This book is a critical study of the mystical celebration of Sabbath in the classical period of Kabbalah, from the late twelfth to the early sixteenth centuries. The Kabbalists' re-reading of the earlier Jewish tradition has been called a model of "mythopoeic revision," a revision rooted in a world-view that stressed the interrelation of all worlds and levels of being. This is the first work, in any language, to systematically collect and analyze all the major innovations in praxis and theology that classical Kabbalah effected upon the development of the Rabbinic Sabbath, one of the most central areas of Jewish religious practice. The author analyzes the historical development of the Kabbalistic Sabbath, constructs a theoretical framework for the interpretation of its dense myth-ritual structure, and provides a phenomenology of key myths and rituals. It is one of the first Kabbalistic studies to integrate traditional textual-historical scholarship with newer methods employed in the study of religion and symbolic anthropology.

In this concise but powerful book, noted scholar and teacher Yehuda Berg describes all of the basic elements involved in the Sabbath, as practiced by students of Kabbalah, and explains the reasons behind each one. In Kabbalah, the period between Friday sunset and Saturday sunset is very different from, and more important than, any of the other days of the week. Kabbalists believe that the Sabbath is the only day when the spiritual and physical worlds are united, making it the most powerful day. The Light force flows continually, giving the opportunity to refuel energy and rejuvenate the soul for the coming week. But, according to Kabbalah, the day is not one of rest, nor is it about worship; it’s about making a connection, which takes spiritual work. This book clearly explains how to make that connection.

Enrich your spiritual experience of Shabbat by exploring the writings of mystical masters of Hasidism. Drawing from some of the earliest teachings in the family of the Ba'al Shem Tov through late 19th-century Poland and the homilies of the Sefat 'Emet, Eitan Fishbane evokes the Sabbath experience, from candle lighting and donning white clothing to the Friday night Kiddush and the act of sacred eating.

The Sabbath has been one of the most significant and beloved institutions of Jewish life since late antiquity. Over a period of several centuries, the classical Kabbalists developed a rich body of ritual and myth that articulated a fresh vision of the Sabbath. The mystical understanding of the Sabbath was assimilated by virtually every Jewish community. This volume is a translation and critical commentary to Sod ha-Shabbat, a treatise on the mystical Sabbath by the influential Spanish-Turkish Kabbalist, R. Meir ibn Gabbai. This important text, the most systematic treatment of the Sabbath in classical Kabbalah, has been inaccessible to the English reader until now. The study includes an Introduction to ibn Gabbai's life and work, accompanied by extensive critical notes that clarify general problems of translation and place the work in its historical context. Broader theoretical issues regarding myth and the ritual process are also discussed.

Enter into the mystery of the Sabbath, into the wonder and light of the seventh day. "We live in a world dominated by speed and distraction, with demands for our attention at every turn.... We frequently forget the restorative blessing of stillness, our desperate need for rest ... a rest that brings us back to the center of existence, a calm that allows us to reconnect with the divine breath at the soul of All." —from the Introduction Enrich your spiritual experience of Shabbat by exploring the writings of mystical masters of Hasidism. Drawing from some of the earliest teachings in the family of the Ba'al Shem Tov through late nineteenth-century Poland and the homilies of the Sefat 'Emet, Eitan Fishbane evokes the Sabbath experience—from candle lighting and donning white clothing to the Friday night Kiddush and the act of sacred eating. Fishbane also translates and interprets a wide range of Hasidic sources previously unavailable in English that reflect the spiritual transformation that takes place on the seventh day—one that can shift your awareness into the realm that is all soul. Personal prayers of the Bratzlav (Breslov) Hasidic tradition express the spiritual dimension of Shabbat in the language of devotional and individual yearning.

This devotional guide to the Sabbath and Jewish festivals is based on the teachings of a modern-day master of Kabbalah who happens to be a direct descendant of Rabbi Yitzchak Luria, the great sixteenth-century kabbalist. Written in an accessible style for the contemporary reader, Living Kabbalah invites us to establish a soul-union with God, particularly on those days in the Jewish calendar when a special Divine energy is available. It aims to produce in the reader the searing emotion needed to enter the altered state of consciousness in which one may relate to the Divine Presence and experience the beauty of Jewish life and religious observance.