Customer Reviews

Meditation and Kabbalah

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This is a very good book for those that are competent in the basic terminology of Kabbalah. If you're not, you will struggle with this text. This book gives the reader a very broad appreciation for the art of meditation through a broad compilation of the various Kabbalistic literature that is unaccesible to most people and nearly impossible to taste if your language is only English. This book covers all of the major schools and their most noticeable differences and provides enough "meat" to contemplate the various methods of meditation themselves. This book is not an expositon on the Bible, but it is biblicaly based although not readily apparent. If you're looking for your first book on meditation, don't start here, this isn't a beginners text. Instead try Kaplan's other book, "Jewish Meditation." However, if you're ready to take a deeper look and wan't to gain a broader perspective on the various methods, this is an excellent text.

This is the best, most Jewishly-authentic book on kabbalah available in English today. Neither a pop "new age" book nor a contemporary attempt to "update" Judaism, it was written by a practicing orthodox rabbi who knew what he was talkng about! Rabbi Kaplan's clear explanations and lucid translations of important source texts were among the first to appear in English, making this almost-forgotten meditation tradition more accessible once more. Should be on the shelf of every serious Jewish seeker.

Rabbi Kaplan, Z"L, as ever, does a great job by inheriting the world the first translation of the almost forgotten methods of meditation used by the Talmudic sages, Chasidim, R. Abulafia, R. Luria, Baal Shem Tov, etc. They all seem dangerous (if you understand Kabbalah fully and are guided by an excellent teacher, there will be no problem) but are a good reference on the evolution and diversification of these techniques to attain revelation and ecstasy. 100% recommendable, easy to read.

The late Aryeh Kaplan was a Rabbi, scholar, and Kabbalist. In addition to his valuable and readable commentaries on Sefer Yetzirah and Sefer Bahir, he wrote three books on meditation. The other two are: "Meditation and the Bible" and "Jewish Meditation." From a practical perspective, "Jewish Meditation" is far and away the best, however, reading the other two provides one with a more inclusive, theoretical background and context within which to practice. This volume is quite valuable and a contribution to both meditation per se and to Kabbalah. I'd put it in the middle of the 3 in value if forced to choose. It's rare to find an author who is both scholar and practitioner, so Kaplan's books on Kabbalah are particularly valuable and accessible to the reader. Of course, they are not introductory books--of which there are innumerable versions in bookstores. It helps to have a solid background in the basics before tackling Kaplan's texts. But it isn't essential--especially for "Jewish Meditation." I would place them as intermediate level texts--more or less on a par with the average Ze'v ben Shimon Halevi texts. Kaplan's are more scholarly in nature, however. They are appropriate to both the serious student and the serious practitioner of Kabbalah.

Areyh Kaplan is the single most athoritative writer on the Kabbalah today. Although I must include Zev ben Shimon Halevi in that pantheon. Both of these authors bring much need light onto a subject that is now very "chic." Not so Kaplan, a true scholar. But it is not for beginners. Althought I must say that the knowledge in the Kabbalah is not for beginners, period. There was a reason that both the Cordoverian and Lurianic schools insisted that the study of the Kabbalah should be started at the age of 40. And this was centuries ago when life expectancy was much less than it is today. I must warn you that this very dense and speaks directly to the "real" Kabbalah, and not all of the western appropriated magicians of the turn of the century. If you are sincere in studying Kabbalah and are willing to put in the time and effort, this is a must!

This book is not as potentially rewarding to a beginner but requires some knowledge before reading. It is a good idea to know a little bit about the various famed Rabbis, who they were, where they lived, and what they were famous for. It is also a good idea to have some reasonable level of experience of meditation and prayer, and to have had some direct experience with devekut and feel comfortable and validated in one's experience. It is also good to have a basic grounding in theoretical Kaballah and the sefirot. Maybe more than basic.

So, if the above paragraph describes you, this book is an astoundingly great book. First of all, the historical timeline of the rabbis and their interelationships is easy to understand and is very synthetic. I also found the presentation of Abulafia's permutation methods to be easily understandable and surprisingly easy to put into practice (the first one anyway). I can hear the angels now whining about my newfound attempts to permute the Tetragrammation, who do these puny humans think they are anyway?

