Meditation and the Bible [Paperback]

Aryeh Kaplan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 1, 1978

A highly radical interpretation of the Bible demonstrating the methods of meditation used by the Prophets to attain their unique states of consciousness. First English translation from ancient unpublished manuscripts, with commentary.

Product Details

• Paperback: 192 pages
• Publisher: Red Wheel / Weiser (June 1, 1978)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0877286175
• ISBN-13: 978-0877286172
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,344 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #34 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Prayerbooks

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

49 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Jewish viewpoint on Meditation, July 18, 1999

By 

Rabbi Yonassan Gershom (Minnesota, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Meditation & the Bible (Hardcover)

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan, author of this book, was an orthodox Jew with a rare gift for explaining Jewish mysticism in clear, accurate layperson's terms. When this book first came out, it was a major theological breakthrough, in that it presented an authentically JEWISH view of meditative practices that are hinted at in the Bible. In my opinion, it is required reading for anybody -- Jew or gentile -- who wants to understand how Jews meditate, with authentic references to prove that meditation is kosher.

I highly recommend it!

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "Meditation for Fun and Prophet", July 21, 2002

By 

louienapoli "louieb" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Meditation and the Bible (Paperback)

The lore is that Rabbi Kaplan, the author, died at the tender age of forty-six because G-d felt Kaplan had exposed enough of His secrets and decided it was time to recall this particular soldier. This book does nothing to undermine that hypothesis. Rabbi Kaplan, arguably the most prolific, cogent, and accessible of writers on Jewish esoterica and mysticism, explores how the Torah's Prophets used meditation as a tool to foster their prescience. The book also serves as an incisive gloss on aspects of the Torah, explicating the esoteric meaning underlying various elements of it. The section on Psalm 119 alone is worth the price of the book. Kaplan's objective in all of his works is to get at the heart of Judaism, to use the form to understand the substance. Meditation and The Bible is an important part of his oeuvre. Irrespective of one's religion, this book instils the sense that the reader is being let in on secrets of The Bible previously unknown to all except true Initiates, whoever they might be. Add it to your Kaplan collection. If you don't have a collection of his other books, this should inspire you to start one.

30 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars How to Meditate!!!, January 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Meditation and the Bible (Paperback)

This is an interesting book. Within its pages contains knowledge of true Biblical Meditation. This book teaches you how to meditate by showing you the mysterious secrets of meditation used by the Holy Prophets of God!! If you have ever wondered what the Prophets did in the Bible to attain the states of consciousness needed to see into the future or just to receive Divine Guidance in their everyday lives you will find answers in this book. Aryeh Kaplan does an excellent job of introducing the reader to the whole spectrum of meditation including history, word studies, and countless examples of meditation in the Bible. Chapters include: Internal Isolation, Enlightenment, Spiritual Power, Ezekiels Vision, Prophetic Methods, The Prophetic Position, Floating Distractions, Explosive Emotions and much more. I recommend this book to Christians who are seeking a deeper walk of Faith and to those of all faiths who desire to enrich their minds and inner most being by having a working knowledge of Meditation. This is a good book to have around the house when you are trying to prepare a Bible Study or are getting ready to teach a workshop on New Age Meditation and need some quick, solid reference notes. The mysterious Urim and Thumim are also disscussed in this book along with all the other things in the Bible that contemporary religion has no really good answers for. Lots of Scripture references for the student of the Bible. You will enjoy this book, very informative.