Kabbala: Mystical Dimension Of Jewish Thought

The word Kabbala originally meant �reception' and related to the oral Jewish tradition handed down by Rabbis from generation to generation. The mainspring of the Kabbala is a deep rooted belief in a perpetual inter-relationship between God as the infinite power and man in the physical world as we know it.

Man can get close to God by subduing his own negative inclinations and bring about spiritual regeneration of mankind, through prayers, meditation and interpretation of the divine mysteries hidden in the Torah. Kabbalists emphasise the importance of mystical formulas in the recitation of prayers.

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Read more here: » Azriel Jewish mystic: Encyclopedia - Azriel Jewish mystic

According to adherents of Kabbalah, the origin of Kabbalah begins with the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible). When read by a Kabbalist, the Torah's description of the creation in the Book of Genesis reveals mysteries about God's creation of the universe, Adam and Eve, the Garden of Eden, the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil and a Tree of Life, the interaction of these creations with the Serpent which leads to disaster when they ...

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Kabbalah, Kabbalah - Origin of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah - Mystic doctrines in Talmudic times, Kabbalah - Kabbalah of the early Middle Ages, Kabbalah - Lurianic Kabbalah in the Middle Ages, Kabbalah - Kabbalah of the Sefardim and Mizrahim, Kabbalah - Kabbalah of the Maharal, Kabbalah - The failure of Sabbatian mysticism, Kabbalah - Spread of Kabbalah during the 1700s, Kabbalah - The modern world, Kabbalah - Primary texts, Kabbalah - Theodicy: explanation for the existence of evil, Kabbalah - Kabbalistic understanding of God, Kabbalah - Sefirot, Kabbalah - A Greek Orthodox theological view, Kabbalah - The human soul in Kabbalah, Kabbalah - Foretelling the future, Kabbalah - Practical applications, Kabbalah - Textual antiquity of esoteric mysticism, Kabbalah - Gnosticism and Kabbalah, Kabbalah - Criticisms, Kabbalah - Dualism, Kabbalah - Debate about Kabbalah in Judaism, Kabbalah - Early critiques, Kabbalah - Within Conservative and Reform Judaism, Kabbalah - Kabbalah Centre, Kabbalah - Kabbalah in non-Jewish society, Kabbalah - Hermetic Kabbalah, Kabbalah - Fictional representations, Kabbalah - Kabbalah personalities, Kabbalah - Footnotes

Read more here: » Kabbalah: Encyclopedia II - Kabbalah - Origin of Jewish mysticism

Mysticism, from the Greek μυω (muo, "to conceal"), is the pursuit of achieving communion with or conscious awareness of ultimate reality, the divine, spiritual truth, or God through direct, personal experience (intuition or insight) rather than rational thought; the belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension that are central to being and directly accessible through personal experience; or the belief that such experience is a genuine and important source of knowledge. In the Hellenistic world, ...

Including:

• Mysticism - Types of mystical experience
• Mysticism - Mysticism and epistemology
• Mysticism - Subjectivity and mysticism
• Mysticism - Self-transcending self-discovery
• Mysticism - Mysticism and syncretism
• Mysticism - On the difficulty of defining mysticism
• Mysticism - Theosophy and Occultism
• Mysticism - Examples in major traditions
• Mysticism - Hindu mystics
• Mysticism - Chinese mystics
• Mysticism - Christian mystics
• Mysticism - Islamic mystics
• Mysticism - Jewish mystics
• Mysticism - Other mystics

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Jewish philosophy is not a universally agreed-upon term, but it does exist as a field of scholarship. It is therefore a subject that requires careful analysis, definition, clarification and explanation. Some may claim that it is an attempt to fuse the fields of secular (even atheistic) philosophy with the religious teachings of Judaism (an Abrahamic religion). Others may claim that it is a relatively latter-day form of rationalization for Judaism itself. It should be noted that the primary source documents for Judaism, such as the Tor ...

