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Becoming Like God: Kabbalah Our Ultimate Destiny
Becoming Like God offers a kabbalistic approach for becoming all powerful. Written with extraordinary clarity, Michael Berg presents a logical method to achieving our supreme birthright. In revealing this opportunity for humanity, he highlights ways to develop our natural God-like attributes, and diminish the aspect of our nature (our ego) that interferes with our destiny. In his succinct style, Michael provides the answer to the eternal question of why we are here: To become like God.
Kindle Edition
First published August 19, 2004
91 people are currently reading
294 people want to read
About the author
Michael Berg
31 books18 followersRabbi Michael Berg (born June 29, 1973) is the co-director of the Kabbalah Centre, alongside his mother Karen Berg. He is the son of Philip Berg, the founder of the Kabbalah Centre. Michael edited an unabridged English translation of the Zohar. He is also a cofounder of Raising Malawi.
Michael Berg is the author of several books on Kabbalah. Included among them are Secrets of The Zohar, Becoming Like God, The Way, The Secret, Well of Life, What God Meant, and Days of Connection.
In 2010, Michael launched an online learning platform called UKabbalah aimed at making the study of Kabbalah more accessible to the wider public.
Michael Berg is the author of several books on Kabbalah. Included among them are Secrets of The Zohar, Becoming Like God, The Way, The Secret, Well of Life, What God Meant, and Days of Connection.
In 2010, Michael launched an online learning platform called UKabbalah aimed at making the study of Kabbalah more accessible to the wider public.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
June 9, 2008
I just read this last night. it is fantastic. i wish i had time to read it every morning before i start my day!
January 24, 2021
Cult like. Some stories creeped me out.
Some stuff was ok or interesting.
Nice hot pink text but bad content.
Some stuff was ok or interesting.
Nice hot pink text but bad content.
June 16, 2018
Recently I went through a period of time in which I was investigating and learning a lot about Judaism. Through this exercise there were plenty of things that I expected to learn about: The sacrificial system, the Talmud, its split with Christianity, the eventual coming of the messiah, etc. However, I did come across a word and had no clue as to its origins, that word was Kabbalah. Eventually, after some deeper research, I found the Kabbalah Centre, a popular resource for both Jews and Gentiles to look into the system of thought through articles, videos, and books. Becoming Like God happened to be one of their best sellers, So I decided to pick it up.
In very short summary Kabbalah is the mysticism practiced by Hasidic Jews and several other ultra-orthodox sects within Judaism. You’ve certainly seen a Hasid before, they’re the Jews with side curls that dress in long black coats and have a heavy population in Brooklyn. They follow all the central tenants of orthodox Judaism but also follow the dictates of Kabbalah as laid out in its principle text, the Zohar. This practice usually takes the forms of meditation, contemplative prayer, and even some stretching. However, if you’re looking to actually read the Zohar or any actual principle text that makes up the Kabbalistic system of thought then this isn’t the book for you. Becoming Like God instead seeks to examine the system of thought in very broad terms and how portions of it get applied to one’s life.
The book is essentially made up of three things, a metaphor, life advice, and Jewish folklore. Within the first couple pages Mr. Berg clearly establishes his thesis by using prison as a metaphor for life separate from a relationship with God. It’s both an effective and intriguing way of writing the book and hooking the reader in from the first page. As is common among pretty much all religious literature, beyond the faith's principle text(s), the author’s main purpose is to give advice on how it is the reader can live better within their religion, Becoming Like God is no different. Most of this book contained Mr. Berg’s observations from the Zohar manifested as advice for the reader to become a better person, done in an effort to help them “escape” from their cell inside the metaphorical prison.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that the advice and basic ideas laid out here are quite good, I found that it’s equally applicable to just about everyone. If you examine the book purely on the advice that is being given I don’t think it would matter if the reader ascribed to Judaism, a different religion, or Atheism, the thoughts Mr. Berg lays out are common sense and represent good tenants to live life by. Its all about focusing less on yourself, being honest, shrinking our ego, and focusing on other people. His advice is simple but takes a long time to learn and I can pretty clearly see the positive impact it would have on the average person’s life.
