Kabbala for humanity

Over Succos I came across Get Hasheimos by R. Abraham Abulafia (1240-1291) in an Enlgish translation. It is an interesting little volume with some interesting content. R Abulafia was a controversial mystic who taught prophetic Kabbala, a body of techniques that could lead an initiate to have visions of Angels and prophetic dreams. He was excommunicated by the Rashbo and strongly castigated by R. Yehuda Chayat. On the other hand, quotations of his writings are broughtby the Ramak in the Pardes and Chido quotes that he personally witnessed a well-known  kabbalist read his writings and say that he benefited greatly from them. His works were recently republished. Some excerpts were translated by R. Arye Kaplan in his Meditation and Kabbala.

These new English translations of Abulafia and his circle were done by a  interfaith, non-denominational, scholarly association organization based in Italy that translates and publishes Jewish kabbalistic texts with an emphasis of Prophetic Kabbala. It offers on-line Friday night classes and claims some ultra-Orthodox associates, "most of them Lubavitch Hassidim". It appears to be a major group with substantial resources and a clearly focused educational mission of promoting "knowing God, the techniques of prophecy, the contact with the upper worlds and the Angels. Our main focus is mysticism, and particularly Jewish mysticism and prophetic/ecstatic Kabbalah. The tradition of the Holy Merkavah, or the Holy Chariot as it is expressed in the Ezekiel's visions, is very dear to us."

I think that the video below was prepared by this group.

I have watched the internet facilitated diffusion of Jewish knowledge over the past several years. Whether based on Kabbalah, alternatives to traditional Christian Biblical interpretation, adoption of Jewish symbols by many evangelicals, or the Bnei Noach phenomenon, the web has leveled the playing field in religion. For the first time, Judaism is competing in the spiritual marketplace without being supressed by force. The Internet is still young and Judaism a religion with a long head start but I expect a wave of conversions to engulf us over the next few decades. We are looking at potentially huge numbers. As a fairly small religious community we ought to start preparing for this opportunity and challenge and how to remain authentic and true when the wave hits.

Comments

[Daniel Bauman]

Thank you for your article, it is pretty informative. I wanted to give some punctualization about the organization that you mention. They are actually an international network of associations that collaborate for the same purpose. They are based in central America, not Italy, and they didn't prepare that video.
I agree that in other religions there is a need to find one's roots, and Judaism might play an important role in the future. I do not see the specific need of conversion though, which might be overcome by Shabattai Zevi's concept of holy apostasy.

[avakesh]

I did not mean to imply that there is an interest or desire on my part for widespread conversion. I do think that we can expect widespread conversions as Judaic knowledge diffuses through modern communication methods and competes on equal footing with other sources of religious information. Jews never sought converts, seeing their role rather as conduits of God's message to Humanity. To do so properly, in the long run they must remain "a light onto the nations" and preserve certain characteristics. For the same reason, we may watch diffusion fo Jewish sensibilities with satisfaction or as a pre-messianic phenomenon but also to dissapprove of the mongrelization that sometimes follows. Considering the disparity between Orthodox religious Jewish population, a million or so, and the potential numbers of converts, assuming that even a small fraction of those exposed would utlimately seek conversion, our mission is in potential jeopardy, and we should at least begin to discuss the implications.

I do not agree that study of Prophetic Kabbala is the best way to reconnect with the roots of other religions. Instead, it is motivated by a desire to a shortcut to finding God. It is false conception of how Judaism sees this task and as one committed to Jewish perception, I must find it a false vision and leading to false visions. This is because finding God, mystically or otherwise, involves a life-long committment to deepening exploration of the personal psychology, body, psyche and soul, and the spiritual world and its application to self-sanctification, elevated lifestyle and personal behavior. Any deviation form this path leads into self-delusion and alternate spirituality that is a path away from God simply because it is not a path to Him. Thus, ARI write that the teachings of Hekhaloth require a degree of spiritual purity that we don't have and should no longer be used. How does this relate to non-Jews (who are outside or ritual purity laws) practicing Prophetic Kabbala? Abulafia and his school were criticized essentially for this, and they worked from within Judaism. I understand and respect the passion that motivate everburninglight but I worry that they are on a wrong path, for what they want to accomplish.

I am intrigued, however.