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| ashlag kabbalah: The Master of the Ladder Rabbi Avraham Gottlieb, 2020-04-15 This book, which describes the lives of Rabbi Ashlag and his students, is not about personages who lived in some remote period with whom we have no connection. It is a book about living people, some of whom I had the privilege of knowing personally.--Preface |
| ashlag kabbalah: The Kabbalist Semion Vinokur, 2012-01-01 At the dawn of the deadliest era in human history, the 20th century, a mysterious man appeared on the socio-political scene carrying a stern warning for humanity and an unlikely solution to its suffering. In his writings, Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag described in clarity and great detail the wars and upheavals he foresaw, and even more strikingly, the current economic, political, and social crises we are facing today. His deep yearning for a united humanity has driven him to unlock The Book of Zohar and make it--and the unique force contained therein--accessible to all. The Kabbalist is a cinematic novel that will turn on its head everything you thought you knew about Kabbalah, spirituality, freedom of will, and our perception of reality. It is the first book of its kind to try to convey the inner workings and sensations of a Kabbalist who reached the highest level of attainment, a person who is in direct contact with the singular force governing all of reality. The Kabbalist carries a surprising message of unity with scientific clarity and poetic depth. It transcends religion, nationality, mysticism, and the sheer fabric of space and time to show us that the only miracle is the one taking place within, when we begin to act in harmony with Nature and with the entire humanity. It shows us that we can all be Kabbalists. |
| ashlag kabbalah: An Entrance to the Tree of Life Yehudah Ashlag, 1977 Kabbalist Rav Ashlag, the eminent 20th century Kabbalist, offers clea, and penetrating insights into the secrets of the Tree of Life. For those who wish to understand the essence of our being and explore the unknown, this is a most rewarding book. |
| ashlag kabbalah: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Kabbalah Collin Canright, Rav Michael Laitman Ph.D., 2007-06-05 What the Kabbalah can do for you. According to the authors of this comprehensive guide, the Kabbalah that Madonna popularized is far from authentic. In fact, the Kabbalah is much bigger—and better. Here, readers will discover how it can deliver money, love, health, and many other things. - An international authority on authentic Kabbalah was a consultant for this book. - Blends religion/spirituality with New Age mysticism. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Awakening to Kabbalah Michael Laitman, 2006-01-01 An awe-filled introduction to an ancient wisdom tradition. Provides you with a deeper understanding of the fundamental teachings of Kaballah, and how you can use this wisdom the clarify your relationship with others and the world around you. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Rabash Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag, 2011-01-01 Rav Baruch Shalom HaLevi Ashlag (Rabash) changed the course of studying Kabbalah by integrating the concept of unity in our world to reach spiritual attainment. Rabash's father and teacher was the great Kabbalist, Rav Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag, (known as Baal HaSulam) who wrote commentary on The Book of Zohar. While Baal HaSulam gave us insight on the spiritual worlds, it was Rabash who articulated the human essence of Kabbalah for our generation. Rabash gave us the practical advice on how to realise spirituality by simply forming study groups and using unity and love as our tools for attaining spirituality in in our time. The writings in this book aren't just for reading, the reader can utilise the book as a guide in his everyday life and within his study group. By following the advice Rabash gives us in the book, the student will discover new insights in his studies. Rabash shows how to utilise the Wisdom of Kabbalah to find true spirituality in our life. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Kabbalah and Modernity Boʿaz Hus, Marco Pasi, Kocku Von Stuckrad, 2010 This volume brings together leading representatives of the recent debate about the persistence of kabbalah in the modern world. It breaks new ground for a better understanding of the role of kabbalah in modern religious, intellectual, and political discourse. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Introduction to the Wisdom of Kabbalah Oren Levi, 2022-08-01 Introduction to the Wisdom of Kabbalah is an introductory course in Kabbalah’s fundamentals. The book introduces Kabbalah beginners to every area of the wisdom, including what it is, Kabbalistic language, perception of reality, freedom of choice, the structure of the spiritual worlds, the soul of Adam HaRishon, the ten Sefirot, the influence of the environment, and more. Considering the special nature of the study of the wisdom of Kabbalah, the purpose of Introduction to Kabbalah is not only to provide the required knowledge of Kabbalah’s fundamentals in order to correctly embark on its study, but also tools for implementing the Kabbalistic method in practice. |
| ashlag kabbalah: A Guide to the Hidden Wisdom of Kabbalah Michael Laitman, 2009-01-01 In a time of crisis, we need a guide to help us calm and stabilize our lives. This is why Kabbalah is being revealed to millions today. Kabbalah is a tool for bettering life, and A Guide to the Hidden Wisdom of Kabbalah teaches how we can use this tool. In a graceful, easygoing style, you'll learn the basics of Kabbalah, and receive much needed suggestions for employing this age-old science to your daily life. |
| ashlag kabbalah: In the Shadow of the Ladder Yehudah Ashlag, 2002 This authentic translation into English of two Kabbalah texts written in Hebrew asks deeply personal questions about the essence of an individual and the existence of a soul. Discussing the experience of an individual and the role of humans in creation, it offers an understanding of the places of evil, suffering, compassion, and joy in the full experience of divine love. The Kabbalah is presented here not as an esoteric study limited to the divinely inspired, but as a universal pathway of the spirit. Coming from the West rather than the East, this book fills a long-awaited gap as it teaches an essential spirituality within the conceptual framework of the Judeo-Christian tradition. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Kabbalah for Beginners Michael Laitman, 2004-01-01 The Kabbalist Rabbi Laitman, who was the student and personal assistant to Rabbi Baruch Ashlag from 1979-1991, follows in the footsteps of his rabbi in passing on the wisdom of Kabbalah to the world. This book is based on sources that were passed down by Rabbi Baruch's father, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), the author of 'the Sulam', the commentaries on The Book of Zohar, who continued the ways of the Ari and Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and many great Kabbalists throughout the generations before them. The goal of this book is to assist individuals in confronting the first stages of the spiritual realm. This unique method of study, which encourages sharing this wisdom with others, not only helps overcome the trials and tribulations of everyday life, but initiates a process in which individuals extend themselves beyond the standard limitations of today's world. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Kabbalah as Literature Gilad Elbom, 2024-09-10 A perpetually creative platform, kabbalistic literature challenges plain, predictable, or privileged interpretations of biblical narratives, reimagining and reinventing familiar characters, episodes, and images. Eve, Esther, and Judith, for example, embody the female aspect of the kabbalistic divinity, as do several nameless women whose roles the Kabbalah augments and celebrates, often in daring and surprising ways. What allows the Kabbalah to revolutionize hermeneutical practices is its capacity to explore a wide variety of styles and genres: drama, poetry, the fairy tale, the picaresque novel, the personal diary, the dream journal, surrealist fiction, magical realism, philosophical investigations, modernist modes of expression, and other storytelling strategies. This book traces the development of kabbalistic literature, from the late Middle Ages to the twenty-first century, while applying kabbalistic methods and sensibilities to the parables of Jesus, the epistles of Paul, and other related texts. Despite its literary and theological sophistication, the Kabbalah rarely promotes its unique version of the human-divine story as a definitive account or an authorized version. Refraining from favoring one meaning at the expense of others, the Kabbalah offers a truly diverse and highly capacious program that serves as a potential antidote to the current division of human experience into proverbial echo chambers. |
| ashlag kabbalah: And You Shall Choose Life Rav Yehuda Ashlag, 2011 Preceding the time these essays were written in 1933-34, Kabbalah was considered taboo. But Rav Ashlag, the founder of The Kabbalah Centre, was a visionary pioneer. He stood in the face of opposition and made it his mission to plead the case of studying this wisdom. In advance of World War II, he foresaw that darkness would fall upon the world. He believed that learning Kabbalah was the only way for people to reveal Light and that gathering people together in study and writing kabbalistic text would generate enough Light to transform darkness. Like a revolutionary, Rav Ashlag fought for people to unlock their consciousness. He dedicated himself to decoding the concealed messages within the Bible. Edited by Michael Berg, the goal of this essay was to implore the study of Kabbalah. It was Ashlag’s belief that this would enable people to find their true purpose and subsequently enjoy a life of fulfillment. As people were swept up in pain and suffering, Ashlag tried to explain that despite outer events, the Creator is good. “Choosing life means challenging the sleepy way most people live. It means forming a connection to God, removing ego and pursuing the spiritual path of Kabbalah. |
| ashlag kabbalah: The Writings of Baal HaSulam – Volume One Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag, 2019-05-02 For the first time, we are seeing the publication of the essential writings of the greatest Kabbalist of the 20th century, Rav Yehuda Leib HaLevi Ashlag (1885-1954), also known as Baal HaSulam [author of the Sulam (Ladder commentary on The Zohar)]. The Writings of Baal HaSulam contains all the texts required for any person interested in learning the wisdom of Kabbalah. The book contains all of Baal HaSulam’s introductions and forewords, all his essays, letters, the articles contained in the book Shamati [I Heard], the book Beit Shaar HaKavanot [Gatehouse of Intentions]: Commentaries on the writings of the ARI, and The Writings of the Last Generation, in which Baal HaSulam analyzes political regimes and presents a model for the construction of the future society. In addition to the learning material, we included poems that Baal HaSulam wrote. Delving into the authentic writings of Baal HaSulam will help those who do so on their spiritual advancement and search for life’s meaning, and will help advance all of humanity to a new and better world. |
| ashlag kabbalah: The Path of Kabbalah Michael Laitman, Rav Michael Laitman, 2005-01-01 Kabbalists state that there is no reality at all, but something called His Essence, the Upper Force, and this is what we perceive as our world. As uncanny as it sounds, this notion hides in its wings the very prospect of freedom, for every person, for every nation, and for the entire world. The structure and the perception of reality are the surface of this book. But the story of humanity, or more accurately, of the human soul, is the undercurrent that drives the reader forward in this book. It is about you, about me, about all of us. This book is about the way we were, the way we are, the way we will be, and most importantly, it is about the best way to get there. In this neatly structured composition, every part speaks of a different aspect of Kabbalah. It starts with our perception of reality, our perception of the Creator, and the evolution of our soul in the spiritual worlds (including explanatory drawings). The book also clears up misconceptions about Kabbalah and explains, in plain words, how to experience the spiritual realm of our lives. |
| ashlag kabbalah: A Kabbalist in Montreal Ira Robinson, 2021-02-23 This book illuminates important issues faced by Orthodox Judaism in the modern era by relating the life and times of Rabbi Yudel Rosenberg (1859–1935). In presenting Yudel Rosenberg’s rabbinic activities, this book aims to show that Jewish Orthodoxy could serve as an agent of modernity no less than its opponents. Yudel Rosenberg’s considerable literary output will demonstrate that the line between “secular” and “traditional” literature was not always sharp and distinct. Rabbi Rosenberg’s kabbalistic works will shed light on the revival of kabbala study in the twentieth century. Yudel Rosenberg’s career in Canada will serve as a counter-example to the often-expressed idea that Hasidism exercised no significant influence on the development of American Judaism at the turn of the twentieth century. |
| ashlag kabbalah: A Very Narrow Bridge Michael Laitman, 2019-04-10 Hardly anyone remains impartial upon hearing the words “the wisdom of Kabbalah.” One may mock it as esoteric nonsense, another might speak its praises and tell stories of formidable, enigmatic people who can set fire to people or turn them into a heap of bones with their very gaze, while yet another might mention secret, shady societies. The authentic wisdom of Kabbalah had been concealed for two millennia. Over the centuries, so many myths, misunderstandings, and misinterpretations of it have been formed that today face and palm reading, astrology, numerology, and countless other practices claim to be related to Kabbalah. Yet, the authentic wisdom of Kabbalah is not related to any of them. In fact, it is a scientific, empirical method for achieving lasting happiness through social unity. It had been fashioned and practiced by the ancient Hebrews before they were exiled from Jerusalem 2,000 years ago, and now it is reemerging precisely because social unity is the only solution to our problems—be they personal, national, or global. A Very Narrow Bridge traces the roots of Kabbalah, Judaism, and the Jewish people, how they formed and for what purpose. It is a chronicle of the struggle of kabbalists to preserve the wisdom and pass it down through the ages until today, when it has become critical to humanity to reveal the truth about the people of Israel and the wisdom of Kabbalah. This book speaks of love, hate, and total dedication to the goal of saving the human race. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Handbook of Religion and the Authority of Science James R. Lewis, Olav Hammer, 2010-11-19 The present collection examines the many different ways in which religions appeal to the authority of science. The result is a wide-ranging and uniquely compelling study of how religions adapt their message to the challenges of the contemporary world. |
| ashlag kabbalah: From Yoga to Kabbalah Véronique Altglas, 2014 This book aims to provide an understanding of religious exoticism, and of the ways in which certain foreign religious practices and beliefs are disseminated and appropriated through contemporary practices of bricolage. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Ethics, Exegesis and Philosophy Richard A. Cohen, 2001-07-02 The reputation and influence of Emmanuel Levinas (1906–96) has grown powerfully. Well known in France in his lifetime, he has since his death become widely regarded as a major European moral philosopher profoundly shaped by his Jewish background. A pupil of Husserl and Heidegger, Levinas pioneered new forms of exegesis with his post-modern readings of the Talmud, and as an ethicist brought together religious and non-religious, Jewish and non-Jewish traditions of contemporary thought. Richard A. Cohen has written a book which uses Levinas' work as its base but goes on to explore broader questions of interpretation in the context of text-based ethical thinking. Levinas' reorientation of philosophy is considered in critical contrast to alternative contemporary approaches such as those found in modern science, psychology, Nietzsche, Freud, Husserl, Heidegger, Sartre, Merleau-Ponty, Derrida and Ricoeur. Cohen explores a manner of philosophizing which he terms 'ethical exegesis'. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Jewish Studies Kalman Dubov, 2021-11-18 Jewish mysticism is quite popular by way of books, lectures, and classes to teach this esoteric subject. The student suddenly confronts a world with a unique language and great masters who use obscure language so that the concepts are confusing amidst the different schools of Kabalistic thought and traditions. Prior to 1700, all such teaching was done from master to student, with intentional obscurities so that the student today faces many challenges in comprehending this discipline. This review, quoting from original sources, is designed to provide a basic and foundational structure from which the student can appreciate both the 'why' of Kabbalism and the 'how' they got there. The premise is that God created our physical universe for a reason, and the revelations on Mount Sinai was deliberate. The Kabbalist understood the hidden from the apparent so that open texts was suddenly imbued with meaning never apparent from the text itself. The book review the major contributors to Kabbalah while reviewing the mystic concepts they contributed. Different schools of thought emerged over time so that different modalities of Kabbalah are present today. These reviews are based on Theoretical Kabbalah, so that intention (Kavanah) during prayer and even during mundane acts throughout the day are imbued with Kabbalistic intention. The book does not review Practical Kabbalah, where incantations, amulets, and similar acts are done to enhance positive energy. I do include the vignette of Rabbi Abraham Abulafia, a major proponent of this form of Kabbalah. In 1760, following the leadership and death of the Baal Shem Tov, the teaching of Kabbalah was opened to the lay public, setting aside the hidden curtain existing previously. Why the sudden change after thousands of years when this discipline was clandestine and not revealed openly? The answer lies with a mystic experience the Baal Shem Tov had with the Messiah who charged him with such open teaching before he would arrive. That charge is the central pivot upon which these teachings turn. The book's sections are divided into separate reviews to enable the student to review them more easily. The first section is on concepts; the second on personalities and the challenges they faced in their lives. It is common for great leaders not to dwell on their challenges in life, so it is especially important for posterity to be aware that their lives were often beset by great difficulties. Two vignettes review persons who were killed because of their beliefs. One was Rabbi Shlomo Molcho, a man who challenged both the reigning pope and secular emperor to accept their proper roles in life. In doing so, he was arrested and burned to death for his beliefs. When offered clemency if he reverted to the Christian faith, he refused, dying a martyr’s death. The other person who died in this horrific manner was a child of twelve years. Ines Esteban, whose family became conversos in Spain’s remote Extremadura. Hailed as a prophetess by the region’s conversos, she was arrested by the Inquisition, tortured and was burned at the stake in August 1500. The story of her leadership in the face of relentless religious persecution and her resolute refusal to become a Christian penitent is remarkable given her youth, her leadership and her individual role – she had no other to support her in this terrible time. She stood alone, without mentor or fellow mystic, though her father and stepmother fully supported her. I find it fitting and proper to dedicate this book to this remarkable young woman. Other Kabbalists through the ages also experienced great personal trials in life. Their collective leadership provides much detail to ponder their roles and teachings. It is hoped the student will have much opportunity to reflect on when studying this subject. |
| ashlag kabbalah: The Kingdom of the Occult Walter Martin, Jill Martin Rische, Van Gorden Kurt, Kevin Rische, 2008-10-21 The timely follow up to Dr. Martin's The Kingdom of the Cults, takes his comprehensive knowledge and dynamic teaching style and forges a strong weapon against the world of the Occult. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Sanctified Sex Noam Sachs Zion, 2021-08 Sanctified Sex draws on two thousand years of rabbinic debates addressing competing aspirations for loving intimacy, passionate sexual union, and sanctity in marriage. What can Judaism contribute to our struggles to nurture love relationships? What halakhic precedents are relevant, and how are rulings changing? The rabbis, of course, seldom agree. Underlying their arguments are perennial debates: What kind of marital sex qualifies as ideal—sacred self-control of sexual desire or the holiness found in emotional and erotic intimacy? Is intercourse degrading in its physicality or the highest act of spiritual/mystical union? And should women or men (or both) wield ultimate say about what transpires in bed? Noam Sachs Zion guides us chronologically and steadily through fraught terrain: seminal biblical texts and their Talmudic interpretations; Talmud tales of three unusual rabbis and their marital bedrooms; medieval codifiers and mystical commentators; ultra-Orthodox rabbis clashing with one another over radically divergent ideals; and, finally, contemporary rabbis of varied denominations wrestling with modern transformations in erotic lifestyles and values. Invited into these sanctified and often sexually explicit discussions with our ancestors and contemporaries, we encounter innovative Jewish teachings on marital intimacy, ardent lovemaking techniques, and the art of couple communication vital for matrimonial success. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Reel Kabbalah Brian Ogren, 2024-09-13 Reel Kabbalah: Jewish Mysticism and Neo-Hasidism in Contemporary Cinema studies the ways in which fictional film in the first decade of the twenty-first century represents the esoteric Jewish speculative traditions known as Kabbalah and Hasidism. It examines the textual and conceptual traditions behind five important cinematic representations -- Pi (1998), Ushpizin (2004), Bee Season (2005), The Secrets (2007), and A Serious Man (2009) -- and it considers how film both stands in continuity with those traditions and modifies them in the New Age vein of what is known as neo-Kabbalah and neo-Hasidism. Brian Ogren transforms our understanding of reception history by focusing on how cinema has altered perceptions of Jewish mysticism. In showing how the Jewish speculative traditions of Kabbalah and Hasidism have been able to affect mass-consumed cinematic portrayals of ultimate Truth, this book sheds light on the New Age, pop-cultural dialectic of the particular within the universal and of the universal within the particular. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Chosen Will Become Herds Jonathan Garb, 2009-08-25 A noted expert on Kabbalah, Jonathan Garb places the 'kabbalistic Renaissance' within the global context of the rise of other forms of spirituality, including Sufism and Tibetan Buddhism. |
| ashlag kabbalah: The Kabbalah Experience Michael Laitman, 2005-01-01 The Kabbalah Experience is one of the most fascinating books ever published in Kabbalah. It is a journey in time from the past to the future, in situations we might all experience at some point. Anyone who wants to learn how to make the most of every moment in his or her life, anyone who wishes to find a happy, fulfilling life, will find the answers in this book. Since the days of The Zohar and the Tree of Life, the language of Kabbalah has never been as clear as it is in this moving piece. It is worthwhile contemplating the answers in the text, experiencing them in the simplest meaning of the word. Any student of Kabbalah, novice or advanced, will find this book to be a wonderful companion and a great reference for a fountain of genuine knowledge. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Kabbalah, Science and the Meaning of Life Michael Laitman, 2006-01-01 Science explains the mechanisms that sustain life; Kabbalah explains why life exists. In Kabbalah, Science and the Meaning of Life, Rav Michael Laitman, PhD, a kabbalist and a scientist, combines science and spirituality in a captivating dialogue that reveals lifes meaning. For thousands of years kabbalists have been writing that the world is made of a single entity divided into separate beings. Today the cutting edge science of quantum physics states a very similar idea: that at the most fundamental level of matter, we are all literally one. Science proves that reality is affected by the observer who examines it. And so does Kabbalah. But Kabbalah says more: even the Creator of reality is found within the observer. In other words, God is inside of us, he doesnt exist anywhere else. When we pass away so does he. These earthshaking concepts and more are eloquently introduced so that even readers uneducated in Kabbalah or science will easily understand them. Therefore, if youre just a little curious about why you are here, what life means, and what you can do to enjoy it more, this is your book. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Kabbalah and the Spiritual Quest Jody Myers, 2007-08-30 Dressing entirely in white is normal practice on a five-block stretch of Robertson Boulevard in West Los Angeles. Western men and women, garbed in white from their turbans to their Keds, traverse the busy streets surrounding the Sikh Temple. Further north, you have to wait until Friday afternoon to see white-clad young men in yarmulkes gathering outside the Kabbalah Learning Centre greeting each other with hugs, the spaces around them filled with women and children wearing multi-colored garments. Beyond this city street, one hears of the popularity of Kabbalah in the tabloids, as celebrities such as Madonna claim Kabbalah as their new religion. How have the obscure and offensive ideas of medieval Jewish mysticism, expressed in doctrines like the demonic power of women's menstrual blood or the soulless bodies of Gentiles, been made palatable for so many from all stripes of life? With KLCs in cities such as Boca Raton, New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Miami, Philadelphia, San Diego, Houston, and Las Vegas, the reach of this mystical tradition can be said to be nationwide. But how did its beliefs and practices become as fashionable as they are now? What do the KLCs teach so that adherents stay on? Is it a cult, a religion, or simply a system of universal wisdom as its leaders purport? Determined to uncover the secrets of this esoteric faith, the author embarked upon three 10-week Kabbalah classes among other learning opportunities, examined Kabbalah publications from the 1970s to the present, listened to KLC audio tapes, and interacted with adherents. This book presents her experiences and findings, and offers an overview of the history of the Kabbalah in this country, its beliefs and practices, its positions on health and healing of both the self and the world, its structure and outreach, and its views of men and women. She traces the origins of Kabbalah, offers a glimpse into its world, its relationships to Judaism, its place in American society, and its future. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Kabbalistic Circles in Jerusalem (1896-1948) Jonatan Meir, 2016-08-09 This book endeavors to fill a lacuna in the literature on early twentieth-century kabbalah, namely the lack of a comprehensive account of the traditional kabbalah seminaries (Yeshivot) in Jerusalem from 1896 to 1948 as well as the various manifestations of kabbalah within traditional Jewish society. The foundations that were laid in the early twentieth century also paved the way for the contemporary blossoming of kabbalah in many and manifold circles. In this sense, retracing the pertinent developments in Palestine at the outset of the twentieth century is imperative not only for repairing the distorted picture of the past, but for understanding the ongoing surge in kabbalah study. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Judaism and Islam Stephen Hunt, 2017-03-02 This volume on Judaism and Islam in The Library of Essays on Sexuality and Religion series overviews perceptions of human sexuality through two major monotheistic faiths, namely Judaism and Islam. Part 1 presents previously published articles on Judaism and sexuality from a historical perspective, in particular, through the writings of the Tanakh and traditional Judaic attitudes. Part 2 focuses more cogently on contemporary themes including both the contestation and defence of conventional Jewish standpoints on sexuality via orthodox and liberal renderings of the faith. Part 3 includes articles examining Islamic views of sexuality from a historical perspective. Here there is a special focus on the faith's construction of sexual categories, as well as the relationship between sexuality, gender and patriarchy. Part 4 takes a cross-cultural and global perspective of the subject with a particular emphasis on the connection between sexuality and moral regulation, besides scrutinising varying and contrasting cultural attitudes in Islamic communities today. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Bloomsbury Handbook of Religious Ecstasy Alison Marshall, Rubina Ramji, Michael Wilkinson, 2025-03-20 Why do people seek a connection to something beyond the social dimensions of the world? Ecstatic experiences are often labelled religious, spiritual, mystical or even sacred. However, ecstasy is not just extraordinary; for many people throughout the world it is an ordinary part of daily life. The Handbook highlights the diverse individuals who have experienced ecstasy in the past and present from ordinary people to mystics, pastors, healers, spirit mediums and urban/neo/therapeutic shamans. Chapters show that ecstasy may be experienced during trance, possession, prayer, and even through the use of drugs, such as soma, peyote, ayahuasca, ibogaine, mushrooms, LSD, and other substances. While institutional expressions of religion may be on the decline, experiences of religious ecstasy and interactions among living people and gods, saints, angels, and demons individually and collectively, are happening everywhere - occurring at home, online, in the community, and through prayer, dance, song, possession, and the ingestion of drugs. Ecstatic religious experience, as this handbook shows, provides meaning, belonging, and, for some, profit in the late capitalist marketplace. |
