People think the kabalah center is a problem because it does not emphasize the aspect of doing mitzvot but in fact that is a good thing. It is when you combine kabalah with mitzvot that delusions about being the messiah begin. So the Kabalah center is the best place for learning authentic Jewish Mysticism. All other places teach the mysticism of Shabatai Tzvi along with the energies of the Sitra Achra.
People may not talk about it but this is definitely what they are thinking.
The smart people are able to hide their delusions from the general public and present a spiffy public image.
If you would take the teachings of Natan, the false prophet, out of the religious world, it would collapse. That is-- all but the Litvak yeshivas. But the rest of it depends highly for its spiritual energy and teachings of Natan. It is not that this was done on purpose. It was basically innocent. You had people going to the wide spread groups the Shatz that were in every town in the Ukraine. Later these same people were the same one that got involved with the Ball Shem Tov. They just brought their understandings of the Ari along with them.
So for people that are interested in the more mystic side of Torah what I recommend is not learning anything later than the Ari and Reb Chaim Vital themselves. You can be guaranteed that everything that came later is, without knowing, using the ideas and energies of the Dark Side that Natan Haazati was sucked into.
I think personally that a better way to get attached with God is by learning Gemara and Musar [basic books of Jewish ethics written during the Middle Ages]. This more "yeshivish" kind of approach I think is a lot more effective in terms of getting to "Devkut."--attachment with God. I can see that some people do this later approach, and still do not seem to get to where you would hope, but still this is an approach which I found worked for me some time ago. Sadly I was not able to keep it up. But if true spirituality is what you are looking for then my impression is nothing beats learning Gemara along with Musar. [I don't do a fast session because of various excuses. But if possible I think one fast session and one slow (in depth) one in Gemara is a good approach.]
[But I admit I can't answer for people that this does not work for. I can only tell over my own experience.]
I terms of Musar I also recommend the books of Israel Salanter's disciples. I find them to be a great help for me to set me straight.
People may not talk about it but this is definitely what they are thinking.
The smart people are able to hide their delusions from the general public and present a spiffy public image.
If you would take the teachings of Natan, the false prophet, out of the religious world, it would collapse. That is-- all but the Litvak yeshivas. But the rest of it depends highly for its spiritual energy and teachings of Natan. It is not that this was done on purpose. It was basically innocent. You had people going to the wide spread groups the Shatz that were in every town in the Ukraine. Later these same people were the same one that got involved with the Ball Shem Tov. They just brought their understandings of the Ari along with them.
So for people that are interested in the more mystic side of Torah what I recommend is not learning anything later than the Ari and Reb Chaim Vital themselves. You can be guaranteed that everything that came later is, without knowing, using the ideas and energies of the Dark Side that Natan Haazati was sucked into.
I think personally that a better way to get attached with God is by learning Gemara and Musar [basic books of Jewish ethics written during the Middle Ages]. This more "yeshivish" kind of approach I think is a lot more effective in terms of getting to "Devkut."--attachment with God. I can see that some people do this later approach, and still do not seem to get to where you would hope, but still this is an approach which I found worked for me some time ago. Sadly I was not able to keep it up. But if true spirituality is what you are looking for then my impression is nothing beats learning Gemara along with Musar. [I don't do a fast session because of various excuses. But if possible I think one fast session and one slow (in depth) one in Gemara is a good approach.]
[But I admit I can't answer for people that this does not work for. I can only tell over my own experience.]
I terms of Musar I also recommend the books of Israel Salanter's disciples. I find them to be a great help for me to set me straight.
