From the Paper
"REINCARNATION AND THE KABBALAH

Reincarnation is not a concept popularly associated with Western religious traditions, and certainly not with Judaism. In fact, however, the Jewish mystical tradition of the kabbalah has long accepted reincarnation in various forms as a valid doctrine. This paper will examine the views of the kabbalah on reincarnation, or Gilgul as it is referred to in the kabbalah, beginning with an explanation of the nature and significance of the kabbalah and of reincarnation.

Judaic scholar Dr. David Sheinkin describes the kabbalah as "the secret, mystical part of Judaism . . . the basis for all the later Western (mystical) paths; all are in some sense derivative of it" (Sheinkin, 1986, pp. 8,9).

Writer Harold Bloom traces the origins of the kabbalah ..."

Abstract
This paper explains the rise of Hasidim as a result of the Kabbalist movement in Europe through the middle ages. The writer presents an introduction to Kabbalist beliefs, the nature of Jewish mysticism, theories of how the Kabbalah developed and modern variations. The writer discusses that what began as a rabbinical, scholarly and esoteric tradition has been altered in recent decades to become more accessible. "

From the Paper
"Mysticism comes rather naturally to Judaism as a religion referring to the possibility of direct communication with God as inner experience. God spoke directly to Moses on Mount Sinai when providing him with the Torah just as David or Jeremiah are said to have also had direct instruction. Ideas of God as sometimes experienced by ordinary human beings or communion within are longstanding traditions. Jewish mysticism is discussed in this paper in relation to the Kabbalah as the most evident of several varieties. The term Kabbalah derives ..."

Abstract
This paper examines the nature of God as described in the "Book of Exodus", one of the five books of the "Torah", the Jewish holy book. The book contrasts the Hebrew conception of God with that of the Christians and describes God's actions in the Kabbalah. This paper also discusses the ten aspects of God as defined in the Kabbalah and provides the Jewish perspective on God and the "Book of Exodus".

From the Paper
"In the dictionary, exodus is defined as, "A going out; a departure or emigration, usually of a large number of people." This word also represents, to those of the Jewish faith, a literal and physical emigration from the life they had known before. First, they had been introduced to their God--they knew his character and could sense his presence. He intervenes in their lives for the first time, bringing the plagues to Egypt. He destroys all of the firstborn Egyptian children in the Passover because they did not know him. God gives messages to the Jews and gives them a set of standards to live by in the form of Commandments. He gives them Divine Law (Exod. 20:12), and tells them that they are his chosen people. He gives them a definitive set of rules and promises that there will be divine intervention for those who break them: "But the LORD said to Moses, 'Whoever has sinned against me, I will blot out of my book'"(Exod.32:33). The Exodus is therefore not only the removal of the Jews from Egypt but a removal of God's chosen people from ignorance. They now know YHWH; they can ascribe a name to their God. By understanding one of God's names, they could begin to understand the very nature of divine mystery, which was not just YHWH, but adonai: literally, My Lords."

Tags:god, hebrew, judaism, christianity, bible

Abstract
This paper looks at the writings of the Kabbalah and the Biblical chapter of Exodus to attempt to understand the mystery of the Jewish idea of God. Unlike the Christian concept, in the Hebrew faith, God has no human identity that he can reveal rather God is the mystery behind the lights, not the light itself. The paper concludes that God is both the mirror and the conscience of man, a continuous and infinite being, who gives man hope.

From the Paper
"The nation of Israel, then, was not just a reminder of the oppression the Jews had suffered for 430 years under the Egyptians; it was the ultimate symbol of God's presence on Earth. When YHWH made his promise to the patriarchs, his name was unknown. After the Exodus, the Jews knew the name of God. Therefore, they knew that God was not only a divine presence but a physical presence in both this world and the next. The Exodus is definitive proof for those of the Jewish faith that God is involved in the world."

Tags:tetragrammaton, paronomastic riddle, mysticism hope mirror

Abstract
This paper explores the abiding elements of Jewish belief, including the origins of the major ethical, ritual and theological aspects of Judaism, as described in David Ariel's book "What Do Jews Believe?" This paper discusses how various Jewish sects have vigorously searched for a better understanding of God as well as the influence of Kabbalah in Judaism. This paper also examines the differences between orthodox, Hassidic and conservative Judaism.

From the Paper
"It is intriguing how the various Jewish sects vigorously have searched, with their intellects and their souls, for a better understanding of God. The difficult question Ariel tackles is the seeming duality of God's nature, His nearness and distance from the world and humanity or "(His)transcendence and immanence." In rabbinic Judaism, God is regarded as "different from and above the world, on one hand, and closely involved and concerned with the world and its inhabitants, on the other. This paradoxical information of God's simultaneous transcendence and immanence is central to understanding rabbinic conception of God." The rabbis believe that they as "designated disciples" are able to be the interpreters of the divine."

Tags:jewish, judaism, religion, culture, orthodox, theology, tradition

Abstract
The focus of this essay deals with the way in which the Zohar views the true meaning of the Torah and the idea of secrecy. The author argues that by looking at the way the Zohar deals with its main themes, one can begin to understand the whole of Kabbalistic thought and the Zohar's central message.

From the Paper
"A famous section of the Zohar, found in the section dealing with Parashat Mishpatim, deals with two of the "characters" of the book, rabbis living in 2nd century Palestine, encountering an old man, the saba, who teaches the rabbis about the secret dimensions of the Torah. These pages contain a plethora of the Zohar's teachings and examples of its worldview, from the structure of the sephirot to more general ideas, like secrecy. These are all presented in a narrative form, as opposed to the lengthy legal discussions of the Mishna and the Talmud. The exchange begins with R. Yossi complaining to his companion, R. Hiyya, about his unpleasant trip with a donkey driver who pestered him with seemingly ridiculous riddles. R. Hiyya senses however, that the driver is not who he seems to be and that his riddles may not be so ridiculous in the end. The driver informs the rabbis that he is indeed not the simpleton that they had previously thought, but rather someone quite learned, who only drove a donkey so he could learn the Torah from such rabbis. "

Tags:kabbalah kabbalistic theology, jewish mysticism, mystical texts, jewish theology

Abstract
This paper illustrates how, in Shakespeare's "Antony and Cleopatra", a climax is reached within the ancient Greek themes of creation and destruction that mirrors the distinctions between love and war, and the explicit and implicit communication of love to oneself and another, seen in the play's rendition of male and female love. The writer argues that "Antony and Cleopatra" offers a Christian-mystic-community-pagan parallelism centered around more ancient themes, and that, in the play, fate is in constant countermotion with freedom, which tragically can lead to neurosis, or positively to a romantically balanced catharsis. The writer contrasts the emotive content of the play with its cognitive content, the blurring and refocusing of which create the play's subjective ethical implications.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
The Contrast between What is and What Could be: Antony's Neurosis
Contrast Between the Written and Spoken Word
Intertextual Interpretations and Influences
The Intertextuality in Antony and Cleopatra: Hercules and Masochism
Hercules as Christian/Pagan Intertext
The Egyptian Other and the Roman Self

From the Paper
"One priority in discussing things as complex as works of art, especially plays, is to acknowledge certain presuppositions about the nature of the subject matter. Is the philosophy of literature the same as literature that contains philosophy? While this has been widely debated, I think the issue lies in the distinction between the two, which if blurry, expresses an overlap such that literature can serve as philosophy, somewhat in the way that later Heidegger believed that poetry was the highest form of philosophical thinking."

Tags:self-love, interaction, kabbalah, hermeneutic, metaphor, interpretation

Abstract
This paper discusses the essence of meditation practices, the particular forms in which God is revealed through meditation and how meditation leads to the discovery of the God within. The author points out the differences and similarities of meditation in various spiritual traditions especially Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism. The paper reports that, although meditation is an ancient practice, tracing more than 2000 years ago, many forms of meditation still exist today.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
The Phases of Meditation, Attention, Concentration, Contemplation
Forms of Meditation
Mysticism and Meditation. Finding God Within.
Tibetan Buddhist Meditation and Transcendental Meditation
The Differences between Yoga and Christianity
Finding God Within:
From Dream Sleep to Awakening
From Illusion to Realization
From Darkness to Enlightenment
From Imprisonment to Liberation
From Fragmentation to Wholeness
From Separation to Oneness
From Being on a Journey To Arriving at the Destination
From Being in Exile To Coming Home
From Seed to Flowering Plant or Fruitful Tree
From Death to Rebirth
Conclusions

From the Paper
"The yogi are also characterized by their adherence to a strict code of moral behavior and by their practicing of a set of physical exercises called asanas and breath control methods called pranayama. O distinct type of yoga is kundalini, focused on unlocking the reserve of spiritual energy that is thought to reside at the base of the spine. The released energy reverberates in the seven chakras or bodily centers which capture emotions and mental states. The energy, kundalini, has to be moved from the lower chakras - dominated by inferior emotions to more elevated chakras, located ..."

Tags:kabbalah, yoga, realization, energy, focus

Abstract
In this article, the writer offers a discussion of how the soul came about in the Jewish tradition. The writer looks at the Jewish belief of the reincarnation of the soul. The writer examines views of the soul from Kabbalistic to contemporary times, within Judaic doctrine and belief.

From the Paper
"The belief in the reincarnation of the soul has been a belief among orthodox Jews for thousands of years. Among Kabbalistic Jews the Zohar is a primary authority stating 'All souls are subject to revolutions'. For many centuries in Jewish history and tradition, the concept of the soul has been linked with resurrection. During the Maccabean era, the concept of hell Gehenna was construed as a place of extreme punishment and purification. In this line of Jewish thought, the soul must be ... "

Tags:Zohar, Kabbalah, Old Testament, God, Adam, Pharisees, Sadducees, reincarnation, immortality