# Smapti, Kabbalah, And Cultural Appropriation

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-kabbalah-and-cultural-appropriation/1019724>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [June 16, 2025, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-kabbalah-and-cultural-appropriation/1019724 "2025-06-16T21:26:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 14

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**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2025, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/smapti-kabbalah-and-cultural-appropriation/1019724/14 "2025-06-16T22:04:21Z")

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> [@ParallelLines](#):
>
> But yeah, I do get the point that he’s bragging about doing another religion’s ritual, but somehow doing it better. Chaps my hide.

Which is understandable, although the evolution of most religious institutions involve people who believe that they are “doing it better” so it is scarcely novel. Insofar as _Kabbalah_ even has a consistent interpretation among _hassidim_, it has become adopted, interpreted, and appropriated in so many ways both within and outside of Judaism that @Smapti’s peculiar interpretation is scarcely even radical although his characteristic _know-all-ism_ [about a topic he has clearly only done cursory research about](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jewish-dopers-what-do-you-think-of-gilgul-reincarnation/1017157/10) invites criticism and mockery for being superficial, flippant, and appropriative.

Stranger

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