There is a website called Mesora, which attempts to bring Jews into a more faithful practice of Judaism, faithful to what reason, Torah, and Talmud say. I kind of like this organization because it’s a nice union of rationality and faith.
They publish a weekly newsletter called Jewish Times. In the last issue, they wrote about the red string (or bendl) that Jews use and that A Certain Kabbalistic Organization Of Doubtful Repute markets, which celebrities (most of them Gentiles) have been spotted wearing.
The current issue (currently labelled “current” but later will be labeled as number 154) may be downloaded from here. It’s in .pdf format.
In the newsletter, Mesora makes a persuasive case that the bendl is not only non-Jewish, it is contrary to Judaism, akin to idolatry (which in Judaism is a very serious issue).
Thoughts or comments? (I’d especially like to see what C K Dexter Haven and Zev_Steinhardt would have to say.)
I would like to hear on this as well, as I have heard even other kabbalistic Rabbi admonish Berg for his selling and treatment of strings. They have stated that it was basically promoting superstition and that the way he taught and promoted it want against jewish beliefs.
I point out purely for the discussion points they raised (and I do not encourage anyone to either resurrect the threads or drag the extraneous arguments to this one), that the issue of Berg’s actions have been mentioned a couple of times in recent threads:
For those interested in a traditional Kabalistic jew explaination of the red string can be found below
It should be noted that the tradition is quite old, just not well known, just as the general population was not aware of kabbalist jews until Rabbi Berg decided to secularize it and turn it into a money machine. These traditions are not to be confused with with the teachings of Rabbi Berg or the Kabbalah center frequented by celebs (which are the major focus of this OP).
The issue of most jews and particularly kabbalists is in the practices of red string with the teaching of Rabbi Berg, and the Kabbalah center as we see it today in popular culture.
FWIW, the wearing of the red string is not uniquely Jewish. This custom is also found in Cuba and India, arguably not exactly hotspots of Jewish activity.
My father tied a red string around my son’s wrist before his Brit last month. When I raised an eybrow, he said, “It’s an ancient custom, and we’re not going to let those Kabbalah clowns co-opt it.” Dad’s knowlege on these subjects is very extensive, so I’ll take his word for it.
Genesis 38 (regarding Tamar, daughter-in-law of Judah who bore his children…)
27. And it came to pass in the time of her travail, that, behold, twins were in her womb.
28. And it came to pass, when she travailed, that the one put out his hand: and the midwife took and bound upon his hand a scarlet thread, saying, This came out first.
29. And it came to pass, as he drew back his hand, that, behold, his brother came out: and she said, How hast thou broken forth? this breach be upon thee: therefore his name was called Pharez.
30. And afterward came out his brother, that had the scarlet thread upon his hand: and his name was called Zarah.