Gates of Light: Sha'are Orah

by Joseph Gikatilla

This central text of Jewish mysticism was written in thirtenth-century Spain, where Kabbalah flourished. Considered to be the most articulate work on the mystical Kabbalah, Gates of Light provides a systematic and comprehensive explanation of the Names of God and their mystical applications. The Kabbalah presents a unique strategy for intimacy with the Creator and new insights into the Hebrew Scriptures. In the Kabbalah, aspects of God emanate from a hierarchy of Ten Spheres interconnected by channels that may be disrupted or repaired through human activity.

Genres: Religion, Nonfiction, Theology, Judaism

436 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Rabbi Joseph ben Abraham Gikatilla was a renowned thirteenth-century Kabbalistic thinker and is thought to have developed the most systematic approach to Jewish mysticism.

Reviews

[Eric Friedman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A reasonable translation of a Hebrew classic of Kabbalistic literature. R. Isaac Luria called this book the Key to Kabbalah; and it is. This English edition has it's flaws; it can be difficult to read, and the translator provides no framework or notes to provide context for the many deep subjects discussed. Also, some of the terms are translated obscurely, and for no comprehensible reason. For example, the Hebrew "Merkavah" (Chariot, Vehicle) is translated as "Constellation", which is too specific and a far stretch from the general sense of the word. It works in one context, but not throughout the book. It also leaves "Mazal" - which usually means "constellation" in a Kabbalistic context - to be translated differently. In this case, as well as others, I often found myself referring to the original Hebrew to figure out the English!

But "it's the only game in town", and it's still an impressive accomplishment. In the past 20 years, I've referred to it often.

[Daniel Duke · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it! I also enjoyed the illustrations in which I made a major discovery for my research which is detailed in my upcoming book.