| Some people think of Kabbalah as a mystery, a | | | | new knowledge a child learns in the fourth grade |
| new age religion, mysticism, or magic. In fact, | | | | "mystical" or "mysterious," but rather a "science," |
| Kabbalah is none of these, yet even Kabbalists call | | | | so Kabbalah is a science that reveals new, spiritual |
| it "a concealed wisdom." At first, this seems like a | | | | layers of reality to a student in a clear, scientific |
| paradox: How can Kabbalah be something that's | | | | manner. |
| "concealed," yet not be a mystery? | | | | In Hebrew, Kabbalah means "to receive." This |
| The key discernment here is to understand that | | | | means that what Kabbalah students learn is how |
| by "concealed," the Kabbalists do not mean that | | | | to receive or feel the concealed, Upper Worlds. |
| Kabbalah is something which can never be | | | | There is no secret here. The only mystery or |
| understood or comprehended. When one looks at | | | | concealment is that there is always more to |
| the many charts and diagrams in Kabbalah books, | | | | attain, just like in college there are always more |
| with their arrows and sketches, one may instantly | | | | advanced levels of mathematics or physics you |
| think that this wisdom is too complicated to ever | | | | can learn. And as a person walks further along the |
| be understood. In a way, they are correct-since | | | | spiritual path, he becomes more "mature," in the |
| Kabbalah is not meant to be understood through | | | | spiritual sense, and his world expands. Things that |
| our regular mind and concepts. But "concealed" | | | | were a mystery yesterday become second |
| also doesn't mean that this wisdom is unattainable | | | | nature today. |
| or that it is a secret only a few are willing to | | | | The most famous Kabbalistic book, the Bible, |
| share. Rather, "concealed" means something which | | | | allegorically explains how a Kabbalist feels as he |
| is presently concealed to us, but that can be | | | | discovers the Upper Worlds: It describes how |
| revealed. | | | | Abraham leaves a familiar country, only to be led |
| According to this definition, Kabbalah is a science. | | | | to a place he does not know. In a similar way, |
| It gradually reveals broader and broader layers of | | | | one who is on the spiritual path often feels that |
| reality that were previously concealed to the | | | | many new discoveries are ahead and that he is |
| student, doing so to the degree that the student | | | | walking in uncharted territory. |
| is able to grasp and comprehend. It is like a child in | | | | Hence, the purpose of all Kabbalistic books is to |
| the first grade who learns that the world he lives | | | | help us reveal the Upper Worlds, or parts of the |
| in is the earth. But in the second grade, the child | | | | universe that are presently concealed to us. |
| learns that there's an entire solar system and | | | | There is nothing mystical, magical, or religious |
| even a galaxy. Finally, in the fourth grade, he | | | | about this wisdom, but rather it's a universal |
| discovers that he lives in an infinite universe. | | | | science that's available to all who want to learn it. |
| In a similar way, Kabbalists also learn about parts | | | | Therefore, there are no restrictions on race, age, |
| of reality that they were not aware of at first | | | | or gender. One doesn't even need to know |
| and that were concealed to them. In Kabbalah, | | | | Hebrew to study. All one truly needs is a |
| these concealed layers of reality are called "the | | | | willingness for the concealment to be lifted. |
| Upper Worlds." And just like no one would call the | | | | |