Kabbalah For Dummies

by Arthur Kurzweil

"Kabbalah For Dummies" presents a balanced perspective of Kabbalah as an "umbrella" for a complex assemblage of mystical Jewish teachings and codification techniques. "Kabbalah For Dummies" also shows how Kabbalah simultaneously presents an approach to the study of text, the performance of ritual and the experience of worship, as well as how the reader can apply its teaching to everyday life.

Genres: Religion, Judaism, Mysticism, Judaica, Spirituality, Nonfiction, Jewish

384 pages, Paperback

First published November 6, 2006

Reviews

[Alex Kartelias · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unlike most books on Kabbalah, the author puts the subject in its necessary context: Judiasm. Having heard of and both admired Kabbalistic idea of The Tree of Life, I was both dissapointed yet assured that one cannot be a, "Kabbalist" without being a Jew. Yet, when it was put in its proper context, the richness of much it's ideas became more beautiful. The author is a great scholar and a humble writer when it comes to making Kabbalah clear without the distortions that the media has put on it. A book I'm sure to return to

[Aby Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very simple, quick, and general read for curious people.

[Paulo Reimann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good start

Kabbalah is always intriguing. Moreover, complex. Even though it says "for dummies" one must be a smart dummy to capture and continue further readings.

[Alex Shrugged · Rating 4 out of 5]

Note: I listened to the audiobook version and since I have some background in Kabbalah I followed along just fine. However, if you do NOT have a background in Kabbalah, I suggest getting the print or ebook version of this work to read while listening to the audiobook version. The author uses a lot of Hebrew and it is important to know both how the letters appear on the page and how they sound when vocalized. I'm not kidding. Part of the study of Kabbalah is understanding the way that the Hebrew letters are formed.

It would also be better (though not required for this book) to be able to read Hebrew... at least knowing the letters. A good book for this is "Reading Hebrew: A Programmed Instruction Book". It will take you step-by-step so that even a homeless guy could learn to read the letters. FYI, I actually tried this with a homeless guy. He was delighted to realize that he could now recognize Hebrew letters.

Caveats: although the author presents Kabbalah in a simplified manner, his focus is mainly on Jews and Judaism. If you are not Jewish you can still benefit from this book although not as much. In fact, considerably not as much. Judaism works differently from Christianity so if you are not prepared for it, it can be confusing, and I'm not exactly sure why you would want to take the time. Instead, check out St. John of the Cross. He did something similar and Christian. For Jews who are not familiar with Jewish ritual, I suggest studying that first. Try reading the following books:

"Jewish Literacy: The Most Important Things to Know about the Jewish Religion, Its People, and Its History"

"To Be A Jew: A Guide To Jewish Observance In Contemporary Life"

"To Pray As A Jew: A Guide To The Prayer Book And The Synagogue Service"

"Nine and a Half Mystics: The Kabbala Today"

OK. So what about the book itself? It is an explanation about misconceptions concerning Kabbalah. While the author is correct that kabbalistic practices permeate mainstream Jewish religious practice (more or less, depending on the Jewish religious group) mainstream Jews generally treat it as a natural part of Jewish observance, and tend to ignore its more helpful and sometimes mystical aspects. The author gives the impression that every Jew is half-unconscious in deep meditation while exploring the misty depths of the ayin (nothingness), so use caution. The author is clearly hanging out with such people, but not all Jews are doing this, not even the ones who study and practice Kabbalah.

The author recommend a number of books. He mentioned "Nine and a Half Mystics: The Kabbala Today" and I agree with that. In fact, you should probably read that first, but your choice.

I doubt I will read this book again. I already know most of this material and the parts that I didn't know (or have not committed to memory) require deeper study than I could get in this book. It is an introduction.

[Alan Whitehead · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've found the "For Dummies" series is a perfect stepping stone into a complex new subject, and Arthur Kurzweil's Kabbalah for Dummies is an exceptional example of this. I came into this book with only the most basic information—mainly the structure and symbolism of the Tree of Life—and it immediately helped me expand my understanding and find my bearings.

What I realized quickly is that Kabbalah is so much more than just the Tree of Life. This book beautifully expanded my scope, revealing just how profoundly present God is in the spiritual life of the Jewish people, and specifically for Kabbalists.

Kurzweil's writing is accessible yet thorough, seamlessly exploring the core ideas, the historical context, the people who preserved the tradition, the practices involved, and the deeper meanings behind it all. It provides a comprehensive set of coordinates, allowing a reader to confidently decide where and how to dive deeper next.

While not my chosen faith, I came away with a greater respect for my Jewish brothers and sisters. For anyone curious about this rich and often misunderstood tradition, this is the ideal introduction. A definite 5 out of 5 stars!

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clear and accessible. Difficult for me to comment on its accuracy, as I know very little about Kabbalah, but this felt like it went deep enough to not be shallow without going into dizzying details. Places Kabbalah squarely in the Jewish context, to the point where the book often seems to be describing just plain old Orthodox Judaism but with slightly different valence. That felt accurate to me, for what it’s worth, I appreciated it.

Occasionally repetitive, but I think that comes from the format of the Dummies books, which apparently aim to allow you to read in any chapter order instead of from start to end. That said, I read from start to end, and would recommend it.

[)]

My goal reading this was mainly to get more familiar with Kabbalah symbolism to understand it in literary works. Parts I-II of the book did the trick pretty well. I skimmed the rest of it out of general curiosity, and it was also pretty good and informative.

(But also, if your goal is to get seriously into Kabbalah this seems like a good starting place. The writing is easy to follow, and it's written by someone who's been practicing and studying it his whole life.)

[Graham Cammock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing! I feel so much better now I have a proper, in depth and comprehensive book about Kabbalah under my belt. It was overdue for me. I have read a comprehensive book on Judaism, however, a book on Judaism is no substitute for a book on Kabbalah. Kabbalah is so much deeper and more detailed than Judaism, therefore, if you want to grasp Judaism, you must read about Kabbalah. I honestly highly recommend this book.

[K. Counihan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Conflict without subtance

For 12$ here you get immaculate, pristine, active table of contents, formatting and less substance. For.99 cents I read Unlocking the Zohar, by Michael Laitman. Laitmans book was a wealth of knowledge and substance. I found that book + back 3 index most enlightening

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Picked this up many, many moons ago and needed a quick refresher on some concepts and leads for further study. Mission accomplished.

[Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative.

[Diana Willemsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Over kabbala is zoveel te leren. Het boek geeft antwoord op veel gestelde vragen, is zorgvuldig en toch “makkelijk” te lezen.

Wil je meer? https://www.olamot.online

[Elizabeth]

I just get confused as to where to go, next. I'm looking into the Berg family's "Kabbalah Centre," Which seems relevant to continuing studies from this point, and more my speed as it seems very open to hyper westerners like me. ;>