“In a generation threatened by so much spiritual exploitation, it is rare to see such responsibility and integrity in a teacher.... Translate[s] the highest and most complex esoteric wisdom into soul-bites that can be comprehended by all.... Will draw you to be your highest self and connect to your ultimate truth.”

—Reb Mimi Feigelson, lecturer of Rabbinics and Chassidic Thought, American Jewish University

“Informed by a depth of meditation practice and spiritual learning, Rabbi Glick’s mystical and yet accessible teaching offer[s] an illuminating portrait of the planes of inner human topography, the multifaceted nature of Divine energy, and the unfolding of creation.”

—Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz, author, Increasing Wholeness: Jewish Wisdom and Guided Meditations to Strengthen and Calm Body, Heart, Mind and Spirit

“An excellent guide.... Shares a profound understanding of the paths of ancient wisdom while leading us onward toward the higher awareness that can become a catalyst for spiritual evolution and growth.”

—Rabbi Shefa Gold, author, The Magic of Hebrew Chant: Healing the Spirit, Transforming the Mind, Deepening Love

“A combination of laser-like clarity and gentle authority.... A provocative vision, grounded in serious scholarship and supported by a thousand years of esoteric understanding.”

—Mirabai Starr, author, God of Love: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam

“This book is to be treasured, placed on one’s nightstand to be read frequently for spiritual elevation. Not only does this book transmit deep Kabbalistic teachings, the reading of the book itself places the reader in a wonderful meditative state.”

—Melinda Ribner, author, The Secret Legacy of Biblical Women and New Age Judaism

“A uniquely valuable spiritual resource that masterfully interweaves Kabbalistic teachings with esoteric wisdom from other traditions.... A profoundly rich and evocative guide for the expansion of individual consciousness, as well as for the spiritual evolution of humanity as a whole.”

—Dr. Yehezkel Landau, director, Building Abrahamic Partnerships; associate professor of interfaith relations, Hartford Seminary

“A luminous guide on the spiritual journey of self-discovery and expansion of consciousness.... Will greatly enrich readers across religious traditions.”

—Dr. Maria Reis Habito, Zen teacher, Maria Kannon Zen Center; international program director, Taipei Museum of World Religions

“Filled with rich images and solid scholarship.... Leads us through the complexities of the historical Kabbalah with extraordinary adeptness.... Brings new light to an ancient wisdom.”

—Rabbi Ted Falcon, PhD, coauthor, Finding Peace Through Spiritual Practice: The Interfaith Amigos’ Guide to Personal, Social and Environmental Healing

“Powerful.... A profound discussion of the truths that underlie the human condition. A wonderful book that you will return to again and again.”

—Nan Fink Gefen, PhD, author, Discovering Jewish Meditation: Instruction and Guidance for Learning an Ancient Spiritual Practice

“Opens the door to a world that is inaccessible for most people.... Makes personal transformation attainable to the one who is ready to do the work.... A gift to the soul and the mind.”

—Rabbi Marcelo Bronstein, Congregation B’nai Jeshurun, New York City

“An exceedingly rare, inspiring integration.... Clarity and conviction with ecumenical universalism.”

—Dr. J. H. (Yossi) Chajes, University of Haifa; author, Between Worlds: Dybbuks, Exorcists and Early Modern Judaism

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Introduction

• What are the four principles that are employed to actualize the power of daat elyon (the higher knowledge)?
• How does each principle affect the way we look at the world and the wisdom teachings?
• What does daat elyon mean to you?
• Have you ever accessed the higher knowledge? Tell about your experience.

The Garden and the Cosmic Vessels

• How does Jewish tradition answer the fundamental questions of ‘what is the essence of a human being’ and ‘why are we here in this world’?
• How is our life in this world different from life in the Garden of Eden?
• What three truths about life in this world do we learn from the Garden of Eden story? What do you think of these three realizations?
• What does the Ari’s concept of the shevirat hakelim and tikun olam—the breaking of the vessels and repairing the world—tell us about our universe and the purpose of our life in this world?

 

PART ONE: MADE IN THE IMAGE OF GOD
Chapter One: The Body of Spiritual Centers

• What does it mean to be made in the image of God?
• How does the concept of the Etz haChayim (the Tree of Life) affect the way we see our world, and how does it change our relationship with reality?
• What does it mean to live in a world of energies?

Chapter Two: The Centers

• How do we integrate the teaching about the sefirot into our lives?
• How does this teaching affect our self-understanding?
• How does it change the way we see the world?

 

PART TWO: THE SCIENCE OF THE SOUL
Chapter Three: The Nature of the Soul

• What does it mean to have a soul?
• How can we understand the different parts of the soul?
• How do we integrate this wisdom into the way we approach life?

Chapter Four: Our Soul Family

• Does the concept of a soul family provide you with strength and comfort? Why or why not?
• Have you ever experienced the presence of your soul family? How does the idea of a soul family influence your life?

Chapter Five: The Garments of the Soul

• Does the concept of different spiritual bodies help you to better understand the way a human being interacts with reality? Why or why not?
• Do you think the existence of these subtle bodies will ever be proven scientifically? Why or why not?
• How might this knowledge affect medicine, healing and diet?

Chapter Six: Incarnation and Evolution in the Human Kingdom

• Does the concept of gilgul, or reincarnation, make sense to you? Does it provide greater insight into the nature of life? Why or why not?
• Does the concept of reincarnation make you more or less optimistic about your life? Why?
• Does the idea of karma or the law of cause and effect help you to understand the events of your life and the lives of others around you? Why or why not?
• Does the concept of karma make your vision of life more positive or negative? Why?

