49 texts in Kabbalah & Mysticism
That, in essence, is the concept of Ein Sof (the Infinite, God beyond all attributes). Think of it: before anything existed, there was only the Ein Sof – the Infinite Being. This i...
But Jewish mystical tradition isn't afraid to ask big questions. And sometimes, the answers come in the form of dazzling imagery. The Zohar, that foundational text of Jewish mystic...
Why the different guises? The Hasidic master Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev explains that God does not change, but rather it is those who perceive God who are different. God appears t...
Jewish tradition wrestles with this question in fascinating ways. We're told, for instance, that God is fire, and His throne is fire. Clouds and fog surround Him, a visual reminder...
Jewish tradition actually grapples quite intensely with the idea of a God who experiences suffering, even to an unimaginable degree. It's a challenging concept, isn't it? How can a...
One powerful answer lies in the concept of the Shekhinah (שְׁכִינָה). The Shekhinah, often described as the divine feminine presence, the immanent glory of God, has a fascinating a...
That’s right. According to some mystical traditions, particularly within Kabbalah, the Temple was literally the place where God, the King, and His Shekhinah (שְׁכִינָה), His Divine...
Jewish tradition has a powerful, even startling, way of expressing this idea, especially when talking about the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. It wasn't just bricks and mo...
The Jewish mystics had a powerful image for that kind of pain: the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence, weeping. It’s a radical idea, isn’t it? God, or at least this aspect of God, expe...
Jewish tradition has a powerful way of understanding that feeling: it's the Shekhinah, the Divine Presence, in exile with us. Think of the Shekhinah as the feminine aspect of God, ...
It all starts, as many intense stories do, with a separation. Specifically, the separation of God and the Shekhinah (שכינה), God's Divine Presence, often seen as the feminine aspec...
Jewish mysticism, particularly the Kabbalah, grapples with this very question, offering profound and beautiful answers. One of the most evocative images comes from the Zohar, the c...
Some stories tell us it all started with a division. A grand sorting. According to tradition, when God created the world, it wasn't a uniform, homogenous blob. No, no. It was divid...
It’s a question that’s haunted mystics and philosophers for millennia, and the answers are, well, delightfully strange. The Bible tells us that in the beginning, the earth was tohu...
We look up and see blue, maybe clouds, but according to ancient Jewish wisdom, it's so much more than that. It’s a carefully maintained separation, a cosmic balancing act between t...
It paints a picture of a moment teeming with… competition. Imagine this: Adam's body is there, perfectly formed. The first human. But he’s… inert. Lifeless. And according to the Zo...
Jewish tradition offers some breathtaking, poetic answers. And one of the most vivid? The Tree of Souls. Imagine this: Deep within Paradise, there stands a magnificent tree. Not ju...
Jewish tradition offers some truly breathtaking visions of that journey, particularly for the righteous – the tzaddik (a righteous person)im (the righteous). one fascinating path: ...
According to some mystical traditions, there's a place, a hidden realm, far beyond our everyday perception, where souls reside in a truly remarkable way. Imagine a field. Not just ...
Not in some abstract, philosophical way, but literally. Imagine a map so complete, so comprehensive, that it contains everything that ever was, is, or will be. Sounds like somethin...
We often think of heaven as a visual paradise, shimmering light and breathtaking vistas. But what about the auditory experience? Jewish tradition paints a picture of a heaven const...
And what they've imagined is According to tradition, within Paradise – also known as Gan Eden (the Garden of Eden, paradise) – lie not just one, but six palaces, each a home for th...
It's so much more than just a physical act; it’s a profound moment steeped in tradition, faith, and ancient promises. And at the heart of it all stands a powerful, unexpected figur...
We often hear about the benevolent angels, the messengers, the healers. But what about the ones who fall from grace? Let's talk about Dumah. According to Jewish tradition, Dumah wa...
It’s a question that’s haunted humanity for millennia, and Jewish tradition has some pretty specific – and unsettling – answers. According to Jewish folklore, demons can be born fr...
I'm talking about Lilith. The tales surrounding Lilith are wild and varied, and one particular story, found woven within the mystical threads of the Zohar (1:19b), paints a fascina...
Jewish tradition has a fascinating, and ultimately hopeful, answer to that feeling. We're talking about Gehenna. It's a name that often gets translated as "hell," but in Jewish tra...
That’s the idea behind a powerful myth found in the Zohar (l:4b-5a), the central text of Kabbalah. It speaks of God constantly creating new heavens and a new earth. But where does ...
One of my favorites involves nothing less than the Torah itself, envisioned as a radiant bride. Imagine this: the sixth day of Creation is wrapping up. God surveys everything He ha...
Jewish tradition suggests that might be truer than you think, especially when it comes to the relationship between us, the Torah, and the Shekhinah (the Divine Presence). The Shekh...
Jewish tradition has a powerful image for our connection to the Divine. It's not a cable, not a chain, but a string. Think of it as a lifeline, a bond, a constant (though sometimes...
That’s the scene we’re stepping into today, a scene that plays out once a year, on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Our focus? The High Priest, his heart pounding, preparing to en...
There's a beautiful idea that just before the solemnity of Kol Nidrei, the service that begins Yom Kippur, a tremendous light descends from the heavens. Imagine it: a cascade of pu...
The holiday of Sukkot, as we know, is based on the biblical verse, "You shall live in booths seven days" (Leviticus 23:42). We build these temporary dwellings, the sukkot (plural o...
But what's happening on high? Well, according to a beautiful passage in the Zohar (2:40b-41a), the foundational text of Jewish mysticism, God isn't just observing. God's hosting a ...
You might be surprised. It’s not just about commemorating the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. According to some mystical traditions, Shavuot (the Festival of Weeks) is actually...
It's more than just a day off. It's a portal, a moment when the entire cosmos shifts. According to ancient wisdom, Shabbat (the Sabbath) isn't just about our rest, it's about the u...
It's more than just challah and rest, my friends. The Zohar, that foundational text of Kabbalah (Zohar 2:88b-89a), paints a stunning picture. It tells us that on the Sabbath, when ...
Jewish mystical tradition paints a breathtaking picture of the Sabbath – not just as a day of rest, but as a sacred marriage, a cosmic coronation, a weekly reunion between God and…...
The Zohar, that foundational text of Kabbalah, tells us that the angels hold their own Sabbath feast in heaven. Imagine thousands of them gathered in the fourth heavenly palace, a ...
The Torah tells us that Abraham did. But the story, like so many in our tradition, is layered with meaning, prompting centuries of interpretation and debate. The scene is set in Ge...
We all know the story: he led the Israelites out of Egypt, received the Torah on Mount Sinai, and brought his people to the edge of the Promised Land. But then… he just disappears ...
Jewish tradition paints a vivid picture of the Garden of Eden, and right at its heart stands something truly special: the Etz Chayim, the Tree of Life. It's not alone, of course. N...
Jewish tradition often speaks of a profound connection between the heavens and the earth – “as above, so below,” as the Kabbalists say. But what happens when tragedy strikes here? ...
It wasn't just a simple "pack your bags and leave," it was a journey into something far more profound. According to some fascinating strands of Jewish tradition, Adam’s exile didn'...
Jewish tradition offers us a fascinating glimpse into this very question. According to some mystical teachings, the soul of the Messiah dwells in a celestial palace, waiting. It’s ...
Jewish tradition paints a breathtaking picture of just such a place: a heavenly palace known as the Bird's Nest. This isn't just any palace; it's a secret place, holding within it ...
That’s the kind of fire that burned in the heart of Joseph della Reina. Imagine Hebron, long ago. A city steeped in history, in faith, in the whispers of ancestors. And in this cit...
