Jewish Mysticism: Kabbalah Mysticism.pdfJewish’Scholars’Program:’Jewish’Mysticism’...

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Jewish Mysticism:Kabbalah

Jewish Scholars Program: Jewish Mysticism

JEWISH MYSTICISM: WHAT I S K ABBA LAH , AND C AN I L E ARN I T ?

SETTING THE STAGE :

THE KABBALAH CENTRE, WHAT IS KABBALAH, KABBALAH.COM

Kabbalah teaches universal principles that apply to all peoples of all faiths and all religions, regardless of ethnicity or where you come from. The beauty of studying Kabbalah is that you can't be forced to think in a particular way. There can be no coercion in spirituality…

It may seem unlikely that knowledge first communicated to people who lived 5,000 years ago could have any relevance to men and women in today's world. We need the wisdom of Kabbalah more now than at any other time in our history. Kabbalah is not a religion, it's not dogma, and it's not a belief system that you have to buy into. Even more importantly, it's not anyone's personal opinion of how the universe works. It's simply knowledge that was always meant to be known and shared—the birthright of humanity...

For centuries, the study of Kabbalah was available only to scholarly, married Jewish men over the age of forty, and forbidden to all others. This tradition of

hidden knowledge existed until 1969, when Rav Phillip Berg (“Rav” is simply another way of saying "Teacher") first became Director of the Kabbalah Centre. At that time, he and his wife Karen made available the wisdom of Kabbalah to everyone,

regardless of race, gender, or religious belief; this is because they believe that when we are on a spiritual path, we are seeking solely to reconnect with Light. This “Light” has no name. It is not Christian, or Jewish, or Buddhist, or defined by any other limiting description. It is just Light, far beyond the confines of any particular faith.

Historically, Kabbalah has been reserved only for the most advanced scholars. By making Kabbalah available to anyone who was interested, they were defying a

4,000-‐year-‐old tradition. But despite their difficulties, the Kabbalah Centre has grown from a small, organization in Israel to a worldwide effort that has provided instruction to nearly four million students, with more than 40 physical locations and over 100 study groups in cities throughout the world.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

v HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE KABBALAH?

v HAVE YOU COME INTO CONTACT WITH ANY IDEAS OR IMAGERY BASED ON KABBALAH?


ENGAGING THE TEXT: THE TRUE DEFINITION OF KABBALAH

MORDECHAI BECHER, INTRODUCTION TO KABBALAH, SIMPLETOREMEMBER.COM

In Hebrew, Kabbalah is referred to as sod, meaning “secret.” What is secretive about Kabbalah? After all, many people are familiar with it. Kabbalah is called a “secret” because its subject matter is discussed only in hints and allusions. The true content of Kabbalistic wisdom is not openly discussed; rather, it is taught obliquely, through allegory. This is due to the spiritually elevated nature of the wisdom of Kabbalah. It cannot be expressed properly in the language of the material world, and if the Torah were to discuss these concepts directly, it would lower our concept of spirituality.

RABBI SHIMON LEIBERMAN, WHAT IS KABBALAH, AISH.COM

In order to understand what Kabbalah is and what it isn’t, let us use the following illustration. A researcher sits in his lab examining all sorts of atomic phenomena. He smashes atoms at great speeds, and records what he sees happening. He is very meticulous in his work, and may even draw some immediate conclusions from the data at hand. But he leaves it at that. A great scientist picks up these notes, reads them and ponders their meaning. He begins to construct a mega-‐picture. He tries to envision what the entire system may be like. He knows that there are no instruments, nor can there be, to actually see the particles he imagines, and therefore he gropes for metaphors that will accurately connect the bits of data that the physicist collected. Thus, he begins to speak of “super strings,” “atomic tunnels,” “energy bridges,” and “ten dimensions.” A third person, who has a highly fertile mind but with no sense of science, is eavesdropping. His imagination has been fired and, in no time at all, he is carrying forth about people that have mysteriously disappeared in “atomic tunnels,” and unlimited sources of energy contained in various of the “ten dimensions.”

RABBI MORDECHAI BECHER, INTRODUCTION TO KABBALAH, SIMPLETOREMEMBER.COM

Judaism sees the physical world as a manifestation of a deeper, spiritual idea. Kabbalah refers to the connection between the physical reality and the spiritual essence that lies behind that physical reality. For this reason, Kabbalah is often translated as mysticism, which the Oxford dictionary defines as that which is spiritually allegorical. Kabbalah is the study of the hidden, underlying spiritual essence of the world.


v WHY SHOULD THE TORAH HAVE A “SECRET” MEANING TO IT? SHOULDN’T THIS KNOWLEDGE BE OPENLY AVAILABLE TO EVERYONE?


