Kabbalah Beginner Resources

Updated "What is Kabbalah?" page at the Bnei Baruch World Center for Kabbalah Studies acts as a perfect resource for the beginner to discover Kabbalah.

Bnei Baruch has updated their "What is Kabbalah?" page to include video and beginner resources. Such a page has been long-awaited, so that people can see what study options they have before them when first encountering Kabbalah and how to continue. Here is a review of the services offered:

As with all study resources at Bnei Baruch, the courses and study materials are free of charge.

Study Options at Bnei Baruch

Option #1: Live, Interactive Courses or Self-Study Courses - After watching the video and reading the article that gives a briefing on what Kabbalah is (and isn't), Bnei Baruch offers following through the study with either an interactive study course given by Bnei Baruch-approved live instructors at the ARI Online Education Center, or if one wishes to do self-study, a 15 x 25min lesson video course - Kabbalah Revealed - is also offered. A deeper investigation of the Kabbalah Revealed course reveals complete lesson transcripts of each episode in MS Word format, as well as links to related material for each of the lesson topics.

Option #2: Articles for Self-Study - The next section in the Kabbalah beginner resources is the Articles for Self-Study. It first offers direct links to the following 6 "What is Kabbalah?" articles (which follow on from the article in the "What is Kabbalah?" page):

• Why Am I Looking for Something Spiritual?
• What does Kabbalah Teach and What Does Studying Kabbalah Do for Me?
• What is Reality?
• Why Do I Feel Bad?
• Why Kabbalah? Why Now?
• Rav Michael Laitman, PhD Answers Questions on Kabbalah

It also offers links to the Bnei Baruch Kabbalah Blog, which offers daily news and updates on the latest content that the organization produces, and the online version of the monthly Kabbalah Today paper - also hosting articles suitable for first-time reading.

Option #3: Videos for Self-Study - Another slight scroll of the mouse and you encounter links to videos through which you can acquire an introductory basis to Kabbalah. There are links to Perceiving Reality's 8-minute introductory video on the way we perceive reality, which introduces Kabbalah as a method capable of revealing the whole picture of reality to us.

There is also a link to the video Kabbalah - Five Basic Principles, which has Rav Michael Laitman, PhD answering a question asked by author Bill Simon: "Are there, say, five basic principles of Kabbalah, and if so what are they?"

There is a link to Kabbalah TV - the official TV and VOD space of Bnei Baruch, which hosts a large range of introductory videos as well as the live daily lessons given by Rav Michael Laitman, PhD directly from the Bnei Baruch Education Center in Israel. One can easily follow the categories to gain an understanding of many of Kabbalah's basic concepts, and start applying the wisdom to one's life.

Also in the section is a link to another "What is Kabbalah?" video produced by two students of Bnei Baruch, made in a more advertising-like manner, and which still provides a basic explanation of what Kabbalah is and isn't, and how it relates to a person individually.

Option #4: Books for Self-StudyThis section provides links to key beginner books of Rav Michael Laitman, PhD. The first book pictured is Kabbalah Revealed: The Ordinary Person's Guide to a More Peaceful Life, and is linked to its free PDF e-book version as well as its print version (for purchasing).

This book covers all of Kabbalah's fundamental principles in the simplest and shortest exposition Rav Laitman has ever provided. There is also a fun flavor to the book, making it possibly Rav Laitman's book with the widest audience appeal. It is not only for people interested in studying Kabbalah, but also works as a general interest book for anyone wanting to discover some new concepts and practical advice that can help them understand and live their lives better.

The other pictured book in the section is Kabbalah, Science and the Meaning of Life (Free PDF E-Book | Print Version). This book also forms a good introduction, however with a complete different audience appeal. Those more interested in reading a down-to-earth scientific explanation of Kabbalah are recommended to this book. It arose from meetings that Rav Laitman had with three scientists from the film What the Bleep Do We Know!? and the explanations of Kabbalah that Rav Laitman gave in these meetings.

Also in this section is a link to the Kabbalah Books site, featuring print versions, ordering options, and reviews of all of Rav Laitman's books. Finally, there are links to other free e-book and audio book versions of Rav Laitman's books: Attaining the Worlds Beyond (Free PDF E-Book | Audio Book), From Chaos to Harmony: The Solution to the Global Crisis According to the Wisdom of Kabbalah (Free PDF E-Book), Introduction to the Book of Zohar (Free PDF E-Book), The Science of Kabbalah (Pticha) (Free PDF E-Book), and Basic Concepts in Kabbalah (Free PDF E-Book | Audio Book). All these books provide different vantage points for homing in on the wisdom of Kabbalah, suited to different kinds of people and levels of involvement in the study. For more info, see their reviews at the Kabbalah Books site.