Author David Ariel offers Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest in Judaism as a comprehensive guide to understanding the complex practice of Jewish mysticism. The introductory chapter provides a background on mysticism itself, theories within different researcher perspectives, and a relation of mystic experiences to the Jewish religion. In this paper, the author’s main ideas are summarized before analysis and reflection.
William James, looking at the psychology of religious experiences of the individual, proposes that mysticism involves “ineffable and indescribable” experiences that are temporary and not produced by any one thing or religion. Also, the experience is related to a higher being. These varying experiences also do not result from any specific …show more content…
Despite the differences in experience, all Kabbalists continue their path of growth towards deeper understandings of God and the universe. There is a set of seven basic principles which hold the practice together and serve as a framework or underlying foundation for practitioners or those who wish to better understand Kabbalah. The seven principles can be summarized as follows: God is mysterious to the point of being unknowable, unreachable, indescribable, beyond gender, incomprehensible, and infinite in being; every single thing, feeling, or experience in the world/universe is a manifestation of God; because everything exists in God first, there is nothing excluded from the divine perfections or holiness related to God; God needs humans to help keep the balance of harmony on earth; the soul is a connection to God that exists before, during, and after it inhabits the body; the divine words of God provide continued revelations concerning the Torah; every person’s actions and path in life can be connected further to the divine through harmony and ritual practice (Ariel …show more content…
Like the researchers noted above, defining religious practices and phenomena is a very difficult task due to the complex and varying nature of the experiences. It is obvious that different religions and peoples will have entirely different experiences related to God/the divine and, if they do have the same experiences, they can easily be interpreted or described in entirely different terms. That is why it was so important for Ariel to round out the chapter with an inclusive explanation of mysticism. He does note that there are types that may be categorized loosely but overall, the mystic phenomenon is individualistic in nature because every person’s connection to God is entirely their own (and according to the principles, these things cannot be explained by humans properly
William James, looking at the psychology of religious experiences of the individual, proposes that mysticism involves “ineffable and indescribable” experiences that are temporary and not produced by any one thing or religion. Also, the experience is related to a higher being. These varying experiences also do not result from any specific …show more content…
Despite the differences in experience, all Kabbalists continue their path of growth towards deeper understandings of God and the universe. There is a set of seven basic principles which hold the practice together and serve as a framework or underlying foundation for practitioners or those who wish to better understand Kabbalah. The seven principles can be summarized as follows: God is mysterious to the point of being unknowable, unreachable, indescribable, beyond gender, incomprehensible, and infinite in being; every single thing, feeling, or experience in the world/universe is a manifestation of God; because everything exists in God first, there is nothing excluded from the divine perfections or holiness related to God; God needs humans to help keep the balance of harmony on earth; the soul is a connection to God that exists before, during, and after it inhabits the body; the divine words of God provide continued revelations concerning the Torah; every person’s actions and path in life can be connected further to the divine through harmony and ritual practice (Ariel …show more content…
Like the researchers noted above, defining religious practices and phenomena is a very difficult task due to the complex and varying nature of the experiences. It is obvious that different religions and peoples will have entirely different experiences related to God/the divine and, if they do have the same experiences, they can easily be interpreted or described in entirely different terms. That is why it was so important for Ariel to round out the chapter with an inclusive explanation of mysticism. He does note that there are types that may be categorized loosely but overall, the mystic phenomenon is individualistic in nature because every person’s connection to God is entirely their own (and according to the principles, these things cannot be explained by humans properly