For many centuries, Kabbalah has been a “banned” topic. Examine this (partial) list of prerequisites you previously had to answer “yes” to in order to become a student: Jewish, male, married, over 40 years old, and proficient in other Jewish studies. So how come Kabbalah is being openly taught and studied everywhere? Because the ban has been lifted.
As Kabbalists Rav Yehuda Ashlag, the Vilna Gaon (GRA), and many other prominent Kabbalists have stated, the end of the 20th century marks a fundamental change in the history of Kabbalah. Now it is open for all.
As we will show inside the book, the bans were there for a reason. But it is for exactly the same reason that they have now been lifted. We, humanity in the twenty-first century, have become ready to see Kabbalah for what it really is—a scientific, time-tested, empirical method of achieving spirituality while living here in this world.
Studying Kabbalah is a fascinating journey. It changes your perspective on the world and the people around you, and opens parts in you that you never knew existed. It is a journey of discoveries happening within, affecting all of life’s levels: our relationships with our kin, friends, and co-workers. Kabbalah states very simply that when you know how to connect to the Creator directly, without any go-betweens, you will find your inner compass. And this is the goal of Kabbalah—to help you make, and sustain, direct contact with the Creator. And when you do, you will need no further guidance. So welcome to The Guide to Hidden Wisdom of Kabbalah.
What You’ll Find in This Book
The book is set up in three parts and a three part appendix. Here’s what you’ll find inside: Kabbalah is a science that describes the laws of the spiritual world. In Part 1, “Kabbalah Facts and Fallacies,” we’ll talk about the basic principles of Kabbalah and give you some background on how it began.
We’ll continue our spiritual journey in Part 2, “Before there Was Time,” which starts with Kabbalah’s cycle of reality, explaining how we were created, what we are doing here, and how and at which point we begin our ascent to the Upper World. We’ll discuss how the world was created, how Kabbalah explains what’s wrong with our world today, and what needs to be done to fix it.
In this part we will also talk about how you can become a Kabbalah student and how you can use the knowledge on a day-to-day basis to your benefit. We will explain how to tell the right teacher from the wrong one, how to use books and the Internet in Kabbalah studies, and even the role of music in your spiritual progress.
Kabbalah is directly related to the state of the world today. In Part 3, “Kabbalah Today,” we will explore Kabbalah’s perspective of the global crises and discuss ways to cure them. Finally, we’ll end with a brief tour of how Kabbalah will affect your future.
You’ll also find a helpful appendix to enhance your journey and point you in the right direction if you’d like to learn more. The appendix contains a glossary, list of additional resources, and some info about our organization.
Sidebars
We’ve included five kinds of sidebars strewn throughout the text for learning and for entertainment:
Tidbits
Did you know that few books about Kabbalah were written before 1980, and most were written after 2000? Check out these boxes for bits of neat stuff about Kabbalah.
Spiritual Sparks
Inspiring quotes and selected poems from great Kabbalists reflecting the chapter’s topic of discussion.
Off Course
These boxes clear up misconceptions and tip you on what to avoid as you study Kabbalah.
Kabbalearn
Definitions of Kabbalah terms you may not be familiar with.
On Course
Useful tips for putting the points in the text into practice.