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Kabbalah is a distinctive intellectual strand within Judaism that functioned as a self-conscious program for the interpretation of rabbinic Judaism. Rooted in esoteric speculations of the rabbinic period, kabbalah emerged in the Middle Ages as the theory and praxis of Jewish life that fathomed the depth of divine mysteries; charted the paths for interaction with God – including a mystical union with God; and harnessed divine energy for the redemption of the world. Although kabbalah viewed its doctrines as timeless truths, first revealed by God in the creation of the universe, kabbalah was a cultural product whose doctrines and practices evolved over time in response to changes within Judaism and through interaction with non-Jewish cultures.
The word “kabbalah” means “reception” and in the context of rabbinic Judaism the term refers to the reception of divine instruction, namely, revealed knowledge. According to rabbinic Judaism, God...
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Tirosh-Samuelson, H. (2013). Kabbalah in Judaism. In: Runehov, A.L.C., Oviedo, L. (eds) Encyclopedia of Sciences and Religions. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-8265-8_1519
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