Esoteric doctrine of the Jewish tradition, interpreting in particular the correspondences between microcosm (human being), macrocosm (world), and metacosm (God).
Kabbalah has very ancient roots, but developed as a Jewish mystical tradition mainly in southern France and Spain (12th–13th centuries).
Its principal text is the Zohar (Book of Splendour): a mystical commentary on the Torah, attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, and compiled by Moses de León (13th c.).
More precisely
The term Kabbalah (from Hebrew qabbalah, “reception”) designates the transmission of a supra-human teaching, traditionally entrusted to disciples properly prepared to receive it. It is understood as the inner interpretation of Revelation, unveiling the hidden meaning of Scripture.
Its symbolic structure is organized around key notions:
— the Sefirot, ten modalities or emanations of divine manifestation;
— the Tree of the Sefirot, representing the architecture of the cosmos and the path of return to God;
— the relation between absolute transcendence (Ein Sof) and the manifest world;
— the dynamic of the human soul in its ascent to the One.
Kabbalah offers a symbolic cosmology describing the structure of reality as a process of emanation-creation. The Divine, without ceasing to be transcendent, unfolds in multiple modes that allow manifestation.
The human being, created in the image of God, participates in this symbolic structure: spiritual realization consists in the work of rectification (tikkun), the restoration of the original unity broken in the cosmic drama (symbolized by the “shattering of the vessels” in Lurianic Kabbalah).
Kabbalah is thus a symbolic metaphysics unified around the intuition of the One manifesting in multiplicity; and it recognizes in Scripture an inexhaustible depth of meaning. Kabbalistic exegesis follows the fourfold method Pardes (peshat, remez, derash, sod), where sod — the esoteric level — unveils the mystical dimension.
Over the centuries, Kabbalah produced several currents:
— Prophetic Kabbalah (Abraham Abulafia), emphasizing ecstatic techniques;
— Lurianic Kabbalah (Isaac Luria, 16th c.), centered on tsimtsum, the contraction of God, and cosmic repair;
— Hasidic schools (18th c.), insisting on the divine Presence in all things and on joy as a spiritual path.
For further reading
- Zohar (Book of Splendour), attributed to Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai; compiled by Moses de León —
Foundational mystical commentary on the Torah. - Sefer Yetzirah (Book of Formation) — One of the earliest esoteric texts of Judaism.
- Isaac Luria, Lurianic writings — On tsimtsum, the shattering of the vessels, and tikkun.
- Abraham Abulafia, Prophetic Kabbalah writings — On ecstatic methods and prophetic consciousness.
- Gershom Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism; Origins of Kabbalah — Groundbreaking historical studies on Kabbalah.
- Charles Mopsik, Le Zohar — Introduction and translation.