Customer Reviews

The Oracle of Kabbalah: Mystical Teachings of the Hebrew Letters

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Richard Seidman's Oracle of the Kabbalah is a gift for those seeking to apply traditional wisdom to their everyday lives. The ancient meanings of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet are presented along with inspirational discussions that run the gamut from the humorous to the profound and draw on other wisdom traditions. The author's personal reflections help anchor the teachings to our common experiences.

Rabbi Kushner's foward and the author's introduction ground one in the history and application of these mystical letters. The book and its companion set of cards are very user friendly, providing one with an insightful and welcome perspective when seeking direction.

I'm grateful to Richard Seidman for providing me with both a compassionate form of guidance and a readily accessible introduction to these sacred letters. This is a book that I'll refer to again and again.

Richard Seidman's ORACLE OF THE KABBALAH is a profound, joyful, and beautiful set of divination with accompanying text. Using the model of THE MEDINCE CARDS and others that have followed, Seidman raises the art to a new level. He illuminates the spirituality and magic of the ancient hebrew letters to engage us in the modern tasks of inner decision making and spiritual transformation in our lives for the new millienium. His take on the mystical meanings of the hebrew letters is both Jewish and not, integrating strands of thought from his own varied spiritual and philosophic explorations. THE ORACLE OF THE KABBALLAH raises the genra of divination cards to a seriously ecumenical level of mysticism, witty, touching, helpful and profound.

Usually people don't think of Jews as being mystics, but many of us are. Jewish mysticism is different from New Age mystricism in that Jewish mysticism is grounded in text -- and letters. From there, it takes flight. This book is a good start for Jews and non-Jews alike, especially if you have trouble with the conventional idea of Big-Guy-in-the-Sky God. If the idea of hidden depths in Hebrew letters intrigues you, also take a look at Larry Kushner's "The Book of Letters" ....

If you are interested in learning Hebrew letters,this is a great tool. I would recommend that you purchase this "New" rather than used.I purchased a used one and ended up with just the book and no cards.It was worth ordering again, as I use the cards as flash cards on a daily basis..Plus,the meanings are insightful.

I have this deck and i'm just starting to use it. At first, the simple cards, just with the letters elegantly drawn, didn't seem to me very interesting. I bought it mostly for the book, which IS wonderful (i don't regret the money spent on it at all)!

Then...it started calling me. The gentle simplicity of the cards attracted me, the way the cards are small (at least in the brazilian version), i can handle them perfectly. I've been putting them under my pillow when i go to sleep - not that it has been giving me any big revelation dreams, no yet, but it feels...comfortable.
As i said, i've just started using it, but i feel that i get very insightful answers in the book whenever i draw a card. Even if apparently doesn't make sense first, later i realize what exactly the letter wants to tell me.

I think many of people might not feel atracted to this oracle because of apparently 'empty' the cards. Don't do this. It's a wonderful deck, in it's own way. When reading it, since the card shows only the letter and a few numbers, i don't find myself projecting upon it anything. I let the letter take me where i'm supposed to go - it tells me a story, then it listens to me. Feels like an old friend sometimes.

My experiences with this oracle are, so far, really great. I really recommend it to anyone studying the Kabbalah, the Jewish mysticism, culture and religion, the Hebrew Alphabet etc. It brings together things from different cultures and religions (like Zen and Mayan) but in a balanced way. Like the author himself said, it's no "new-age mish mash".

The Oracle of Kabbalah gives the reader an appreciation of the depth and richness of the Hebrew language. Richard Seidman gives you a guide into the mystical capacity of meditating on, and interpreting the Hebrew language. This is a journey into your mystical and spiritual capacity as you connect with the language of the Divine. The symbols are richly provided with both detailed information on the Hebrew language and its Kabbalistic interpretation. I suggest to my students to use the cards as both meditation and to delve into their current state of consciousness. Not just a divination tool but a tool to develop our own connection to the One.

The Oracle of Kabbalah: Mystical Teachings of the Hebrew Letters by Richard Seidman (2001).

Many reviews here describe the product and its contents---including a deck of cards that are being used as oracles. I am of proud Jewish descent, and was Orthodox for some years.

This book, which I recall perusing out of curiosity, seemed to bring me something that I might call "bad luck" if I didn't know better. Luck is a thing in which I do not believe. However, when things happen, it's always for a reason.

It is stupid and dangerous to lead Gentiles and lax Jews into the world of "Kabalah"---just like that, without training in the TORAH or anything proper at all. What is worse is one of the Commandments is against the use of divination/oracles. I see the Jewish community itself breaking that Law today.

There is a big red flag when an author of such a book tells you it is no New Age mishmash. Know what that means?---means "This is complete and total New Age mishmash." In America we can peddle the wares we like, and if people buy, well, then they buy.

All I can say is I'm mightily offended by this cheap, ugly commercialization and perversion of the Hebrew alef-bet, the Kabalah, and the great Wise Ones of ancient times who used the alef-bet as a way to understand TORAH and understand the Lord.

If you want Mayan, go to Mexico. If you want voodoo, go to Africa or rural Louisiana. If you want Tarot, there are cheap decks for sale here on Amazon. If you want witchcraft, go to the actual Amazon itself, you might still find some witches there.

If you want Judaism, then get serious, convert, study TORAH with a great teacher---and leave this stuff alone!