Rodger Kamenetz, English and Religious Studies professor at LSU, sees interest in Kabbalah by non-Jews as neither new nor strange.

“There’s a lot of good stuff there,” he said.

“Almost as soon as ‘The Zohar’ appeared in the 13th century, Christians began reading it and pretty quickly we get a Christian Kabbalah,” he said.

However, Baton Rouge Rabbi Stan Zamek of Beth Shalom Synagogue  warns against trying to “pluck” Kabbalah away from its Jewish context.Without an in-depth knowledge of Judaism, don’t expect meaningful results, Zamek said.

“You can’t start your Jewish studies there,” explained Zamek in discussing the Jewish mystical tradition. “It’s not a separate practice. … There’s  no such religion as Kabbalah.

“It is an integral part of the normative Jewish tradition and practice,” Zamek said.

At the same time, he said, “there’s nothing wrong” with people who are not Jewish to have a “deep resonance” with the teachings of Kabbalah, Zamek said.

An appreciation of another’s faith often leads to being inspired to look for what your own tradition offers, Zamek said.

For those who wish to explore Kabbalah, Zamek  directs them not to the Kabbalah Centre, but to his own teachers.

He said he is concerned about this organization diluting the teachings of Kabbalah.

“I’m wary of a teacher also selling a product,” Zamek said.

Avram Davis, Arthur Green and Daniel Matt are three authors Zamek recommends.

 “Arthur Green and I agree (the current focus on cabala) is a good thing if it stirs interest and directs people to what is good and solid,” Zamek said, referring to a statement Green made during an interview with Terry Gross on NPR’s Fresh Air.

Kamenetz’s interest in the subject includes having taught a cross-listed course on cabala three times at LSU.

He said Jews have always been influenced by other cultures and Jewish mysticism is no different.

“If you look, there’s plenty of non-Jewish influence,” he said, citing Gnosticism,  neo-Platonism and Sufism as examples that have influenced Kabbalah.

“How could Jews be living in a Christian Europe and not be influenced?” Kamenetz  asked.

“To have Christians interested in Kabbalah is just returning the favor.”

Source: 2TheAdvocate

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