Kabbalism (translation, Israel, faith, Abraham)

[Timothylogan3]

Hope i spelled it right. So who here has explored cabalism? What did you learn from it? And is the realy some major mystical powers in it?

[SuSuSushi]

It's basically Jewish mysticism. And no, there are no magical powers associated with it. It is however, very intricate and difficult to learn. Pretty interesting, but not useful other than as a hobby.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by Timothylogan3

Hope i spelled it right. So who here has explored cabalism? What did you learn from it? And is the realy some major mystical powers in it?

I've explored it, but the main thing I learned from it is that its world view is an essentially Jewish one, so if one doesn't follow the Jewish faith (or at least one of the faiths of the Book), it's kind of a difficult fit.

Whether there are mystical powers in it depends first on whether you believe in such things. Its name means 'receiving' and comes from the Hebrew root qouf-bet-lamed, which is the root representing the concept of receipt: la'kabel is the verb 'to receive.' I've heard it described as a psychological filing cabinet, but I don't know how fair or accurate that is.

As for the spelling, you will see it spelled in just about every imaginable way. The correct pronunciation in Hebrew is kah-bah-LAH (unless my professor of modern Jewish history, my Hebrew professor and my Israeli friends are all wrong, which I rather doubt). Qabalah is a reasonable English transliteration. You'll hear a lot of Qabalah enthusiasts butcher that too: 'CABB-uh-luh' or 'ka-BAWL-a.' They'll usually butcher the names of the spheres as well, plus the term for them: 'sephiroth', which people usually articulate as 'SEFF-er-awth', is actually sfir'ot ('sfeer-OAT'). Tell them that sometime and watch the fun.

[ShepsMom]

I thought your were talking about Shish-Kabab here for a second...

Sorry, know nothing about that other thang.

[bluepacific]

Originally Posted by SuSuSushi

It's basically Jewish mysticism. And no, there are no magical powers associated with it. It is however, very intricate and difficult to learn. Pretty interesting, but not useful other than as a hobby.

Of course there was that one episode "The Kaddish" in the X-Files where Mulder & Scully were dealing with that Jewish monster called a Golum killed all those Neo-Nazis.

The X-Files Ultimate, the Nbr 1 site about The X-Files, David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson

[MysticPhD]

Originally Posted by Timothylogan3

Hope i spelled it right. So who here has explored cabalism? What did you learn from it? And is the realy some major mystical powers in it?

The spelling depends on the transliteration used . . . typically "cabalism" is the Christian version. The Hasidim are the only branch of modern Judaism still maintaining mystical practices. There is no magic. I am familiar with most of the theologies, especially the Abrahamic, and the Laurianic Kabbalism had elements in it that ultimately influenced some of my synthesis. Lauria conceived tzimtzum, that is God (en sof) perfomed contraction in order to make room for Creation. In other words, God or his "supreme will" contracted his "light" or "thought" in order to make "empty space" in the physical universe for his creation. Those of you familiar with my views should see the connection.

[j_k_k]

Originally Posted by MysticPhD

Lauria conceived tzimtzum, that is God (en sof) perfomed contraction in order to make room for Creation. In other words, God or his "supreme will" contracted his "light" or "thought" in order to make "empty space" in the physical universe for his creation. Those of you familiar with my views should see the connection.

It may help the reader for me to add that en sof (e pronounced as in Spanish) means in Hebrew 'endless' or 'there is no end.' One contextual translation might be 'The Infinite'.

I don't know much about Lurianic thought, though, except that he was a pivotal medieval Qabalistic thinker.