I think all that Kabbalah is rotting her brain…
A Kabbalah pilgrimage? Okay, that’s one thing. A ridiculous thing, but one thing nonetheless. But The Kabbalah Grammar School for Children? Yeah, okay “Esther.” Whatever you say. (c/o Cherie & Danya)
The Voice chimes in on the Kabbalah craze:
Naturally, celebrities, arbiters of the zeitgeist, are all over it: Sandra Bernhard, Barbra Streisand, Roseanne, and notable Jewish scholars like Demi Moore and Britney Spears have all taken classes with the Kabbalah Centre.
Haha. (c/o Harry)
It is cheaper to go to Madonna’s school than Hebrew school. Bargain!
i dunno about her brain but it is definitely rotting mine …
Entry requirements into the school include being a “Kabbalist.” How, praytell, can one be a Kabbalist without being Jewish?
The fact that people are trying to differentiate between Kabbalah and Judaism is disgraceful. Kabbalah is meant to be a part of Judaism, it is not a spin off, it’s an added dimension of knowledge and spirituality.
That people are exploiting it, marketing it, and detaching it from the rest of Judaism is highly problematic. That people (weirdo celebs especially, it seems) are so narrow to believe that they think they can reap some mystical benefits by “practicing Kabbalah” without adopting the rest of Judaism is sad and frustrating.
Friends– if you have ever studied legitimate Kabbalah, you likely understand its beauty and significance. You also understand that it is inseparable from Judaism. I don’t want to be witness to the cultifcation of Kabbalah; it will be a sad day when a misappropriated “Kabbalah” is a Jewish spinoff sect and no longer associates with the rest of the faith.
I don’t really know enough about the whack-jobs who are propogating this garbage to do anything about it. Can anyone out there help inform me? What can be done/is being done to counter them and educate the public?
I agree with Ronen. This so called “Kaballah” stuff is total krepp.
Actually, Chassidus, was developed to keep kabbalah within the frame work of Halacha. Pure Kabbalah doesnt HAVE to be confined to judiasm. It is why the ashkanazi Rabbis decided to institute the 40 married with kids rule.
Nevertheless, Goddamned commie kabalah basterds!!
Avi– what traditional source legitimizes practicing Kabbalah without Judaism? I’d be very curious to know.
None Ronen, but Kabbala, especially from the ari Z’L, tends to allow itself to get twisted in that direction, hence the need for the ban and chassidus.