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Kabbalah: Secrecy, Scandal and the Soul
Harry Freedman, author of
The Talmud: A Biography
and
The Murderous History of Bible Translations
, explores the mysterious Jewish mystical tradition of Kabbalah.
Kabbalah is popularly known as a fashionable system for personal and spiritual insight, a Jewish mystical tradition popularized by devoted celebrities like Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, and Britney Spears. But behind the hype and simplicity of "pop-Kabbalah" lies an ancient, complex and very profound system that can take a lifetime to master. Kabbalah: Secrecy, Scandal and the Soul is a short introduction that untangles the complex history and spiritual tradition behind the phenomenon.
Kabbalah is difficult to define. The very phrase "story of Kabbalah" is as opaque and mysterious as the topic itself. This of course is its appeal. The word itself means "received." For over half a millennium, individuals and movements with no attachment to Judaism have incorporated Kabbalah into their own spiritual traditions. Kabbalah flourished in the Renaissance and its method was adopted in varying measures by Hermeticists, Rosicrucians, Freemasons and tarot card readers. Isaac Newton, Gottfried Leibnitz, Carl Jung and Harold Bloom have all admitted to the influence of Kabbalah. But it all goes back to the Hebrew Bible where the prophet Ezekiel described in detail his vision of the heavenly throne, perceived as a chariot.
Kabbalah became fashionable in the late 1960s in the wake of the hippy counter-culture and with the approach of the new age, and enjoyed its share of fame, scandal, and disrepute as the twenty first century approached.
This concise, readable, and thoughtful history of Kabbalah tells its story as it has never been told before. It demands no knowledge of Kabbalah, just an interest in asking the questions "why?" and "how?"
Kabbalah is popularly known as a fashionable system for personal and spiritual insight, a Jewish mystical tradition popularized by devoted celebrities like Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow, Demi Moore, and Britney Spears. But behind the hype and simplicity of "pop-Kabbalah" lies an ancient, complex and very profound system that can take a lifetime to master. Kabbalah: Secrecy, Scandal and the Soul is a short introduction that untangles the complex history and spiritual tradition behind the phenomenon.
Kabbalah is difficult to define. The very phrase "story of Kabbalah" is as opaque and mysterious as the topic itself. This of course is its appeal. The word itself means "received." For over half a millennium, individuals and movements with no attachment to Judaism have incorporated Kabbalah into their own spiritual traditions. Kabbalah flourished in the Renaissance and its method was adopted in varying measures by Hermeticists, Rosicrucians, Freemasons and tarot card readers. Isaac Newton, Gottfried Leibnitz, Carl Jung and Harold Bloom have all admitted to the influence of Kabbalah. But it all goes back to the Hebrew Bible where the prophet Ezekiel described in detail his vision of the heavenly throne, perceived as a chariot.
Kabbalah became fashionable in the late 1960s in the wake of the hippy counter-culture and with the approach of the new age, and enjoyed its share of fame, scandal, and disrepute as the twenty first century approached.
This concise, readable, and thoughtful history of Kabbalah tells its story as it has never been told before. It demands no knowledge of Kabbalah, just an interest in asking the questions "why?" and "how?"
304 pages, Hardcover
Published May 21, 2019
10 people are currently reading
130 people want to read
About the author
Harry Freedman
19 books40 followersMy publishers describe me as Britain's best known writer on Jewish topics. I couldn't possibly comment! You can find out about all my books here on Goodreads. My website is harryfreedmanbooks.com and if you like what I write please subscribe to
my newsletter.
My most recent book is Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius. It explores the religious folklore, spiritual ideas and mystical concepts that run all the way through Leonard Cohen’s music.
Anyone who has listened carefully to Leonard Cohen’s music will know that songs like Hallelujah, Story of Isaac and By the Rivers Dark are based on biblical narratives. But Leonard Cohen’s music contains many more songs based on ancient lore. The Window is packed with kabbalistic insights, Who by Fire is based on both an ancient mystical text and a synagogue prayer, and You Want it Darker is one of the most powerful challenges ever written to the God whose presence Leonard Cohen was always aware of, whose purpose baffled him and whose world he struggled to come to terms with.
