The Unifying Factor: A Review of Kabbalah [Hardcover]

Nekhama Schoenburg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1, 1996

In The Unifying Factor, Nekhama Schoenburg posits that Kabbalistic tradition provides us with the unification theory that modern science is searching for. Kabbalah is not a composite of fairy tales or fantastical superstitions, but rather it is the science that defines the very structure and workings of our universe. The metaphysical principles that Kabbalah lays out clearly demonstrate how theories like relativity and quantum mechanics are really one and the same. Schoenburg discusses three potential reasons why people have steered away from metaphysics: fear of the unknown, a sense of being overwhelmed by the very existence of the supernatural, and the belief that pursuit of knowledge of the supernatural is sacreligious. Schoenburg dispels these concerns by providing a "road map" to indicate exactly where each Kabbalistic principle fits into the grand scheme of existence. She also illustrates how the essence of Judaism (and many of the principles and practices of Christianity) are based on the science of Kabbalah. As the title implies, the fundamental theme of this book is unity. One of its main goals is to alert and convince humankind of the need to bring harmony to all conflicts in our world: nations and people, ideas, theories, or forces, either physical or metaphysical. Schoenburg demonstrates unity's feasibility by illustrating metaphysical principles and insights from diverse sources, including classical literature, various spiritual doctrines, and the natural sciences. What results is a picture of unification of physical theories (such as general relativity and quantum mechanics) and a reconciliation of perceived conflicts (such as the theories of evolution and the "Big Bang" versus the Bible's account of the seven-day creation of the world).

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Nekhama Schoenburg has taught, researched, and studied Kabbalah in Israel and North America–classes taught in the U.S. in coordination with Rabbi Phillip Berg's Kabbalah Centre. She currently studies Kabbalah at the Sulam Raphael Center, headed by Rabbi Daniel Stawsky HaCohen–student of Rabbi Mordechai Shineberger–and is preparing a number of articles about the Jewish holidays from the perspective of Kabbalah under the tutelage of her rabbi.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc. (May 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1568215622
• ISBN-13: 978-1568215624
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,700,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Needs a Warning Label, October 11, 2003

By 

Jane Harper "postmodern Catholic, PhD, NP" (Carbondale, IL USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Unifying Factor: A Review of Kabbalah (Hardcover)

This book should carry a warning label that lets you know it's a 230-page infomercial for the Kabbalah Center. It contains little that hasn't been regurgitated from "Rabbi" Berg's work, and what little doesn't come from him comes from fundamentalist Christians like Bob Larsen. The author's credibility is also damaged in its own right by lapses such as placing Pirke Avot in the Talmud, when in fact there's no Gemara for Pirke Avot, so it's only found in the Mishna. I was bitterly disappointed with the book.