Jewish Meditation by Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan must be one of my favourite books. Though published posthumously, the book was Rabbi Kaplan’s last work to be written, having written his introduction to it just over a month before he left this world.
I still remember reading this book so many years back and then being told that here was another of Rabbi Kaplan’s books being published after he had died. I remember certain people I had been in touch with discussing the issue of whether he had written the book after all – or if perhaps someone else had written it and ascribed his name to it. I asked a well-trusted rabbi of mine about the book and remember his answer well, “I don’t believe anyone else could have written it except for Rabbi Kaplan” he said. Indeed, that is the truth. It would be hard to find someone else with such sensitivity and knowledge to be able to describe the things he does in this wonderful work.
If you’ve followed my previous posts, you’d see that there are three main Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan books I recommend straight out for those wishing to get a start into the world of Jewish mysticism. This is indeed one of them. I must confess that I don’t stop at recommending Rabbi Kaplan’s books here. In fact, there is at least one other which is also a necessity within the three (okay – actually four!) absolute musts! Alright – there are others! But at least these three and four!
What makes Jewish Meditation such a success, and such a winner to me, is that for the first time ever, a book based upon authentic Judaism and mysticism and meditation is presented to the Jewish public. There’s no need to feel one is treading in deep water. There’s no need to wonder if one is safe or if this is just another phoney meditation book designed with a sole gain of selling copies to the public. Jewish Meditation is perhaps the best-written book for giving the novice interested in authentic Jewish meditation a glimpse into the world of what Jewish meditation is really all about! Finally – Jewish meditation gets practical!
Let’s put it this way… When approaching the world of Jewish mysticism there are three areas one will delve into. First is the theory – Kabbalah Iyunit. It is by no means easy to study – but the foundations of the spiritual worlds are laid out for the initiate – and the advanced spiritual “guru”. Then there is the world of practical Kabbalah – Kabbalah Maasit – a dangerous place to go. Here, anybody who feels the urge to plunge into this forbidden area, will find themselves against entities in the spiritual world of Asiyah – filled with a little good, but mostly bad. Should one ever go that path, one should be aware that responsibility for any danger lies squarely on their own shoulders. Indeed, it is forbidden to get into.
Then there is this middle area known as meditative Kabbalah. Here is a “safe” place for someone wishing to explore higher mental states and spiritual states of mind to enter into places not accessible by the ordinary mindset – the ordinary consciousness.
What Rabbi Kaplan teaches us are the basics on the path of meditation. He shares with us the simple and safe methods one may use to begin to relax the mind (and body) in order to allow it to enter into deeper states of consciousness. He gives us ways to meditate on the first blessing of the Shemoneh Esrei. He gives us ways to meditate as we recite the Shema and even to consider each blessing we make. There are other practical meditations he tells us about too.
Rabbi Kaplan takes us through the easy meditations such as simply calling out Ribono Shel Olam (Master of the Universe) – a meditation suggested by Rabbi Nachman of Breslov. There are others too – including focusing one’s gaze on God’s Divine Name. He explains to us the meditations of sound and meditations concerned with visualisations.
In Rabbi Kaplan’s other books, he introduces us to some of the more advanced texts written about Jewish meditation, but someone who is really interested in developing their meditative sensitivity and who starts with this book, will have a head start in moving in the right direction!
I wonder if anyone today could write a book with such clarity and cover the most essential things as are discussed in this book. I would have to say simply that if you are a spiritually sensitive person seeking a path to connect with the Divine, that working through a book like this and putting it to practice every single day, will allow you to slowly develop the necessary skills to moving ahead in higher levels of meditation too.
Let us not forget that a great part of the Maaseh Merkava – the Mystery of the Divine Chariot is really all about being privy to the vision one may attain if one works on oneself sufficiently. Indeed, God wants us to explore life. He wants us to explore the beauty of the physical world He has created, by sanctifying the good that exists in creation and refraining from the bad. He wants us to also explore the beauty of the spiritual worlds even as we perceive them in our physical body right here. This is the reason that books such as this are written and that even further guides are available to allow us to enter into the depths of spiritual ecstasy.
I highly recommend this book. Spend time studying it and give yourself time to absorb the lessons putting them into practice. There is no need to be afraid if one approaches things through the eye and body of purity, goodness and kindness. One seeking these things with ulterior things in mind, best stay far from all these things altogether.
Below is a video of Rabbi Avraham Sutton speaking about Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan and meditation:
