The Oracle of Kabbalah

by Richard Seidman

Divination--telling the future by magical means--is a dodgy business. Deuteronomy deemed it "repulsive to God." And yet Jews have always attempted to discern the future in various ways, including the casting of lots and meditation upon the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the Aleph Beit. Richard Seidman presents a primer for the latter form of divination in The Oracle of Kabbalah. A brief historical overview of Jewish divination--beginning with the fact that the Hebrew word for letter, ot, also means "sign, symbol, or miracle"--leads to direct instruction on using Hebrew letters as a means of divination.(The letters printed on a deck of cards are included with this book.) The basic technique is as "Take three slow, deep breaths from the belly. Formulate a question ... pray for inspiration and receptivity," pick a card, look up the description of the letter you've drawn, meditate on that letter's meaning, and "be receptive to any glimmers of intuition that arise." --Michael Joseph Gross

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2001

About the author

Richard Seidman loves to make jokes and, as he puts it, “funny business.” He says that’s one of the main reasons he enjoys writing – to amuse himself and children (and also the big children that are called “grown-ups”).

For Richard, funny business is a way to love life, and it’s also a way to transform sorrows. His ancestors, their hearts full of stories and hopes, fled to the U.S. from Poland and Ukraine in the early part of the twentieth century. Forty years later, Richard was born in Brooklyn, New York.

When he was growing up, playing games and sports and reading were the main things he enjoyed, and they’re still the main things he enjoys today! 


Richard wound up in Portland, Oregon where in 1989 he founded the nonprofit tree-planting group, Friends of Trees. In 1996, he was honored as a “Community Hero” for his role as the group’s founder and carried the Olympic torch in its national relay.

In 2001, St. Martin’s Press published his nonfiction book for adults, The Oracle of Kabbalah: Mystical Teachings of the Hebrew Letters. Richard will be releasing a revised edition, The New Oracle of Kabbalah, in fall of 2014.

He’s a member of SCBWI, the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, and a founding member of a local children’s book writing critique group. He’s also the editor and compiler of a nonfiction children’s book published by Benchmark Education, I Am Deaf and I Dance: A Memoir.

In the fall of 2013, after training in the martial arts for eighteen years, Richard earned a black belt in Shotokan Karate.

He now lives in Ashland, Oregon with his wife, Rachael. For more information about Richard and his books for children, visit www.richardseidman.com.

Reviews

[L7od · Rating 3 out of 5]

Aumentou meu conhecimento de hebraico e certamente tem várias lições que me ajudam a ler melhor tarot. O livro é bem didático, por outro lado não é uma leitura muito criativa e abridora de portas.

[AL · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some good insights into the Aleph Beth. I will be reading this again and often.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting book on Kabbalah.