| This is a series of ten essays on the basic ideas that lay the
groundwork for all advanced concepts in Kabbalah. They are the
fundamentals. Before someone can truly understand things like
angels, magic, and spiritual forces, he/she needs some background.
A more
thorough version of this course is published as “A Map of the Universe:
An Introduction to the Study of Kabbalah” and can be ordered
through Xlibris.com at a discount or for the regular price from
Amazon.com,
or BarnesandNoble.com
Certainly the kabbalists who are considered masters of this information
know and understand clearly the five books of Moses, the eight
major and twelve minor books of the prophets, the eleven books
called Writings, as well as the sixty tractates of the Talmud.
To become a master kabbalist takes many years of study with proper
teachers. What this series is designed to do is to take someone
who doesn't have the background knowledge through the essential
ideas that allow that person to grasp many of the more sophisticated
concepts.
We've seen books written by people that don't seem to grasp the
basics, yet discuss very high-level concepts. I don't think the
writers or readers are getting the points clear. Unfortunately,
the books that are written by masters are mostly in Hebrew, and
also assume the reader knows the background. There are so many
people that are thirsting for this knowledge that can't enter
into the "orchard".
May it be God's will that these essays serve as a way for them
to taste the essence of their traditions, and makes them hungry
for more.
The word "Kabbalah" is a feminine noun.
These ten essays are written for beginners. Kabbalah is a field
of study that is elusive and requires the neophyte to gather bits
of information and piece them together by himself. I will assume
no prior knowledge and explain each new idea on its own. However,
one of the principles of Kabbalah is that many things are left
to the student to comprehend on his own and cannot be explained.
A true teacher of Kabbalah, which I do not claim to be, is not
permitted to teach every concept he knows. Some concepts he is
only permitted to hint to. Therefore, whenever delving into Kabbalah
you need to be willing to think a bit more deeply into what's
being stated in order to get closer to the truth.
God is one, and infinite.
Kabbalah is traditionally a secret or hidden doctrine. Even
though the Bible uses the masculine pronoun "He" when referring
to God, obviously God has neither gender nor any physical form
whatsoever and can't possibly be male or female. The side of God
that is revealed we call masculine. That's why God in the Bible,
His revealed word, is masculine. The side that is hidden is His
feminine side. There are many references to feminine traits of
God in the Prophetic writings and the Hebrew prayer book. That
which conceptually relates to male is more external. Women have
been known to be more in touch with spirituality, intuition, and
other hidden things. Women, historically, have often been able
to accomplish more behind the scenes than men have being in the
limelight. In this way Kabbalah, which is considered more special,
more powerful and more spiritual than the more revealed wisdom
of the Bible can be looked at as the "feminine" side
of Judaism.
Kabbalah is part of Judaism.
Although some of the kabbalistic tradition predates Moses, it
is part of the Jewish belief that God gave Moses a written law
and an oral law. Kabbalah is part of that oral law.
Kabbalah is defined in different ways. It is most basically the
mystical aspect of Judaism. There are meditative aspects of Kabbalah.
There are dimensions of Kabbalah that could be called White Magic.
There are philosophical aspects. Kabbalah is not a separate study
that can be divorced from its roots. In order to understand it
fully, we must keep a perspective on traditional Judaism.
Kabbalah is the Hebrew word which means to receive. There is
wisdom that is learned through hard study. There is wisdom that
is understood through experience. But most mystical or spiritual
understandings of our reality can only be "received'. This
implies that the recipient must be ready for, and be a fitting
vessel for receiving such special and holy ideas.
Kabbalah’s basic ideas can be studied and understood
by anyone.
A clear understanding of Kabbalah is dependent on an understanding
of basic Judaism, the foundational sources, which are the Bible,
(the five books that God dictated to Moses), the books of the
Prophets, and the Talmud, (the compendium of Jewish oral law which
was handed down from God to Moses and from teacher to student
in every generation until its codification in about 400 C.E.)
Even without this knowledge, however, many insights into life's
ultimate purpose can be understood through the concepts of Kabbalah.
You can also learn invaluable things about yourself from studying
these mystical concepts. It is for these reasons and others that
I have chosen to write these ten essays called "Introductory
Kabbalah".
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