Reddit mentions of The Palm Tree of Devorah (English and Hebrew Edition)

This is not a new book at all.

Check out Tomer Devorah (tree of Devorah). It is available in the original Hebrew and has been translated into many languages over the years.

Read Rabbi Kaplan's other work, "Meditation and Kabbalah"

You might also want to see "Meditation and the Bible" and "Innerspace" for background knowledge.

It is worth noting that traditional kabbalists do not recommend Kabbalistic meditation for those who are not spiritually prepared for it, even though some may at times encourage the theoretical study of it.

The more traditional path is to first be steeped in תורת הנגלה, the revealed Torah, through deep study of chazalic literature with commentaries, Rif, Rambam, Rosh, Tur and commentaries, and Shulchan Aruch. Simultaneously, one would study the process of spiritual growth through a work such as Messilas Yesharim or Chovos HaLevavos and then perhaps the Ramak's Tomar Devorah and Rav Chayim Vital's "Sha'arei Kedushah." Afterwards, there are several theoretical works on Kabbalah you would study before getting to the actual Kabbalistic meditations or כוונות (or even the Ari's works at all). B'hatzlachah in your journey!

Hello /u/Moonpo1n7, thanks for stepping by in /r/kabbalah . First we need to know what you are really looking for. There is Kabbalah with K., and then there is Cabala, Qaballah, Christian Qabbalah etc.

Kabbalah with K is the Jewish thing, a series of writings and commentaries and writings written by Jewish Rabbis through the ages.

And there is the other Kabbalah, called Qabbalah, Cabala, etc. which is a doctrine that took Kabbalistic notions (Jewish ones), and integrated them in a newer philosophy called Gnosticism. Now, about Gnosticism (I will use wikipedia):

> Modern research (Cohen 1988) identifies Judaism, rather than Persia, as a major origin of Gnosticism. Many of the Nag Hammadi texts make reference to Judaism, in some cases with a violent rejection of the Jewish God. Gershom Scholem once described Gnosticism as "the Greatest case of metaphysical anti-Semitism". Professor Steven Bayme said gnosticism would be better characterized as anti-Judaism. Recent research into the origins of Gnosticism shows a strong Jewish influence, particularly from Hekhalot literature.

The relationship between Gnosticism and Jewish Kabbalah:

> Gnostic ideas found a Jewish variation in the mystical study of Kabbalah. Many core Gnostic ideas reappear in Kabbalah, where they are used to dramatically reinterpret earlier Jewish sources according to this new system.

In our times, there are some Gnostic schools that are claiming to teach Kabbalah (take for example this guy: Samael Aun Weor, who started to teach Kabbalah togheter with other things Tarot, Sexual Magic. He had lots of followers... Of course, he wasn't teaching (Jewish) Kabbalah, but some New Age stuff).

I can understand that is pretty confusion what I am saying, but /u/ActualShipDate and /u/0_- are speaking from the point of view of Gnosticism, and not Jewish Kabbalah.

Now, about Jewish Kabbalah. Finding good reads is pretty difficult, as the Jewish people tend to become pretty insular. Some consider that there's no need for Kabbalah in our times for the masses, and some consider that Kabbalah shouldn't be teached to non-Jews. Only a little minority are translating Kabbalistic books.

Things I should recommend to a beginner:

• http://www.truekabbalah.com/
  
  
• Tomer Devorah, Rabbi Moshe Cordovero - AMAZON LINK