Demystifying Kabbalah?

[dionysiandame]

A little back story. I organize a discussion/study group in my area devoted to various subjects surrounding the occult, mythology, mysticism, and philosophy. As of now, I'm thinking of more subjects to include in our modules and considered Kabbalah as one of those subjects.



Since I try to provide free sources for fellow members to get their feet wet and get a few ideas, I began doing a search for material and came across Judaism 101 which had this to say about the Kabbalah known to most outside of actual Judaism;

These misunderstandings stem largely from the fact that the teachings of Kabbalah have been so badly distorted by mystics and occultists. Kabbalah was popular among Christian intellectuals during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, who reinterpreted its doctrines to fit into their Christian dogma. In more recent times, many have wrenched kabbalistic symbolism out of context for use in tarot card readings and other forms of divination and magic that were never a part of the original Jewish teachings. Today, many well-known celebrities have popularized a new age pop-psychology distortion of kabbalah (I have heard it derisively referred to as "crap-balah"). It borrows the language of kabbalah and the forms of Jewish folk superstitions, but at its heart it has more in common with the writings of Deepak Chopra than with any authentic Jewish source.

(© Copyright 5757-5771 (1996-2011), Tracey R Rich)

Seeking another point of view, I asked a couple of people within Judaism their thoughts on the matter and they shared a similar opinion with the author.

I know that Kabbalah is a subject quite a few people in the occult and pagan community are interested in, and even profess to know/understand, however it seems that the study of the Torah and Talmud are necessities before one even begins to study and, out of a desire to make known the "magnitude" of the subject, I don't know how I would feel about co-opting, and misrepresenting, a subject that should be studied within a Jewish context.

So I guess my question is-

Instead of offering discussion modules on Kabbalah would it be better for me to send a letter to members explaining why we will not be covering said topic and provide them with references to local synagogues/ Rabbis/Groups who can provide better guidance?

Should I do a few basic modules surrounding Kabbalah and use that as a medium to explore the subject in it's original form and context?

I'm kind of at a loss as I want to insure my fellow members gain the most they can from our group meetings and I don't want them to feel as if somethings are "too sacred" to be discussed in our circle. But, on the other hand, I want to be respectful to the very real and living faith these mysteries come from.

Help?

[Marilyn/Absentminded]

How do you treat other 'proprietary' concepts? If your course covers totem animals and spirit guides do you do the new age potted versions or do you get into different tribes and their specific views of these things? Do you cover karma from a solely Eastern perspective, or do you discuss how the concept has been adapted to/by the West? Are European concepts discussed in terms of their cultural and historical origins, or do you Americanize them?

I would think that approaching Kabbalah you should cover historical, adaptive, or new age versions in the same way you do for other parts of your course.

Absent

[dionysiandame]

How do you treat other 'proprietary' concepts? If your course covers totem animals and spirit guides do you do the new age potted versions or do you get into different tribes and their specific views of these things? Do you cover karma from a solely Eastern perspective, or do you discuss how the concept has been adapted to/by the West? Are European concepts discussed in terms of their cultural and historical origins, or do you Americanize them?

I would think that approaching Kabbalah you should cover historical, adaptive, or new age versions in the same way you do for other parts of your course.

Absent

I guess, when it comes to discussing proprietary concepts, I do try to keep things within the framework from which they come. Because the Western potted/pop versions are so easily obtainable, our group attempts to study things in their original forms, discuss our findings, and then everyone is free to do with the information as they wish.

So I will probably do as you say and cover the historical information, preconditions for entrance into the mysteries, and finally an overview of some of the philosophies from a Rabbinical source.

[RandallS]

I know that Kabbalah is a subject quite a few people in the occult and pagan community are interested in, and even profess to know/understand, however it seems that the study of the Torah and Talmud are necessities before one even begins to study and, out of a desire to make known the "magnitude" of the subject, I don't know how I would feel about co-opting, and misrepresenting, a subject that should be studied within a Jewish context.

True, the Jewish Kabbalah doesn't have a lot in common with the Occult Kabbalah (other than originally being based on some of the same writings and ideas. I wouldn't send a Jew wanting to learn about the Jewish Kabbalah to experts on the Occult Kabbalah of the western Magical tradition. On the other hand I wouldn't send someone interested in the Occult to experts on the Jewish Kabbalah. Neither would be learning what they want to learn about if I did that.

It's something like the Bible. I wouldn't send someone interested in learned the traditional interpretations of the Bible to a conservative Fundamentalist Bible College any more than I'd send a Fundamentalist Christian who believes that the Bible is 100% the inerrant literal word dictated by God to a Catholic theological college.

[dionysiandame]

I wouldn't send a Jew wanting to learn about the Jewish Kabbalah to experts on the Occult Kabbalah of the western Magical tradition. On the other hand I wouldn't send someone interested in the Occult to experts on the Jewish Kabbalah. Neither would be learning what they want to learn about if I did that.

You make a really good point. I guess I was taking too much of a fundamentalist view when it came to the subject. Where some Jews may wish Occult Kabbalah isn't "real" it's a viable system to others and so, should be given space for exploration. It would also, probably fit more along with what the group members are looking for.

Thanks Marilyn and Randall for helping me piece this together.

[RandallS]

You make a really good point. I guess I was taking too much of a fundamentalist view when it came to the subject. Where some Jews may wish Occult Kabbalah isn't "real" it's a viable system to others and so, should be given space for exploration. It would also, probably fit more along with what the group members are looking for.

It certainly would not hurt to be very clear that the Kabbalah of Judaism and the "occult" Kabbalah of the Western Magical Tradition are only very loosely related in a class. Knowledge of one gives you very little knowledge of the other.

[SunflowerP]

It certainly would not hurt to be very clear that the Kabbalah of Judaism and the "occult" Kabbalah of the Western Magical Tradition are only very loosely related in a class. Knowledge of one gives you very little knowledge of the other.

Side note: I've seen people use the variant spellings that are out there (Kabbalah, Qabala, etc) as a way to distinguish the two, which strikes me as being at least somewhat useful. Unfortunately I don't remember exactly which spellings were used for which, other than that it was mainly the K/Q distinction (C spellings don't seem to come into it a lot).

Sunflower

[Mata]

Side note: I've seen people use the variant spellings that are out there (Kabbalah, Qabala, etc) as a way to distinguish the two, which strikes me as being at least somewhat useful. Unfortunately I don't remember exactly which spellings were used for which, other than that it was mainly the K/Q distinction (C spellings don't seem to come into it a lot).

Sunflower

If my memory serves me correctly, the most common spelling distinction is that the Qabalah stands for the Hermetic form used in Western Occultism and magic(k); and Cabalah is used for the Christian version and Kabbalah for the Jewish.

[RandallS]

If my memory serves me correctly, the most common spelling distinction is that the Qabalah stands for the Hermetic form used in Western Occultism and magic(k); and Cabalah is used for the Christian version and Kabbalah for the Jewish.

The only problem is that you can't really depend on the different spellings having a different meaning, let alone those specific meanings. Sometimes they may be used that way, other times the spelling means nothing or the writer did not use the current semi-standard spelling distinction.

[Mata]

The only problem is that you can't really depend on the different spellings having a different meaning, let alone those specific meanings. Sometimes they may be used that way, other times the spelling means nothing or the writer did not use the current semi-standard spelling distinction.

That is true. But within most Occult/Hermetic writing that distinction is made and upheld. I can't speak for the New Age publications or other types, though.