The Kabbalah Centre
As we explore the purpose and practice of the Kabbala Centre, which came into existence in Los Angeles in 1984 (1), we might well ask: what is Kabbala?
To Define a Mystery That Is At the Soul of The Torah
One definition, offered by Chabad.org, is that Kabbala is an ancient tradition of the Jewish people based upon the Torah. The Kabbalah is a mystical, lyrical, philosophical/theological/traditional system of study that has been said to be the “soul” of the Torah (2).
Kabbala is Jewish tradition that imparts poetic, and some would say cryptic, and tightly-held insights into the nature and essence of God.
Study and Philosophy
The Kabbalah is a system of study and philosophy that leads to an understanding and interpretation of God’s and the individual’s intercommunication with the world.
Sometimes called “the Inner Torah” or the “Wisdom of Truth,” the Kabbalah is thought to offer a look at the purpose and plan for the universe and impart understanding on how the individual may find and connect to that inner wisdom (3).
The All-Powerful, The Personal, and The Universal
The individual who seeks to study and partake of the wisdom of Kabbalah is made aware of the personal, collective, and the Holy that is the light and power that is embodied in the secrets and teachings of the Kabbalah.
Teaching and Wisdom
A part of the appeal of the Kabbala Centre is the practice of inculcating the ancient “soul” of the Torah without the necessity of having to know Hebrew or the Jewish texts, thus opening this knowledge to a wide body of individuals, allowing many to benefit from the Kabbalistic wisdom.