The third portion of the book would be its focus on Jewish folklore, beginning each chapter with a quotation that intends to lay out the theme of the pages to follow. Other than the books references to a relationship with God these would be the portions that the less religious reader would likely have the hardest time getting past. Judaism has a bevy of stories that extends outside of the bible and there are some really interesting selections in here from the Talmud and the Zohar, mostly being about great Jewish men who performed miraculous deeds or imparted some sort of wise realization or insight that was written down. They’re used well here to flavor the book with a unified theme about having a closer connection both to the spiritual as well our fellow man.
There are, however, two major things that work against this book. There is nothing wrong with the content or the way its written, its all very clear, highly readable, and easy to understand. It’s some aspects of the presentation of the material that I find detracts from the overall quality, aside from the average layout of a book the pages are filled with charts and small drawings to help the reader visualize the points that Mr. Berg is driving home, these are actually quite effective and very clever. Alongside this, however, the book has sections, and sometimes only a few words, of bold and capitalized hot pink text that are meant to help emphasize those same points that Mr. Berg is trying to nail down. These are scattered about so frequently that it’s almost distracting, drawing the readers eye to a different place on the page from where they’re actually supposed to be reading. Additionally, most of actual sections chosen to receive this treatment didn’t really need to be in bold, the emphasis doesn’t really add anything to the overall understanding of the chapter or book as a whole because its written in such a way that’s very easy to understand. In the end it becomes a choice of style over substance, which does seem to be one of the operating standards for any literature put out by the Kabbalah Centre.
The second detracting factor from the book is the Kabbalah Centre itself, from what I found in my research into the organization it doesn’t seem to be trusted by most Jews. They tend to criticize it for charging far too much for its materials, widely distributing material that they don’t think should be in the hands of non-Jews and focusing on capturing celebrities to promote them. It seems that the dominant opinion is that the Kabbalah Centre, at least in part, seems to have the wrong motivations for doing its business the way it does. Whether this has any affect on the quality or accuracy of Mr. Berg’s information I do not know, but I thought it important to include the mindset that the religion as a whole seems to have towards this publisher.
In the end, Becoming Like God contains useful information for both the religious and non-religious reader alike. It’s a practical approach to an ancient system of thought that yields some very good life advice, even if the average person may differ from the author in the reason why it’s useful. It’s a book that’s flavored well with folklore and if you can get past the presentation its very well worth the short amount of time it would take to read.
In very short summary Kabbalah is the mysticism practiced by Hasidic Jews and several other ultra-orthodox sects within Judaism. You’ve certainly seen a Hasid before, they’re the Jews with side curls that dress in long black coats and have a heavy population in Brooklyn. They follow all the central tenants of orthodox Judaism but also follow the dictates of Kabbalah as laid out in its principle text, the Zohar. This practice usually takes the forms of meditation, contemplative prayer, and even some stretching. However, if you’re looking to actually read the Zohar or any actual principle text that makes up the Kabbalistic system of thought then this isn’t the book for you. Becoming Like God instead seeks to examine the system of thought in very broad terms and how portions of it get applied to one’s life.
The book is essentially made up of three things, a metaphor, life advice, and Jewish folklore. Within the first couple pages Mr. Berg clearly establishes his thesis by using prison as a metaphor for life separate from a relationship with God. It’s both an effective and intriguing way of writing the book and hooking the reader in from the first page. As is common among pretty much all religious literature, beyond the faith's principle text(s), the author’s main purpose is to give advice on how it is the reader can live better within their religion, Becoming Like God is no different. Most of this book contained Mr. Berg’s observations from the Zohar manifested as advice for the reader to become a better person, done in an effort to help them “escape” from their cell inside the metaphorical prison.
I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised that the advice and basic ideas laid out here are quite good, I found that it’s equally applicable to just about everyone. If you examine the book purely on the advice that is being given I don’t think it would matter if the reader ascribed to Judaism, a different religion, or Atheism, the thoughts Mr. Berg lays out are common sense and represent good tenants to live life by. Its all about focusing less on yourself, being honest, shrinking our ego, and focusing on other people. His advice is simple but takes a long time to learn and I can pretty clearly see the positive impact it would have on the average person’s life.
