Kabbalah
For those who would prefer the original Jewish versions
of Kabbalah. There are VAST differences between Hermetic Qabalah and Jewish
Kabbalah.
Mysteries
of the Kabbalah - by Marc-Alain Ouaknin. "The Kabbalah has been
transmitted orally from masters to disciples since the days of the prophets
and recorded in such seminal works as the Book of Splendor (Sepher Ha Zohar)
and the Book of Creation (Sepher Ha-Yetzira). Best-selling author and professor
Marc-Alain Ouaknin has written a lively text that clearly introduces Kabbalah--the
mystical and secret and often baffling tradition of Judaism. In Mysteries of
the Kabbalah he explains the ancient myths and symbols that have so profoundly
influenced both the Jewish and non-Jewish world.
Among the fascinating topics the author presents are the hearing of angels'
voices; Chokmah (a form of transcendental wisdom); the four divine names and
the five modalities of being; the light of infinity; as well as the significance
of each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. He also explores the vital
influence of Kabbalah on art, literature, music, architecture, psychoanalysis,
and health. The final chapter covers meditation and prayer. Supplementing the
text are more than a hundred illustrations of letters, art, and sculpture.
Mysteries of the Kabbalah will appeal to anyone interested in Judaism, spiritualism,
and history."
If you're interested in Jewish Kabbalah, then BUY THIS BOOK! - Amoris
Sefer
Yetzirah : The Book of Creation - In Theory and Practice - Aryeh Kaplan.
Fascinating reading. Contains several versions of the text and extensive commentaries
on it.
Meditation
and Kabbalah - Aryeh Kaplan. Useful and informative text with historical
(and some practical) info. I found that it helped me to fill in a few gaps in
my knowledge of Jewish Kabbalah practice.
God
Is a Verb : Kabbalah and the Practice of Mystical Judaism - David A. Cooper.
Very good and readable text on the basics of Jewish mystical practice and their
version of the Kabbalah. I've personally found more effectiveness in my use
of the Jewish concepts of the sephiroth than I ever did using the borrowed Hermetic
versions. There is such a vast difference between the two schools of thought
that you'd think you were looking at two completely unrelated systems. I also
like the fact that the Jewish Kabbalah is initially more practical and hands-on
than common versions of Hermetic Qabalah in some ways, though it does take more
of a scholar to make use of deeper aspects of the Kabbalah since study of the
Torah is necessary for comprehension of the material.
Kabbalah
: The Way of the Jewish Mystic - Perle Epstein. "A comprehensive explanation
and history of the secret tradition of Jewish mysticism - its methods, schools,
and practitioners."
I personally found this text very informative (regardless of any negative reviews
by uninformed people). It made me want to learn more about the Jewish Kabbalah
traditions.
Kabbalah:
A definitive history of the evolution, ideas, leading figures, and extraordinary
influence of Jewish mysticism - Gershom Scholem. The title says it all :)
More
Books by Aryeh Kaplan: some of the best information
on Kabbalah.
For great historical info, read Gershom
Scholem's works.