Origins of the Kabbalah

In my mind, this is one of the most important books written in the twentieth century. Strong words, I admit; please allow me to make my case. This book helps to remove much of the confusion concerning the Kabbalah which is a rich tradition of repeated attempts to achieve and portray direct experiences of GOD. In the words of a disciple of Isaac the Blind (1165?-1235?), "The essential thing in the divine service of the mystics and those who meditate on His name, lies in this : 'and cleave to Him.' [Deuteronomy 13:5] And this is a cardinal principle of Torah and of prayer, that one make one's thought conform with one's faith." One of the most important scholars of the twentieth century, Gershom G. Scholem (1897-1982) opened up a once esoteric world of Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah, to concerned students of religion. The basic thesis of this book is that the Kabbalah originated in one chronologically limited time-span (13th century) and in one geographically limited area (Provençe, France and Gerona, Spain). The editor, R. J. Zwi Werblowsky who worked closely with Scholem, writes "in many way's URSPRUNG UND ANFäNGE DER KABBALAH (1962) [Origins of the Kabbalah] is the most impressive of all [of his writtings] for here Scholem dealt with a major yet enigmatic phenomenon in the history of Jewish spirituality." For Scholem, the oldest literary document of the Kabbalah is the book Bahir. He presents historical evidence that it is a product of Oriental sources combined with purely gnostic tradition (e.g. Merkabah literature) distilled in German Hasidim to arrive in Provençe sometime between 1130 and 1170. Scholem continues with the fascinating history of the Kabbalah with a study of Isaac the Blind, one of the greatest early interpreters from Provençe. Isaac's many new contributions included combining the Bahir with new ideas, thoughts and terminology. In the mid-13th century, the trail continues to the city of Gerona as the centre of the contemplative Kabbalah in its most complete development prior to the Zohar. Scholem writes, "The Kabbalah appeared in Gerona in the fully elaborated form of a contemplative mysticism that sought to draw all domains of Jewish existence into its sphere of influence and to embue them with its spirit." I honestly hold to the conviction that this is a book for everyone, regardless of faith, or disposition to esoteric mysticism. From the first edition, Professor Scholem writes, "Once the ice of ignorance has been broken and the charlatanism that dominated the field has been overcome, the way will be open to further fruitful research. Jewish studies as well as the history of Oriental and Western religions will benefit equally from a more penetrating study and discussion of the problem of the Kabbalah." If you are interested in a spiritual relationship, this book with be interesting to you.

This is a very in depth study of the origins of Kabalistic development. Mr. Scholem has obviously done alot of research into this field and is considered one of the leading authorities in it. His works are always very well researched and comprehensive in both scope and content. Though this text is not entertaining it is doubtful that those reading it are looking for entertainment. One will find a treasure trove of in depth information that is informative and insightful. No stone has been left unturned by Mr. Scholem in his study of the material at hand. His interpretation of this field of study is unique in the aspect that he gives the true historical evidence and avoids interjecting his own beliefs into the text. If one is looking to come to a true understanding of when, where, why, who, and how the Kabbalah came to take the form that is currently presented to us in other books then one should invest the time needed to read this text.