We hear a lot about Kabbala these days. From Madonna’s Biblical name change to Esther and her red string bracelet to Chassidic reggae superstar, Mattisyahu’s lyrics about finding the mystical in the mundane, Kabbala is becoming an unexpectedly popular concept. But what exactly is Kabbala? And isn’t it intended only for a select few?
The word “Kabbala” was long associated with wizened Jewish sages meeting in secret enclaves. It was said that only married men over the age of 40 could learn Kabbala. However, in the 18th century, the founder of the Chassidic movement, the Baal Shem Tov (“Master of the Good Name”), was given a divine message that the Messiah, who would deliver the world from darkness, would come when the wellsprings of the “inner Torah” would spread throughout the world. The Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, said that our generatioin would finally see the Messiah and the ideal era when all of the secrets of the Torah would be revealed. Therefore, it is no surprise to students of kabbala and chassidic philosophy that Kabbala is receiving so much attention.
I have decided that the Omer period (the time between Passover and Shavuos) is an opportune time to begin a “mini-course” on Kabbala, because the Kabbalists say that the 49 days of this time correspond to the seven Divine attributes multiplied by seven sub-categories. Learning about these seven attributes is a good place to start in the study of Kabbala, and it is a good idea to combine the mystical aspects of the Omer period with the learning of the basics of Kabbala. We will begin by learning about the 7 attributes and the significance of each. These attributes teach us not only about the nature of Holy energy, but about ourselves and our personalities.