Kabbalah is a mystical and esoteric system of Jewish thought and spirituality, which dates back to ancient times and has continued to evolve throughout history. It involves the interpretation of the Hebrew Bible and the quest for understanding the hidden meanings and secrets of the universe.In "The Cabala," Bernhard Pick explores the origins, history, and development of Kabbalah within Judaism. He also examines how Kabbalistic ideas and concepts have influenced Christian mysticism and esot...

The Hebrew word Cabala (from Kibbel) properly denotes “reception,” then “a doctrine received by oral tradition.” The term is thus in itself nearly equivalent to “transmission, like the Latin traditio, in Hebrew masorah, for which last, indeed, the Talmud makes it interchangeable in the statement given in Pirke Abot I, 1: “Moses received (kibbel) the Law on Mount Sinai, and transmitted (umsarah) it to Joshua.” The difference, however, between the word “Cabala” and the cognate term masorah i...

By Cabala we understand that system of religious philosophy, or more properly, of Jewish theosophy, which played so important a part in the theological and exegetical literature of both Jews and Christians ever since the Middle Ages.The Hebrew word Cabala (from Kibbel) properly denotes "reception," then "a doctrine received by oral tradition." The term is thus in itself nearly equivalent to "transmission, like the Latin traditio, in Hebrew masorah, for which last, indeed, the Talmu...

By Cabala we understand that system of religious philosophy, or more properly, of Jewish theosophy, which played so important a part in the theological and exegetical literature of both Jews and Christians ever since the Middle Ages. The Hebrew word Cabala (from Kibbel) properly denotes "reception," then "a doctrine received by oral tradition." The term is thus in itself nearly equivalent to "transmission, like the Latin traditio, in Hebrew masorah, for which last, indeed, the Talmud makes...

This is a short monograph on the Kabbalah, written from a purely academic and somewhat critical point of view. Pick traces the origins and background of the Kabbalah to Jewish scholars of mediaeval Spain. He does not attribute any deeper roots to it historically, nor does he examine the roots of Jewish mysticism except for a brief mention of the Merkabah. If you are looking for an introduction to the subject written by an advocate of the Kabbalah, it might be better to start with some othe...

This is a short monograph on the Kabbalah, written from a purely academic and somewhat critical point of view. Pick traces the origins and background of the Kabbalah to Jewish scholars of mediaeval Spain. He does not attribute any deeper roots to it historically, nor does he examine the roots of Jewish mysticism except for a brief mention of the Merkabah. If you are looking for an introduction to the subject written by an advocate of the Kabbalah, it might be better to start with some othe...

The Cabalaby Bernhard PickA short critical introduction to the Kabbalah.Although the Cabala belongs to the past, it demands our attention on account of the interest taken in it by such men as Raymond Lully, John Reuchlin and others. Contents: Name and origin of the Cabala; development of the Cabala in the pre-Zohar period; Book of Zohar or splendor; the Cabala in the post-Zohar period; most important doctrines of the Cabala; Cabala in relation to J...

"The Apocryphal Acts of Paul, Peter, John, Andrew, and Thomas" is a collection of early Christian texts that did not make it into the canonical New Testament. These apocryphal acts provide additional stories and legends about the apostles and their missionary activities. The publication of the apocryphal Acts in Greek and Latin by Lipsius and Bonnet as well as Schmidt have opened a large, but very little cultivated field of ancient Christian literature. The oldest of these Acts are those w...

Where did the ideas of heaven and hell come from?'An engaging but expert guide.'THE TIMESAs strange as it may seem to us now, there was a time when no one thought they would go to heaven or hell after they died. In fact, there is no mention of them in the Old Testament, and Jesus did not believe the souls of the departed were bound for either realm.In this gripping history of the afterlife, Bart Ehrman reveals how the conce...

A collection of lectures on the features of the movement of mysticism that began in antiquity and continues in Hasidism today.

Pope Francis’s first papal letter, reflecting on the nature of belief and the need to renew our faith for a bright future of charity and love for all“Precisely because it is linked to love, the light of faith is concretely placed at the service of justice, law and peace. Faith is born of an encounter with God’s primordial love, wherein the meaning and goodness of our life become evident; our life is illumined to the extent that it enters into the space opened b...

The Sepher Yetzirah is the oldest and most mysterious of all kabbalistic texts. Its exact origins are unknown, and hotly debated. Some scholars believe it might have an early Medieval origin, while others emphasize earlier traditions appearing in the book. When properly understood, Sepher Yetzirah becomes the instruction manual for a very special type of meditation meant to strengthen concentration and to aid the development of telekinetic and telepathic powers.This Enhanced E-Book...