629) of Prague sheds light on the literary strategies, pedagogic concerns, and religious motivations of secondary elites, a new cadre of authors empowered by the opportunities that printing opened up. Andrea Gondos highlights shifting intellectual and cultural boundaries in the early modern period, when the transmission of Kabbalah became a meeting point connecting various strata of Jewish society as well as Jewish and Christian intellectuals.