ENGAGING THE TEXT: HISTORY OF KABBALAH

RABBI NISSAN DOVID DUBOV, THE KEY TO KABBALAH, ABRAHAM

There is evidence that the mystical tradition was taught to Abraham by Shem [son of Noach]. According to some authorities, Abraham authored the Sefer Yetzirah (the Book of Formation), one of the fundamental works of Kabbalah... Abraham was also fully aware of the magical and idolatrous uses that could be developed from these mysteries, and the Talmud states that Abraham had a tract dealing with idolatry that

consisted of 400 chapters [whereas our tract has only 5 chapters]. There is also a Talmudic teaching that Abraham taught the mysteries involving “unclean names” to the children of his concubines. This is based on the verse, “to the sons of the concubines that Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and he sent them away…to the lands of the East” (Genesis 25:6). These gifts consisted of occult mysteries, which then spread in eastern Asia. It is no wonder that in many of the eastern religions we find parallels to Kabbalistic teachings.

RAMCHAL (RABBI MOSHE CHAIM LUZZATTO), DA’AS TEVUNOS, PG. 331

The discipline of Kabbalah was given at Sinai as one of the levels of interpretation of the Torah. It was passed on from one generation to the next. Immediately following the destruction of the (Second) Temple, at the beginning of the dark exile which we are presently in, Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai received Divine inspiration which enabled him to create a systematic exposition of the concepts of Kabbalah. His teachings were composed by his disciples into the book of the Zohar. However, even after this was committed to writing, only a select few people in each generation had access to it; it was not publicized to the masses. Even after it was revealed some six hundred years ago, it still remained a closed book to all but the most spiritually refined people. About four hundred years ago, G-‐d sent the Jewish people an exceedingly great man – namely Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, known as the Ari (or Arizal). This man is considered until today the chief expositor of the Zohar, and his teachings exposed the depth and breadth of this discipline in all its detail.

RABBI ARYEH KAPLAN, MEDITATION AND KABBALAH

The Chassidic movement was founded in the mid 1700’s by Rabbi Israel, known as the Baal Shem Tov (1698-‐1760). By the time the movement was fifty years old, it commanded the allegiance of a majority of Eastern European Jewry, and Chassidic rabbis dominated many important communities. Many Kabbalah texts were printed under the aegis of this movement, often for the first time … Where Kabbalah had previously been the province of only the greatest scholars, it had now become part of the popular folklore, and even the simplest individuals had become familiar with its terminology.


v DOES KABBALAH’S HISTORY PARALLEL ANY OTHER BODY OF KNOWLEDGE?


ENGAGING THE TEXT: CAN ANYONE LEARN KABBALAH?

RAMAK, OHR NE’ERAV

There are some completely mistaken people who, although they know neither the Scriptures, Mishnah, nor the Talmud, nevertheless involve themselves in the study of this discipline (i.e. Kabbalah).

VILNA GAON, COMMENTARY TO MISHLEI (PROVERBS) 21:17

Someone who wishes to engage in that which is above his level, that is, he wants to study Kabbalah without fulfilling and studying the laws, will not become wealthy [a metaphor for success], for the wealthy person is one who is satisfied with his lot and does not seek to access exalted levels before he fills his stomach with bread [a metaphor for the laws of the revealed Torah], which satiates man. It is impossible to penetrate the secrets of the Torah without this, and therefore he will not be wealthy, for he will have nothing.

RABBI YECHEZKEL SARNA, DALIOT YECHEZKEL, VOL. I, PG. 399

Until one has reached exceptional greatness of intellect and stature, he has no right to enter the gates of the hidden Torah; it may indeed prove dangerous for such an individual, since he will probably misunderstand by trying to reach that which is above his level, and the benefit [he derives from the study] will be outweighed by his loss … The

Kabbalah is for those unique individuals who have mastered the revealed Torah and who, through having done so, have already fathomed so much of the hidden Torah that there is no longer any danger of their getting confused by entering its gates directly. Only they may enter the orchard and see all the worlds revealed in their true essence.