I have edited this review as I recently finished the book. This is a phenomenal book. The first text that I have read which provides an organized understanding of the timeline and rabbinic players in the ongoing tradition of Jewish mysticism. From Abulafia to Cordovero to Reb Vitale to the Ari and the Baal Shem Tov, all of the important rabbinic figures, their contributions and their historical relevance are coherently summarized. I wish that I had read this book a lot earlier. But even better, Kaplan provides a summary of the yichudim and meditations used by the masters here in the text. Although there is a slightly amusing warning in the beginning of the text that you cannot read the text in a bathroom because it contains the names of God, there emerges a much clearer understanding why the publishing of this material can be considered potentially dangerous. The clear meaning of the commandment regarding not taking God's name in vain is apparent after reading this book. The use of these meditations and yichudim without near perfect intent by people is the ultimate meaning of taking God's name in vain. In other words, it is misuse of the names of God. Used in the correct manner, the book is fabulous.

Without the Kabbalah, a lot of meditation regarding what the prophets have done in the Bible, would be difficult to comprehend. There are couple of points I do suggest:
1. After reading the introduction, I suggest to read, Pg 306 (because it is the summary of the whole book). From the line: "The techniques of the Hekhalot and Abulafia are highly advanced and dangerous.....Rabbi Nachman's method was the most universal, and could be used literally everybody". Rabbi Nachman's methods can be found in the book "Jewish Meditation" by Aryeh Kaplan, extensively.
2. Pg 40, it explains that a system of purification is needed after the ashes of the Red Heifer no longer exist.
3. Pg 114, It says a summary about Rabbi Abulafia's teachings by Rabbi Albotini. Pg 77, it starts to explain the journey to find a purification through the permutation (Tzerufath) of the NAMES of GOD.
4. Pg 195-198. I will suggest to read it at least twice. The Elijah's path is another safest way of purification(and most realistic, you will also see that in Meditation and the bilble by Aryeh Kaplan, Pg 21). About the mechanism how an Advocated Angel will work on you, I read more or less the same thing in eastern mystic book.
5. Pg 231 the meditation on the mystical name YBK (Psalm 20th) and "Meditation and the bible" by Aryeh Kaplan Pg 139-140 Psalm 119th, it is a good combination.
5. Pg 185, it's a big summary of the Ten Sephirot, about its letter, vowel, meditation word (Tetragammaton). You just need to add the color and english translation write on Pg 181.
6. From a more scientific propose, like Aryeh Kaplan would say in his book Jewish Meditation, Pg 120: "....the spine is universally recognized as an important conduit of energy", I will suggest to meditate in this book, Pg 256, The sephirot and man, to "activate" our "own chakras", because it is exactly what the book "The Subtle body" by Cyndi Dale Pg 275 says by "idolatrous" means. However, in the book "The Subtle body" by Cyndi Dale Pg 326-327, regarding the sephiroth and chakric associations, are very different from Aryeh Kaplan (Pg 256).
7. P32 it's an interesting way how it links to eastern mysticism.
8. Pg 231 (as in Pg 40 from 2nd paragraph to the end of the page: From then on....). Again, the book explain about the danger of the Practical Kabbalah withouth the proper purification. With this kind of information, my guess about the "Book of Abramelin" (I don't want to say anything bad about this book) could be a result of Practical Kabbalah???. In the "Book of Abramelin" by George Dehn version, Pg 199-200 Appendix IV, say something about this "unpurified problems". Although, there are other kinds of magic books, this one explicit connects with the Kabbalah.

Excellent!One of the best books you can buy on Kabbalah,period.

"An exciting masterpiece. So rationally writen and explicitly put that it leaves one flabbergasted for life. By far a work of a wizard."

Found the book to be very insightfull and well researched. The spiritual substance is rich and inspiring. The author did not prove that he researched the material but a practicer as well. I have read it over twice and each time, I find something new. This book will remain a fixture in my library.