Practical Kabbalah: A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Everyday Life [Paperback]

Laibl Wolf (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 15, 1999

Kabbalah is an ancient Jewish wisdom that explains the laws of spiritual energy. Up until very recently the Kabbalah was reserved for the elite, those who only after years of scholarship and practice were allowed to enter this mystical realm. However, one doesn't need to devote one's life to intense study to reap the rich rewards of the Kabbalah. With just a basic understanding of a few key concepts, our lives can be enriched immensely. We can then begin to fulfill our deepest dreams and reach our most important goals, becoming the people we long to become.
        
By learning to understand the Sefirot--the ten spiritual properties that flow from the cosmic source into our heart--we can connect to the universe and profoundly transform our experience of daily life. For example, Hessed, or "loving-kindness," represents the desire to be generous, while Gevurah is the desire to focus intently or withhold. These properties must be balanced in order for harmony and well-being to occur. Rabbi Laibl Wolf shows how to maintain that balance and enjoy a healthy and productive life by using simple meditation and creative visualization techniques to grasp the spiritual nature of our life.
        
Practical Kabbalah draws upon ancient wisdom but offers a modern interpretation and easy-to-understand techniques for delving deeper into our selves and our world and for reaping the bounteous gifts that were always meant for us.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Kabbalah remains shrouded in mystery even to those familiar with the ideas of its teachings. An ancient Jewish tradition that espouses theosophy, Kabbalah seeks to use mysticism to explain the relationship between the universe and man, by means of 10 steps known as sefirot. Those who are well-versed in Kabbalah are considered holy men, respected tremendously in their communities and turned to in times of question or need. Yet, Kabbalah need not remain delegated to a select few; as Rabbi Laibl Wolf invites in his book Practical Kabbalah: A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Everyday Life: "Embark on a spiritual adventure with a down-to-earth destination" using the powers, or "spiritual flows," of sefirot. Using this mystical tradition, Rabbi Wolk aims to make the fundamental principles relevant to everyday life, to help people use it as a means of self-understanding and furthering personal growth.

The first section, "Spirit Move," explores the tradition of Kabbalah, tracing its roots to the Bible and comparing many of its traditions to Eastern religions, suggesting they originated in the same beliefs. The second section, "Flows of Mind and Emotion," devotes a chapter to each of the sefirot--three of which relate to the mind, the other seven to emotion--to show how you can use these tenets to improve your life. For instance, Tif'eret relates to a wise heart, and its chapter concentrates on ideas such as "inner balance for wellness," truth and beauty, and compassion using the teachings of Maimonides and the Bible, a Hasidic tale, an exercise, a meditation, and even some thoughts on Deepak Chopra.

If you are searching for a book that will explain the doctrine of Kabbalah, this is not the book for you. However, for a spiritual person looking for a way to integrate some of the more popular self-help techniques into religious practice, Practical Kabbalah is an excellent guide. --Jenny Brown

From Publishers Weekly

Kabbalah is the richest repository of ancient Jewish mysticism. Its myriad writings express the profundity of God's mysteries and "explain the eternal laws of how spiritual energy moves through the Cosmos." For centuries, holy men have devoted their entire lives to plumbing its depths. Rabbi Wolf, who leads workshops and seminars on Kabbalah, believes that the great wisdom of Kabbalah can be used in everyday life to achieve balance and harmony. In the first section of the book, Wolf provides a useful introduction to the history of Kabbalah and its interpretation. He discusses Kabbalah's many layers and paints a picture of the kabbalist, someone whose life is devoted to prayer and the study of Kabbalah. In his second section, Wolf elaborates upon the 10 Sefirot, "the spiritual energies of Mind and Emotion," that make up Kabbalah. The Kabbalah teaches that the universe's creation is incomplete and these Sefirot are the tools we can use to "create the environment through which the universe can be perfected." For example, Wolf interprets "Hessed" as the "unlocking flow of love." He notes that "Hessed is the dominant flow that propels us to a state of oneness and unity." As in the other meditations, Wolf offers a variety of meditation exercises on the Sefirot so that the Sefirot can be woven into everyday life. The author uses stories from Hasidic teachers, biblical stories and personal anecdotes to illustrate the ways that Kabbalah can guide seekers to spiritual unity. (June)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Three Rivers Press (June 15, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0609803786
• ISBN-13: 978-0609803783
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7 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: #111,037 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #76 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Jewish Life

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Long Overdue, October 27, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Practical Kabbalah: A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Everyday Life (Paperback)

While this book isn't an exhaustive dive into Judaism's complex mystical books of Zohar and Tanya, it's a refreshing dip into the basics, in a useful and practical form. This is an ambitious project, and Wolf delivers what he promises.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Honest and sincere..., October 25, 2004

By 

Nicholas P. Linindoll "seekHaShem" (Mt. Pleasant, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Practical Kabbalah: A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Everyday Life (Paperback)

The voice that Rabbi Wolf uses in this book and his writing style make it accessible and enjoyable to read. A wonderful introduction to the kabbalistic "Tree of Life" or Sfirot. Each chapter is dedicated to a sfirah or point on the tree and they are described in great detail. Beyond that, the author takes the theory out of the abstract metaphysical realm and uses illustrations that apply to everyday life and we see how the metaphysical interacts with the physical. There are some wonderful, practical meditations in this book that I still use often and share with others as often as I can. Great read!

Shortly after finishing the book, I had the opportunity to hear Rabbi Wolf speak during a USA tour. He is as well-spoken, knowledgable, caring, and passionate in person. I agree with other reviewers who say that he is "a teacher of our times."

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Jewish mysticism made accessible. Wolf is a born teacher!, October 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Practical Kabbalah: A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Everyday Life (Paperback)

Without diminishing its grandeur, Laibl Wolf has brought the basic teachings of the Kabbalah into the real world. I think this book is a must-read for anyone who has the slightest interest in Jewish mysticism. A fascinating read.