AboutRobert Waxman Expertise Any questions relating to ancient or modern Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. Also, any questions relating to comparisons between Kabbalah and other religions or philosophies. Questions about spirituality including cosmology, numerology (gematria), hidden meanings of the Bible, what happens after death, the purpose of life, the eternal validity of the soul, the importance of the inner voice and parallels with modern science.
Experience Author of "Kabbalah Simply Stated" published by Paragon House. The book is distributed in 12 countries. Author of "The Seven Fundamental Propositions of Kabbalah" and "The Power of AWE!". Studied Kabbalah with Rabbi Azriel Abraham of Jerusalem from 1985 -1998. I've been teaching Kabbalah since 1999 as a series entitled, "Kabbalah According To The Scholars" (Scholem, Kaplan & Tisby). Thousands have attended my classes over the years. I have (4) on-going classes in Sarasota, FL and many private students by phone. Many guest speaking presentations are given throughout the year. At my last speaking engagement in Greenacres, FL at Temple Beth Tikvah, over 650 people attended. Please see my current biography at: www.kabalist.com
Organizations President of The Kabbalah Education Network.
Publications (3) Books, many original articles that can be found on the internet (ezine, netterweb, searchwarp, etc.) "Beyond Madonna - Kabbalah according to the Great Scholars" and "Beyond The Da Vinci Code", see: www.robertwaxman.org for more articles.
Education/Credentials Graduate of American University in Philosophy and Psychology. Graduate work at Columbia University. Currently pursuing PhD in Philosophy of Religion. Graduate of The School of Practical Philosophy in NYC and certified by The American Seminar Leader's Association. Host of the Kabbalah WebRing on the internet.
Awards and Honors Many certificates of appreciation from various organizations where I've given presentations.
Past/Present clients Longboat Key Education Center, The Open Center, Unity of Sarasota, Center For Positive Living, (5) Jewish Community Centers in South Florida, many synogogues, churches, interfaith groups and religious/philosophical organizations.
Expert: Robert Waxman Date: 2/5/2008 Subject: The Truth
Question I am proudly Jewish and I believe in G-d. However all teachings of Judaism or any religion for that matter, were written by human beings. There are many rules I feel are irrelevant. The most logical thing I have stumbled upon is Kabbalah which stems from Judaism, but that too was written by people, and various groups interpret various things in a different way. I can't trust other people to teach me what G-d wants for me to do, and I feel very lost. How are you supposed to know what the Truth is?
Answer Hi Sarah,
Thank you for your question.
The brilliant philosopher Baruch Spinoza agrees with your first statement that all religious texts have been written by people (mostly men). He writes that Moses was 'divinely inspired' by a powerful spiritual force, but 'the burning bush' on Mt. Horeb (Sinai) didn't hand the Torah over to him.
The 'dogma' taught in many religions is archaic, since these 'rules' go back many hundreds or thousands of years. Many of the ancient laws were specifically written for people of that time and the situation they were in. So, many of the laws of "Leviticus" were written for a new civilization wandering in the desert without a police force. If we were to read the Athenian Constitution, we'd also find many of the laws to be obsolete in our world.
Kabbalistic scholars would agree with you about the "Origins of Kabbalah" and it's man-made philosophy (see Gershom Scholem's book on this subject). Like many other world traditions, Kabbalah is an esoteric, wisdom teaching that has evolved throughout the ages.
Your feelings about trusting other people who say they know what "God wants for you" are understandable. People have been using such words since time immemorial to manipulate and influence others.
Please listen very carefully: No one can teach you 'what God wants for you' - only you can discover your own inner voice within your Neshamah or soul. Neshamah communicates with you on an intuitive level from within. This a timeless, universal teaching and it's found at the heart of Kabbalistic teachings.
There is a famous phrase - "no religion is higher than the truth". Plato says that all wisdom comes from within - and all we have to do is 'remember'. Your best bet is to stay away from anyone who is trying to convince you that they know 'what God wants for you'. The odds are - they want something from you, and unfortunately, many people have selfish (sometimes greedy) motives or an egotistical need to control others.
You'll know your own truth when you look within yourself. Sometimes, this requires taking a break in your life for some quiet time and reflection. Biblical characters go into the desert or to the top of a mountain to confront themselves and find peace of mind. This metaphor is about being by yourself, so you can look in the mirror and decide how you want to live your life.
You'll be amazed at how many answers you already have when the distractions of life are silenced. Similarly, the prophet Elijah goes into the desert to find God, but instead finds 'a still small voice'. This is the voice of your Neshamah which knows your own personal truth - and no one should tell you otherwise. All you have to do is listen to your "God-within" and the rest will take care of itself.
