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Is Kabbalah Jewish?
It is quite understandable that Kabbalah could be confused with Judaism.
Throughout history, many scholars of Kabbalah have been Jewish. But there
have also been many non-Jewish scholars of this wisdom, such as Christian
Knorr-von-Rosenroth, Pico Della and Sir Isaac Newton, just to name a
few.
The startling truth is that Kabbalah was never meant for a specific sect.
Rather, it was intended to be used by all humanity to unify the world.
Today, millions of people of all faiths have discovered the wisdom and
experienced the powerful effects of studying Kabbalah.
There are two primary reasons that explain why so many people are now
interested in Kabbalah.
The first reason is that Kabbalah works. When people apply the wisdom
and tools of Kabbalah to their lives, they experience positive results.
The second reason why so many people of different faiths become connected
to Kabbalah is that it is a way of life that can enhance any religious
practice. Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, and Jews use Kabbalah
to improve their spiritual experience.
What are the basic teachings of Kabbalah?
Kabbalah teaches that in order for us to claim the gifts we were created
to receive, we must first earn those gifts. We earn them by undertaking
our spiritual work — the process of fundamentally transforming
ourselves. By helping us recognize the sources of negativity in our own
minds and hearts, Kabbalah gives us the tools for positive change.
Kabbalah teaches that every human being is a work in progress. Any pain,
disappointment, or chaos that exists in our lives is not because this
is how life is meant to be, but only because we have not yet finished
the work that brought us here. That work, quite simply, is the process
of freeing ourselves from the domination of the human ego and creating
an affinity with the sharing essence of God.
In everyday life, this transformation means letting go of anger, jealousy,
and other reactive behaviors in favor of patience, empathy, and compassion.
It does not mean giving up all desire and going to live on a mountaintop.
On the contrary, it means desiring more of the fulfillment that humanity
was meant to have.
What is The Kabbalah Centre?
The Kabbalah Centre is a spiritual and educational organization dedicated
to bringing the wisdom of Kabbalah to the world. The Centre itself has
existed for more than 80 years, but its spiritual lineage extends even
further — to Rav Isaac Luria, in the 16th century, and through
Rav Luria to Rav Shimon Bar Yochai, who revealed the principal text of
Kabbalah, the Zohar, more than 2000 years ago.
The Kabbalah Centre was founded in Jerusalem in 1922 by Rav Yehuda Ashlag,
one of the greatest kabbalists of the 20th century. When Rav Ashlag left
this world, leadership of the Centre was taken on by Rav Yehuda Tzvi
Brandwein. Before his passing, Rav Brandwein designated Rav Berg to continue
the lineage of Kabbalah as Director of The Kabbalah Centre. And today, some 30 years later, co-directs The Centre together with his wife, Karen.
Although there are many scholarly studies of Kabbalah, The Centre understands
this wisdom not as an academic discipline but as a way of creating a
better life. Through The Kabbalah Centre, the practical tools and spiritual
teachings of Kabbalah are accessible to everyone for personal change
and transformation. This is the foundation of everything we do.
What is the philosophy of The Kabbalah Centre?
Kabbalah teaches its students to question everything and to never be
forced to make decisions. One of the most important teachings of Kabbalah
is that there is no coercion in spirituality.
The Kabbalah Centre empowers others to take responsibility for their
own lives. That is the example set by the leaders of The Kabbalah Centre.
‘It’s about the teachings, not the teachers.’
The Kabbalah Centre makes no promises. If people are willing to work
hard to become actively sharing, caring, and tolerant human beings, Kabbalah
teaches that they will then experience fulfilment and joy in a way previously
unknown to them. That sense of fulfilment, however, comes gradually and
is always the result of the student’s spiritual work.
Is Kabbalah a Universal Wisdom?
Historically, Kabbalah has been a secret teaching studied by only a select
few in each generation. There has always been much controversy surrounding
the teaching of this wisdom, especially when kabbalists tried to open
it up to people. Over the past few thousand years, kabbalists have been
persecuted for daring to teach these secrets to the masses.
Even today, as The Kabbalah Centre continues to open this wisdom to anyone
who wants to study it, there are still those who believe that if you
are a woman, a Christian or “not holy enough” you should
not have access to Kabbalah. But The Kabbalah Centre steadfastly continues
to make this wisdom available to all - regardless of gender, religion
or age. While this stand brings controversy to The Centre’s doorsteps,
we will continue in our mission.
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