The Kabbalah Handbook: A Concise Encyclopedia of Terms and Concepts in Jewish Mysticism

By Gabriella Samuel

Book Overview

A comprehensive single-volume reference guide to the terms and ideas of Kabbalah by a longtime teacher of Jewish mysticism -perfect for the serious student and newcomer alike. People of all faiths and backgrounds are drawn to the inspiration, knowledge, and spiritual insight that Kabbalah offers. But too often writings on Jewish mysticism are impenetrable for the novice, overly simplified for the advanced student, or misrepresent and sensationalize Kabbalistic practice. The Kabbalah Handbook is the first comprehensive single-volume Kabbalah reference guide that is indispensable for Kabbalah students of every level. The Kabbalah Handbook features- - more than five hundred key terms and concepts in straightforward, easy-to-read definitions and thorough, well-researched discussions; - Hebrew, English, and Hebrew transliteration for each item; - the language of origin for each term; - a discussion of all sides of differing opinions within Kabbalistic philosophy; - pronunciation guides; - nondiscriminatory, gender-neutral language; - important historical information; - extensive cross-referencing that enables readers to find all terms, whether they are looking up a word in English or transliterated Hebrew; - twenty-eight original and innovative illustrations; - thirty-two tables and charts that organize and break down unwieldy material into manageable items; and - appendices covering topics such as the 613 Mitzvot (biblical commandments), the lunar calendar, and the sacred names of God.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1585425605
• ISBN13: 9781585425600
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Tarcher
• Length: 480 Pages
• Weight: 1.50 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 7.1" x 8.5"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

This is an excellent guide to Kabbalah for people of all faiths and interest levels ...

Many Jewish rituals actually find their origins in Kabbalistic mysticism. In addition "Kabbalah's influence on other traditions is very strong" according to the author. This book is not based on the recent upswing of interest or the "fad" of embracing the religion, but rather tries to embrace the "authentic" Jewish Kabbalah. In the front of the book the author includes a brief pronunciation guide to Hebrew words, explains gender distinctions between them, and explains how each entry is set up in the book. Take for example, the word for mother, matrona. The word is given, it is written in Hebrew, the pronunciation is given and then explained. MATRONA mah-tro-NAH "Matrona is a Latin word meaning `mother.' Matrona sometimes appears in Kabbalistic literature as a synonym of Shekhinah, the feminine aspect of the Divine." (P. 206) In this book you will find more than five hundred concepts and their definitions, set up in a similar manner. Some are rather short as in the word "matrona," while others, that call for more detail, are lengthier and have sidebar materials or charts. In the very comprehensive appendix are the 613 Mitzvot (commandments) as they appear in the Torah, a timeline of Jewish mysticism (date, historical period, significant events, movements and figures) in chart form, sacred names (pronunciation, Hebrew, Gematria value, meaning, Biblical source), the lunar calendar, a list of Jewish holy days (includes explanation), an excellent index, and additional recommended book resources.

Great handbook

This handbook is really handy to get used to and/or review some Kabbalah's concepts and specific vocabulary. This is a great book to have for a comprehensive reading while studying Kabbalah. I liked that the author inserted the 613 mitzvot and the 13 Maimonides principles as well as a chronology for an easy-to-follow history.