Kabbalah: Receiving the Entire Torah

Question

Hi Rabbi, would you please give me a brief overview of what the Kabbalah is? Thanks!

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Answers

  1. The Just Ask! - AskTheRabbi.org Team

    Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai hid in a cave with his son, Rabbi Elazar, for twelve years to escape a death decree that was put on him by the ancient, pagan Romans. During this time Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son plumbed the hidden depths of the Torah, which were later revealed in his Kabbalistic compilation called “The Zohar.”

    Kabbalah is an integral part of Judaism and the Torah. The origin of the word Kabbalah is “to receive.” A person cannot receive the wisdom of the Torah and the Kabbalah without expert guidance.

    The teachings of the Kabbalah offer the ability to enter into the final, deepest and most mystical levels of understanding the Torah. However, Kabbalistic teachings are quite esoteric and cannot be understood in their literal form. The terminology used in Kabbalistic works is unique, and the “language” of its text could well be seen as “a language of its own.” The vast writings of the holy Arizal (16th century, Tzefat, Israel) allow us great insight into understanding the Kabbalah.

    However, it is important to stress that learning the Kabbalah before one has mastery over the entire spectrum of the Torah is akin to trying to run before one can walk.

    There are some basic books in English that provide an introduction to the subject:

    The Thirteen Petal Rose by Rabbi Adin Steinzaltz
    Jewish Meditation by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan
    Meditation and Kabbalah by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan

    Best wishes from the AskTheRabbi.org Team