Kabbalah: A Brief Introduction for Christians

by Tamar Frankiel

Overview

An insightful exploration of Jewish mysticism—written especially for Christians.

Kabbalah is well known as the foundation of the Jewish mystical tradition, but few are aware that Kabbalah’s spiritual applications extend beyond Jewish life. In this accessible, intelligent guide, Tamar Frankiel, PhD, a leading teacher of Jewish mysticism, demystifies the intricate world of Kabbalah. You will find that the teachings of Kabbalah are not only for Jewish scholars—anyone can incorporate this enduring wisdom into everyday life if they have an open mind and a willing heart.

Unlike the faddish books that discuss Kabbalah as simply a “magical system,” this book discusses the evolution of Kabbalah from its origins in Judaism and gives Christian readers the vocabulary and tools to begin to understand this long-standing mystical tradition. It also explores the similarities and differences between Jewish and Christian mysticism, placing both in a larger and more comprehensive framework.

• Explore the kabbalistic Tree of Life to discover how God is expressed in the world around us.
• Examine your life and discover how it can be understood as part of an unfolding spiritual path.
• Travel through your personal and collective histories to find a more personal perspective on the principles of Kabbalah.
• ... and more

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781580234856
Publisher:	Turner Publishing Company
Publication date:	07/11/2011
Series:	A Brief Introduction for Christians
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
Sales rank:	847,423
File size:	3 MB

About the Author

Tamar Frankiel, PhD is recognized as one of the leading teachers of Jewish mysticism today. She teaches Jewish mysticism and comparative religion at the Academy for Jewish Religion, Los Angeles, and is the author of many books, including The Voice of Sarah: Feminine Spirituality and Traditional Judaism. She is co-author of Minding the Temple of the Soul: Balancing Body, Mind, and Spirit through Traditional Jewish Prayer, Movement, and Meditation and of Entering the Temple of Dreams: Jewish Prayers, Movements, and Meditations for the End of the Day. She lectures frequently on topics of Jewish mysticism. Frankiel lives with her husband and five children in Los Angeles.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii Introduction: A Note on the History of Kabbalah xi Part I: Seeking a New Vision 1 Opening the World of Kabbalah 3 2 Kabbalah and the Image of God 15 Part II: The Unfolding of Creation 3 Divine Mind 33 4 Divine Energies 51 5 Divine Actualization 73 Part III: The Path of Remembering 6 Clearing the Path 95 7 Realizing Your Intent 115 8 Revealing Your Soul 141 Notes 167 Glossary 177 Suggestions for Further Reading 183

Editorial Reviews

God isn't only for Jews and neither is Kabbalah," according to Frankiel. Maintaining that "Kabbalah as a theosophy is primarily about understanding what God is (as far as humans can understand) and who we are as refractions of the divine image," Frankiel delivers a thoughtful overview of the often elusive cornerstone of Jewish mysticism. Her years of experience as a teacher are reflected in the ease of her presentation and in her gentle suggestions for active explorations of thought and practice. Frankiel takes a logical approach to explaining the often confusing map of the divine energies by initially working top down, then bottom up and finally interlacing the energies, encouraging readers to begin building the layers of understanding needed to peel back the layers of the Kabbalah itself. The glossary, diagrams and notes provide a good basic reference for those seeking an overview of Kabbalah, and the smattering of illustrative Talmudic tales adds a bit of flavor. However, despite a few references to Christian concepts and devotions, and a handful of allusions to Buddhism, Sufism and even Jainism in conjunction with Christianity, nothing makes this book particularly "for Christians." (Nov.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

Publishers Weekly

"A blessing for us all. Beautiful and clear, [it] explains the Tree of Life and tells us how to use it in our lives. With wisdom and insight, shows us how to become our true selves (the Divine image) and how to remember our purpose in life (to become mirrors of Divinity in the world)."
—Rev. Peggy Hays, Episcopal priest

"By learning something about Kabbalah, Christians can deepen their insight into the highest teachings of their own tradition. The resonance between the two traditions is profound."
—Fr. Thomas Ryan, CSP, director, Paulist Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations

“Perfectly tailored.... Encourages us to use the teachings of Kabbalah to rewrite the human story, not in accordance with politics, but in attunement with spiritual reality. A must read.”
—Connie Kaplan, DMin, author of The Invisible Garment and Dreams are Letters from the Soul

From the Publisher