Customer Reviews
Very disappointing. - By: Karen Silverman, 16 Feb 2007 
Most people who are involvedin Kabbalah are "blinded" by their spirituality & their focus on spiritual growth. They mean well, but the Berg's Kabbalah organization is very much a cult. Yes. A cult.
The sad thing is that most people involvedin Kabbalah don't even know they arein a cult (but isn't that the nature of a cult anyway?), that is until they've spent several thousand dollars or so on their kabbalistic spiritual growth (e.g., taking kabbalah classes, buying expensive kabbalah jewelry & the red string, purchasing kabbalah books, etc.).
In other words, Kabbalah is basically a very successful & systematic money making machine.
And according to the Berg's Kabbalah organization, this is quite alright. Making money is certainly acceptable, especially when the money is spent on spiritual growth. Yes, the logic makes sense, but when you no longer have money to spend on Kabbalah & are unwilling to work -- basically for free -- then Kabbalah has no time for you. You are treated differently.
In other words, you need money to practice Kabbalah.
Kabbalah also works on the egos of people. Especially celebrities. Because everyone basically wants to feel special. Particularly if you are seeking spiritual answers. Spiritual people simply want to feel spiritually special. And Kabbalah will do this as long as you have the money to support Kabbalah.
But it's only a matter of time before this organization loses its luster. People can only be fooled for so long. Even with the best of intentions.
Alive with Meaning - By: Pieter, 14 Sep 2006 
In Part One: Foundations, the author explains that the Zohar is the central text of Kabbalah which is the spiritual heritage of all humanity. Kabbalah is not religiousin the traditional sense of the term & isn't based on literal interpretations of scripture. Logical analysis is however an important tool for investigating spiritual matters. But logicin Kabbalah can take paradoxical forms. The authorship & structure of the Zohar & its relationship to the Hebrew alphabet are discussed here, as well as the dissemination of the Kabbalah. Here I have also found one of the clearest & most accessible explanations of the Ten Sefirot & the Tree of Life.
Part Two: Teachings, deals with creation, the Big Bang & the place where science & metaphysics meet. This section contains interesting discussions of fear, awe & the love of God, concealment, revelation, mercy, judgment, chaos, the Shekhina, temperance & certainty. Throughout, there are passages from the Zohar followed by Rav Berg's engaging & illuminating commentary which explains the working of concepts like Chesed (kindness), Gevurah (strength), Tif'eret (balance) & Malchut (the earthly realm) with practical examples. It includes the famous story of the donkey driver & includes analyses of the nature of desire, the significance of strangers, chaos which is evil, & the Shekhina (The Presence).
Part Three: Transformations, encompasses subjects as diverse as Noah & the flood generation, the story of Isaac, Jacob & his vicissitudes, Joseph's adventures, the golden calf, David & Batsheva. Other revelatory sections discuss concepts like soul mates, immortality, forgiveness, the reason why the wicked appear to be so strong, & how to connect to the Source of Life. In the conclusion, the author explains how Kabbalah may be used as a practical guide for transforming fragmentation & chaos into unity & fulfillment. The Zohar provides a bridge between everyday consciousness & our inner powers of transformation. And indeed, its surprise happenings, sudden insights & epiphanies have a salutary effect on the mind. In addition, the Zohar enables one to disconnect from darkness & negativity by reuniting us with the Creator's light.
Having widely investigated the esoteric side of many spiritual traditions, I have found this brief study of the Zohar of great worth. There are correspondences with other mystical paths but also significant differences. I was surprized to discover for example, a seeming acceptance of the idea of reincarnation, unusualin Western spirituality. Sure there are many directly contradictory statements but after the initial frustration, pondering these eventually does reveal a bigger picture & more profound insight. I have found this work extremely valuablein better understanding some key concepts of the Judeo-Christian tradition. The book concludes with a bibliography, index & short biography of the author.
Spiritual Quantum Physics. - By: Acquafortis, 13 Aug 2005 
A good introductory book to what the Zohar is (22 volumes fundamental for Kabbalistic teachings). Rav Berg comments on selected passages from the Zohar & the Bible itself & explains their meaningin an utterly new dimension. I quite liked the frequent comparision of the Zohar with Quantum Physics.
One might or might not agree with all that it is written but it is worth reading. It definetly opens the door to a whole new idea of thinking & looking at the usual common things that surround us daily, starting from the Old Testament!