Cohen was deeply learned in both Judaism and Christianity; they helped shape his self-identity and the way he made sense of the world. In the book I explore twenty of his songs that are rooted in ancient biblical or kabbalistic sources. I explain the sources he drew upon, discuss their original context and the stories and ideas behind them, and show how Leonard Cohen has harnessed them for his own purposes. The book is not a biography, though it contains biographical information. I hope that it will offer an insight into the soul and imagination of one of the greatest singers and lyricists of our time.
My previous book was Reason to Believe: The Controversial Life of Rabbi Louis Jacobs. Louis Jacobs was Britain’s most gifted Jewish scholar. A Talmudic genius, outstanding teacher and accomplished author, cultured and easy-going, he was widely expected to become Britain’s next Chief Rabbi.
Then controversy struck. The Chief Rabbi refused to appoint him as Principal of Jews’ College, the country’s premier rabbinic college. He further forbade him from returning as rabbi to his former synagogue. All because of a book Jacobs had written some years earlier, challenging from a rational perspective the traditional belief in the origins of the Torah.
The British Jewish community was torn apart. It was a scandal unlike anything they had ever previously endured. The national media loved it. Jacobs became a cause celebre, a beacon of reason, a humble man who wouldn’t be compromised. His congregation resigned en masse and created a new synagogue for him in Abbey Road, the heart of fashionable 1970s London. It became the go-to venue for Jews seeking reasonable answers to questions of faith.
A prolific author of over 50 books and hundreds of articles on every aspect of Judaism, from the basics of religious belief to the complexities of mysticism and law, Louis Jacobs won the heart and affection of the mainstream British Jewish community. When the Jewish Chronicle ran a poll to discover the Greatest British Jew, Jacobs won hands down. He said it made him feel daft.
Reason To Believe tells the dramatic and touching story of Louis Jacobs’s life, and of the human drama lived out by his family, deeply wounded by his rejection.
my newsletter.
My most recent book is Leonard Cohen: The Mystical Roots of Genius. It explores the religious folklore, spiritual ideas and mystical concepts that run all the way through Leonard Cohen’s music.
Anyone who has listened carefully to Leonard Cohen’s music will know that songs like Hallelujah, Story of Isaac and By the Rivers Dark are based on biblical narratives. But Leonard Cohen’s music contains many more songs based on ancient lore. The Window is packed with kabbalistic insights, Who by Fire is based on both an ancient mystical text and a synagogue prayer, and You Want it Darker is one of the most powerful challenges ever written to the God whose presence Leonard Cohen was always aware of, whose purpose baffled him and whose world he struggled to come to terms with.
Cohen was deeply learned in both Judaism and Christianity; they helped shape his self-identity and the way he made sense of the world. In the book I explore twenty of his songs that are rooted in ancient biblical or kabbalistic sources. I explain the sources he drew upon, discuss their original context and the stories and ideas behind them, and show how Leonard Cohen has harnessed them for his own purposes. The book is not a biography, though it contains biographical information. I hope that it will offer an insight into the soul and imagination of one of the greatest singers and lyricists of our time.
My previous book was Reason to Believe: The Controversial Life of Rabbi Louis Jacobs. Louis Jacobs was Britain’s most gifted Jewish scholar. A Talmudic genius, outstanding teacher and accomplished author, cultured and easy-going, he was widely expected to become Britain’s next Chief Rabbi.
Then controversy struck. The Chief Rabbi refused to appoint him as Principal of Jews’ College, the country’s premier rabbinic college. He further forbade him from returning as rabbi to his former synagogue. All because of a book Jacobs had written some years earlier, challenging from a rational perspective the traditional belief in the origins of the Torah.
The British Jewish community was torn apart. It was a scandal unlike anything they had ever previously endured. The national media loved it. Jacobs became a cause celebre, a beacon of reason, a humble man who wouldn’t be compromised. His congregation resigned en masse and created a new synagogue for him in Abbey Road, the heart of fashionable 1970s London. It became the go-to venue for Jews seeking reasonable answers to questions of faith.
A prolific author of over 50 books and hundreds of articles on every aspect of Judaism, from the basics of religious belief to the complexities of mysticism and law, Louis Jacobs won the heart and affection of the mainstream British Jewish community. When the Jewish Chronicle ran a poll to discover the Greatest British Jew, Jacobs won hands down. He said it made him feel daft.
