Path: nntp-server.caltech.edu!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!news.aero.org!faigin From: faigin@aero.org (Daniel P. Faigin) Newsgroups: soc.culture.jewish Subject: Re: What is Kabalah? Date: 4 Jun 93 11:39:20 Organization: The Aerospace Corporation, El Segundo, CA Lines: 58 Distribution: world Message-ID: References: <1uh7p3$f0v@usenet.rpi.edu> <1ulfk1$aj@netnews.alf.dec.com> <1unipo$gtp@sun.Panix.Com> NNTP-Posting-Host: soldan.aero.org In-reply-to: moskowit@panix.com's message of 4 Jun 1993 09:30:32 -0400 On 4 Jun 1993 09:30:32 -0400, moskowit@panix.com (Len Moskowitz) said: > William Katcher (katcher@mercury.ral.rpi.edu) wrote: >> I am wondering if somebody could give me a _SIMPLE_ explanation >> of what the Kabalah (sp?) is. > See the s.c.j FAQ list, section 4.10 and 4.11. And, to make life easy: ~Subject: 4.10. What is Kabbalah and how can I learn about it? It's important to differentiate between the popular notion of Kabbalah and the concept within traditional Judaism. In the popular culture, Kabbalah is perceived as a form of magic or the occult, studied for selfish personal gain. This misinformed idea resulted from those who adapted Jewish ideas out of the context of Jewish belief and practice, warping it away from its foundations to their own purposes. These include medieval Christian mystics, neo-pagan groups, and contemporary "new age" movements. Within Judaism, though, Kabbalah is the part of Torah that addresses the process of creation ("Ma'aseh B'raisheet") and the relationship that G-d maintains with creation ("Ma'aseh Merkavah"). As such it is the Torah's inner aspect. Some traditions say that some of the key texts go as far back as the Patriarch Abraham. Parts of Kabbalah, such as the Zohar and Rabbi Moshe Cordovero's "Pardes Rimonim," are accessible but difficult to understand without a firm grounding in the more basic Jewish sources and an informed teacher. Other parts remain hidden and unavailable to the public. Parts have been committed to print but others remain as closely held, orally transmitted tradition. The most accessible, traditionally accurate books for English language study of the topic are Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's "Innerspace, Introduction to Kabbalah, Meditation and Prophecy" (Moznaim Publishing, Brooklyn NY), "Meditation and Kabbalah," "Kabbalah and the Bible" (Samuel Weiser and Sons, New York), and "Jewish Meditation" (Schocken, New York). Lubavitcher Chassidim recommend directed study of the _Tanya_. (Kehot Publications, New York) Additional information may be found in the Chasidism Reading List, available as usenet/news.answers/judaism/reading-lists/chasidism from rtfm.mit.edu. ------------------------------------------------------------ ~Subject: 4.11. Who is allowed to study Kabbalah? The Kabbalah deals with sensitive topics and the knowledge it offers has been warped, even within the Jewish community. This resulted in severe disruption of the Eastern European Jewish community (ref: the false messiah Shabbtai Tzvi and the Frankists). As a result the non-Chassidic sages there placed a ban on the study of three basic texts until the age of 30, until the age of 40 for general study, and in all cases until one has studied the more basic Jewish sources (Tanakh, Talmud, Halacha) in depth. However, in Sephardic and Chassidic communities, some basic texts are studied even by young folks. -- [W]:The Aerospace Corp. M1/055 * POB 92957 * LA, CA 90009-2957 * 310/336-8228 [Email]:faigin@aerospace.aero.org [Vmail]:310/336-5454 Box#13149 "And as they say, the rest is compost"