The Practice of Kabbalah: Meditation in Judaism [Hardcover]

Steven A. Fisdel (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 1996

The Practice of Kabbalah: Meditation in Judaism emphasizes meditation within Judaism as the practical core of Jewish mysticism. In this volume, Rabbi Steven Fisdel explores, Jewish meditation practices as the experiential side of Kabbalah and therefore as one of the primary sources for the development of the mystic thought and belief in Judaism. This work focuses on a variety of mystic traditions within Kabbalah that relate directly to meditative practice. It incorporates several different schools of thought and represents various periods in the development of Kabbalah. Among the traditions included for elucidation are the mysticism of the Hebrew alphabet, the Ayin meditation of Dov Baer of Mezeritch and Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev, as well as selections from the Sefer Yetzirah and the Zohar. The Practice of Kabbalah is designed to assist the reader in learning to extract meditation practices from the text of kabbalistic classics with the understanding that profound mystical and theological insight often comes from spiritual experience. This experience (regardless of whether it leads to or results from contemplation and thought) often emerges from deep meditation. In this volume, Rabbi Fisdel carefully explains meditation practices that represent direct illustration of all the principles and schools of thought covered in this work. For additional reference, the appendix contains a series of graduated meditations designed to assist the reader in developing greater proficiency in meditation. The Practice of Kabbalah is the result of twenty-five years of intense study, personal experience, and teaching. The doctrines and practices described in this original work are drawn directly and exclusively from traditional Jewish sources. Both the novice and the experienced meditator will benefit from the variety of meditations included here that allow for their integration into any meditation regimen.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Rabbi Steven A. Fisdel has studied and lectured on the Dead Sea Scrolls and their spiritual significance for over twenty years. Rabbi Fisdel holds a masters degree in Judaica from Spertus College in Chicago, and a bachelors degree in Jewish History and World History from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He received Rabbinic Ordination from the P'nai Or Fellowship in Philadelphia. Rabbi Fisdel is on staff with the Chochmant HaLev Institute for Jewish Learning in Berkeley, California and is affiliated with the College of Early Christian Studies in San Jose, California. Rabbi Fisdel serves as the spiritual leader of Congregation Beth Israel in Chico, California.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 222 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc. (July 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568215088
• ISBN-13: 978-1568215082
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #830,802 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Movements > Orthodox

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Guild to Jewish Meditation, July 11, 2000

By 

Gary Wachter (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Practice of Kabbalah: Meditation in Judaism (Hardcover)

Rabbi Fisdel's book takes the beginner into the world of Jewish meditation and Kabbalah. The book is easy to read, but takes you, step by step, into the depths of Kabbalah. He does an excellent job of teaching, not just what The Tree of Life is, but how it "works". His comments on passages from the Sefer Yitziah (The Book of Formation), an ancient kabbalist classic, are clear and are used as the basis for meditations. He also includes the Zohar's perspecitve on the Tree of Life. He actually teaches you how to use the Tree of Life to create your own meditations for your individual needs. But you do not have to create your own meditation because he presents and explains numerous meditations. He even ends the book with almost two dozen more graduated meditations.

After reading several other good books on Kaballah, this is the only one that teached you how to meditate. My other recent readings include: Jewish Meditation, A Practical Guide by Aryeh Kaplan, G-d is a Verb by David Cooper, Endless Light by David Aaron, Discovering Jewish Meditation by Nan Fink Gefen, Kabbalah for the Layman by Phillip Berg, A Journey of Awakening by Ted Falcon.