Reason To Believe tells the dramatic and touching story of Louis Jacobs’s life, and of the human drama lived out by his family, deeply wounded by his rejection.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 22, 2021
Really quite an interesting book on the history of Kabbalah. It’s not a book to read if you are hoping to understand the study of Kabbalah itself so much as if you are wondering how it came to be what it is (which, it turns out, was like one big game of “telephone”). I found the super brief mentions of astrology & Tarot, as well as the Christian counterpart of Cabala, and the connection to Hasidism especially interesting. Looking forward to diving deeper into the actual study now knowing more about the different schools of thought that have informed the way we look at it today!
September 25, 2020
An enjoyable introduction
Harry Freedman has written several popular histories on effects of a Jewish of bible, the Talmud, and now on Kabbalah. Freedman does not go super in-depth but he does give one a taste of history. I always learn a lot from his books even on topics I already know a fair amount about.
Harry Freedman has written several popular histories on effects of a Jewish of bible, the Talmud, and now on Kabbalah. Freedman does not go super in-depth but he does give one a taste of history. I always learn a lot from his books even on topics I already know a fair amount about.
December 27, 2020
Intro basilare da ripassino ma buono tutto lo spiegone sulla Cabala cristiana e amici vari.
December 31, 2020
Entertaining and stimulating read! This gives a narrative of the history of Kabbalah, how it evolved, and how it jumped from Judaism to Christianity to the occult, with plenty of amusing and illuminating anecdotes and characters scattered throughout. The author doesn't delve too much into the substantive debates or concepts of Kabbalah - I think the book could've easily been expanded from a mass-market nonfiction to a more hefty tome and done some deeper analysis of those topics, but honestly, I think this was a perfectly fine introduction to the subject. Also, the author's discussion about the modern impact of Kabbalah revolved around the Kabbalah Centre. Again, the author was clearly going for a certain scope, so I don't want to quibble too much, but I think this section could have been considerably expanded because I think the cultural impact of Kabbalah extends beyond that singular example - e.g., Neon Genesis Evangelion, the "Bible Code," etc.
March 21, 2021
A fine enough introduction to a totally unfamiliar topic. The organisation of the chapters and ordering of events makes the overall narrative quite hard to follow such that the book doesn’t really have any driving force. This leads me to my bigger criticism, which is that where there are political or contemporarily relevant statements, they become vague and useless, sounding something like ‘well Kabbalah can be anything’ without really doing any analysis of the things it has been beyond the personal lives and stories of its practitioners. Despite constantly bringing up connections to broader history, Freedman remains content to set aside Kabbalah as its own little field developing alongside the rest of the world rather than truly in it. Nonetheless, there is enough there to give a sense of the kinds of practices Kabbalah can involve, the beliefs it can give rise to and the situations it has adapted itself to.
August 8, 2019
A survey of the story of Kabbalah, this book has a lot of territory to cover. Truthfully, I would have preferred this book focus on Judaism, instead of trying to deal with the history of Christian appropriation and fixation on Kabbalah. It might've made it a little bit more focused, as there's a ton of territory to cover without delving into a secondary story. That said, it does cover quite a bit, and the book is an interesting tackling of the overall history and life-span of Kabbalah.
May 12, 2020
This book is an exploration of the history of Kabbalah so It might not appeal to people not interested in history. I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest in Kabbalah. It covers some interesting historical figures, and presents an absolutely amazing bibliography.
December 13, 2024
Although the two "howlers" I caught in Freedman's companion survey of reception to the Talmud don't have their equivalents here, luckily, still, I'd hoped for a more in-depth treatment. He skims past Yehuda Ashlag (see Herbert Weiner's "9 1/2 Mystics: the Kabbalah Today, 1969; exp. ed. 1991, reviewed by me as is Freedman's title) who furthered the teachings of Rabbi Kook (first generation) in turning around the "tzimtzum" concept so the broken vessels awaiting repair do so within the human rather than the primordial construct. This reorientation merits more than a relative aside.
As to earlier wanderings of those hooked on the Jewish Kabbalah, the Christian Cabala, and the recent emanation of the Kabbalah Centre, all manifestations get their due. I lost interest in the Renaissance period when magicians and alchemists attempted to harness its powers or unlock its secrets, but I've never been captivated by this pursuit, admittedly. But Freedman does manage to narrate engagingly if in quick fashion the antics of Sabbatai Tzvi, the Golem of Prague, explorations of Luria and his fellow adepts in Safed, the late-medieval attempts to ban the Talmud and the unintended consequences of promoting in its stead the publication of the Kabbalah among the Sephardic diaspora in Italy, and the mystery of the origins of the supposedly rediscovered "Zohar."