| ashlag kabbalah: New Trends in the Study of Haredi Culture and Society David N. Myers, Nechumi Malovicki-Yaffe, 2024-12-15 Who are Haredim? And why are they the source of both increasing attention and continuing misunderstanding? New Trends in the Study of Haredi Culture and Society draws on the innovative research of leading scholars from a variety of disciplines—including history, religious studies, demography, linguistics, and geography—to trace the growing prominence of Haredi (often called ultra-Orthodox) Jews in Jewish life. Haredi Jews are committed to preserving a measure of segregation from the rest of society consistent with the guiding principles of their forebears; yet increasingly, they are appearing more visibly and assertively in public spaces. Demographic analysis suggests that they will constitute a much larger share—nearly one-quarter—of the world Jewish population over the next twenty years. By examining the evolution of political, cultural, and social trends in Haredi communities across the globe, this interdisciplinary and transnational volume sheds important light both on Haredi communities and on the societies of which they are part. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Rabbis of our Time Marek Čejka, Roman Kořan, 2015-10-16 The term ‘rabbi’ predominantly denotes Jewish men qualified to interpret the Torah and apply halacha, or those entrusted with the religious leadership of a Jewish community. However, the role of the rabbi has been understood differently across the Jewish world. While in Israel they control legally powerful rabbinical courts and major religious political parties, in the Jewish communities of the Diaspora this role is often limited by legal regulations of individual countries. However, the significance of past and present rabbis and their religious and political influence endures across the world. Rabbis of Our Time provides a comprehensive overview of the most influential rabbinical authorities of Judaism in the 20th and 21st Century. Through focussing on the most theologically influential rabbis of the contemporary era and examining their political impact, it opens a broader discussion of the relationship between Judaism and politics. It looks at the various centres of current Judaism and Jewish thinking, especially the State of Israel and the USA, as well as locating rabbis in various time periods. Through interviews and extracts from religious texts and books authored by rabbis, readers will discover more about a range of rabbis, from those before the formation of Israel to the most famous Chief Rabbis of Israel, as well as those who did not reach the highest state religious functions, but influenced the relation between Judaism and Israel by other means. The rabbis selected represent all major contemporary streams of Judaism, from ultra-Orthodox/Haredi to Reform and Liberal currents, and together create a broader picture of the scope of contemporary Jewish thinking in a theological and political context. An extensive and detailed source of information on the varieties of Jewish thinking influencing contemporary Judaism and the modern State of Israel, this book is of interest to students and scholars of Jewish Studies, as well as Religion and Politics. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Encyclopedia of Jewish Folklore and Traditions Raphael Patai, 2015-03-26 This multicultural reference work on Jewish folklore, legends, customs, and other elements of folklife is the first of its kind. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Kabbalah for Beginners Michael Laitman, 2007-01-01 A book for everyone who is seeking answers to life's essential questions. We all have problems; we want to know why we are here, why there is pain and how we can make life more enjoyable. The four parts of this book tell us exactly how the wisdom of Kabbalah came about, who discovered and developed it, and what they discovered. Afterwards, the book tells us about the world we live in and finally, it explains how we can make our lives better for ourselves and for our children. Part One discusses the discovery of the wisdom of Kabbalah, and how it was developed, and finally concealed until our time. Part Two introduces the gist of the wisdom of Kabbalah, using 10 easy drawings to help us understand the structure of the spiritual worlds, and how they relate to our world. These drawings are accompanied by explanatory texts that make understanding Kabbalah very easy. Part Three reveals Kabbalistic concepts that are largely unknown to the public. For example: the Creator exists nowhere but within us; our senses reveal what they sense, not what is really out there; and reality is nothing but a reflection of our perception, and hence changes when we change. Part Four elaborates on practical means you and I can take in order to make our lives here better and more enjoyable for us and for our children. It explains how we can implement Kabbalistic principles such as freedom of choice and the power of society, and thus become more whole and fulfilled individuals. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Zimzum Christoph Schulte, 2023-09-12 The Hebrew word zimzum originally means “contraction,” “withdrawal,” “retreat,” “limitation,” and “concentration.” In Kabbalah, zimzum is a term for God’s self-limitation, done before creating the world to create the world. Jewish mystic Isaac Luria coined this term in Galilee in the sixteenth century, positing that the God who was “Ein-Sof,” unlimited and omnipresent before creation, must concentrate himself in the zimzum and withdraw in order to make room for the creation of the world in God’s own center. At the same time, God also limits his infinite omnipotence to allow the finite world to arise. Without the zimzum there is no creation, making zimzum one of the basic concepts of Judaism. The Lurianic doctrine of the zimzum has been considered an intellectual showpiece of the Kabbalah and of Jewish philosophy. The teaching of the zimzum has appeared in the Kabbalistic literature across Central and Eastern Europe, perhaps most famously in Hasidic literature up to the present day and in philosopher and historian Gershom Scholem’s epoch-making research on Jewish mysticism. The Zimzum has fascinated Jewish and Christian theologians, philosophers, and writers like no other Kabbalistic teaching. This can be seen across the philosophy and cultural history of the twentieth century as it gained prominence among such diverse authors and artists as Franz Rosenzweig, Hans Jonas, Isaac Bashevis Singer, Harold Bloom, Barnett Newman, and Anselm Kiefer. This book follows the traces of the zimzum across the Jewish and Christian intellectual history of Europe and North America over more than four centuries, where Judaism and Christianity, theosophy and philosophy, divine and human, mysticism and literature, Kabbalah and the arts encounter, mix, and cross-fertilize the interpretations and appropriations of this doctrine of God’s self-entanglement and limitation. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel Shai Feraro, James R. Lewis, 2016-11-09 This volume is the first English-language anthology to engage with the fascinating phenomena of recent surges in New Age and alternative spiritualties in Israel. Contributors investigate how these New Age religions and other spiritualties—produced in Western countries within predominantly Protestant or secular cultures–transform and adapt themselves in Israel. The volume focuses on a variety of groups and movements, such as Theosophy and Anthroposophy, Neopaganism, Channeling, Women’s Yoga, the New Age festival scene, and even Pentecostal churches among African labor migrants living in Tel Aviv. Chapters also explore more Jewish-oriented practices such as Neo-Kabballah, Neo-Hassidism, and alternative marriage ceremonies, as well as the use of spiritual care providers in Israeli hospitals. In addition, contributors take a close look at the state’s reaction to the recent activities and growth of new religious movements. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Hasidism David Biale, David Assaf, Benjamin Brown, Uriel Gellman, Samuel Heilman, Moshe Rosman, Gadi Sagiv, Marcin Wodziński, 2020-04-14 A must-read book for understanding this vibrant and influential modern Jewish movement Hasidism originated in southeastern Poland, in mystical circles centered on the figure of Israel Ba’al Shem Tov, but it was only after his death in 1760 that a movement began to spread. Today, Hasidism is witnessing a remarkable renaissance around the world. This book provides the first comprehensive history of the pietistic movement that shaped modern Judaism. Written by an international team of scholars, its unique blend of intellectual, religious, and social history demonstrates that, far from being a throwback to the Middle Ages, Hasidism is a product of modernity that forged its identity as a radical alternative to the secular world. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Shamati (I Heard) Yehudah Ashlag, 2009-01-01 Rav Michael Laitman's words on Shamati (as appeared in Attaining the Worlds Beyond): Among all the texts and notes that were used by my teacher, Rabbi Baruch Shalom Halevi Ashlag (the Rabash), there was one, special notebook he always carried. This notebook contained transcripts of his conversations with his father, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Halevi Ashlag (Baal HaSulam), author of the Sulam (Ladder) commentary on The Book of Zohar, The Study of the Ten Sefirot (a commentary on the texts of the Kabbalist, Ari), and many other works on Kabbalah. Not feeling well on the Jewish New Year in September 1991, the Rabash summoned me to his bedside and handed me the notebook, whose cover contained only one word - Shamati (I Heard). As he handed me the notebook, he said, 'Take it and learn from it'. The following morning, my teacher perished in my arms, leaving me and many of his disciples without guidance in this world. Committed to Rabash's legacy to disseminate the wisdom of Kabbalah, Michael Laitman published the notebook just as it was written, thus retaining the text's transforming powers. Among all the books of Kabbalah, Shamati is a unique and compelling composition. |
| ashlag kabbalah: Controversial New Religions James R. Lewis, Jesper Aa. Petersen, 2014-07-16 In terms of public opinion, new religious movements are considered controversial for a variety of reasons. Their social organization often runs counter to popular expectations by experimenting with communal living, alternative leadership roles, unusual economic dispositions, and new political and ethical values. As a result the general public views new religions with a mixture of curiosity, amusement, and anxiety, sustained by lavish media emphasis on oddness and tragedy rather than familiarity and lived experience. This updated and revised second edition of Controversial New Religions offers a scholarly, dispassionate look at those groups that have generated the most attention, including some very well-known classical groups like The Family, Unification Church, Scientology, and Jim Jones's People's Temple; some relative newcomers such as the Kabbalah Centre, the Order of the Solar Temple, Branch Davidians, Heaven's Gate, and the Falun Gong; and some interesting cases like contemporary Satanism, the Raelians, Black nationalism, and various Pagan groups. Each essay combines an overview of the history and beliefs of each organization or movement with original and insightful analysis. By presenting decades of scholarly work on new religious movements written in an accessible form by established scholars as well as younger experts in the field, this book will be an invaluable resource for all those who seek a view of new religions that is deeper than what can be found in sensationalistic media stories. |
Yehuda Ashlag - Wikipedia
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (1885–1954) or Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag (Hebrew: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לֵיבּ הַלֵּוִי אַשְׁלַג), also known as the Baal Ha-Sulam (Hebrew: בַּעַל הַסּוּלָם , "Author of The Ladder") in …
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag - My Jewish Learning
Born in Poland in 1885 to an Orthodox family, Yehuda Ashlag quickly established himself as a Talmud scholar and rabbinical jurist. His deepest commitment, however, was to kabbalah, the …
Yehuda Ashlag, the Socialist Kabbalist | by Matthew Gindin
Jun 6, 2016 · Among the few who know of Rav Yehuda Ashlag (1885–1954), his name is associated with esoteric Jewish thought or with the pop Kabbalah movements led by his …
Yehuda Ashlag - the Open Siddur Project פְּרוֺיֶקְט ...
Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag (1885–1954, Hebrew: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לֵיבּ הַלֵּוִי אַשְׁלַג), also known as the Baal Ha-Sulam (Hebrew: בַּעַל הַסּוּלָם, "Author of the Ladder") in reference to his magnum …
Rav Yehuda Ashlag - Kabbalah Centre
Rav Ashlag was the one man who truly understood - and helped advance - the transformations of the 20th Century. Rav Ashlag broke with the 4,000-year-old tradition that had locked …
Yehuda Ashlag | Texts & Source Sheets from Torah, Talmud and
Jewish texts and source sheets about Yehuda Ashlag from Torah, Talmud and other sources in Sefaria's library. Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, also known as the Ba’al HaSulam, was a rabbi and …
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : …
Nov 20, 2023 · Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (1885–1954) or Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag (Hebrew: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לֵיבּ הַלֵּוִי אַשְׁלַג), also known as the Baal Ha-Sulam (Hebrew: בַּעַל הַסּוּלָם , "Author of The …
Ashlag, Yehudah - Encyclopedia.com
ASHLAG, YEHUDAH (1886–1954), Israeli kabbalist and rabbi. Ashlag, the most important 20 th century kabbalist, who was born in Warsaw, was educated in ḥasidic schools. He was a …
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag - BJE
Ashlag was anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist, though he also opposed communism instituted by force. Ashlag tried to convince Ben-Gurion to adopt socialism in Israel. Ashlag saw himself as …
Rav Yehuda Ashlag | Evolving Judaism
Rav Yehuda Ashlag: (1885—1954) “Yehuda Ashlag or Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag was also known as Baal Ha-Sulam. He was an Orthodox rabbi and Kabbalist. Ashlag’s lasting …
Yehuda Ashlag - Wikipedia
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (1885–1954) or Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag (Hebrew: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לֵיבּ הַלֵּוִי אַשְׁלַג), also known as the Baal Ha-Sulam (Hebrew: בַּעַל הַסּוּלָם , "Author of The Ladder") in …
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag - My Jewish Learning
Born in Poland in 1885 to an Orthodox family, Yehuda Ashlag quickly established himself as a Talmud scholar and rabbinical jurist. His deepest commitment, however, was to kabbalah, the …
Yehuda Ashlag, the Socialist Kabbalist | by Matthew Gindin
Jun 6, 2016 · Among the few who know of Rav Yehuda Ashlag (1885–1954), his name is associated with esoteric Jewish thought or with the pop Kabbalah movements led by his …
Yehuda Ashlag - the Open Siddur Project פְּרוֺיֶקְט ...
Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag (1885–1954, Hebrew: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לֵיבּ הַלֵּוִי אַשְׁלַג), also known as the Baal Ha-Sulam (Hebrew: בַּעַל הַסּוּלָם, "Author of the Ladder") in reference to his magnum …
Rav Yehuda Ashlag - Kabbalah Centre
Rav Ashlag was the one man who truly understood - and helped advance - the transformations of the 20th Century. Rav Ashlag broke with the 4,000-year-old tradition that had locked …
Yehuda Ashlag | Texts & Source Sheets from Torah, Talmud and …
Jewish texts and source sheets about Yehuda Ashlag from Torah, Talmud and other sources in Sefaria's library. Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, also known as the Ba’al HaSulam, was a rabbi and …
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : …
Nov 20, 2023 · Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (1885–1954) or Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag (Hebrew: רַבִּי יְהוּדָה לֵיבּ הַלֵּוִי אַשְׁלַג), also known as the Baal Ha-Sulam (Hebrew: בַּעַל הַסּוּלָם , "Author of The …
Ashlag, Yehudah - Encyclopedia.com
ASHLAG, YEHUDAH (1886–1954), Israeli kabbalist and rabbi. Ashlag, the most important 20 th century kabbalist, who was born in Warsaw, was educated in ḥasidic schools. He was a …
Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag - BJE
Ashlag was anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist, though he also opposed communism instituted by force. Ashlag tried to convince Ben-Gurion to adopt socialism in Israel. Ashlag saw himself as …
Rav Yehuda Ashlag | Evolving Judaism
Rav Yehuda Ashlag: (1885—1954) “Yehuda Ashlag or Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag was also known as Baal Ha-Sulam. He was an Orthodox rabbi and Kabbalist. Ashlag’s lasting …
