Expert: Robert Waxman - 7/17/2009

Question
hi
so i was just wondering if you could briefly tell me what kabbalah is all about ive
looked it up but each site tells me something different!  

Answer
Angela,

Here is an article I wrote in 2005 which explains some of the basic concepts found in Kabbalah.

Beyond Madonna / Author: Bob Waxman  

When I began studying Kabbalah in 1985, very few people knew anything about Kabbalah. Now, thanks to Madonna, the word kabbalah has become a hot topic of conversation in the media, on the internet and at cocktail parties.

Along with this fabulous publicity, many people have asked, Is Kabbalah a cult?, Is it a religion? and, Is it only for Jewish people? So, the time has come to clarify what Kabbalah is, and what its not.

Kabbalah is not a cult. There are some Kabbalah organizations that have a cult-like atmosphere, but this is a common abuse of trust that develops in all faith-based movements.

Kabbalah is not a religion. Kabbalah is an ancient, universal, wisdom tradition thats existed since time immemorial.

Kabbalah is not just for Jewish people. All faiths and denominations are welcome to study and learn the beauty of Kabbalistic truths. The first proposition in Kabbalah includes unity, oneness and universal love. Kabbalah is truly for everyone!

Kabbalah holds the key to many mysteries of The Bible. For thousands of years it was known as The Oral Wisdom Tradition which was passed down from one generation to the next by word of mouth. Kabbalah offers answers to many of the most profound questions ever asked by the greatest minds that have ever lived:

1) How did the universe begin?

2) What is the purpose of life?

3) What happens after death? and;

4) Are we spiritual beings having a physical experience? Or are we physical beings having a spiritual experience?

These are just a few of the questions that Kabbalah can explain in detail. When Kabbalah is studied in universities, students are required to read classic books written by the great scholars. Three of these brilliant scholars include: Gershom Scholem, Aryeh Kaplan and Isaiah Tishby. These teachers/authors have made essential contributions to the study of Kabbalah. These intellectuals have made it possible to separate fact from fiction, so Kabbalah can be studied as a serious subject of inquiry.

To many people, Kabbalah seems to be a collection of wild fables, volumes of words and numbers, vague symbolism and inconsistent methods of decoding the secrets of The Bible. This is why its so important to study the teachings of the great scholars. These critically acclaimed writers spent their lives researching, translating and interpreting the true teachings of Kabbalah. Their explanations are factual, logical and solely based upon the original texts written by the most influential Kabalists throughout history.

Kabbalah is not a haphazard collection of facts. It is based on the fundamental natural laws of the universe, and the unfolding of these laws as they evolve outwardly. These teachings are derived from timeless, universal truths that lead to inner illumination.

Kabbalah is not taught as a speculation. It is a body of knowledge that can split into sections, and then understood as a whole. Some students may be confused after separating the teachings into various categories, but they will eventually understand the full meaning of Kabbalah, when these sections come together and form one unified philosophy.

A natural question for the student of Kabbalah to ask is: "What type of activities should be supported in this busy world of family, career and daily responsibilities?" The student of Kabbalah is a friend to all movements of pure intent. Students should select for themselves their favorite fields of activities and pursue them with passion and enthusiasm.

The true Kabalist is a philanthropist, an honest upright individual, and one who has a genuine feeling of love, compassion and respect for all humankind.