Customer Reviews

Practical Kabbalah: A Guide to Jewish Wisdom for Everyday Life

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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."

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.

This book provides an excellant summary of the author's very influential school of mysticism, which is the largest school of Jewish meditation in the world today. Rabbi Wolf, is the most most prominent teacher of Jewish meditation in Australia, and is now one of the better known in Israel and the US as well. He discusses the entire system of Lubavitch meditation, the name of his sect and many teachings of his late master, the Lubavicher Rebbe, Menachem Schneerson, who died in 1994.

He provides a good solid introduction to the 4 worlds, the 10 emanations from them and how to use each for meditative visualization. He provides a wonderful discussion of the psyhological dynamics of meditation, and each of the 10 emenations or sephirot in Hebrew. However, he does little to discuss how meditation is part of prayer in Judaism, or the relation of both to actual, as well as spiritual healing.

Further, there is little discussion in the work of the positive transformiing effects of Jewish ritual and custom on a person's karma or providence as it is known in Jewish tradition. For a discussion of these and related subjects, such as collective karma and divine providence and how they have worked out across time in the life of the Jewish people, please see "Jewish History and Divine Providence: Theodicy and the Oddyssey" by this writer, available here on Amazon.

Anyone who can take the complex and convoluted body of Jewish Mystical teachings and create a very readable and accessible work that you can put into practice in your daily life deserves praise. I found the history and correspondences with Eastern mysticism interesting.

Kabbalah is the ancient Jewish wisdom that unlocks the secrets of the universe and allows us to reach our full potential.

In this volume, Rabbi Laibl Wolf explains how the basics of Kabbalah and how we can use it to create balance in our lives and relationships and further our goals.
He begins by explaining the roots of Kabbalah with the Hebrew patriarch Abraham, and it's similarities with Hinduism and Buddhism.

Explaining that some of Abraham's sons migrated from the Land of Israel to India.
In Brahman Indus means the |"other sider"- the Ivri! (Hebrew). Furthermore the Deity BRAHMAN, is simply a rearrangement of the basic letters of the father's name ABRAHAM. Abraham's great grandson Ashurim said to have created the spiritual commune known as the ashram".

The author explains the blueprint of the Cosmos and who the kabbalists are before introducing the ten sefirot, the ten divine attributes that manifest through the four "worlds" or "realms" called Olamot, and which actualize the lowest Olam as the ten aspects of personality consisting of mind and emotion.
He examines each of the ten sefirot (attributes) we need for balance and fulfilment.
These are
Chochma- wisdom
Bina- understanding
Da'at- knowledge
Hessed- kindness
Gevurah- strength
Tiferet- The beauty of balance
Netzach- connection
Hod- empathy
Yesod- determination and dedication and
Malchut- sovereignty, and the combination of the other nine sefirot into one.
The book includes meditations and words by luminaries such as Deepak Chopra and the Dalai Lama, explaining how their insight into ancient wisdom fits in with the wisdom of kabbalah and therefore ultimately Judaism.
It provides a blueprint for fulfillment, understanding and living life to the full, all through a meaningful connection with the Creator.

Rabbi Wolf begins with an overview and his credentials...he is a disciple of Rebbe Schneerson and a lifelong student of Judaism and Kabbalah. This is important to know when you see how many phony 'experts' there are on Kabbalah. He also writes about the history of Jewish mysticism and points out where there is controversy.

Then he dealves into the structure of the Kabbalistic 'universe' the ten Sefirot flowing through four worlds. He offers meditations and exercises to enhance one's understanding of the concepts. He describes them in psychological terms, but reassures the reader that these concepts are infinitely large and infinitely small.

Halfway through the book I was inspired to purchase several more books on the subject. That is the best recommendation I can give

Laibl Wolf is in my opinion among the great spiritual teachers of our time-- on a par with Thich Nhat Hanh. He is articulate and clear, uplifting and generous, and without simplifying, makes complicated and esoteric material accessible. I only wish that Amazon also would carry his wonderful books on tape and videos!

Basic book not to be overlooked by people who have focused on the intellectual aspects of Kabbalah. Included within its pages are meditaions.

After reading the praise given the author by others I'm almost intimidated to report that this book was just too very much. I found it tiring, no exhausting is a better description and ultimately confusing. I felt in order to benefit from the information given I had to immerse myself in it to a depth I do not wish to go. Perhaps I just wasn't ready for it but then again...