Seeing God: Ten Life-Changing Lessons of the Kabbalah [Unknown Binding]

Rabbi David Aaron (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 8, 2001

From the author of Endless Light, a practical guide for those who yearn for an intimate, more powerful relationship with God.

Celebrities like Madonna and Kirk Douglas may be the Kabbalah's most famous proponents, but people from all walks of life-Jews and non-Jews alike-have embraced the wisdom contained in this sacred text. In Seeing God, Rabbi David Aaron draws on his extensive knowledge of the Kabbalah-and inspires us to make God a part of everything we do and are.

For many people, learning about God is not enough-they want to "see" God, to know God intimately. And while this can be difficult, it is possible. In this profound and eminently practical book, Rabbi Aaron helps readers bring God into their lives through the lessons in the Kabbalah. Using his ability to make these ancient truths accessible to modern readers, Rabbi Aaron provides simple exercises to put these principles into practice. Powerful, inspiring, and provocative, Seeing God is essential reading for everyone who wants to see themselves-and God-with new eyes.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Seeing God by Rabbi David Aaron presents as its subtitle promises "Ten Life-Changing Lessons of the Kabbalah." Aaron, whose founding of the Isralight Institute in Jerusalem helped establish him as one of today's most popular spirituality gurus, writes in a crisp, clear style that offers eminently practical advice for those who wish to see God in their daily lives. The book's first chapter, "Getting Rid of God," does away with "the male, Zeus-like avenger floating about in heaven," which Aaron calls "a childish and counterproductive" concept. In place of "God," Aaron offers Hashem, a Hebrew term that means "the name," which stands for "Ultimate Reality Who embraces everything and fills everything"--a theological and lexical shift that emphasizes divine immanence in the world. Seeing God then elaborates 10 qualities of Hashem, derived from the Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical text. Readers are encouraged to acknowledge and emulate these qualities, which range from Gevurah (kindness) to Malhut (communal consciousness). Each chapter concludes with "Seeing Exercises" and questions for contemplation ("Can you think of three things that you have done to bring justice into the world?"), whose purpose is to demonstrate that "Hashem is right here, right now, waiting to be seen, wanting to be known." --Michael Joseph Gross

From Publishers Weekly

Jewish mystical doctrines concerning God and the universe continue to attract widespread interest, although the Kabbalah's inaccessible complexities require the kind of interpretation that is offered in this book. Aaron is a Jerusalem rabbi who founded the Isralight institute, where he teaches Judaism with special emphasis on the esoteric lore of Kabbalah. His first effort to bring Kabbalah to a wider audience was 1997's Endless Light, which set forth in relatively simple language the Kabbalah's answers to life's fundamental questions. This book furthers that attempt by explaining Kabbalah's conception of God. In essence, Aaron asks how humans can see that which is invisible, infinite and indescribable. He boldly asserts that his answer to that question as found in this book will provide "a whole new vision. Life will never be the same." Aaron focuses on a central principle of Kabbalah: the 10 sefirot, usually referred to as the "emanations" by which God is revealed. For Aaron, they are God's "ethereal, spiritual `qualities'... [that] can't really be understood intellectually, only experientially." Using simple stories, personal anecdotes, Talmudic homilies and "seeing exercises," Aaron explores each of the sefirot: community consciousness, life, mastery, magnificence, justice, kindness, truth and beauty, logical thinking, creative intuition, will and awareness. Although Aaron's claim for the life-changing nature of his book is somewhat grandiose, he succeeds in presenting one of Kabbalah's most perplexing notions in plain language that can be readily grasped. This is a major achievement.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Unknown Binding: 175 pages
• Publisher: Tarcher (January 8, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585420808
• ISBN-13: 978-1585420803
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.2 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,076,965 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderful introduction to the Kabbalah, May 1, 2001

By 

"-lesta" (san antonio, texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeing God: Ten Life-Changing Lessons of the Kabbalah

This was one of the few books that I've read that I hated to finish, rather like these last few days of spring we have in Texas- you want to hang on and enjoy every minute.Rabbi Aaron has a way of provoking deep thought through a style that is lighthearted, amusing and easy to read. Torah characters come to life, and make sense to the contemporary mind. The book is heartwarming and elicits many ah-ha! experiences. He explains why the Kabbalah was viewed as off-limits for an ordinary Jew, and offers a bridge to it, with insights for use in our every-day lives.One chapter I will read to my art students, so that they might realize the state of mind that is most fertile for creative thinking. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who would like to share in the light of the Kabbalah.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rabbi David Aaron is a spiritual optometrist! Buy this book!, November 27, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Seeing God: Ten Life-Changing Lessons of the Kabbalah

I just finished Seeing God last week and was thoroughly impacted by the book. I kind of approached "Seeing God" as a rich chocolate cake, one that to appreciate you need to take little bites over a long period of time, lest you not taste every flavor or get overfull. Little by little I would read the book, sometimes only one page, sometimes I repeated chapters (I think I did this with Netzah & Hod, which was a bit hard for me to wrap myself around at first). Over time, I could feel the blindfold being removed from my eyes as I realized that I have been seeing God all along. There God was, right in front of me the whole time!!! It is almost ludicrous how hard I was looking & couldn't see until I read Seeing God!
I plan to read it again and again. Great gift, I bought it for all my friends and family.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "Seeing God" is INDEED "Life Changing", January 12, 2001

By 

Mitch (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seeing God: Ten Life-Changing Lessons of the Kabbalah

This book is so profound and yet so practical. It really opened my eyes to a more sophisticated understanding of God. Rabbi Aaron makes the Kabbalah come alive. These lessons are priceless jems! I recommend this book to anyone seeking a closer relationship with God, Jew and non-Jew alike.