The Beginner's Guide to the Kabbalah

The Kabbalah is a tradition rich in imagery that brings metaphysical ideas into the realm of human experience. Rabbi Cooper guides the listener through 12 basic Jewish mystical teachings--including explanations of the 10 Sephirot of the Tree of Life, and the connectedness ("devekut") of the individual with the infinite. His gentle and expressive voice soothes the listener, but he lacks the focus--both in content and speaking style--to keep the listener's attention. He sometimes gives the impression that he's improvising as he goes along. "The Beginner's Guide" is a useful meditation tool, but serious students of the Jewish mystical tradition will not find much of academic or historical value. S.E.S. (c) AudioFile 2003, Portland, Maine