Earlier this week, we began to share a little bit about the textual context in which Kabbalah exists in the world of Jewish thought. Now, we’d like to examine how the structure of Sefaria’s library can support learners who want to see the various mystical works in context.

The texts in Sefaria’s library are linked to one another, so learners can easily move between different sources or view them side by side. Clicking on any passage of text opens the Resource Panel, where you can find any and all texts that share a connection to the one you’re reading. Kabbalah is deeply connected to many other classical Jewish texts, and Sefaria puts all of the related resources at your fingertips.

Kabbalah & Tanakh: In many ways, Kabbalah’s core texts serve as a midrash (interpretive commentary) on the text of the Jewish bible, referring back to verses from the Tanakh and providing an associative commentary.

Kabbalah & Chasidut: Chasidic ideas are intimately connected to Kabbalah and are constantly referring back to kabbalistic texts — particularly the Zohar. In quite a few cases, a Chasidic teaching may be hard to understand without reference to Kabbalah.

Kabbalah & Halakhah (Jewish Law): There are many halakhot (Jewish laws) that are based in Kabbalah. As with any in-depth study of halakhah, it’s helpful to see the original sources from which authorities derive the law.

Early Kabbalah & Later Kabbalah: Later kabbalistic texts, like the writings of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, build upon and clarify earlier works such as the Zohar.

On Sefaria, users can look at multiple texts simultaneously. For example, readers can view the Zohar in its original Aramaic next to a modern Hebrew translation by selecting Compare Text from the Resource Panel. We also offer various reference tools (like dictionaries, connections to related texts, and background information about the work you’re reading). This makes complex Kabbalistic texts more accessible than ever before.

Stay tuned — we’re releasing some exciting new translations and texts from the world of Kabbalah in the coming weeks. In the meantime, head to the library stacks to see the many books already on offer!