The Path of Kabbalah (Paperback)

~ Rav Michael Laitman (Author)
Key Phrases: upper light, surrounding light, direct light, Ein Sof, Light of Wisdom, Behina Dalet (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Kabbalists state that there is no reality at all, but something called His Essence, the Upper Force, and this is what we perceive as our world. As uncanny as it sounds, this notion hides in its wings the very prospect of freedom, for every person, for every nation, and for the entire world. The structure and the perception of reality are the surface of this book. But the story of humanity, or more accurately, of the human soul, is the undercurrent that drives the reader forward in this book. It is about you, about me, about all of us. This book is about the way we were, the way we are, the way we will be, and most importantly, it is about the best way to get there. In this neatly structured composition, every part speaks of a different aspect of Kabbalah.

About the Author

KABBALIST RAV MICHAEL LAITMAN, a PhD in Philosophy and Kabbalah and an MS in Bio-cybernetics, is the founder and president of Bnei Baruch —Kabbalah Education & Research Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing widespread knowledge of Kabbalah. For twelve years he studied closely at the side of his mentor, Kabbalist Baruch Ashlag, the first-born son and successor to Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag, author of the Sulam commentary on The Zohar. Once he received Rav Ashlag’s teachings, he was committed to circulating it to others.

Product Details

• Paperback: 450 pages
• Publisher: Bnei Baruch/Laithman Kabbalah Publishers (December 25, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0973231599
• ISBN-13: 978-0973231595
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #671,733 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoying the path, December 2, 2005

By	Sonia Gregerson "kabbalahgirl" (Simi Valley, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

For those who have always wanted to understand the more spiritual side of Kabbalah, this is the book for you.
It is expressed in simple laymans terms and at the same time Rav Laitman gives an extraordinarily clear way of understanding the process of study that is needed.

Rav Laitman has an ability to bring to life the different phases of the spiritual evolution as taught to him by his teacher, Baruch Ashlag; son of Yehuda Ashlag also known as the Baal Hasulum.

Although easy for the layman to comprehend it should also appeal to those who have studied Kabbalah with other teachers.
The main emphasis is the purpose and intent of the student.
As well as the point that the reality we perceive is only the tip of the iceberg.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Contemporary Kabbalah for an Inquiring mind., November 14, 2006

By	Donald Thompson "Don Thompson" (San Jose, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I wanted to review the book. The Path of Kabbalah, by Michael Laitman.

I am a student of the contemporary interpretation of Kabbalah as taught by Laitman and have been so for about three and a half years. My background is an eclectic one comprised of studies in biology, art and the social sciences. What does it mean when I say I have studied Kabbalah? In the US, kabbalah can be studied, from the academic point of view or from the view of an actual practitioner of Kabbalah with an actual teacher. The former allows the reader to survey the material with the view of the scholar who has knowledge of context, yet not necessarily the knowledge of experience, hence an academic author due to purely rational reasons cannot do the experience of Kabbalah justice. For the Kabalistic mind is a mind that is training or trained to access mental capacity and sensation beyond reason.

Kabbalah is a very ancient view of the world stemming from or compiled from cultures even older than 5700 years ago. It's name means the Way of Receiving. Receiving What? Don't we receive everything from our 5 senses? The Kabbalist would chuckle and proceed to diagram and outline to a student the myriad sensations that comprise an individual's state of mind, separate from the experiences of the 5 senses. Kabbalah rightly ascribes those sensations or feelings as acts of reception; reception from whom?

The Kabbalist's universe at its most spare and abstract level is defined as harboring two unique and fundamental forces; the desire to bestow or altruism and the desire to receive or egoism. The desire to bestow, also known as the Singular, unique and fundamental quanta of the universe, or simply Creator is the source. It's action creates the desire to receive. This "thing" or "it" is extremely complex, but it has a plan and an original thought, that has been discerned by the great sages of Kabbalah.

This thesis is what is discussed in The Path of Kabbalah, it is discussed from the point of view of the person receiving this energy or this thought of creation. It quickly goes into the root of creation and purpose of an individual and seeks to explain the first order sensations. One of which is the point in the heart; the heart being the metaphoric term for the emotional feeling state of a person. The point in the heart is the desire so to speak to attain a connection to this wider universe created by the Creator. If a person has a desire to attain spirituality, they will know it and Kabbalah speaks to the further refinement of this attainment.

The book is broken down into the following sections:

Part One: The Beginning ................................9
Part Two: Phases of Spiritual Evolution .............. 70
Part Three: The Structure of the Upper Worlds ........140
Part Four: Proper Study ............................. 253
Part Five: Religion, Prejudice and Kabbalah ......... 306
Part Six: Genesis ....................................320
Part Seven: The Inner Meaning ....................... 333
Detailed Table of Contents .......................... 372
Our Other Books ..................................... 377
About Bnei Baruch ................................... 379
How To Contact Bnei Baruch .......................... 380

To a potential reader: I believe this text will give you a very good introduction to the spiritual methodology of Kabbalah. The text outlines the basics one needs to understand it as a spiritual methodology to attain transcendence and an invitation to join with others in pursuing this method.


A note on the intent of this particular school's emphasis. Laitman tells the story of how he came to know Baruch Ashlag, his mentor.

"The rabbi did not teach his students for the purpose of accumulating
theoretical knowledge of the names of spiritual concepts, or for the
purpose of philosophizing without understanding the nature of things.
Instead, he wanted to bring his students to a state where they would feel
these concepts. This is an entirely different method than a theoretical
study. In that method, the purpose is not the quantity of knowledge that
the student acquires, but its quality, meaning, the extent to which the
things the student hears help him approach the things he reads about
by himself."

As a person committed to this spiritual path, the above quote strikes me as the deep intention of this school and PATH OF KABBALAH is a book to give to a person seriously looking for a spiritual path either from a Jewish or Christian perspective on a methodology to pursue the attainment of a mystical union with the greater whole.

5.0 out of 5 stars Real freedom is available, March 1, 2009

By	S. Stroud "Sal" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When I started reading The Path of Kabbalah I soon realized this is a book that teaches that real freedom is available for individuals, nations and the world. This wisdom contains the structure of reality and our perception of reality as the basis of the path of Kabbalah. The Path of Kabbalah is a wonderful book of instruction on changing our perceptions in order to awaken to the actual realities and freedom that can be ours in this lifetime.

Detailing our past, present and future and the world view that determines how we see things, and how our perception decides our reactions, feelings and reality as well as the importance of changing our perception in order to change our reality.

I found the question and answer section in parts one through seven particularly helpful in expanding on and clarifying passages in each chapter. Answers to such as: What is life for? Can we influence the events of our lives? and How do our thoughts affect our environment?

The chapter on Genesis, the seven days of Creation, presents authentic Kabbalistic wisdom on the reality of Torah. This is a clear demonstration of how a changed perception can enhance reality. Concluding with the story of Abraham and how his experiences relate as much to his own existence in ancient times as well as each and every one of us today.

The Path of Kabbalah written by Rav Michael Laitman PhD leaves nothing to be desired if you are searching for a book that will take you from Chapter One: The Beginning, through Proper Study to The Inner Meaning of the wisdom of Kabbalah and a new way to live and understand your life.