Where Do I Begin?

There is really no exact point to begin your studies. Learning Kabbalah and Chassidut is much more than just studying the Kabbalistic vocabulary, grasping the many spiritual maps of the upper worlds or understanding new and deep ideas. It's about how to recognize, experience and come close to God. Any subject matter or specific topic that you choose will lead you to the same destination. Therefore, you can begin anywhere.

There exist a number of introductory texts in English that aim to teach the secrets of Kabbalah and Chassidut. It is of utmost importance to learn Kabbalah and Chassidut from an authentic source. Unfortunately, not all of these texts can be considered reliable, and many are in fact misleading. The most basic Chassidic text is the Tanya by Rabbi Schneor Zalman of Liadi (a daily lesson in Tanya is available on-line by Chabad-Lubavitch).

However, when learning this or any other text in English, it should be remembered that the English translation of Hebrew terms can never be exact. The subtle meanings and inferences conveyed by these terms can only be grasped in the original Hebrew--the language of creation. Therefore, any serious student must realize that to go beyond a beginner's level, the mastery of the Hebrew language is essential.

(Indeed, there is an intrinsic connection between Kabbalah and the Hebrew language per se. In fact, the earliest text of Kabbalah, Sefer Yetzirah, is also the first text of Hebrew grammar.)

Furthermore, beyond the question of terminology, difficulties may arise due to a basic difference between the approach to reading and study followed by Western culture and that of the Torah and Kabbalah. 

Western culture sees the goal of study as the accumulation of knowledge, or, at least, gleaning of information; whether skimming or reading, the intent is usually to take out the useful points and proceed further.

In contrast, the goal of Torah and Kabbalah study is the refinement of behavior. Through our study we seek to come close to God, knowing that we can only draw close to Him by emulating His characteristics, as the sages say, "Just as God is merciful, so shall you be merciful."

Some Guidelines

Clearly, within every aspect of Torah study, including the study of Kabbalah, there are more elementary texts and materials and more advanced texts. With this in mind, here are a few simple guidelines to help you to navigate the Inner Dimension website:

First we would recommend reading through the section called: Basics in Kabbalah and Chassidut. 

Begin with the Questions and Answers for Beginners and then move on to the more advanced sections such as:

Three Stages in the Evolution of Kabbalistic Thought;
An Overview of Kabbalistic Tradition;
The Ten Sefirot;
The Worlds: Stages of Creative Process and
The Names of God.

Together with this, begin to learn the secrets of The Hebrew Letters. As stated, Hebrew is essential for understanding the deepest secrets of Kabbalah and Chassidut. You can begin by learning a new letter every day.

It is also important to "Live with the Times." Always be "up to date," knowing about the present Hebrew month and its inner meaning. Know what holidays and festivals are approaching and how they apply to you. All this can be found in our section called: Secrets of the Jewish Year

We recommend that you combine your learning with daily meditation. Be sure to visit the special section on Jewish Meditation. Here you can experience online authentic Jewish meditation with step-by-step guidance by Rabbi Ginsburgh. To enhance your meditation you will want to listen to authentic meditative melodies. Rabbi Ginsburgh has composed many such melodies. Some are available for listening online (visit the Inner-Audio section). Others can be purchased on CD or tape at: www.inner-store.org

For some extra learning, choose the topics that interest you from our Kabbalah and Modern Life section: Kabbalah and mathematics, science, medicine, education, business, psychology and love. Other topics on our website include: Hebrew numerology; Mashiach, The Jewish Home; Jews and Non-Jews and more. You can continue with Topics in Jewish Mystical Thought.

Be sure to visit the Inner Dimension on-line store (www.inner-store.org). Here you will find books and tapes by Rabbi Ginsburgh, which add a deeper dimension to the material on our website. Rabbi Ginsburgh's original Kabbalistic jewelry is also available at our on-line store.

Gal Einai also distributes a (free) weekly email Torah message from Rabbi Ginsburgh. This weekly email includes:

• Torah messages and meditations from Rabbi Ginsburgh.

• Previews of Rabbi Ginsburgh's newest books.

• Updates on our latest educational activities, programs and publications.

If you haven't subscribed yet--now's the time! (You can find the email list subscription form at the bottom of our home page).

If you have any questions regarding your learning or material on our site, feel free to contact our staff (Rabbi Ginsburgh's students) by mail, fax or email (see details below).

Or, you can correspond directly with Rabbi Ginsburgh (all emails are confidential) at: harav@inner.org  

We wish you success with your studies and with teaching others. Please keep us updated with your progress:

Gal Einai Institute

ISRAEL:
P. O. Box 1015 Kfar Chabad, 72915 ISRAEL
tel: 03-960-8008

USA:
email: inner@inner.org