DANIEL C. MATT

The Essential Kabbalah is a succinct, beautifully written work from one of the worlds top experts on Jewish mysticism. Kabbalism, a mystic branch of Judaism that incorporates wisdom from sources like the Bible and the Zohar, first emerged in Europe during the Middle Ages. Although regarded as something of a secretive teaching for years, nowadays the Kabbalah is more popular than ever, with many celebrities embracing its message.Author Daniel Matt spent years studying the Kabbalah, and presents its most essential teachings, expertly translated and written with a poets ear for language. Matt also thoroughly explains the basics of Kabbalah, including the Ten Sefirot and the origins of the Zohar. The Essential Kabbalah is the perfect introduction to Kabbalism, and a wonderful source of wisdom and inspiration. Daniel C. Matt has written many books and articles on Jewish spirituality, including Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment and God and the Big Bang. He served as a professor of Jewish mysticism at the Center for Jewish Studies, Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, CA from 1979 to 2000. Readers will return to this book again and again to measure their souls against its deep, poetic wisdom.-David Wolpe, author of The Healer of Shattered Hearts: A Jewish View of God