Including:

• Jewish philosophy - Approaches
• Jewish philosophy - Early Jewish philosophy
• Jewish philosophy - Philo of Alexandria
• Jewish philosophy - Avicebron Solomon ibn Gabirol
• Jewish philosophy - Jewish Mysticism Kabbalah
• Jewish philosophy - Saadia Gaon
• Jewish philosophy - Karaite philosophy
• Jewish philosophy - Bahya ibn Paquda's Duties of the Heart
• Jewish philosophy - Yehuda Halevi and the Kuzari
• Jewish philosophy - The rise of Aristotelian thought
• Jewish philosophy - Maimonides
• Jewish philosophy - Position in the history of thought
• Jewish philosophy - Renaissance philosophers
• Jewish philosophy - Post-Enlightenment Jewish philosophers
• Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophy
• Jewish philosophy - Holocaust theology
• Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophers
• Jewish philosophy - Orthodox Judaism philosophers
• Jewish philosophy - Conservative Judaism philosophers
• Jewish philosophy - Reform Judaism philosophers
• Jewish philosophy - Reconstructionist Judaism philosophers
• Jewish philosophy - Others
• Jewish philosophy - Philosophers informed by their Jewish background

Read more here: » Jewish philosophy: Encyclopedia - Jewish philosophy

Kabbalah (Hebrew קַבָּלָה "reception", Standard Hebrew Qabbala, Tiberian Hebrew Qabbālāh; also written variously as Cabala, Cabalah, Cabbala, Cabbalah, Kabala, Kabalah, Kabbala, Qabala, Qabalah, Kaballah) is an interpretation (exegesis, hermeneutic) key, "soul" of the Torah (Hebrew Bible), or the religious mystical system of Judaism claiming an insight into divine nature. Kabbalah is a doctrine of esoteric knowledge concerning God, God's creation of the universe and the laws of nature, and the path by whic ...

Including:

• Kabbalah - Origin of Jewish mysticism
• Kabbalah - Mystic doctrines in Talmudic times
• Kabbalah - Kabbalah of the early Middle Ages
• Kabbalah - Lurianic Kabbalah in the Middle Ages
• Kabbalah - Kabbalah of the Sefardim and Mizrahim
• Kabbalah - Kabbalah of the Maharal
• Kabbalah - The failure of Sabbatian mysticism
• Kabbalah - Spread of Kabbalah during the 1700s
• Kabbalah - The modern world
• Kabbalah - Primary texts
• Kabbalah - Theodicy: explanation for the existence of evil
• Kabbalah - Kabbalistic understanding of God
• Kabbalah - Sefirot
• Kabbalah - A Greek Orthodox theological view
• Kabbalah - The human soul in Kabbalah
• Kabbalah - Foretelling the future
• Kabbalah - Practical applications
• Kabbalah - Textual antiquity of esoteric mysticism
• Kabbalah - Gnosticism and Kabbalah
• Kabbalah - Criticisms
• Kabbalah - Dualism
• Kabbalah - Debate about Kabbalah in Judaism
• Kabbalah - Early critiques
• Kabbalah - Within Conservative and Reform Judaism
• Kabbalah - Kabbalah Centre
• Kabbalah - Kabbalah in non-Jewish society
• Kabbalah - Hermetic Kabbalah
• Kabbalah - Fictional representations
• Kabbalah - Kabbalah personalities
• Kabbalah - Footnotes

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Gematria (גימטריה) is numerology of the Hebrew language and Hebrew alphabet. Several forms can be identified: the "revealed" form and the "mystical form". The word itself comes from the Greek word 'geometry' and the concept or system is the same as the Greek isopsephy. Although Hebrew Gematria is the best known now, Greek Gematria predates it by many centuries. Gematria - Revealed Gematria. The most common form of gematria is used occasionally in the Talmud and Midrash and elaborately by many ...

Including:

• Gematria - Revealed Gematria
• Gematria - Mystical Gematria
• Gematria - Code
• Gematria - External link

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Merkabah (מרכבה, literally: "chariot") is the term used to describe the earliest form of Jewish mysticism, usually "Merkabah mysticism" in English. Based on the imagery found in the Biblical book of Ezekiel, merkabah became a preoccupation of some Jews during Second Temple times (probably in the 2nd c. BCE) and was the dominant form of mystical speculation amongst Jews until the 11th century CE, w ...

Including:

• Merkabah - History
• Merkabah - Key Texts

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Kabala can refer to: Kabbalah, the system of Jewish mysticism Kabala, Sierra Leone, the West African town. Ka-Bala, a 1967 fortune telling board game. Other related archives1967, Jewish mysticism, Ka-Bala, Kabala, Sierra Leone, Kabbalah, West African, board game, fortune telling

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Walter Benjamin (July 15, 1892-September 27, 1940) was a German Jewish Marxist literary critic and philosopher. He was at times associated with the Frankfurt School of critical theory, and was also greatly inspired by the Marxism of Bertolt Brecht and the Jewish mysticism of Gershom Scholem. Walter Benjamin - Life and work. Benjamin was known during his life lastly for his philosophical essays and as a critic. As a sociological and cultural critic he combined ideas of Jewish mysticism with historical materi ...

Including:

• Walter Benjamin - Life and work
• Walter Benjamin - Bibliography

Read more here: » Walter Benjamin: Encyclopedia - Walter Benjamin

The Zohar (Hebrew זהר "Splendor, radiance") is widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. It is a mystical commentary on the Torah (the five books of Moses), written in medieval Aramaic and medieval Hebrew. It contains a mystical discussion of the nature of God, the origin and structure of the universe, the nature of souls, sin, redemption, good and evil, and related topics. The Zohar is not one book, but a group of books. These books include scriptural interpretations as well as material on the ...

Including:

• Zohar - Origin
• Zohar - Acceptance of authenticity
• Zohar - Rejection of authenticity
• Zohar - Mysticism
• Zohar - Pardes and Biblical exegesis
• Zohar - Effects on Judaism
• Zohar - Influence on Christian mysticism
• Zohar - Appendices and additions

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David Reubeni (1490–1535/1541?) was a Jewish false messiah, described by the Shengold Jewish Encyclopedia as "half-mystic, half-adventurer." Reubeni claimed to be was born around 1490 in Khaibar in central Arabia. He left Khaibar on December 8, 1522, and went to Nubia in Egypt, where he claimed to be a descendant of Muhammad; to the Jews he spoke of large Jewish kingdoms in the east, possibly referring to the so-called "Jewish realm" at Cochin, which had just attracte ...

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The Hayyoth are a class of Merkabah, or Jewish Mystical Angels, on the same level as the Christian cherubim, and residing in the seventh heaven. They are considered angels of fire, who hold up the throne of God and the earth itself. According to Ezekiel, the Hayyoth were seen by the river Chebar, numbering 36. They are also said to break into song whenever they spread their wings. It is said that holy essence passe ...

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Enlightenment may refer to: Enlightenment (concept), a concept in mysticism, philosophy and psychology For the Hindu religious concept of enlightenment, see moksha For the Buddhist religious concept, see Bodhi, Satori, Nirvana, Great Perfection For the Yoga concept of enlightenment, see Yogic Enlightenment The Age of Enlightenment, a period in European history For the corresponding movement in the European Jewish community, see Haskalah.

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Shedim are demons or spirits, according to Jewish mysticism. Some are reputed to have had the legs of a cock. These beings are allegedly mentioned in Psalms 106:37, although biblical translations use the word "demons". Theoretically, sinful people sacrificed their daughters to the shedim, but it is unclear if the sacrifice consisted in the murdering of the victims or in the sexual satisfaction of the demons. To see if these demons were present in some place, ashes were thrown to the ground or fl ...

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The Bahir (Hebrew for "Illumination") is a pseudepigraphic mystical work attributed to Nehunya ben ha-Kanah, a first century rabbinic sage, and a contemporary of Johanan ben Zakkai (first century), because it begins with the words, "R. Nehunya ben ha-Kanah said". It was first published in the 12th century, southern France. It is an early work of esoteric Jewish mysticism which eventually became known as Kabbalah. Bahir - Title. Nahmanides, in his commentary on the Torah, (Genesis 1) is one of the fir ...

Including:

• Bahir - Title
• Bahir - Authorship
• Bahir - Editions and Commentaries

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Early Jewish philosophy was heavily influenced by the philosophy of Plato, Aristotle and Islamic philosophy. Many early medieval Jewish philosophers (from the 8th century to end of the 9th century) were especially influenced by the Islamic Mutazilite philosophers; they denied all limiting attributes of God and were champions of God's unity and justice. Over time Aristotle came to be thought of as the philosopher par excellence among Jewish thinkers. This tendency was no less marked in the Islamic, the Ch ...

See also:

Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Approaches, Jewish philosophy - Early Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Philo of Alexandria, Jewish philosophy - Avicebron Solomon ibn Gabirol, Jewish philosophy - Jewish Mysticism Kabbalah, Jewish philosophy - Saadia Gaon, Jewish philosophy - Karaite philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Bahya ibn Paquda's Duties of the Heart, Jewish philosophy - Yehuda Halevi and the Kuzari, Jewish philosophy - The rise of Aristotelian thought, Jewish philosophy - Maimonides, Jewish philosophy - Position in the history of thought, Jewish philosophy - Renaissance philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Post-Enlightenment Jewish philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Holocaust theology, Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Orthodox Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Conservative Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Reform Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Reconstructionist Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Others, Jewish philosophy - Philosophers informed by their Jewish background

Read more here: » Jewish philosophy: Encyclopedia II - Jewish philosophy - Early Jewish philosophy

Philo of Alexandria (20 BCE - 40 CE) was a Hellenized Jewish philosopher born in Alexandria, Egypt. Philo included in his philosophy both the wisdom of Ancient Greece and Judaism, which he sought to fuse and harmonize by means of the art of allegory that he had learned as much from Jewish exegesis as from the Stoics. His work was not widely accepted. Philo made his philosophy the means of defending and justifying Jewish religious truths. These truths he regarded as fixed and determinate; and philosophy was used as an aid to truth, and ...

See also:

Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Approaches, Jewish philosophy - Early Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Philo of Alexandria, Jewish philosophy - Avicebron Solomon ibn Gabirol, Jewish philosophy - Jewish Mysticism Kabbalah, Jewish philosophy - Saadia Gaon, Jewish philosophy - Karaite philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Bahya ibn Paquda's Duties of the Heart, Jewish philosophy - Yehuda Halevi and the Kuzari, Jewish philosophy - The rise of Aristotelian thought, Jewish philosophy - Maimonides, Jewish philosophy - Position in the history of thought, Jewish philosophy - Renaissance philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Post-Enlightenment Jewish philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Holocaust theology, Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Orthodox Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Conservative Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Reform Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Reconstructionist Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Others, Jewish philosophy - Philosophers informed by their Jewish background

Read more here: » Jewish philosophy: Encyclopedia II - Jewish philosophy - Philo of Alexandria

The following philosophers have had a substantial impact on the philosophy of modern day Jews who identify as such. They are writers who consciously dealt with philosophical issues from within a Jewish framework. Jewish philosophy - Orthodox Judaism philosophers. Main article: Orthodox Judaism Shalom Carmy Eliyahu Eliezer Dessler Samson Raphael Hirsch Yitzchok Hutner Menachem Kellner Steven T. Katz Abraham Isa ...

See also:

Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Approaches, Jewish philosophy - Early Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Philo of Alexandria, Jewish philosophy - Avicebron Solomon ibn Gabirol, Jewish philosophy - Jewish Mysticism Kabbalah, Jewish philosophy - Saadia Gaon, Jewish philosophy - Karaite philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Bahya ibn Paquda's Duties of the Heart, Jewish philosophy - Yehuda Halevi and the Kuzari, Jewish philosophy - The rise of Aristotelian thought, Jewish philosophy - Maimonides, Jewish philosophy - Position in the history of thought, Jewish philosophy - Renaissance philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Post-Enlightenment Jewish philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Holocaust theology, Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Orthodox Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Conservative Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Reform Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Reconstructionist Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Others, Jewish philosophy - Philosophers informed by their Jewish background

Read more here: » Jewish philosophy: Encyclopedia II - Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophers

The scholastics preserved the continuity of philosophical thought. Without the activity of these Arabic-Jewish philosophers, the culture of the Western world could scarcely have taken the direction it has, at least not at the rapid rate which was made possible through the agency of the Humanists and of the Renaissance. The Jewish philosophers of the Arab-speaking world were the humanists of the Middle Ages. They established and maintained the bond of union between the Arabic philosophers, physicians ...

See also:

Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Approaches, Jewish philosophy - Early Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Philo of Alexandria, Jewish philosophy - Avicebron Solomon ibn Gabirol, Jewish philosophy - Jewish Mysticism Kabbalah, Jewish philosophy - Saadia Gaon, Jewish philosophy - Karaite philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Bahya ibn Paquda's Duties of the Heart, Jewish philosophy - Yehuda Halevi and the Kuzari, Jewish philosophy - The rise of Aristotelian thought, Jewish philosophy - Maimonides, Jewish philosophy - Position in the history of thought, Jewish philosophy - Renaissance philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Post-Enlightenment Jewish philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophy, Jewish philosophy - Holocaust theology, Jewish philosophy - Modern Jewish philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Orthodox Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Conservative Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Reform Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Reconstructionist Judaism philosophers, Jewish philosophy - Others, Jewish philosophy - Philosophers informed by their Jewish background

Read more here: » Jewish philosophy: Encyclopedia II - Jewish philosophy - Position in the history of thought