Chapter Seven: Key Factors in Spiritual Evolution

• Do you believe that the law of spiritual reciprocity is true? Why or why not?
• How can you see the law of spiritual reciprocity working out in your life?
• Can you envision your life as a spiral of ascent? Why?
• What model would you use to describe the movement of your life?
• What do you think of the model of free will presented in this book?
• Do we have free will? And if we do, when and how does it express itself?

Chapter Eight: Larger Group Souls / The Soul of Israel

• How is a religion formed from a spiritual perspective?
• What is the nature and purpose of Knesset Yisrael—the Soul of Israel?
• What is the significance of the concept of the Soul of Israel?

 

PART THREE: THE DIVINE STRUCTURE OF REALITY
Chapter Nine: The Organization of the Heavens

• What do the two models of the Ari—yosher (straight lines) and egulim (interlocking circles)—mean to you?
• How do you understand the concept of the partzufim (divine countenances) and their role in the universe?
• Does the concept of the partzufim and the model of the higher realm they embody provide you insight and understanding about the nature of reality? Why or why not?
• Do the four realms provide a useful model for looking at our lives and universe? Why?
• How can we become instruments of divine compassion?
• How do we prepare ourselves to receive divine grace on the individual and collective levels?
• What is your letter in the Supernal Torah and how do you express it in your life?
• What are the four realms and how do each of these different realms affect the way that you experience reality?

Chapter Ten: The Angelic Kingdom

• Do you believe in angels? Why or why not?
• What is the relationship between humanity and the natural kingdom?

Chapter Eleven: Incarnation and Evolution in the Divine Kingdom

• Can God evolve? Why or why not?
• What is the relationship between God and the world?
• What is our role in creation?
• How do we fit into the larger cosmos of being?

Chapter Twelve: Fundamental Forces at Work in Human and Divine Evolution

• Does God breathe? How does the divine breath manifest?
• What is the relationship between our breath and God’s breath?
• What does it mean for the Sovereign of the World to go through a spiritual crisis?
• What is the relationship between human strife and the ecological crisis on our planet?
• How do you grow—through fire or water?
• Can our planet learn to grow in new and different ways? How would such changes affect the planet?

 

PART FOUR: REVEALING THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN ON EARTH
Chapter Thirteen: The Shekhinah—The Feminine Divine Presence

• What are the attributes of the Divine Mother and how does she manifest those attributes in the world?
• Is it possible to tap into the primordial creative energy of the universe? Why or why not?
• How do we return the Shekhinah to her rightful place?

Chapter Fourteen: The Evolution of the Concept of the Temple

• Is the Temple a physical structure, a spiritual edifice or both? In what way(s)?
• How do we build the third Temple in the world?

Chapter Fifteen: The Manifestation of the Divine Thoughtform in the Four Realms

• How does a thoughtform in the mind of God become manifest in a concrete physical form?
• To which of the three groups of workers building the Temple do you belong? Why?

Chapter Sixteen: The Messianic Soul

• Why is Judaism a messianic faith?
• What role do we as individuals play in the coming of the Messiah?
• Do you think the Messiah will be Jewish? Why or why not?
• Can the Messiah be a woman? Why or why not?
• Will a Messiah actually come or is it just an idea and ideal? Why?

Why did you write this book?
As a seeker myself, I have always felt the need for a Jewish guide to spiritual wisdom that is written for someone who is living the life and not just talking about it. This text would present the Kabbalah as a living reality based on personal experience that was linked to both our ancient tradition as well as the wider perspective of modern spirituality. It would be a manual that offered the wisdom teachings as inspiration and not intellectual analysis, yet be organized in a logical format with a rigor to its research and presentation of sources. Walking the Path of the Jewish Mystic is my attempt to fulfill that yearning.

How is this book different from other books on Jewish mysticism?
Walking the Path of the Jewish Mystic presents the Kabbalah as an experience-based teaching that guides seekers on the path as they enter into their inner reality. The different areas of wisdom study—the sefirot, the nature of the soul, the spiritual bodies, the partzufim (divine countenances) and the olamot (supernal realms)—each provide another dimension of the knowledge that a seeker needs on the journey toward the One.

How will this book change my life?
The book provides a different perspective on life that will transform the way you see yourself and your world. It provides a deep understanding of the mystical truths that underlie the human condition. It places your individual life in the larger framework of the higher spiritual reality, thereby infusing it with greater meaning, hope and purpose.

How is this very esoteric teaching relevant to my ordinary daily existence?
Walking the Path of the Jewish Mystic shows you how to align your outer existence with your inner reality. It teaches you how to connect your daily life and personal spiritual development with the evolution of the Jewish people, the whole of humanity and the greater cosmos. The book utilizes the teachings of Jewish mysticism to awaken the divine spark within you. It empowers you to discover the eternal truths that lie hidden within your own heart.

How should I approach this book?
Walking the Path of the Jewish Mystic is an experience-oriented text. The teachings in the book are meant to provide you with a glimpse into another realm. You enter through the doorway they create by meditating on the different passages and contemplating the ideas and truths they evoke. To receive their full impact, spend some time with each of the sections, and then go back to them again and again. In this way, your understanding will become clear and vital. Profound insight will dawn and direct experience will awaken as the inner reality becomes real and alive.