The third portion of the book would be its focus on Jewish folklore, beginning each chapter with a quotation that intends to lay out the theme of the pages to follow. Other than the books references to a relationship with God these would be the portions that the less religious reader would likely have the hardest time getting past. Judaism has a bevy of stories that extends outside of the bible and there are some really interesting selections in here from the Talmud and the Zohar, mostly being about great Jewish men who performed miraculous deeds or imparted some sort of wise realization or insight that was written down. They’re used well here to flavor the book with a unified theme about having a closer connection both to the spiritual as well our fellow man.
There are, however, two major things that work against this book. There is nothing wrong with the content or the way its written, its all very clear, highly readable, and easy to understand. It’s some aspects of the presentation of the material that I find detracts from the overall quality, aside from the average layout of a book the pages are filled with charts and small drawings to help the reader visualize the points that Mr. Berg is driving home, these are actually quite effective and very clever. Alongside this, however, the book has sections, and sometimes only a few words, of bold and capitalized hot pink text that are meant to help emphasize those same points that Mr. Berg is trying to nail down. These are scattered about so frequently that it’s almost distracting, drawing the readers eye to a different place on the page from where they’re actually supposed to be reading. Additionally, most of actual sections chosen to receive this treatment didn’t really need to be in bold, the emphasis doesn’t really add anything to the overall understanding of the chapter or book as a whole because its written in such a way that’s very easy to understand. In the end it becomes a choice of style over substance, which does seem to be one of the operating standards for any literature put out by the Kabbalah Centre.
The second detracting factor from the book is the Kabbalah Centre itself, from what I found in my research into the organization it doesn’t seem to be trusted by most Jews. They tend to criticize it for charging far too much for its materials, widely distributing material that they don’t think should be in the hands of non-Jews and focusing on capturing celebrities to promote them. It seems that the dominant opinion is that the Kabbalah Centre, at least in part, seems to have the wrong motivations for doing its business the way it does. Whether this has any affect on the quality or accuracy of Mr. Berg’s information I do not know, but I thought it important to include the mindset that the religion as a whole seems to have towards this publisher.
In the end, Becoming Like God contains useful information for both the religious and non-religious reader alike. It’s a practical approach to an ancient system of thought that yields some very good life advice, even if the average person may differ from the author in the reason why it’s useful. It’s a book that’s flavored well with folklore and if you can get past the presentation its very well worth the short amount of time it would take to read.
October 20, 2008
My biggest objection to this book: Almost every other paragraph was printed in hot pink, all-capital letters. I don't know if there's anything a book can do to redeem itself after something like that.
But if you're somehow able to overlook the bizarre and very distracting layout, you might find this book an interesting read. Some other books on this topic are filled with symbols, complex diagrams, Hebrew &/or Aramaic terms, and generally make the whole thing seem very foreign and incomprehensible. This book is more like Kabbalah for dummies - just a few basic concepts, very accessible, geared towards an audience with no background in the subject. Think introductory missionary discussions for investigators of Kabbalah. Written by a missionary with a penchant for hot pink.
But if you're somehow able to overlook the bizarre and very distracting layout, you might find this book an interesting read. Some other books on this topic are filled with symbols, complex diagrams, Hebrew &/or Aramaic terms, and generally make the whole thing seem very foreign and incomprehensible. This book is more like Kabbalah for dummies - just a few basic concepts, very accessible, geared towards an audience with no background in the subject. Think introductory missionary discussions for investigators of Kabbalah. Written by a missionary with a penchant for hot pink.
July 31, 2014
Very interesting. The message is beautifully clear, but the rather odd pop-culture style of the book is more than a little jarring. I'm aware of the negative press Kabbalah has received, and the reasons why. That said, the central tenets of destruction of the ego and sharing to make yourself a "better" being are clear and admirable. Scoff if you will (and most of my friends will) but I enjoyed it and took many things from it.
May 29, 2020
I don’t completely agree with it but it was an interesting read.
December 27, 2022
New age, dangerously commercial pop Kabbalah. Not the real thing.
May 25, 2021
Ursula K. Le Guin wrote: "It is very hard for evil to take hold of the unconsenting soul”. This au author says that we have all gone over to the side of and that it's very difficult to pull oneself away. Unless, that is, one follows the steps in this book.
That's about the essence of it really. The details are laid out in easy to follow fashion. The only obstacle is that as soon as you close the book you forget all about it. Mostly. I think it was something to do with sharing. When you share you destroy ego. The only think keeping you away from God is ego (the tendency to do things for selfish reasons). Oh, and you should... erm... No, it's gone - sorry.
