Kabbalah for Beginners [Paperback]

Rav Michael Laitman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 2003

The Kabbalist Rabbi Laitman, who was the student and personal assistant to Rabbi Baruch Ashlag from 1979-1991, follows in the footsteps of his rabbi in passing on the wisdom of Kabbalah to the world. This book is based on sources that were passed down by Rabbi Baruch's father, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag, the author of the commentaries on The Book of Zohar, who continued the ways of many great Kabbalists throughout the generations before them. The goal of this book is to assist individuals in confronting the first stages of the spiritual realm. This unique method of study, which encourages sharing this wisdom with others, not only helps overcome the trials and tribulations of everyday life, but initiates a process in which individuals extend themselves beyond the standard limitations of today's world.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

KABBALIST RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN, a PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah and an MS in Bio-cybernetics, is the founder and president of Bnei Baruch — Kabbalah Education & Research Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing widespread knowledge of Kabbalah. For twelve years he studied closely at the side of his mentor, Kabbalist Baruch Ashlag, the first-born son and successor to Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag, author of the Sulam commentary on The Zohar. Once he received Rav Ashlag’s teachings, he was committed to circulating it to others.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

WHO IS A KABBALIST?

The Kabbalist is a researcher who studies his nature using a proven, time-tested and accurate method. He studies the essence of his existence using tools we can all utilize - feelings, intellect and heart.

A Kabbalist looks like an ordinary person, just like anyone else. He need not have any special skills, talents, or occupation. He need not be a wise man or wear a holy expression.

At some point in his life, this ordinary person decided to look for a way in which he would find credible answers to the questions that were troubling him. By utilizing a distinct method of learning, he was successful in acquiring an extra sense, a sixth sense, which is the spiritual sense.

HISTORY OF KABBALAH AND ZOHAR

The first Kabbalist we know of was the patriarch Abraham. He saw the wonders of human existence, asked questions of the Creator, and the upper worlds were revealed to him. The knowledge he acquired, and the method used in its acquisition, he passed on to coming generations. The Kabbalah was passed among the Kabbalists from mouth to mouth for many centuries. Each Kabbalist added his unique experience and personality to this body of accumulated knowledge, based on the souls of his generation.

THE LANGUAGE OF KABBALISTS

...the Kabbalists chose a special language that can be referred to as the 'language of branches.' Nothing takes place in this world that is not drawn from its roots in the spiritual world. On the contrary, everything in this world originates in the spiritual world and then descends into this world. The Kabbalists accordingly found a ready language by which they could easily convey their achievements to one another orally and in writing for future generations. They took the names of branches from the material world; each name is self-explanatory and indicates its upper root in the higher world system. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 72 pages
• Publisher: Bnei Baruch, Laitman Kabbalah; 3rd edition (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 097323153X
• ISBN-13: 978-0973231533
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (32 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #650,447 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Michael Laitman is the founder and president of the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Education & Research Institute, which is dedicated to teaching and sharing the wisdom of Kabbalah. Professor of Ontology, PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah, and MSc in bio-Cybernetics. Father of three and grandfather of three.

Dr. Laitman has received the unlikely distinction of being today's foremost authority on authentic Kabbalah. His research and study led him to ancient sources which reveal a science about how the natural laws of living systems work in human thought and desire, and the direct way this impacts human relations globally.

He is the author of The Complete Idiots Guide to Kabbalah, as well as thirty other books on the subject published in fourteen languages. In his book, From Chaos to Harmony, written in 2005 - long before the current financial crisis erupted - he laid out in detail, what would cause it, the positive purpose the crisis would serve, and what change people would need to undergo to solve it.
A warm engaging personality, with a down-to-earth concern for others, Dr. Laitman spends his every waking hour writing, teaching and traveling the world to dialog and exchange ideas, taking insights from these encounters to bring the knowledge of nature's general law of love and interdependence down to a practical everyday level, where it's needed most - in the family, education, science, commerce and the arts. His goal is to empower individuals to connect and quickly influence change in human behavior, matching the challenge of the new world we all now face.

As a member of the World Wisdom Council, he has collaborated with scientists, spiritual and political leaders, thinkers, artists, academics and social theorists.

Together with all this activity, he runs the Bnei Baruch international educational institute which provides open web-based classes daily on www.kab.tv, and produces books, films, a TV channel and other media all dedicated to the message of the unity of people, nations and the love of humanity - and all of it provided completely free to everyone who wants it.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

74 of 80 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Was Disappointed, June 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Kabbalah for Beginners (Paperback)

Bought this book because I was interested in learning about Kaballah. However, after reading the book I only have learned a brief history of Kabbalah. Still have no clue exactly on what Kabbalah is or the principles. This book had a high rating by previous readers so I am disappointed I didn't seem to "learn" what they must of learned about Kabbalah. Almost like this is a book to read before you want to know or understand what Kabbalah is.

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best introduction into the world of Kabbalah, October 25, 2006

By 

Michael Cohen (Jerusalem, Israel) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kabbalah for Beginners (Paperback)

Having read all of Rav Laitman's Kabbalah books, I have to say that, on the positive, I was able to read this whole book while waiting at a bus stop, and it did make me look at all the people on the bus completely differently once I got on (well, this is a Rav Laitman thing which I like about all his books, including this one--that he always talks about "you"--the "desire to receive"--the person reading the book, and you simply can't see things the same way afterwards)...HOWEVER, on the negative, in the span of having read all of his books, and considering that this was his first book...the explanations in this book are much more incomplete and less satisfying than any of his other books.

Actually, I'd have to go as far as saying that if I only read this book, I would simply categorize Laitman's teaching of Kabbalah as another one of many ways that we can look at the world and ourselves, with agreeable and disagreeable concepts, simply because that's the style that comes across, and the style and explanations aren't as "calculated" as they are in later books.

But I have to put the stick in here and say that this book is misleading as to the ever-increasing depth that Laitman gets into in his later books. For starters, I'd recommend anyone who's interested in buying this book, that you instead buy Laitman's 2006 beginners book "Kabbalah, Science and the Meaning of Life." For one, it is a much better translation, it speaks to you much more, and it really hones in on what Kabbalah is and isn't. The uniqueness of the Kabbalah teaching is much more clarified and differentiated from other teachings in "Kabbalah, Science and the Meaning of Life," it speaks a lot more to the English mentality, and presents a lot more information about Kabbalah, about how it relates to a person individually and to humanity as a whole, in a much more intriguing scientific manner.

The other book I'd recommend which is a MUCH better introduction to Kabbalah, and to Rav Laitman's teaching method, is "Awakening to Kabbalah: The Guiding Light of Spiritual Fulfillment." It is also written in much better English, and it really digs into new ways of perceiving things.

Basically, the main thing that I get from Laitman's Kabbalah books is that they change you, slowly, gradually, you start perceiving things differently and reacting to things differently, and you start "researching" the world completely differently. They really give you a wisdom that you take with you at every moment and that you use and experiment with at every moment. All it takes is some initial willingness to change your current perception of reality, and then, Laitman offers this life-changing process of how to keep changing it, continuously.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars indispensable !, April 17, 2003

By 

rs (Reunion Island) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Kabbalah for Beginners (Paperback)

I am a beginner in Kabbalah I wanted to say that i just did not find such a book among all kabbalah books i could find until now in my location. What makes the difference is that this book speaks about yourself, not about abstract or philosophical concepts. This book can change your life !

I am not a native English speaker, so please forgive my English that is not very correct. But maybe the fact I let you know that some persons are actually reading this book even in stranger tongue will indicate how valuable it is considered in our location, much more than a simple book ...