Intro to Kabbalah Pt 1

Kabbalah

There are three main schools of Kabbalah - Kabbalah, the original Jewish school(s). Cabala, a Christian adaption that appears to have died out. The third, Qabalah is the magical branch which is derived from the Jewish tradition. It is part of the Great Western Mystery Tradition and is an integral part of the Teachings of the Order of the Golden Dawn and other magical societies.

Kabbalah means “To Receive”. This is to receive information, blessings,    healing, grace etc. from the higher realms. 

In ancient Alexandria, scholars from all over the world including Asia, Africa and Europe would gather together to study at the famous library where they would debate ideas and beliefs, including on spiritual subjects. This meant that cross fertilisation took place as they learnt from and influenced each other. 

 The Magical Qabalah

Order of the Golden Dawn was founded in 1887 by William Wynn Westcott and MacGregor Mathers. The Society originally gave public lectures as well as having a closed order, in which the members studied for grades or degrees and on successful completion of an exam at each level, worked their way up through the hierarchy of the Order. The grade system was comprised of three levels, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Orders, the first two are known as the Outer and Inner Orders. The Second order was made up of the leaders of the Society, who were originally Westcott and Mathers; both were also Freemasons, which influenced the Golden Dawn's teachings. The Society also draws on the 17th Century Rosicrucian teachings. Eliphas Levi, an 18th century magician and mystic first married the Simple Kabbalistic Tree and Tarot cards together, a system which the Golden Dawn still uses. The Order also draws on Astrology, the esoteric meanings of the Hebrew alphabet and ritual among other things. The 3rd or Secret Order was known as the Secret Chiefs and could only be contacted via the astral plane. In other words, its members were discarnate beings who the Order’s members only had access to through psychic means. This is no longer the case. The grades are linked to the sephira on the Tree of Life. Prior to working through the grades, one is known as a Neophyte. The grades or degrees as they are known, include the whole of the Tree apart from Da’ath, the non sephiroth. The Neophyte works from the bottom upwards, the opposite to the flow of divine energies emanating from the Holy One.

The first 4 degrees are Zelator, Theoricus, Practicus and Philosophus. 

These lead to the 5th degree of Adeptus Minor. The 6th Adeptus Major, 7th Adeptus Exemptus, 8th Magister Templi, 9th Magus, and 10th Ipsissmus.   

The Tree is believed to be the pattern that all life is based upon. As we look into it, it will become apparent how this pattern is expressed in 

different life forms and aspects of existence. It can be applied to all different life forms and systems.  Warren Kenton’s last book, published after his death, gives many examples of this and is one of his most accessible books on Kabbalah (Halevi 2021). In this article, I will be looking at the Tree as it relates to creation in general, i.e. the macrocosm and also as it relates to the individual human, i.e. the microcosm. 

In the Jewish Kabbalistic Tradition, the Hassid-em are practising Kabbalists. The teachings were transmitted orally for over 2,000 years. Following the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans, the Jewish community dispersed over several countries and developed  many different schools of the teachings.  In the late 12th Century, the Spanish schools started writing the teachings down, and by the 13th Century the Schools in Toledo, Cordova and Barcelona became significant centres of learning.  There are still several schools of Kabbalah, the most commonly known one is based on the work of Isaac Luria, who lived in 16th Century Palestine and founded a school at Safed (Halevi, 72 1979). This system incorporates some of the older systems, from several different sources.  Other systems have also developed independently. The oral tradition still continues today.

Jacob’s Ladder refers to the extended Tree, which is made up of 4 overlapping Trees, it is also called the Chain of Being and Jacob’s Ladder (from earth to heaven). Kabbalah is the esoteric branch of Judaism; contemplation on the extended Tree and how it manifests in the 4 realms creates endless rabbinical debates. It is extremely intellectual and abstract. It is said to lead to madness in those who approach it without being grounded or who are lacking a healthy basis of knowledge and experience. We will not be considering it here other than a brief mention when looking at the Angelic realms of Hesed.