I remember one more bit that explains why we keep making mistakes. It's because there's a gap between what you do and what you get as a result. If there wasn't a gap then we would instantly suffer for the bad things we do and we'd then make the connection and stop doing those bad things. So, yeah - that explains that.
I don't really know what to make of this advice. I mean, sure, it gives you a nice formula to get closer to God, which is apparently where we belong (God is a mountain and we are rocks that have fallen off (presumably on some really bad avalanche) and so we have to get back). But it kind of begs the question: if God is so powerful then why isn't he cool about this so that he gets the brush and shovel out and scoops us all back up. Honestly, I'm getting a little ticked off with all these all-powerful Gods that can't be bothered to get up off the sofa and give us a hand. Seems that it's always us weaklings that have to do all the work. Just saying.
So, yeah - read this book if you're into a God that makes you make all the effort. Some people are like that I guess. No probs - on you go.
That's about the essence of it really. The details are laid out in easy to follow fashion. The only obstacle is that as soon as you close the book you forget all about it. Mostly. I think it was something to do with sharing. When you share you destroy ego. The only think keeping you away from God is ego (the tendency to do things for selfish reasons). Oh, and you should... erm... No, it's gone - sorry.
I remember one more bit that explains why we keep making mistakes. It's because there's a gap between what you do and what you get as a result. If there wasn't a gap then we would instantly suffer for the bad things we do and we'd then make the connection and stop doing those bad things. So, yeah - that explains that.
I don't really know what to make of this advice. I mean, sure, it gives you a nice formula to get closer to God, which is apparently where we belong (God is a mountain and we are rocks that have fallen off (presumably on some really bad avalanche) and so we have to get back). But it kind of begs the question: if God is so powerful then why isn't he cool about this so that he gets the brush and shovel out and scoops us all back up. Honestly, I'm getting a little ticked off with all these all-powerful Gods that can't be bothered to get up off the sofa and give us a hand. Seems that it's always us weaklings that have to do all the work. Just saying.
So, yeah - read this book if you're into a God that makes you make all the effort. Some people are like that I guess. No probs - on you go.
December 19, 2017
Something about this book was lacking for me. Perhaps the stories he used throughout did not, for some reason, resonate with me. Or, perhaps it was the prison theme that did not resonate. However, I liked it enough to want to purchase another of Berg's books and hopefully learn more about this ancient wisdom.
December 21, 2025
Fue un libro lindo, cumplió con su función, me siento identificada con mucho de lo que afirma y leer algo tan sagrado es gratificante.
Esperaba un poco más del libro, tiende a volverse muy repetitivo, dice lo mismo una y otra vez a lo largo de los capítulos, pero nada profundo, nada más allá.
El libro explica el qué y para qué pero no explica el cómo.
Esperaba un poco más del libro, tiende a volverse muy repetitivo, dice lo mismo una y otra vez a lo largo de los capítulos, pero nada profundo, nada más allá.
El libro explica el qué y para qué pero no explica el cómo.
August 13, 2025
Not what you would expect. It is not religious in any way. It's about reaching your full potential and finding peace within yourself. Even as someone who doesn't believe in a specific "God", I still enjoyed this book.
August 10, 2017
Really good intro into Kabbalah. I read it and completely understood the draw to this denomination.
September 5, 2017
Sem review porque Deus tá vendo
February 20, 2019
wow ,that was good reading, looks like I am buying a book or two thanks for sharing my friend love light and peace 🙏💚🕯
May 13, 2019
I was hoping this would be an explanation of the Kabbalah and not an obnoxious pink CAPITALISED self-help manual for the spiritually desperate. Ungh.
May 20, 2019
An amazing book, very easy to read, practical and useful!
July 2, 2020
Muy rápido de leer y se entiende bien
March 1, 2023
This book changed my life. It's very simple and surface level when it comes to explaining Kabbalah but it was all I needed to look deeper into it. His podcast is also amazing if you're interested.
September 2, 2023
It barely scratches the surfaces, though It points you in the right direction. CAVEAT EMPTOR: It says becoming LIKE God, not becoming God.
February 8, 2025
Read a few snippets because it was forced upon me. Very cult like and creeped me out. It’s fine if you like this stuff, just don’t force it onto others.
