The Mysticism of Kabbalah

By Stefan Chilingirovssc140@aubg.bg

What does Kabbalah represent?

- non-individual, non-experimental divine truth

- the name of a group of Jewish esoterics in the 13th century

- an additional characteristic of the above-mentioned group’s tradition

- not a new phenomenon

- A secret oral tradition

- a universal appeal

- a magical tradition

- a mysticism

The Birth Of Kabbalah

The Book Of Creation

- portrayal of the creation powered by letters and presentation of grammar ideas in Judaism

- exploration of psychology, cosmology, and anthropology

- an anonymous work

- contains no biblical verses

The Book Bahir

- the earliest Kabbalistic piece

- discusses different biblical verses from many Talmudic sages

- Rabbi Nehunia – author?

- three fundamental elements (e.g. ilan, ma’amarot, etc)

- presentation of the Evil realm

Isaac Luria

- born in Jerusalem in 1534

- studied rabbinical literature and Jewish law

- studied the Zohar at the age of 21 after moving to an island on the Nile

- conversation with prophet Elijah

- known by his disciples as “HaARI”

16th century graves of Safed, Galilee. The messianic focus of its mystical renaissance

culminated in Lurianic thought

The Concept of the 10 Sefirot

- tzimtzum – withdrawal of God

- sefirots – emanations of the divine attributes of God

- destruction of vessels

- division of the Universe

- tikkun olam – repairing the world

Kabbalah in the 21st Century

- centers for the study of Kabbalah

- celebrity phenomenon

- Kabbalah in Bulgaria

Thank you!