Millions of people are familiar with the Kabbalah--Judaism's spiritual and mystical tradition--but until now the bulk of its essential scripture has not been accessible to the lay reader. Introduced with practical analysis and vital historical information, The Essential Kabbalah offers insightful accounts of the primary aspects of Jewish mysticism.

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

The Zohar: annotations to the Ashlag Commentary elucidates Kabbalah's primary source of wisdom-The Book of Zohar (The Book of Radiance). This is a book to read with patience, contemplating each sentence as one unveils its meanings. As the text covers its theme-the revelation of the Creator-from many different angles, it allows us to find the phrases or words that will carry us into the depths of this profound and timeless wisdom.

The power of The 72 Names of God operates strictly on a soul level, not a physical one. It's about spirituality, not religiosity. Instead of being limited by the differences that divide people, the wisdom of the Names transcends humanity's age-old quarrels and belief systems to deal with one common bond that unifies all people and nations as one — the human soul.

In this classic of Jewish mysticism, the world-renowned scholar seeks to answer the major questions asked by modern Jews about the nature of their existence in God’s universe.

A spiritual crisis sent Orthodox rabbi Gershon Winkler to remote regions of the Southwest, where he studied with Native American healers. From them he began to recover the long-lost wisdom of what he calls “Aboriginal Judaism”: the religion’s tribal roots. This book tracks his personal journey and draws from a dazzling mix of sources to detail the surprising connections between two seemingly unrelated religions.

Gideon Bohak gives a pioneering account of the broad history of ancient Jewish magic, from the Second Temple to the rabbinic period. It is based both on ancient magicians' own compositions and products in Aramaic, Hebrew and Greek, and on the descriptions and prescriptions of non-magicians, to reconstruct a historical picture that is as balanced and nuanced as possible. The main focus is on the cultural make-up of ancient Jewish magic, and special attention is paid to the processes of cross-cultural contacts and borrowings between Jews and non-Jews, as well as to inner-Jewish creativity. Other major issues explored include the place of magic within Jewish society, contemporary Jewish attitudes to magic, and the identity of its practitioners. Throughout, the book seeks to explain the methodological underpinnings of all sound research in this demanding field, and to highlight areas where further research is likely to prove fruitful.

Awaken your heart and mind to see your own capacity for wisdom, compassion, and kindness. "When we awaken to our own light, it becomes possible to develop real wisdom about our life. As wisdom allows us to see clearly, our hearts break open with compassion for the struggles of our own lives and the lives of all beings. Awakened with wisdom and compassion, we are impelled to live our lives with kindness, and we are led to do whatever we can to repair the brokenness of our world." --from the Introduction At last, a fresh take on meditation that draws on life experience and living life with greater clarity rather than the traditional method of rigorous study. Based on twenty-five years of bringing meaningful spiritual practice to the Jewish community, well-known meditation teacher and practitioner Rabbi Jeff Roth presents Jewish contemplative techniques that foster the development of a heart of wisdom and compassion. This contemporary approach to meditation--accessible to both beginners and experts alike--focuses on using the distilled wisdom of Buddhism and Judaism as a way to learn from life experience. By combining these two traditions, he presents a model that allows westerners--both Jews and non-Jews--to embrace timeless Eastern teachings without sacrificing their birth traditions. "One of the most accessible, knowledgeable, and useful books on Jewish contemplative life." --Jack Kornfield, author, The Wise Heart "A thorough-going handbook ... full of concrete teachings offered in personal terms. This is a practice book all aspiring Jewish meditators should own--and use." --Norman Fischer, founder and teacher, Everyday Zen Foundation; author, Sailing Home: Using the Wisdom of Homer's Odyssey to Navigate Life's Perils and Pitfalls "Truly unique ... presents time-tested universal techniques for cultivating wisdom and compassion. This will be the guidebook many people have been waiting for." --Sylvia Boorstein, author, Happiness Is an Inside Job: Practicing for a Joyful Life

One evening in September 1991, Kabbalist Rabash summoned his prime student, Michael Laitman, to his bedside and handed him a notebook, whose cover contained one word-Shamati (I Heard), containing transcripts of Rabash's conversations with his father, Yehuda Ashlag, author of a complete commentary on The Zohar. The following morning the Rabash perished.Following Rabash's legacy to disseminate the Kabbalah, Laitman published the notebook just as it was written, retaining the text's transforming powers.

In his final book, completed a few weeks before his death, one of the most beloved religious leaders of our time gives us a moving and meaningful exploration of how the great religious teachers of tradition affect and shape our own personal spirituality.