Rabbi's Musings

A major development in Jewish history was the maturation of Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah. In the Middle Ages, Jews suffered at the hands of Christians and Muslims, but they also culturally thrived. Jews in Spain deepened their spirituality by developing a new approach to mysticism. When the Torah speaks of Abraham’s discovery of God and the revelation of the Law at Sinai, structures for later personal revelations were set. On the one hand, these events are historical, in that they already occurred. But they also are seen as models for our own revelation. Mysticism, then, seeks to provide the practitioner with the experience of Abraham, Moses, and the Israelites at Sinai. Through ecstatic experiences, symbolic interpretations of ancient rituals, magical practices, and messianic fervor, the mystic made God real.

The primary Kabbalistic work is the Zohar, a product of the 13th century but thought to have been written a millennium before by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. This commentary on the Torah invites the reader to live in the spiritual present. It combines rabbinics with romance and adventure. No wonder it became a bestseller!

There is a spiritual power that Jewish mysticism evokes. As you read this, I will be with the temple trip in the city of Safed, a seat of Jewish mysticism. A visit here evokes the spiritual essence of Jewish mysticism. Highly recommended!