The Los Angeles Times this week published a thorough and well-researched expose of the Kabbalah Centre.
As a student and teacher of Kabbalah and Hasidism for more than 50 years, I have been watching this travesty unfold. It now apparently is reaching its denouement. Along with many others who study Kabbalah, both within the academic world and beyond it, I have been hesitant to speak out publicly against the Bergs' empire because of their reputation for suing anyone who rises up against them. Unfortunately, some of my academic colleagues, fascinated by the numbers attracted to the Kabbalah Centre, have lent to them a certain legitimatizing cachet.
The truth is that the Kabbalah Centres are a bizarre combination of well-intentioned religious outreach and sheer hucksterism. Philip Berg, whom I met back before he became famous, was indeed a student of authentic Jerusalem Kabbalists of the Ashlag school. He decided in the 1980s to proclaim himself a rebbe or spiritual master. I do not think this was a cynical move from the beginning. Berg probably thought he was doing good by bringing Kabbalah to the masses. He looked around and saw the popularity of all sorts of eastern spirituality, attracting many Jewish followers among others, and decided that the turn of Kabbalah had come. He would simplify the abstruse teachings and make them accessible to those without his learning, allowing for a broad following.
The problem is that Berg went for the worst rather than the best within the Kabbalistic tradition. His own teachers had been interested in an otherworldly meditational system, one focused on restoring energies directed toward cosmic tikkun, or repair, leading toward messianic redemption. One may believe in this or not, but it is surely high-minded. But Kabbalah had always had a more popular and practical side, one that leaned close to magic. It was this part of the system that Berg peddled. His promises of success in love, business and other realms to those who drank his "holy" water, or stared, even without comprehension, at his highly priced books, were sheer nonsense. This is the worst of Kabbalah, preying on people's fantasies and fears. These claims would have horrified Berg's teachers, and he must have known that.
What Berg figured out is that superstition and the insecurities that attract people to it did not disappear with modernity. They exist in Hollywood just as much as in poor neighborhoods of Jerusalem. You just need to know how to market them. At this he became a genius. He took his outrageous promises and bundled them together with the sort of self-help advice one can readily find in many books sold in airport bookstores. To these he joined some light bits of true Kabbalistic learning. He wrapped them all up in bundles of red string, making an old Eastern European talisman, used mostly for keeping witches away from babies' cribs, a new identifying symbol for his "Kabbalists," most of whom had no real idea of what the Jewish mystical tradition was all about.
He did two more things that were revolutionary from his teachers' point of view. He opened study of Kabbalah and participation in its rites both to women and to non-Jews. One might think this to be praiseworthy. Many of us would like to see Kabbalah brought "out of the closet" and made accessible. Some of my own writings seek to do exactly that. But in Berg's case one has the sense that this was largely a commercial decision. There were more women than men wanting to learn what he had to teach and willing to pay for it. This is true of all the self-help literature and the following of many gurus in that field. But once he was willing to cross the bigger line of welcoming non-Jews to his fold, he really had struck gold. Thousands of seekers, many of them confused or disillusioned Christians, ex-Mormons and so forth, swelled his ranks. They were undoubtedly more awed than some of his Jewish followers, and more willing to pay.
The sad part of this story is that it represents a thorough mixing of goodness and cynicism. Many people testify that their lives were set straight by loyalty to the Kabbalah Centre, that they were freed from addictions, brought back from depression, or even just redeemed from the triviality of Hollywood and its values. Who could not thank the Bergs for the positive effect they have had on the lives of so many? But in the end, hucksterism seems to have won out. The "evil urge" is a pretty slippery character, especially when big money becomes involved. The Kabbalah Centre's founders and leaders, especially in creating a dynasty, have taken the reputation of an ancient and noble tradition and have sullied it for their own gain. Kabbalah deserves better.
Kabbalah Centre - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Madonna, Demi Moore, other celebrities gave Kabbalah Centre ...
The Kabbalah Centre: How Crucial Was Madonna to Its Rise ...
Like anything else that is religion, I suppose.
There are a number of Mysticism in the world - it has been argued that they really are all the same - and Kabbalah is not personal choice (and I don't know whether to laugh or cry when the Zohar is called holy) because it is too gnostic for my taste - I prefer simplicity. By gnostic I mean the endless reifying of subtle distinctions.
But it is that very gnostic nature that makes it intriguing. To a certain kind of intellect the belief that "if I only study hard enough, this will all make sense" makes complexity very attractive. Vulgarizing complexity is surely superstition and verges on magic.
On the whole I prefer the Sufis. But, in fact, I go my own way.
What's the difference between Berg and 'St' Paul?
Both took an idea and turned it into a popular path ripe for looting by those that would take money from the miserable and those without a Lord to dominate them. Humans want to be controlled, and some are smart enough to set up a spiritual 'store' to sell them what they want.
It's only immoral in the way that a BMW salesman pushes the upgrade on a young woman who has more family wealth than sense. At the end of the day, they're just making a living.
The Berg's mixing of folk magic (Red string for protection? Kabalah water? Where are those in the Zohar?) and the Kabalah is so highly misrepresentative that Berg should be embarrassed and humiliated for such outright dishonest.
27 - And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
28 - And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
29 - And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
30 - And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.
Thus, we can see the above scriptural documentation of a scarlet thread being tied about the wrist of Judah's son Zarah.
---------------------------------
A distasteful and highly questionable remark. Reverse it and it would be anti-Semitic.
This kind of activity is more widespread that you'd think. It's being perpetrated all over the world, in synagogues, churches, mosques, temples...
Many old yentas put a red ribbon to ward off evil, but this is NOT from the religion, but from listening to others who THINK they know about Judaism. I am not a rabbi, but three of my sons and one son-in-law are rabbis.
I cannot answer about superstition in other religions.
That doesn't really get to the heart of the superstition problem though.Not being able to turn on the heating on a friday night strikes me as a possible other point to consider.
Devotional items have always served a purpose in religion and marketed correctly can serve to expand the breadth and reach of the message, the argument that their success in merchandising (what are essentially metaphysical tools) is somehow akin to hucksterism sounds more like a case of sour grapes.
There is a faint smell of exclusivity in the tone of the post, which would indicate, insecurity and jealousy buried behind the intent of the author. Again, it's all a matter of perspective
It takes years before one can get to the level to undertake the study of hidden Torah, AFTER one has studied revealed Torah.
is it true that Israeli rabbis do not acknowledge American rabbis.?
It's not just the Kabbalah that's been taken over by hucksters and charlatans.
There isn't a religion on the planet that hasn't suffered this take-over.
At some past time there was someone who experienced something transcendent. They told a friend in joy; and that person told another and sooner or later someone saw a profit to be made. From there it snowballed and a platform was devised and rules were instituted, and then people were lining up to join in or get in ON the deal, or get whatever 'blessings' or benefits they could, by joining the "in" crowd, or keeping their heads attached if the ruling class decided this was the 'thing to believe'.
When I first read about Madonna and her "kabbalah bracelets and water" I wasn't really surprised at HER so much as by the silence from those that were members of a spiritual group that had studied Kabbalah for centuries.
Pretty sad how sheep can follow something and obliterate the track originally laid down.
Would YOU dignify Madonna with a comment?
When I saw Madonna wearing Tefillin (ritual phlactories) on a video clip, I was just disgusted. Tefillin are worn on weekdays as a sign to the one above. One must be properly dressed and have washed their hands, mouth and eyes out from impurity.
Madonna was wearing virtually nothing except fish-net tights.
It was better to keep quiet than to dignify her behaviour with a comment.