Fundamentals of Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah


Book Description

Although kabbalah began as an esoteric practice of a small group of educated men, today this ancient mystical tradition is adapting to contemporary sensibilities, including respect for the environment, gender equality, and conscious connection to other spiritual traditions. Access to this wisdom does not depend on one leader or require you to join a cult. Kabbalah, which literally means "that which is received" refers not only to the mystical maps of reality handed down by tradition, but to the awareness each person "receives" along their own journey.Kabbalah has always aimed at healing, repairing and rebalancing the individual, the community and the cosmos as a whole, recognizing the unity in all creation. FUNDAMENTALS OF JEWISH MYSTICISM AND KABBALAH addresses both the historical sources and evolving tradition of kabbalah. Topics covered include shamanic healing, the divine feminine, amulets, sacred sex, dimensions of the soul, time, numerology, the Tree-of-Life, the Hebrew alphabet, and the role of sacred texts and Torah.




Kabbalah


Book Description

Do you find yourself drawn to the mystical Kabbalah? Are you a beginner, seeking to understand what this wonderful, Kabbalistic way of life is all about? Perhaps you're seeking more information about Jewish mysticism? Whatever the case, this book will show you the very basics about Kabbalah, the essential philosophies that form the foundations of Jewish mysticism, and how you can apply this knowledge to your life. In this book, you'll learn: What the Kabbalah is (and what it isn't!) The Hermetic Qabalah, and its fundamental principles The core Kabbalistic concepts you need to know to get your practice right The angels that are most relevant to the practice of Kabbalah Kabbalah and its divine connection to the stars The difference between the knowable and unknowable Divine The five levels of your soul and how we ascend them and descend them The sacred Kabbalistic texts that form the main source of your Kabbalistic knowledge And lots more! With this handy guidebook as your starting point, you can finally take the plunge into your practice of Kabbalah. You will find this book to be a refreshing one, as you learn that you don't have to be a rabbi, or know how to speak fluent Hebrew or Aramaic, or even be a Jew before you enjoy the light of the Kabbalah in your life. Before you read any other book, use this one as a launchpad, and you won't have to deal with the confusion that most beginners often experience when reading other texts. Click the "add to cart" button to learn how to follow the way of Kabbalah.




Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism


Book Description

A collection of lectures on the features of the movement of mysticism that began in antiquity and continues in Hasidism today.




A Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism Reader


Book Description

An 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.




The Secret World of Kabbalah


Book Description

A rabbi introduces Kabbalah by providing its history and explaining its basic tenets using simple examples and kid-friendly text.




Kabbalah for Beginners


Book Description

The Kabbalist Rabbi Laitman, who was the student and personal assistant to Rabbi Baruch Ashlag from 1979-1991, follows in the footsteps of his rabbi in passing on the wisdom of Kabbalah to the world. This book is based on sources that were passed down by Rabbi Baruch's father, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), the author of 'the Sulam', the commentaries on The Book of Zohar, who continued the ways of the Ari and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and many great Kabbalists throughout the generations before them. The goal of this book is to assist individuals in confronting the first stages of the spiritual realm. This unique method of study, which encourages sharing this wisdom with others, not only helps overcome the trials and tribulations of everyday life, but initiates a process in which individuals extend themselves beyond the standard limitations of today's world.




Innerspace


Book Description

Based on a series of lectures that Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan gave to a small group of students in Brooklyn in 1981, this contains transcripts of the series on the Kabbalistic system, and testifies to his wonderful ability to transmit profound ideas in a readily-graspable way. Although this is an introductory text, it contains many perspectives that are expressed in a unique way, so it would be quite valuable even for the more advanced student of Jewish mysticism.




“And They Shall Be One Flesh”: On The Language of Mystical Union in Judaism


Book Description

In “And They Shall Be One Flesh”: On the Language of Mystical Union in Judaism, Adam Afterman offers an extensive study of mystical union and embodiment in Judaism. Afterman argues that Philo was the first to articulate the notion of unio mystica in Judaism and is the source of the henōsis mysticism in the later Neoplatonic tradition. The study provides a detailed analysis of the Jewish medieval trends that developed different forms of mystical union and mystical embodiment through the divine name and spirit. The book argues that the development of unitive mysticism in Judaism is the fruit of the creative synthesis of rabbinic Judaism and Hellenistic and Arab philosophy, and a natural outcome of the theological articulation of the idea of monotheism itself.




The Shambhala Guide to Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism


Book Description

Jewish mystics from biblical times to the present have explored the hidden secrets of the Torah in quest of a single goal: to lose the self in the Infinite "No-thingness" (Ein Sof) and be at one with God. In language accessible to the layperson, this Shambhala Guide provides a detailed introduction to the complex world of Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism. With an extensive background in meditation practice, Perle Besserman emphasizes Kabbalah's spiritual disciplines, grounded in righteous living, devotional practices, and meditation. She discusses the Kabbalistic universe, including the four worlds and ten sefirot; Jewish meditation techniques and instructions for beginning meditation; mystics and teachers from Rabbi Akiva and the Baal Shem Tov to Aryeh Kaplan; the often uneasy relationship between Kabbalah and mainstream Judaism; and applying the ancient wisdom of Jewish mysticism to life in the world of today.




Zohar, the Book of Enlightenment


Book Description

This is the first translation with commentary of selections from The Zohar, the major text of the Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. This work was written in 13th-century Spain by Moses de Leon, a Spanish scholar.