Quote from Timothy Fitzpatrick on January 23, 2025, 12:37

Interview with Berl Lazar

Rabbi Lazar: "I feel some disrespect for Kabbalah because of the way people are studying it today (…) But let them read Kabbalistic literature rather than tabloid literature"

Kabbalah is in fashion... is it good or bad?

Interview of "Novye Izvestia" taken
from Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar

Recently, the concepts of "Kabbalah" and, as a result, "Jewishness" have become fashionable. The Jewish community is not always able to adequately respond to such amazing popularity. Almost every day, another big name is added to the list of neo-Kabbalists.

We present to you the opinion of Chief Rabbi of Russia Berel Lazar, expressed in a conversation with a correspondent of "Novye Izvestia".

- You said that there is a fashion for Judaism. What do you think about the fashion for Kabbalah, a fashion that is quite obvious, which is associated not only with the name of the pop star Madonna, but also with the name of Mr. Slutsker, a senator from Chuvashia and the newly-minted head of the Russian Jewish Congress? After all, we have already heard about the "Kabbalist lobby" in the Federation Council, the Duma, and the government...

— Previously, Buddhism or some other Indian religions attracted the same interest, but today everything revolves around Kabbalah. I think all these people are looking for answers to really serious questions, without understanding why they live, why God created them, what they should do. They seem to have everything — money, power, fame, and strength… but they are unable to understand how to use all this. What kind of life do they have when they have everything, but the most important thing is missing? They have acquired freedom, but what to do with this freedom?

— But the lobby exists?

— Insofar as we are talking about influential people. I must note with regret: I feel some disrespect for Kabbalah because of the way people practice it today. Our holy books say: in order to reach the secrets of Kabbalah, a person must prepare his entire life — first learn the entire Talmud, then the laws, must comprehend the essence of the Torah, and only then reveal the secrets. And when a person jumps like a hungry beast on what is hidden, knowing nothing about what lies on the surface, he will continue to look only for what is hidden, not noticing how life passes by. It goes slowly, and people want to comprehend it all in one jump. Truly deep souls gradually rise to a higher spiritual level, and here we see only good PR. Having heard about the "secrets of Jewish knowledge", everyone begins to think that there is probably something special there that will quickly make life easier.

- So, if even a lobby exists, it is just a fashion?

- But a good fashion. Let them read Kabbalistic literature rather than tabloid literature.

Source: https://www.arielcenter.org/templates/articlecco_cdo/aid/246197/jewish/-.htm