Kabbalah?

[MysticFred82]

Shalom,

What is the approach of messianic Rabbis to Kabbalah? Have you ever seen a MJ Rabbi or group talk about it?

I feel like talking about Kabbalah I need a lot of disclaimers, haha. Most important I've only studied a bit of it and I don't pretend to really understand it.
Also there isn't one "Kabbalah", usually it refers to the Zohar and that medieval time period of writings and thoughts from the Jews in Spain. There are other schools too, like one of my favorites is the earlier chariot stuff.
Also, most Jewish congregations or Rabbis approach the Kabbalah very cautiously. The Reform Rabbi I studied under discourages me from studying it. The Orthodox Chabad Rabbis heavily filter and translate it to approachable teachings (probably a good way to go). Very few Jews have Zohar study groups as far as I can tell.

 

[Dave-W]

What is the approach of messianic Rabbis to Kabbalah? Have you ever seen a MJ Rabbi or group talk about it?

Yes. The UMJC in their Summer Yeshiva had several classes on Kabbalah back about 10 years ago.

 

[MysticFred82]

Yes. The UMJC in their Summer Yeshiva had several classes on Kabbalah back about 10 years ago.

Thanks!! That's cool.

 

[MysticFred82]

This forum has helped me get past my stereotype of messianic Jews as a bunch of evangelicals who only took a few classes of Hebrew. Obviously, there are those groups out there too, but it's nice to know it isn't all messianic Jews by any means.

 

[Open Heart]

This forum has helped me get past my stereotype of messianic Jews as a bunch of evangelicals who only took a few classes of Hebrew. Obviously, there are those groups out there too, but it's nice to know it isn't all messianic Jews by any means.

This forum is so not typical of the MJ world. I'm glad you are here and can diversify it up a bit for us.

 

[MysticFred82]

This forum is so not typical of the MJ world. I'm glad you are here and can diversify it up a bit for us.

Thanks! I have run into other MJ talking about Kabbalah and they were clearly opposed to it. Though if you take any of the Talmud or Midrash that is often Kabbalah influenced.

I don't know about diversity. I feel I'm drifting deeper into my faith and away from churches at the same time. If I had to commit to a theology it would be heretical I'm sure. Such is mysticism. I don't want say I'm a messianic Jew. I'm definitely not a Jew (a member of Israelite people). And I'm not sure if being a loosely Christian gentile who does some Jewish practice but rejects Rabbinical authority really means anything

BTW, I've got tefflin from Israel today. I'm so exicited. They are very cool.

 

[Aryeh Jay]

BTW, I've got tefflin from Israel today. I'm so exicited. They are very cool.

Who did you purchase your Tifillin through?

 

[MysticFred82]

Who did you purchase your Tifillin through?

Standard Tefillin Peshutim Ashkenaz with free bag | aJudaica.com

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Standard Tefillin Peshutim Ashkenaz with free bag | aJudaica.com

Cool stuff!

This is what I have, although it was a few years ago when they were a bit less expensive.


Premium Tefillin Gassot Sephradic Miksheh Level A | tefillin.biz

 

[ChavaK]

Cool stuff!

This is what I have, although it was a few years ago when they were a bit less expensive.


Premium Tefillin Gassot Sephradic Miksheh Level A | tefillin.biz

Beautiful! Reminds me when we were in Israel and my husband ordered a set (although not that expensive!).
He ordered left handed and they made right handed. They were not pleased when they had to remake them. Several years later he left them in a cab in Crown Heights. Thought they were gone forever, but
someone turned them in. Elated to know someone honest found them!

BTW, chag sameach!

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Beautiful! Reminds me when we were in Israel and my husband ordered a set (although not that expensive!).
He ordered left handed and they made right handed. They were not pleased when they had to remake them. Several years later he left them in a cab in Crown Heights. Thought they were gone forever, but
someone turned them in. Elated to know someone honest found them!

BTW, chag sameach!

Chag Sameach to you as well!

When my son received his first pair he commented that his were not as big I said “look at your head boy” now at 17 he has a proper set. (And is wondering why I am writing about his 1st set of Tifillin and what was so funny about it).

 

[Aryeh Jay]

Several years later he left them in a cab in Crown Heights. Thought they were gone forever, but
someone turned them in. Elated to know someone honest found them!

It is good that someone turned them in. I was surprised to find there are a lot of lost and stolen religious articles being sold to unsuspecting people.

 

[Open Heart]

I don't know about diversity. I feel I'm drifting deeper into my faith and away from churches at the same time. If I had to commit to a theology it would be heretical I'm sure. Such is mysticism. I don't want say I'm a messianic Jew. I'm definitely not a Jew (a member of Israelite people). And I'm not sure if being a loosely Christian gentile who does some Jewish practice but rejects Rabbinical authority really means anything

Most MJ's support the regular churches, but a few MJ's believe that the churches are apostate -- you'll find some in here to shoot the breeze with. I'm a mystic too, but I'm more traditional. It sounds to me like you are a Messianic Gentile. Welcome! You'll find that some of us are more Protestant and are Bible only, and others of us tend to accept Jewish traditions that come from Rabbinic authority. As you can see, we are quite the soup.

 

[Open Heart]

BTW, I've got tefflin from Israel today. I'm so exicited. They are very cool.

Wow, how totally cool

 

[Steve Petersen]

. And I'm not sure if being a loosely Christian gentile who does some Jewish practice but rejects Rabbinical authority really means anything

BTW, I've got tefflin from Israel today. I'm so exicited. They are very cool.

OK, do you not see the irony here? Who decided that the commandment to bind God's words to your hand and forehead means to wear a little black box there?

 

[MysticFred82]

OK, do you not see the irony here? Who decided that the commandment to bind God's words to your hand and forehead means to wear a little black box there?

Yeah, that is inconsistent. Sometimes, some of the Rabbis say amazing stuff. Sometimes they say things I just can't get behind like don't boil a kid in its mothers milk means no meat with cheese. I can't bring myself to follow the Rabbis blindly but I'm also wary of cherry picking only the parts based on my own limited judgement. But when I did attend synagogue I felt most at home with the Reform, so that is probably where I fall on the spectrum of more cautiously making up my own mind.

But you're welcome to call me out on it.

 

[Heber Book List]

Most MJ's support the regular churches, but a few MJ's believe that the churches are apostate -- you'll find some in here to shoot the breeze with. I'm a mystic too, but I'm more traditional. It sounds to me like you are a Messianic Gentile. Welcome! You'll find that some of us are more Protestant and are Bible only, and others of us tend to accept Jewish traditions that come from Rabbinic authority. As you can see, we are quite the soup.

...and one poster on here is neither Jew nor Christian, nor Messianic!

 

[AbbaLove]

MysticFred82 said:

I don't want say I'm a messianic Jew. I'm definitely not a Jew (a member of Israelite people). And I'm not sure if being a loosely Christian gentile who does some Jewish practice but rejects Rabbinical authority really means anything

BTW, I've got tefflin from Israel today. I'm so excited. They are very cool.​

Did you buy the Tefillin as a gift for a Jewish friend or for yourself ?
How to Put on Tefillin

 

[Open Heart]

...and one poster on here is neither Jew nor Christian, nor Messianic!

I have no idea who that is.

I don't think there is anyone in here that doesn't claim to be either Messianic or Christian or both. We aren't supposed to challenge their claims, I don't think.

 

[Heber Book List]

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