RABBI BINYAMIN ZILBER, AZ NIDBERU, VOL 14, PG. 147

If we neglect the in-‐depth study of the morals, ethics, and values of the Torah (Mussar) – that which is in reality the hidden part of the revealed Torah – how can we imagine that we are ready to study hidden aspects of the Torah? …After all, one generally begins from something easy and works his way up. The revealed parts of the Torah are prerequisites and preparation for the concealed aspects!


v WHY WOULD LEARNING KABBALAH BE POTENTIALLY HARMFUL TO SOMEONE WHO HASN’T MASTERED THE REVEALED ASPECTS OF TORAH?


ENGAGING THE TEXT: WHO CAN LEARN KABBALAH?

RAMBAN (NACHMANIDES), INTRODUCTION TO COMMENTARY ON THE TORAH

Let it be known that nothing of this sort can be fathomed without a received oral tradition from a wise mentor. Advancing logical explanations in these matters is pure foolishness and is harmful and counterproductive … For someone who cannot avail himself of such a tradition, he should restrict himself to those parts of my commentary that deal with revealed aspects of the Torah, taking from them the constructive ethical lessons of our holy Sages. Do not seek out that which is greater than you; do not investigate that which is more powerful than you, do not attempt to know that which is far from you; do not ask about that which is hidden from you. Meditate upon what you have been taught for you have no business with the hidden matters.

TEHILLIM (PSALMS) 25:14 WITH COMMENTARY OF RADAK

G-‐d’s secret is revealed to those who have awe of Him; and to them He makes known His covenant.

Radak G-‐d will only reveal [the secrets of the Torah] to those people who fear Him. For if a person is immersed in the pursuit of wisdom but does not have awe of G-‐d and does not fully observe His commandments, G-‐d will not reveal His secrets to him.

ALEXANDRE SAFRAN, THE WISDOM OF THE KABBALAH

The Sages state that it is “only at the age of 40 that the disciple is fit to understand properly the thoughts of his master,” for “40 years is the age of wisdom.” That is why, in general, the Kabbalists prefer to “transmit” their teaching to disciples who are at least 40 years old. In their opinion, at that age the human soul becomes spiritually mature. The Hebrew word neshamah, soul, confirms this; the letters which compose it also make up the words mem shanah, 40 years.


v IF KABBALAH IS ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE FOR CERTAIN PEOPLE, WHY HAS IT BECOME SO WIDESPREAD AND POPULAR?


KNOW HOW TO ANSWER

GERALD L. SCHROEDER, THE HIDDEN FACE OF G-‐D, PG. 11

The popular conception that Kabbalah is mysticism is in error. Kabbalah is logic, but such deep logic that discovering it can lead to a mystical experience. The Kabbalistic approach is in essence mathematical. There are two sides to the equation of existence. One side deals with the material world, the other, the spiritual. Any activity to the one brings a parallel activity in the other. Kabbalah is not the study of G-‐d. It would be hubris to think that the finite can comprehend the infinite. Kabbalah is the study of how the Infinite interacts with the finite creation, what might be called the spiritual physics of the world.

RABBI MORDECHAI BECHER, INTRODUCTION TO KABBALAH, SIMPLETOREMEMBER.COM

The word Kabbalah stems from the root lekabel, to receive. The entire Torah really is something that is received from a chain of transmission stretching back to Moshe, so why is Kabbalah specifically referred to in this way? The rest of the Torah does have elements that a person can figure out on his own, from observation, etc., but the science of Kabbalah is something that can be derived only from tradition and transmission. It is not possible for a person to come to understand Kabbalah on his own. In addition, the term for Kabbalah refers to receiving because the only way to understand Kabbalah is to be receptive to spiritual ideas. A person whose perception of the world is limited to material terms will not be able to effectively absorb the concepts of Kabbalah.

YERACHMEIL TILLES, KABBALAH BEFORE AGE 40, CHABAD.COM

"Rabbi Chaim Vital states "to study the mysteries of the Torah before Scripture, Mishnah, and Talmud is at best like a soul without a body, lacking efficacy and accountability". Nevertheless, an exposure to the "light" of the hidden teachings can be the most effective inspiration to forge for oneself the "vessel" of knowledge of the revealed law… A former student at the famous Telshe yeshiva in Europe relates that the great Rabbi Yosef Leib Bloch often referred to kabbalistic concepts during his mussar shmoozen (talks on Jewish ethics) to the students. When people would complain to him that these ideas were too strange and difficult, he would always reply, "The neshamah (soul) understands!"

ROLE PLAY Someone approaches you and says, “Hey, do you want to go to a Kabbalah Centre? I really want to grow in my spirituality!!!”

What do you respond?

Jewish Mysticism: Kabbalah Mysticism.pdfJewish’Scholars’Program:’Jewish’Mysticism’...

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