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What is the state of Kabbalah today? Chassidim are centered on the ideas of Kabbalah, but, for the most part, not on studying the primary texts. Only people on an advanced level would touch the actual Zohar or Writings of the ARI, The big...
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Some of you have been asking why Rabbi Nachman and his teachings were, and to a degree, still are, persecuted. In thinking about it, I realized that this question is, indeed, pertinent to the entire theme of this group. Community can be a great...
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Rabbi Natan had passed away in 1844. Small groups of Breslovers continued in obscure Ukrainian towns. Opposition existed, but at least it was non-violent. There was little hope of becoming a mass-movement in that environment....
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We left off with the exile of Spanish Jewry. They were scattered to many lands; some European (particularly Amsterdam), but mostly Mediterranean countries. The Turkish Empire, especially welcomed them. The King of Turkey said: "The King of Spain...
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We left off at the spread of Kabbalah that followed the renown of the Ari. In every corner of the Jewish world, Kabbalah had gone main stream, and spiritual renewal was in the air.
But the 17th century brought many disasters. In 1648 and 1649,...
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The Sabbatean and Frankist debacles had torn us apart, made us paranoid about our neighbors, and even our rabbis. The responses were varied, and a new climate was created, not always for the better. Many of our present...
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The 18th century saw Kabbalah largely put on a shelf, at best the province of the few. In Middle Eastern lands, it is still treasured, but with the constant fear of another charlatan coming to pervert it.
A positive outcome of the Sabbatean...
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It is a well known phenomenon is history, that some times and places produce great men, while other eras are fallow. Consider the late 18th century in America. Washington, Franklin, Adams, Jefferson, and a host of others established and forged...
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In dealing with the late 18th century, we have seen that there were giants, great mystical leaders, who brought the feeling of closeness to G-d to East European Jewry, and beyond, at a time when the Chassidic movement was in spiritual, if not...
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Another pivotal teaching of Rabbi Nachman was that anything important will come with obstacles (Meni'ot). The very letters of "meni'ot" can be rearranged to spell "Ne'imot" (pleasant!). In order to merit arriving at holiness, G-d gives us...
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