What are a few basic principles of Kabbalah?

Answer 1

Authentic Kabbalah does not deal in belief. That is how it differs from religion. Instead, Kabbalah is a method that aims to reveal the Creator to the creatures. However, if you would like a basic concept the main idea is unity. If you have ever heard of the collective soul, Kabbalah asserts that once all the pieces of the collective soul are reunited, the Creator will be revealed.

Answer 2

Kabbalah isn't a belief system or a way of life. Real Kabbalah is an advanced field of study within Judaism. The focus of Kabbalah is to gain a greater understanding of the Tanach (Jewish Bible). Think of it as the astrophysics of Judaism.

Answer 2

God is neither spirit nor matter. God is unknowable and yet is seen through the Universe. The human soul has three elements: nefesh (source of physical and psychological nature) enters the body at birth. Ruach (which discerns moral virtues) and Neshamah (superior intellect which allows the soul to enjoy an afterlife) are developed over time and are not present in everyone. Every Hebrew word, letter and number has a mystical meaning.

Answer 3

The beliefs of the kabbalah are not different from those of other areas of the Torah. The kabbalah provides a facet of great depth into the Torah and the world, just as do the Talmud and the midrashim. What you could have asked, however, is "What are some details of the kabbalah," since it covers facets other than those in the Talmud.

For example, the Talmud will give the detailed laws of a Torah-verse, and/or a moral lesson. The midrash may cover laws, morals or historical information. The kabbalah will teach which upper worlds or Divine attributes are alluded to in the verse.

Answer 4

Kabbalah teaches the beliefs that are accepted by some Jews as the true meaning of Judaism although some Jews rejected the beliefs as heretical to Judaism.