Kabbalah
Kabbalah refers to an aspect of Jewish mystical beliefs and practices that increase traditional Jewish interpretation of the bible, going deeper to God’s essence. It is the key in achieving happiness, fulfillment, and bringing you close to the Creator. According to Kabbalistic teachings, supreme principles empower the universe. Through the actions and understanding of these teachings, you will achieve fulfillment in life and for humanity. Kabbalah actually means “receiving” in Hebrew. It is also the center of all spiritual teachings of the Hassidic Judaism.
The History of Kabbalah
Supposedly, God first gave Kabbalah to the angels before creating the world. It was then passed down to mankind through three different men. Archangel Raziel first gave the teaching to Adam when he and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden. The truth about Kabbalah was eventually lost when people started to gain more interested in the ways of the world than in the teachings of God.
The second person to receive the teachings of Kabbalah is Abraham around 1700 B.C. God along with Abraham created the covenant with Kabbalah a part of it. Kabbalah was once gain lost during the time when Egypt enslaved Abraham’s descendants.
The last and final revelation of Kabbalah was handed down to Moses when he met God at Mount Sinai. Moses received the 10 Commandments the first time he went up to the mountain. He then received Kabbalah the second time he went up. Infinite number of celestial angels came down to burn down Moses when Torah was transmitted to him, but he was protected by the Holy One.
The outer and inner teachings were referred to by Kabbalists as the Mosaic encounters. The first time Moses encountered God was during the time he received the 10 Commandments, considering it as the outer teaching. It was when Moses received the teachings of Kabbalah that he encountered God the second time. This is called the inner teaching.
All over history, the teachings of Kabbalah was concealed and kept hidden from other people. Those in power prosecuted those who study and undertake the teachings. The Kabbalists saw that humanity was not interested of this teaching, so they kept it in secret and prepared for a time in which the Kabblah would be greatly accepted by many. It was when in 1922 that it reached a new era, establishing in Jerusalem the Kabbalah Centre by Rabbi Ashlag.
During 100 to 1000 A.D. when the earliest records of Kabbalah were found, explaining the mysticism related to ‘Merkabah’ and the connection it has with the formation to reach the God. It was believed that these mystics were part of shamanism in an attempt to visualize God through trance states. Sefer Yetzirah, one of the most powerful books, was believed to be composed earlier than this period.
It was during the middle ages when theosophical development was popularized, focusing mainly on the processes within God. Emphasis on the explanation of the intrinsic process of creation is also manifested in an order of emanations, or Sefirot that can be found in Sefer Yetzirah. The practice of Kabbalah evolved nearly two thousand years back and was considered a mystical journey, continuously being practiced during that time.