International Center of Tzfat Kabbalah

Revision as of 21:57, 11 October 2011

(Hebrew: מרכז הקבלה הצפתי / Spelling: Kabbalah, Kaballa, Cabbala, Kabbala / Other Names: Kabbalah Center of Tzfat, Kabbalah-Tour, Safed Kabbalah Center / Definition: Jewish outreach center promoting the teachings of the Kabbalah based in Safed, Israel)

The study of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, spans thousands of years. Believers consider that the ancient wisdom and knowledge of kabbalah has guided mankind since the first people walked the earth. In recent years the study of kabbalah has expanded as different groups and individuals offer their own interpretations of kabbalah. The International Center for Tzfat Kabbalah provides individuals and groups with the opportunity to encounter a traditional Tzfat-based kabbalah experience.

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According to Jewish tradition, God gave the secrets hidden within the text of the Torah to the People of Israel at Mt. Sinai together with the Torah. These secrets and hidden messages form the basis of kabbalah. The meaning of the word “kabbalah” -- receiving -- indicates that God passed this wisdom to the Jewish people so that, by studying and attempting to understand what God wants and expects, each individual has the opportunity to receive this wisdom and develop a closer relationship with God.

Kabbalah scholars delve into the study of man’s soul. The discipline provides an explanation of how the codes of the universe guide events and how these processes influence and affect each individual, both physically and spiritually. Learning about kabbalah allows each person to develop a higher level of self-awareness as he reaches into his soul and grapples with the elements that affect his essence. Many people find that the study of kabbalah gives them the tools to channel these elements as they grow spiritually and personally. Through kabbalah study an individual can harness the cosmos and add spiritual meanings to his daily life.

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Kabbalah study began in the second century A.D. when Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai was forced into hiding by the ruling Romans. For four years, hiding in a small cave with his son, Rabbi Elazar, he studied the secrets of kabbalah which he accessed through divine inspiration. After the decree against him was revoked and he left his cave, Rabbi Shimon traveled through the north of Israel, teaching what he had learned. He wrote the “Zohar,” -- The Light -- which set down his teachings. The Zohar serves as the basis for kabbalah study until today.

Throughout Jewish history only a small group of select scholars and kabbalists learned the wisdom of kabbalah. The knowledge was passed down orally from scholar to scholar and most of the population did not have access to this information. Today, information technology combined with a thirst for spirituality has created a desire among a large number of people to learn about kabbalah and incorporate elements of this mysticism into their lives.

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During the Middle Ages as Jews escaped from the Spanish Inquisition, many of the era’s greatest kabbalists were drawn to Safed. Rabbi Yossi Saragossi, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Rabbi Isaac Luria (the ARI), Rabbi Chaim Vital and others studied and taught in Tzfat, expanding and refining the study of kabbalah. Tzfat became known as one of Judaism’s four holy cities, The City of Kabbalah, a name by which it is known today.

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The International Center for Tzfat Kabbalah aims to make authentic Tzfat kabbalah accessible to individuals, groups, scholars and lay people and allow them to encounter kabbalah on a level with which they feel comfortable.

The Center is located on Alkabetz Street in the Old Jewish Quarter of Tzfat. People can drop in to see a 15-minute movie which provides an overview of kabbalah, look through the library or ask questions of the trained staff.

The Center offers one-time lecture or seminars that last for a day or several days. Individuals or groups can sign up for a Kabbalah Tour of Tzfat, have their name analyzed according to kabbalah or learn about Jewish mysticism through art and music. The Center offers kabbalistic Bar and Bat Mitzva celebrations and excursions to local sites which are meaningful in the Jewish mystical tradition.