As Kabbalah seeks to help us to understand, by providing a method for understanding, Creation Itself, it would be nothing but Hubris for someone such as myself to claim that I can explain it to anyone. I hope, therefore, that you will forgive me for trying even to introduce such a complex series of ineffable paradoxes designed to help us experience that which is beyond our understanding. Kabbalah takes a lifetime, perhaps lifetimes, to grasp. How can one, even one who has studied for years, explain it? Perhaps I can take you towards a first step, by giving you some simplified background and an oversimplified glance at a few central concepts of the mystical Jewish tradition known as Kabbalah. In that way, I hope you will feel introduced to something worth reading more about.

The word Kabbalah has the same shoresh, or root, as "lehkabel," "to receive." Kabbalah is received in two ways. Traditionally, it was given by G-d to various special rabbis who then passed it along to others. So, first, it is received by a holy person from G-d. Then, it is received by a student from a teacher. This knowledge was passed orally at first. In time, some of the teachings were also written down.

According to the tradition, Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his son hid in the desert after a decree was issued for their deaths by the Roman emperor. They had only the clothes on their back. Three miracles occurred to save them: one, they found a cave that provided them shelter; two, a carob tree sprang up over night at the opening of the cave, providing them food; three, a spring of fresh water bubbled up from the ground, giving them water. The rabbi and his son studied Torah all day, from memory. One version of the story says they took off their clothes to keep from wearing them out, then buried themselves in the sand of the desert to protect their bodies from the sun. Buried in the sand, the father taught the son all that he knew.

During this teaching, bar Yochai received from G-d divine inspiration and revelation. He not only taught his son Torah, but also gave him a key to understanding Torah. This secret key came to be considered the first teaching of Kabbalah. Others who have studied Creation and Torah using this key have also received revelations and understandings, which they have passed on. These are also among the many texts that comprise what is called, collectively, Kabbalah. There are many key rabbis who have contributed to the tradition. Chief among these is Rabbi

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