It is what god creates eternally on the first day and even before the first day. The hidden, infinite aspect of god is called the infinite ein sof, without end. In that regard, kabbalah s approach is similar to other forms of medieval natural theology that attempt to understand god s existence or attributes through the exercise of human reason alone. This bookwritten by the rabbi who authored the bestselling audiotape series the mystical kabbalah is the first to bring kabbalah to a wide.
It is no longer possible to think of god as a big magician in the sky. He originated the actual use of the word kabbalah to designate a variety of jewish mystical teachings. Names of god series 4 ascending the tree of life in kabbalah. Chariot, heavenly, see merkaba of ezekiel, figures of 183. Philosophical and psychological perspectives by sanford l. The fact that occult groups worldwide cherish the kabbalah should speak volumes to anyone who may consider it a holy book, it is not.
This groundbreaking book is the first comprehensive treatment of the body in jewish spiritual practice and an essential guide to the sacred. Instead, we rethink everything as god being action and doing and making. Be prepared to take it slow, because there is an awful lot to absorb. Since medieval times, the mystical tradition of kabbalah was restrict. Traditionally, kabbalah is studied only by married jewish men over the age of 40 who have studied the torah remsen. With the ecstatic kabbalah, rabbi david cooperauthor of god is a verb 100,000 copies sold, riverhead, 1958, and a renowned leader of the jewish meditation movement provides practical exercises on the. Well kabbalah has been responsible for one of the most popular ideas, and that is the tree of life, that 10point structure which you reproduce in your book, god is a verb. But how do we put this powerful and esoteric worldview into practice. Buckminster fuller back in the 60s, kris minster in a poem written more than 30 years ago, john shelby spong in a great quote. Jewish mystics often refer to it as ein sof, which means endlessness. Using tales of the hasidic masters as well as stories from. The book of genesis is not past history, it is the revelation of eternal work.
Theres a passage about the myriad ways of interpreting torah which just knocks me out. Cooper and david cooper 1998, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. More recently, kabbalah nearly disappearedas most of its practitioners perished in the holocaust. Coopers questions are extremely important especially since kabbalistic theology is unbiblical. It is a collection of ancient texts, teachings, methods, and stories, but more than that, cooper says, it is an outlook. New thought kabbalah is a public awareness company that brings the wisdom of the ancient kabbalists to new thought philosophies and provides a bridge between the two. Cooper is a masterwork filled with insights, epiphanies, and fresh approaches to the hidden secrets of the universe.
The kabbalistic conception of god my jewish learning. With meditation practices, physical exercises, visualizations, and sacred text, you will learn how to experience the presence of the divine in, and through, your body. However, the kabbalah was already riding a wave into mainstream culture via other writers such as rabbi david cooper, whose book, god is a verb, was a bestseller in the late 1990s, and kabbalah scholar daniel c. The kabbalah of the sefardi iberian peninsula and mizrahi middle east, north africa, and the caucasus torah scholars has a long history. A warninggod is a verb is tough reading, particularly the first 23rds of it.
Cooper in his book, god is a verb, asks, what is it that cabalists receive. Kabbalah in various forms was widely studied, commented upon, and expanded by north african, turkish, yemenite, and asian scholars from the 16th century onward. Key to your inner power, elizabeth clare prophet writes thirteenthcentury kabbalist joseph gikatilla describes the names of god as keys for your mystic ascent up the tree of life, each one capable of opening another gate of light and another dimension of god s vast consciousness. Kabbalah, mysteries of the divine names names of god series. God is a verb is, as bestselling buddhist author jack kornfield describes it.
I appreciate david coopers own experiences as well as his mishnah on. An accessible study of kabbalah from a more judaic perspective. Since medieval times, the mystical tradition of kabbalah was restricted to qualified men over forty. By reminding us that god is beyond time and space, kabbalah can free us from the limited notion of god as the old man in the sky. The midrash a compilation of jewish commentaries of the old testament scriptures that was gathered between 400 and 1200 a. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Abraham, as the author of the sefer yetzirah note 9, p. Rabbi david cooper writes in god is a verb that there is no simple answer to the question, what is kabbalah. God is a verb the spirit of things abc radio national. It teaches reincarnation, a type of karma, inner divinity, and no need for a redeemer.
In the national bestseller god is a verb, this powerful spiritual tradition, after centuries of secrecy and nearextinction, is explained clearly by one of its most prominent teachers. Tradition of hidden knowledge by zev ben shimon halevi. Kabbalah and the practice of mystical judaism 1st riverhead trade pbk. Kabbalah is a body of mystical and esoteric beliefs based on commentaries on the torah, the first five. It does not exist, as existence is defined, for it takes up no space or includes all space but is not limited by it and is not bound by time. Kabbalah and the practice of mystical judaism david a. One of my favorite passages in god is a verb speaks of torah study thus. The kabbalists introduced a distinction between the hidden and revealed aspects of god. Kabbalah and the practice of mystical judaism by david a. Such a god may be reached through prayer, but such an understanding can open up the possibility that god does not answer prayer in. It is a way of looking at the world that is founded upon. Book ofas the source of the mythological system of the kabbalah 123, 283. Aug 25, 1997 b the book is based more on eastern philosophy than on judaism. More recently, a book on the kabbalah by rabbi david cooper.
Kabbalah promises many things to help out your life, by taking away grief, pain, misery, worries, and much more. Kabbalah, like the book god is a verb, by david cooper i highly recommend this book. Not surprisingly, cooper begins his exploration of kabbalah with a description of. Even though the bible uses the masculine pronoun he when referring to god, obviously god has neither gender nor any physical form whatsoever and cant possibly be male or female. The side of god that is revealed we call masculine. God is a verb available for download and read online in other formats. This book is by far one of the most balanced and fair books on kabbalah and its believers. A warning god is a verb is tough reading, particularly the first 23rds of it. This method is not the traditional kabbalistic one. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
Theres a passage about the myriad ways of interpreting torah which just. This name was understood as the proper one for the hidden aspect of god. I was hoping that god is a verb would enlighten me on the kabbalah, or jewish mysticism. This book, and especially its embryonic concept of the sefirot, became the object of systematic study of several mystical brotherhoods which eventually came to be called baale hakabbalah. The light exists because god wills that it be, and all things begin and end in it. Kabbalah reading list are you ready to change your life. God is a verb that invites us to live, to love, and to be.
Unfortunately, i didnt come away with a much better understanding, but it was an interesting read. Since medieval times, the mystical tradition of kabbalah was restricted to qualified men over fortybecause it was believed that only the most mature and pious could grasp its complexity and profound, lifechanging implications. The idea of ein sof kabbalah does not begin with the revealed name or attributes of god given in scripture, but rather with god s concealed essence. God is a verb written by the rabbi who authored the audiobook series the mystical kabbalah, this book brings kabbalah to a wide audience, infusing an ancient tradition with new life and popularizing its ideas among an entirely new generation. Berg, has at least 50 locations around the world and has distributed millions of books in 20 languages. An american rabbi unlocks the ancient secrets of kabbalah, the tradition of jewish mysticism that remained a longkept secret taught only to married men over the age of forty for. Kabbalah and the practice of mystical judaism book book details. In our culture, one of the primary ways in which people learn new subjects is by buying a book or two, and reading up. In clear and substantive ways, the author of entering the sacred mountain opens up the wisdom teachings of kabbalah and challenges us to develop new connections and heartopenings with the divine source of existence. I would say a is obviously true, but im not so sure about b. Since medieval times, the mystical tradition of kabbalah was restricted to qualified men over fortybecause it was. In the national bestseller god is a verb, this powerful spiritual. The kabbalah centre, run by rabbi philip berg who writes as rav p. Jun 11, 2018 in our culture, one of the primary ways in which people learn new subjects is by buying a book or two, and reading up.