I can't say I learned much beyond the reason for the divergent spelling of the titular noun. But for those who don't need a primer on the contents of this challenging and mystifying body of lore, and who instead like me find the transmission of strange ideas and arcane doings equally if not more engrossing, this will do. A note that while Freedman quotes in his text from "Radar magazine" on the Madonna-related scandals around the K Centre, there's no entry for this in his bibliography.
As to earlier wanderings of those hooked on the Jewish Kabbalah, the Christian Cabala, and the recent emanation of the Kabbalah Centre, all manifestations get their due. I lost interest in the Renaissance period when magicians and alchemists attempted to harness its powers or unlock its secrets, but I've never been captivated by this pursuit, admittedly. But Freedman does manage to narrate engagingly if in quick fashion the antics of Sabbatai Tzvi, the Golem of Prague, explorations of Luria and his fellow adepts in Safed, the late-medieval attempts to ban the Talmud and the unintended consequences of promoting in its stead the publication of the Kabbalah among the Sephardic diaspora in Italy, and the mystery of the origins of the supposedly rediscovered "Zohar."
I can't say I learned much beyond the reason for the divergent spelling of the titular noun. But for those who don't need a primer on the contents of this challenging and mystifying body of lore, and who instead like me find the transmission of strange ideas and arcane doings equally if not more engrossing, this will do. A note that while Freedman quotes in his text from "Radar magazine" on the Madonna-related scandals around the K Centre, there's no entry for this in his bibliography.
January 14, 2025
I purchased this book on a whim, seeing it on discount in the Waterstones basement. The idea of 'Kabbalah' evokes certain occult connotations which excited me and I have long wished to grasp the tree of life, as its imagery recurs across many different sources.
The book itself isn't particularly an introduction to Kabbalah as a belief set, this being summarised in a few pages of the appendix. Instead, it is a whistlestop tour of the history of its practice, from ancient Judaism to modern quackery. It is interesting and made me want to learn more of the history of Judaism, particularly from its first half.
Nonetheless, covering thousands of years of history in a couple of hundred pages is always going to lend itself to brief summaries and that's what the book is, a series of vignettes from the long history of Jewish mysticism. I suspect each of these vignettes could be a book of its own, and as I stated it did make me interested in going into greater depth on Jewish history.
As long as the reader knows this is a brief historical overview of Kabbalah in its many forms, rather than its practice, it is a decent introduction to a field of history I was unfamiliar with.
The book itself isn't particularly an introduction to Kabbalah as a belief set, this being summarised in a few pages of the appendix. Instead, it is a whistlestop tour of the history of its practice, from ancient Judaism to modern quackery. It is interesting and made me want to learn more of the history of Judaism, particularly from its first half.
Nonetheless, covering thousands of years of history in a couple of hundred pages is always going to lend itself to brief summaries and that's what the book is, a series of vignettes from the long history of Jewish mysticism. I suspect each of these vignettes could be a book of its own, and as I stated it did make me interested in going into greater depth on Jewish history.
As long as the reader knows this is a brief historical overview of Kabbalah in its many forms, rather than its practice, it is a decent introduction to a field of history I was unfamiliar with.
January 18, 2023
I've read a few books on Kabbalah and this is one of the better ones, giving an overview of the history as well as outlining some of the major characters in the development of Kabbalah over the centuries and some of the basic beliefs of the Kabbalists. I found the book well written and easy to read, without too much complicated jargon, and would reccomend it for anyone looking for an introductory text.
July 24, 2024
This book explained the history of kabbalah and its evolution also the relation to occult very well.
Also it very well explained all the scandals and frauds under the name of kabbalah tradition. Eye opening , insightful and entertaining
Also it very well explained all the scandals and frauds under the name of kabbalah tradition. Eye opening , insightful and entertaining
September 10, 2019
This book is history of the kabbalah movement. Not an interesting history.
January 6, 2021
Four-and-a-half stars.
May 8, 2025
Well written history of the Kabbala from origins to today.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews