Daytonians will have the chance to learn more about the esoteric Jewish mystical tradition of Kabalah during the weekend of March 11-13, when Beth Abraham Synagogue will host Dr. Shaul Magid as its scholar in residence.

Magid, associate professor in the Department of Religious Studies and Jay and Jeannie Schottenstein Chair of Jewish Studies in Modern Judaism at Indiana University, focuses his teaching on Kabalah, Chasidism and modern Jewish philosophy.

Over the past decade, Kabalah has become popular with celebrities, particularly non-Jews such as Madonna, through the efforts of the Kabbalah Centre in Los Angeles.

This, Magid says, makes most Jews uncomfortable.

“What the Kabbalah Centre has done is present Kabalah as emergent from but not connected to Judaism,” he says.

“American Jews have responded negatively. Is it the fact that Madonna is not Jewish? Is it the Americanization of Judaism? What Madonna and the Kabbalah Centre have done is taken it into the mainstream. Kabalah is seen (by Jews) to be something that is forbidden. Something you don’t mess with.”

Magid says the Kabbalah Centre puts forth the belief that this mystical tradition is not just for Jews.

“The truth is, there’s a lot of precedent.” He cites the 15th-century school of Christian Kabalah that arose in Italy, Germany and Sweden.

Some of these Christian Kabalists were converts from Judaism.
“For those (Christians) who were not, (converts), Jews were doing the teaching.”

The materialism now attached to the popular study of Kabalah also does not sit well with most Jews, he says.

“The little red string that people wear around their wrist is now selling at Bergdorf Goodman for $99.”

According to Magid, there are two popular presentations of Kabalah currently in America.

The first is the Madonna/Kabbalah Centre model which has taken off with the celebrity crowd.

“Its model is of Kabalah as an esoteric spiritual world view that doesn’t require Jewish identity of observance.”

The other model, which is connected to Jewish identification and observance is found in the Jewish Renewal movement, which runs across Jewish religious denominations.

Magid points to a current popular myth among Jews that in order to study Kabalah one must be at least 40 years old and have mastery of the entire Talmud.

“In fact, this is actually not true.”

Though he agrees that people who study Kabalah should have a solid foundation of Jewish knowledge first, the age myth stems from an unrelated rabbinic ruling.

The rabbis of the 13th to 15th centuries, he says, prohibited Jews from the study of secular philosophy such as Plato and Aristotle until Jews reached the age of 40.

“One of the greatest Kabalists, Isaac Luria of Tzfat died when he was 36. Nachman of Braslov died before he was 40.”

He adds that Kabalah was prohibited to those who were not married.

“Kabalah text uses sexually graphic symbolic depictions,” he says. Though he adds, “In those days, they were married by 15.”

The scholar-in-residence weekend begins on Friday, March 11 at 5:30 p.m. with Kabalat Shabbat services. A dinner will follow services at 6:30 p.m. After the dinner, Magid will discuss Kabalah: Jewish Mysticism From Its Beginnings.

Following Shabbat morning services on Saturday, March 12, the congregation will host a Kiddush luncheon. Afterward, Magid will present the discussion Madonna and Jewish Renewal: Contemporary Kabalah in America.

On Sunday, March 13 following brunch at 9:30 a.m., he will talk about Kabalah and Post-Denominational Judaism.

The entire community is invited to all events. The cost for the Friday night dinner is $18 for adults, $10 for children under 12.

R.S.V.P. by March 4 to the synagogue office at 275-7403.