KEHILAT ARIEL MESSIANIC SYNAGOGUE NEWSLETTER
Volume 19, Number 6, July/August 2004
Tamuz/Av 5764
Email- ka@KehilatAriel.org
Mail- P.O. Box 178755, San Diego, CA 92177 Phone- (858) 490-4355
Barney Kasdan Messianic Rabbi
Kabbalah: Revelation Or Confusion?
By Rabbi Barney Kasdan
In our day of religious pluralism and diversity, we hear of many spiritual paths. One such movement that is attracting more and more attention is what is called in the Jewish world "Kabbalah." Many high profile celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Madonna have publicized the fact that they are followers of this ancient tradition; the latter even giving thanks on her newest CD for the spiritual guidance from the Kabbalah Learning Center of Los Angeles. What is Kabbalah and what does it mean to Messianic Jews?
Kabbalah comes from the Hebrew word meaning "to receive." The name is given to an immense body of Jewish mystical literature that was received by our forefathers throughout the ages. While God certainly gave the written revelation to the Jewish people in the text of the Hebrew Bible, some hold that God gave some extra revelation orally that was transmitted or received from generation to generation. Although this mystical or esoteric literature can be easily traced to the rabbis of the middle ages (most notably Rabbi Isaac Luria, 1534-1572), some adherents insist that the revelation goes back through the Talmudic times, perhaps to Moses or even Adam himself.
The essence of the Kabbalah is to provide a spiritual link to God which adherents believe cannot be adequately maintained via a rational approach alone. This philosophy seeks to understand God by using tools that are said to be beyond the human intellect. So, for example, where the Bible speaks in clear terms about God/Elohim being the creator, the Kabbalah holds to layers of mystical emanations that proceed from the Creator. These are called the Ten Sefirot and include such expressions as wisdom, glory and mercy. While much of this may seem to parallel biblical doctrine, the catch is that the true knowledge of God and the Sefirot can only be attained by mystical meditation, deep prayer, numerology, Bible codes and even astrological signs. It is believed that every soul has a reflection of the Sefirot that only needs to be brought to life by some of these spiritual disciplines. In other words, the primary, historical meaning of a Scripture text is not as important as the mystical keys that can open up the fresh revelation which is behind the text. In this sense, it has been noted by scholars the historical connection between ancient Gnosticism and its younger cousin, the Kabbalah (Kabbalah, Encyclopedia Judaica, p.498). The goal of Kabbalah is to enable each person to repair their sin-damaged soul and, by keeping the commandments, also repair the entire world. When all this is attained, the Messiah will finally be able come and complete the final redemption of Israel.
How are Messianic Jews and other Bible believers to relate to all this? First, we must understand some of the spiritual problems and deception contained in Kabbalah. Some are obvious such as its appeal to some mystical practices which are clearly denounced by the Torah itself (cf. Deut.18:9-13). We have so much beautiful and clear truth written in the Word of God (Hebrew Scriptures and New Testament) that we should stay focused on what is sure as opposed to questionable speculations. As the Torah says "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and our sons forever, that we may do all the words of this Law" (Deut.29:29). Believers in Messiah must resist the temptation to get side-tracked by teachings or theories that take our eyes off of Yeshua/Jesus. What about our Jewish or non-Jewish friends who may be dabbling in Kabbalah? Most likely their search into Jewish mysticism stems from a felt need that hasn't been met in the traditional synagogue or church. In a sense, they seem to be crying out to address the spiritual void created from being alienated from our loving Heavenly Father. The answer is not cold rationalism nor mystical experiences, but an encounter with the living Messiah, Yeshua of Nazareth. Many secret things still belong to the Lord, yet the way to a dynamic relationship with God is simple enough that all can apprehend it. Contrary to the teachings of Kabbalah, it is only when we, Jews and Gentiles, embrace God's plan of redemption that the Messiah can repair our souls and ultimately the world. May we continue to embrace and share the simplicity of the Good News of Yeshua in our midst.