April 28, 2025
Read this 20 years ago before being married, having children and my life was a mess. REad it again recently and hit in a completely different way now. Great book that I highly recommend
June 22, 2025
Love it. Will read it again.
Advanced if you are just beggining with this, best to read more regarding your interest before reaching this.
Advanced if you are just beggining with this, best to read more regarding your interest before reaching this.
February 26, 2025
Realmente es para alguien que mínimo tiene lo básico en Kabbalah
November 16, 2010
I'm a big fan of all of Michael, (and his brother Yehuda) Berg's writings on Kabbalah - I find them very inspiring. I get completely motivated to work on that old 'ego' that leaps up and gets all reactive, when things don't go my way, and to share everything I own. I probably need to read this, 'Satan - an Autobiography' and 'The Way', every morning. I love these books, but do seem to find it impossible to live up to them on a daily basis, despite my fiercest wish to do so at every reading. I am highly opposed to religion and the very negative effects it has on the world - and I read my first book on Kabbalah and Buddhism, out of intellectual curiousity, about 2 years ago. I now await each new Berg book with relish. I have no desire to 'practice' any religion. I have no time for any more daily, weekly or monthly rituals than we already have in our busy lives (though I have squeezed in the odd meditation here and there), nor do I have any inclination to knot myself up too often in guilt and self flagellation for my many human failings. BUT - for me personally, I have found that these, and some other very simple to read books have enhanced my view of, and sense of connection to, every other human being on the planet. And that has brought about many amazing changes in the way I live my life - all which have been extremely positive. And in my mind, that makes for some quality reading.
January 27, 2010
Even though this is written for those following Kabbalahistic faith, an ancient Arabic religion, there were lots of good points made. Michael Berg is the son of Kabbalist Rav P.S. Berg. Michael is a teacher at The Kabbalah Centre and lectures around the world. He also translated the holy Zohar, a 23-volume compendium into English by the age of 28. The cover states, "This book is a letter addressed to a prison. It is a prison where no one gets out for good behavior, and everyone is sentenced to death. You who read this are an inhabitant of this prison, as am I, and for both of us, an incredible opportunity has presented itself." He writes how we can not only pray, obey, fear or reject God, but we can become like God. The prison is our ego. Though I don't agree with everything he says, he shares some interesting concepts.
May 23, 2013
I believe in the message, but I fear the 'message is the media' effect. Presenting the message in such a direct and simplistic way lessens its impact and many readers may wind up equating the Kabbalah with things like 'The Secret' and others of its ilk. I understand the impulse. A master of the Kabbalah must sometimes want to grab every person he sees and shake them and say, 'This isn't it - this isn't our reality!' But a master of the Kabbalah knows that such knowledge is not easily won because, in the end, the message is only understood and it only transforms when it comes from within - not from without.
The Kabbalah is not 'The Secret.' At best, this book is just a simplistic wake-up call - it won't put you behind the wheel of a Porsche.
The Kabbalah is not 'The Secret.' At best, this book is just a simplistic wake-up call - it won't put you behind the wheel of a Porsche.
October 3, 2007
this is a good example of what I hated from my Jewish upbringing - sure not one idea in here could I argue with, its just the style and guilt-based telling of the tale that turned my stomach.
I tried to blast through it, as I usually finish any book I start, but this one really sucked. I wouldn't ask anybody to live a more Godly life out of fear of what might happen if they don't. That's no way to live, in my opinion - out of a fear of negative consequcenes. Rather, give me a book that talks about the value of becoming God (see almost every other spiritual book on my list for good counter examples).
I tried to blast through it, as I usually finish any book I start, but this one really sucked. I wouldn't ask anybody to live a more Godly life out of fear of what might happen if they don't. That's no way to live, in my opinion - out of a fear of negative consequcenes. Rather, give me a book that talks about the value of becoming God (see almost every other spiritual book on my list for good counter examples).
Want to read
November 19, 2008Havent's started this one yet, but went to a Kabbalah seminar with Jen in Boston and got this for free. Seminar was fabu! Kabbalah is so old, with Buddhism, they can't date it at all. It's the basis of all Christianity, Islam, and Judaism and is very cool. It's also the ideas of where "The Force" of Star Wars comes from and the famous book, "The Secret". Can't wait to read it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews