What is Kabbalah?

[Fieryjades]

What is Kabbalah? How does it fit into Judaism?

[slinky1882]

I believe it is a branch of Jewish mysticism. Below is a link on the basics. Hope this helps. Thanks and God Bless.

http://www.kabbalah.info/index.php

[mlchance]

Originally Posted by slinky1882

I believe it is a branch of Jewish mysticism. Below is a link on the basics. Hope this helps. Thanks and God Bless.

http://www.kabbalah.info/index.php

Nothing to purports to offer on-line classes in kabbalah can be taken seriously. What's next? Celebrity endorsements from Madonna?

-- Mark L. Chance.

[petra]

Originally Posted by mlchance

Nothing to purports to offer on-line classes in kabbalah can be taken seriously.

I'm not endorsing the kabbalah, but what's wrong with online learning? I teach web design at a community college and most of my program is offered exclusively online. I'm currently completely a masters degree in online learning. It is a powerful way to teach, and has several pedegogical benefits over traditional classroom learning. So I don't see the logic in dismissing classes on kabbalah simply on the basis that the classes are online.

[exoflare]

Originally Posted by petra

I'm not endorsing the kabbalah, but what's wrong with online learning? I teach web design at a community college and most of my program is offered exclusively online. I'm currently completely a masters degree in online learning. It is a powerful way to teach, and has several pedegogical benefits over traditional classroom learning. So I don't see the logic in dismissing classes on kabbalah simply on the basis that the classes are online.

Not necessarily bad, but online classes won't work for some things... can you imagine learning martial arts, for example, online?

[petra]

Originally Posted by exoflare

Not necessarily bad, but online classes won't work for some things... can you imagine learning martial arts, for example, online?

Of course not--because martial arts is a physical activity. But just about anything else can be learned online very effectively.

[Semper Fi]

Kaballism is pretty similar to Gnosticism in a lot of respects. Wikipedia always has great answers for questions like these....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaballism &
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gnosticism

Just don't take any of this stuff seriously. It's 100% heresy. The central point of most mystic practices is that the earth is evil and that the spiritual world is good, which is contrary to the teachings of the Bible. Most mystical religions claim that the earth was created by Satan to help keep humans from their divine nature (yes, it teaches humans are divine).

[exoflare]

Originally Posted by petra

Of course not--because martial arts is a physical activity. But just about anything else can be learned online very effectively.

I'm not very clear on what Kaballah is, but I thought it was somewhat of a physical activity too. Who knows, I guess I'm way off.

[Ghosty]

It's not a physical activity, but it's not something that can just be taught online, either. One has to be above a certain age, be male, be Jewish, and have a firm grounding in the teachings of the Midrash. I believe you also have to be under direct tutorship by Orthodox Rabbis who meet certain requirements as well. It's not something you can just "sign up" for.

Besides, there's simply no way to condense the Zohar, the key text of Kabbalah. You can't make it easily digestable for an online teaching format, and it's about the size of an encyclopedia, IIRC. It's heavy, heavy stuff.

[slinky1882]

Originally Posted by mlchance

Nothing to purports to offer on-line classes in kabbalah can be taken seriously. What's next? Celebrity endorsements from Madonna?

-- Mark L. Chance.

As with all sources, you can glean the bits and pieces. I never posted it as authoritative but merely having some basic, basic background in some of the articles. Thanks and God Bless.

[Trelow]

Sounds yummy!

Like cabbage and sasuage in like a pie crust! or such.

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

See http://forums.catholic.com/showthrea...lah#post236347.

Questions?

Be well!

ssv

[Fieryjades]

Thank you, stillsmallvoice, that fully answered my question!

[stillsmallvoice]

Hi all!

You're welcome Fieryjades! I'm glad to be of service.

Be well!

ssv

[Eden]

My understanding is that the Kabbalah that Madonna and other celebrities follow in Hollywood is a corruption of the true Kabbalah. Seeing Britney Spears wearing Ugg boots and a t-shirt reading, "Addicted to Kabbalah" is not exactly a spiritual moment for me.