An Introduction to the Kabbalah
This book acquaints the reader with the world of the Kabbalah. The first part discusses the Kabbalist as a person: the personal transmission of Kabbalistic traditions, the Kabbalist's qualities and qualifications, prerequisites and early preparations, risks and achievements, as well as techniques for uncovering mysteries and the sources of revelations. The second part deals with the major themes in the teachings of the Kabbalah, such as the doctrine of the Sefirot, the Sitra-Ahra - good and...
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This book acquaints the reader with the world of the Kabbalah. The first part discusses the Kabbalist as a person: the personal transmission of Kabbalistic traditions, the Kabbalist's qualities and qualifications, prerequisites and early preparations, risks and achievements, as well as techniques for uncovering mysteries and the sources of revelations. The second part deals with the major themes in the teachings of the Kabbalah, such as the doctrine of the Sefirot, the Sitra-Ahra - good and evil, the creation of the world, the status of the Torah and its commandments, the doctrine of the soul and the transmigration of souls. In treating these issues, the book also notes the assimilation of Kabbalistic notions in Jewish religious customs. Library Journal There has been a veritable flood of books on Jewish mysticism in recent years. Many New Age practitioners are attracted to Jewish mysticism, with its emphasis on spirituality, meditation, nature, and even ecology. Hallamish (Jewish mysticism, Bar-Ilan Univ., Israel) has tapped into this trend and produced a readable overview of the main teachings of the Kabbalah, a shorthand expression for Jewish mystical experience. Hallamish discusses techniques for exploring mysticism, mystical doctrines, and the evolution of mystical thought. Scholars will especially appreciate this solid study, though informed lay readers will enjoy it, too. Libraries already owning either Kenneth Hanson's Kabbalah: Three Thousand Years of Mystic Tradition (LJ 10/15/98) or Neil Asher Silberman's Heavenly Powers: Unraveling the Secret Power of the Kabbalah (LJ 10/15/98) can pass. General readers may also enjoy David Cooper's God Is a Verb (Riverhead, 1997), which is more of a how-to manual on Jewish mysticism.--Paul M. Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL
PrefacePt. 1The Kabbalah and its AttainmentCh. 1Mysticism and the Kabbalah1Ch. 2The Kabbalist and His Kabbalah17Ch. 3Prerequisites31Ch. 4Early Preparations49Ch. 5The Dangers Facing the Mystic69Ch. 6Techniques of Exploring Mysteries75Ch. 7Evaluation of the Kabbalah87Ch. 8The Origins of the Revelations103Pt. 2The Basic Concepts of the KabbalahCh. 9The Doctrine of the Sefirot121Ch. 10Good and Evil167Ch. 11The Doctrine of Creation183Ch. 12The Torah207Ch. 13The Doctrine of the Soul247Ch. 14The Doctrine of Transmigration281Epilogue311Notes313Bibliography363Indexes367
\ Library JournalThere has been a veritable flood of books on Jewish mysticism in recent years. Many New Age practitioners are attracted to Jewish mysticism, with its emphasis on spirituality, meditation, nature, and even ecology. Hallamish (Jewish mysticism, Bar-Ilan Univ., Israel) has tapped into this trend and produced a readable overview of the main teachings of the Kabbalah, a shorthand expression for Jewish mystical experience. Hallamish discusses techniques for exploring mysticism, mystical doctrines, and the evolution of mystical thought. Scholars will especially appreciate this solid study, though informed lay readers will enjoy it, too. Libraries already owning either Kenneth Hanson's Kabbalah: Three Thousand Years of Mystic Tradition (LJ 10/15/98) or Neil Asher Silberman's Heavenly Powers: Unraveling the Secret Power of the Kabbalah (LJ 10/15/98) can pass. General readers may also enjoy David Cooper's God Is a Verb (Riverhead, 1997), which is more of a how-to manual on Jewish mysticism.--Paul M. Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL\ \ \ \ \ BooknewsBeing older than 40 with years of Torah study under one's belt no longer appears to be requisite for the practice of Kabbalah, Judaism's mystical tradition. Eschewing a historical approach in this introductory text, Halamish (Jewish mysticism, Bar-Ilan U, Israel) first discusses the personal attainment of Kabbalah: the Kabbalist's qualifications, preparation, risks, techniques of exploring spiritual mysteries, and sources of revelations. Basic concepts are then accessed: doctrines of the Sefirot, creation, soul, and transmigration as well as the nature of good and evil. Translated from the Hebrew. Indexed by name and title, but not subject. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.\ \
