Getting to Know Kabbalah

May 5, 2024 | 27 Nissan, 5784

As you know, Sefaria’s library is home to Jewish texts from different locations, eras, and schools of thought. In the coming weeks, we’ll be sharing about some of the Kabbalistic resources we’ve added to the stacks. First, though, we thought we’d offer a little background information on Kabbalah.

What is Kabbalah?

Kabbalah is the primary form of Jewish mysticism, with esoteric works ranging from ancient to contemporary. Kabbalistic ideas aim to shed light on God’s essence, the relationship between God’s eternality and the finite universe, and the inner meaning of the Torah.

Central to Kabbalah is the notion that God created the world and interacts with it through ten sefirot (or divine attributes). Another core tenet is a belief in people’s ability to affect God’s actions by influencing these attributes.

Much of Kabbalah is an expansive commentary on the Torah. While the Talmud focuses mainly on halakhah (Jewish law), Kabbalah focuses more on stories, spiritual teachings, and ethics. It's not just something people study; it's a different way to see the whole Jewish tradition.

The foundational texts of Kabbalah only rose to prominence during the Middle Ages. Even then, few scholars studied it. Over time, Kabbalah has become more commonly known, as later scholarly work made it more accessible.

Chasidut is deeply rooted in Kabbalistic thought and practice. Founded as a spiritual and mystical revival movement in 18th-century Ukraine, Chasidut draws heavily on the teachings of Kabbalah, particularly the idea that sefirot (divine attributes) are present in all aspects of the world.

The Omer — A Time for Spiritual Growth

The time between Passover and Shavuot is known as the Omer, a period of 49 days that are verbally counted one at a time. In Kabbalah, the Omer is also seen as a time for spiritual growth. Each of the days counted is associated with a specific combination of sefirot. This provides a framework for personal and spiritual refinement, as individuals can reflect upon and seek to improve aspects of their character that correspond to the sefirot of the day.

To take a look at other kabbalistic texts on Sefaria, check out the Kabbalah section of the library!

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