Kabbala

From: David Z.

Dear Rabbi,

What is Kabbala and its history in Judaism? May we learn Kabbala today?

Dear David,

Kabbala literally means “received” because true understanding of it is only possible through tradition handed down from master to disciple. Also known as Sod, (meaning secret) or Sitrei Torah, (the hidden aspects of Torah), kabbala addresses issues that are not observable in the physical world and are difficult to express in words. For this reason kabbala was always discussed in cryptic language and clothed in secrecy. (Ramban, Bereishit 1).

Because of its subtlety, complexity and depth, stringent laws surround the study of kabbala. Only someone well versed in the revealed aspects of Torah and steeped in knowledge of Jewish Law can learn or truly understand kabbala. Extreme ethical and spiritual purity is another prerequisite for learning and understanding kabbala, as in the verse, “The beginning of wisdom is fear of G‑d” (Psalms 111:10). Furthermore, mistakes in the study of kabbala have more far-reaching and serious consequences than in the study of law and ethics, since they affect our perception of G‑d and our beliefs.

Kabbala can be divided into five main areas: Ma’asei Bereishit (Acts of Creation) explores seemingly contradictory ideas such as an infinite Creator of a finite world, an omnipresent G‑d in a world of seemingly separate existence, and creation ex-nihilo, from nothing. Ma’asei Mercava (Deeds of the Chariot) deals with Divine providence, G‑d’s continuous interaction with the world. Ta’amei Hamitzvot (Reasons for the Commandments) explains how the physical body and spiritual soul interact and how the mitzvot establish harmony between the physical and spiritual worlds. Remez and Sod (Intimated and Secret Torah) offer mystical explanations of verses, stories and incidents in Tanach (the Scriptures). Kabbala Ma’asit (Practical Kabbala) entails using Divine Names and knowledge of the innermost levels of reality to produce affects in the physical world. (Chagiga, Mishna 11b, and Gemora until 16a).

Kabbala was part of the Oral Torah that G‑d gave to Moses at Sinai, and parts of it were recorded in the Mishna with the rest of the Oral Torah. The Talmud (Shabbat 33b) also recounts that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son hid in a cave, penetrating the depths of Torah and revealing its hidden secrets and much of what they learned was written in the Zohar (1). Jews continued to learn kabbala throughout the ages led by rabbis like the Ramban and Rabeinu Bachaye, as well as rabbis in Europe (2). In the late 1500’s, Tzefat in northern Israel became the home of great kabbalists such as Rabbi Yitzchak Luria (the Arizal) who compiled the system of kabbala used until today (3). Later, rabbis in Europe such as the Ba’al Shem Tov, father of the Chasidic movement, and the Vilna Gaon (4), as well as rabbis in the East such as the Or HaChaim and the Ben Ish Chai, taught to incorporate certain kabbalistic concepts into our daily observance.

Nowadays, many Jews and non-Jews are attracted to the mystical and esoteric aura surrounding the Kabbala. It has been degradingly drawn into pop culture where it has become commercialized by pseudo-spiritual “experts” who write of it profusely and “teach” it in various commercialized kabbala centers. Needless to say, these people are not teaching or learning real kabbala, which by definition can only be understood through proper transmission. What’s more, they lack even a basic knowledge of Torah and Jewish Law, and since they are simultaneously steeped in modern pop-culture, they cannot have the ethical and spiritual purity needed to properly grasp the Kabbala.

This does not mean, however, that a beginner to traditional Judaism cannot have some exposure to the esoteric. As mentioned earlier, both Sefardi and Ashkenazi rabbis offered ways to infuse mysticism into our daily observance. But this must be in the context of proper Torah study and mitzva observance, under the responsible guide of authentic rabbis.

Notes:

1. The Zohar was hidden for over a thousand years until R. Moshe de Leon purportedly found it. Although originally there was some doubt as to its authenticity, once the master kabbalist R. Yitzchak Luria (the Arizal) unequivocally attributed the Zohar to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, this became the accepted opinion.
2. Great kabbalists of Europe include Rabbi Yehuda HaChasid, author of Sefer Chasidim, and Rabbi Elazar of Germiza, author of Rokeach.
3. Other well-known kabbalists of Tzefat were R. Moshe Kordovera, author of Tomer Devora, and R. Shlomo Alkabetz, author of “Lecha Dodi” sung before Shabbat.
4. The Vilna Gaon wrote extensively on the Kabbala including a commentary on an early kabbalistic work called Sefer Yetzira which is attributed to Abraham and can be used to “create” animals and human-like beings such as a golem, see Sanhedrin 67b.