Kabbalah

Kabbalah can be translated as “mysticism”, and is a part of Jewish tradition that deals with the search for the ‘essence’ of G-d. Kabbalists believe that it is possible to attain true knowledge and understanding of the inner, mysterious process of G-d’s purpose and being, and by utilizing that knowledge to achieving the greatest ‘intimacy’ with G-d.



It is Judaism’s attempt at explaining the relationship with G-d the Infinite being and the finite universe that He created.

The seminal work of Kabbalah is the book Zohar (Shining) a collection of written, mystical commentaries on the Torah. It was written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, an outstanding intellectual who lived in Israel under Roman occupation around 165 CE (approximately one hundred years after the destruction of the Second Temple, in 70 C.E.)

Written mostly in Aramaic, the Zohar is considered to be the foundation of Kabbalah, and it was written to help Kabbalists attain the levels of spiritual connection with G-d that they desired.

It comments on mysticism and psychology and explores the mystical aspects of the 5 Books of Moses. It contains discussions on the origin and structure of the universe, the nature of G-d, the relationship of Ego to Darkness, redemption and the nature of souls.



Due to the mystical nature of Kabbalah, Rabbinic Judaism has for centuries advised that one should only study Kabbalah if over the age of 40 and married to bring a level of maturity into the study.



It was not until many centuries later that the great Kabbalist Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572) – commonly known as the Ari, an acronym standing for Eloki Rabbi Yitzchak, “the G-dly Rabbi Isaac” - founded a new school in Kabbalistic thought, known as “the system of the Ari.” He declared: "In these times, we are allowed and duty-bound to reveal this wisdom." The Ari believed that each commandment has a mystical meaning, saying “Just as the body cannot live without the soul, the soul cannot function without the body” emphasising the relationship between Infinite and Finite.



Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer - perhaps better known as Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Tov or by an acronym, the Besht - (1698-1760) was a Jewish mystic and healer from Poland, who is regarded as the founder of Hasidic Judaism. 



He taught that during every waking hour, in every activity, the direct connection with the divine, "dvekut" is a part of all that we are and do. He claimed to have achieved this for himself, meaning that his soul had reached the high level where he could "ascent" to heaven and speak with any soul in heaven that he wished to speak to - and intervene between humans and God. Believing he had the ability to protect the Jewish community from plague and persecution through prayer, stressing that not only are the words of prayer important, but also that every single Hebrew letter and word is infused with mystical significance.

He actually encouraged worshipers to explore any distracting thoughts, as he believed they would lead t a deeper understanding of “the divine."



The Baal Shem Tov and his followers strove to make this wisdom accessible to everybody, encouraging individuals to search within their souls to reveal the hidden part of G-d.

Kabbalah involves searching the hidden depths of the universe for secret knowledge about its origins and its organization – with an understanding that only a select few will ever attain this for themselves. 

• By interpreting sacred texts to uncover nistar (“hidden” meaning)
• By oral transmission of tradition, from a Kabbalistic master, which is a prerequisite for understanding kabbalistic doctrine,
• By visitation from Elijah or an angel; by spirit possession - or other experience which is beyond rational comprehension

In the last 50 years, there has been a remarkable revival of interest in Kabbalah which coincides with the emergence of the New Age and other spiritual movements in the Western World.



In looking at this relationship, the new study of Kabbalah study has nothing to do with tradition, but rather speaks to filling spiritual needs, which has made the study of Kabbalah attractive to both Jews and non-Jews. Kabbalah has become popular as it involves the attainment of perfection and spiritual transformation for the individual so there is a psychological motivation for deep study. It is also artistic and employs the visual, not in a physical sense, but in the privacy of the human mind of the Kabbalah practitioner.