Spring Break
Jewish Mysticism Comes Alive
Jenny Barrows
Issue date: 2/2/06 Section: Out of Focus
Chabad-Lubavitch Centers throughout the state of Connecticut are uniting to explore and celebrate the mysteries of Kabbalahism, or Jewish mysticism this February.
"It is quite obvious that now, more than ever, people are searching for spiritual meaning in their lives," said Rabbi Yosef Wolvovsky, executive director of Chabad: East of the River" (based in Glastonbury), in a statement on the Chabad web site.
Glastonbury and 16 other towns are holding Kabbalah related events throughout February. These events will consist of detailed courses, guest lecturers, dinner parties, active worship and specially organized events for women and teenagers. A listing of the exact towns involved in "Kabbalah Month" can be found on the Chabad: East of the River web site (www.chabader.com).
Kabbalah, generally thought of as a branch of Judaism, is a form of mysticism that traces back to ancient times.
There is still dispute among scholars concerning the exact origins of Kabbalahism, however, most adherents recognize that its origins began in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), according to wikipedia.org.
Kabbalahists believe the tales of creation in the Book of Genesis within the Torah reveal the mysteries behind God's creation of the universe. Dr. Simo Parpola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, has connected Assyrian theology and mysticism to early forms of Jewish mysticism.
These early forms can be found in parts of the Talmud, the book of Jewish customs, ethics and so-forth, but not until the medieval era did Jewish mysticism develop. With the appearance of the "Sefer Yetzirah," a mystical text attributed to Abraham, the book became the source of systematic study of elite men call "bale ha-kabbalah," or "possessors or masters of the Kabbalah," according to wikipedia.org.
Post 13th century, Kabbalah branched out, sometimes aligned with but often in opposition to the Talmud.
Kabbalah teaches that every Hebrew letter, word, number and accent within the Hebrew Bible has a secret meaning. This practice teaches methods of interpreting the hidden messages behind Hebrew.
"It is quite obvious that now, more than ever, people are searching for spiritual meaning in their lives," said Rabbi Yosef Wolvovsky, executive director of Chabad: East of the River" (based in Glastonbury), in a statement on the Chabad web site.
Glastonbury and 16 other towns are holding Kabbalah related events throughout February. These events will consist of detailed courses, guest lecturers, dinner parties, active worship and specially organized events for women and teenagers. A listing of the exact towns involved in "Kabbalah Month" can be found on the Chabad: East of the River web site (www.chabader.com).
Kabbalah, generally thought of as a branch of Judaism, is a form of mysticism that traces back to ancient times.
There is still dispute among scholars concerning the exact origins of Kabbalahism, however, most adherents recognize that its origins began in the Tanakh (Hebrew Bible), according to wikipedia.org.
Kabbalahists believe the tales of creation in the Book of Genesis within the Torah reveal the mysteries behind God's creation of the universe. Dr. Simo Parpola, a researcher at the University of Helsinki, has connected Assyrian theology and mysticism to early forms of Jewish mysticism.
These early forms can be found in parts of the Talmud, the book of Jewish customs, ethics and so-forth, but not until the medieval era did Jewish mysticism develop. With the appearance of the "Sefer Yetzirah," a mystical text attributed to Abraham, the book became the source of systematic study of elite men call "bale ha-kabbalah," or "possessors or masters of the Kabbalah," according to wikipedia.org.
Post 13th century, Kabbalah branched out, sometimes aligned with but often in opposition to the Talmud.
Kabbalah teaches that every Hebrew letter, word, number and accent within the Hebrew Bible has a secret meaning. This practice teaches methods of interpreting the hidden messages behind Hebrew.