Why are mystics generally viewed with mistrust by most religious traditions and were the Kabbalists viewed this way in Judaism?

Answer 1

This question has two parts.

Mystics in General

In most religions, mystics are viewed with apprehension. This mistrust grows typically the more complex the theological organization of a given faith is. For example, mystics face almost no distrust in local pagan and shamanistic belief groups, but were openly criticized and academically shunned in Christianity (Gnostic Mysticism). The reason for this is that mysticism tends to abrogate legalistic and theological principles in order to make more spiritual connections. Because of this tendency, there is a tension between the Religious Clerics who are trying to establish a coherent religious tradition and the Mystics who are trying to rearrange the entire system.

Additionally, mystics in some religions, especially Sufi Muslims, were popular on a very common social level, whereas most Religious Scholars (Faqihs in the Islamic context) were aloof from the general population. This required the Religious Scholars to delegate authority to Mystics and agree to accept their perspectives as legitimate in order to retain general population control. Naturally, having to cede religious legitimacy to opinions vastly different to their own perturbed the Religious Scholars.

Kabbalists in Judaism

Kabbalists are mistrusted in Judaism only if they deviate from Jewish tradition and law. This has happened, but only in relatively rare instances (such as when a Kabbalist got involved in a false-messianic episode).

The Kabbalists in Judaism made clear that their "rearrangement" of Jewish doctrine was along the lines of "e.e. cummings grammar" which is to say that it is a breaking of the rules that is itself focused as a commentary on the rules and a respectful invocation of them. Because of this clarity, most Rabbis had minimal issues with Kabbalists because the Kabbalists made clear that the Rabbinical views were still dominant and singularly correct. Their views were only slight modifications of Rabbinic doctrine. As to the second issue, the Kabbalists were even more aloof from the general population than the Rabbis and Kehillot (Community Boards of Directors) which meant that Rabbis did not need to negotiate with Mystics for legitimacy.