I heard on the radio yesterday that Madonna has endowed an orphanage somewhere in Africa where the children are to be raised according to “Kabbalah values.” What exactly are these, and how do they differ from plain ol’ Jewish values? I thought Kabbalah was a school of mysticism, not ethics.
“Kabbalah values” = “Buy many Madonna albums”.
There.
Simple.
Madonna…she’s a real authority, a true Reanaissance thinker
Let’s see----she’s well known for :… mysticism… ethics…crucifixes…deep philosophy…deep cleavage…movies about Dick Tracy…songs about spanking…
so… she must be an expert on Kabalah values, too.
This is GQ, dudes.
This site claims:http://www.kabbalah.com/kabbalah/03.php
*What are the basic teachings of Kabbalah?
Kabbalah teaches that in order for us to claim the gifts we were created to receive, we must first earn those gifts. We earn them by undertaking our spiritual work — the process of fundamentally transforming ourselves. By helping us recognize the sources of negativity in our own minds and hearts, Kabbalah gives us the tools for positive change.
Kabbalah teaches that every human being is a work in progress. Any pain, disappointment, or chaos that exists in our lives is not because this is how life is meant to be, but only because we have not yet finished the work that brought us here. That work, quite simply, is the process of freeing ourselves from the domination of the human ego and creating an affinity with the sharing essence of God.
In everyday life, this transformation means letting go of anger, jealousy, and other reactive behaviors in favor of patience, empathy, and compassion. It does not mean giving up all desire and going to live on a mountaintop. On the contrary, it means desiring more of the fulfillment that humanity was meant to have…
What is the philosophy of The Kabbalah Centre?
Kabbalah teaches its students to question everything and to never be forced to make decisions. One of the most important teachings of Kabbalah is that there is no coercion in spirituality.
The Kabbalah Centre empowers others to take responsibility for their own lives. That is the example set by the leaders of The Kabbalah Centre. ‘It’s about the teachings, not the teachers.’
*
One symbol is the Red String:
"*Long ago, the ancient kabbalists revealed a powerful technology of protection. Its purpose is twofold: to protect us from the envious looks of others, and to help us eliminate feelings of jealousy and resentment in ourselves. The technology is the Red String: a strand of red wool worn around the left wrist. This technology is an indispensable tool for spiritual and physical protection.
The teachings of Kabbalah do not include prohibitions or commandments. Instead, the kabbalists speak of positive and negative energies. The negative energies of jealousy and envy emanate through the eyes—which gave rise to the very vivid and very ancient term, the Evil Eye.
The Evil Eye is part of the wisdom history of all humanity. It was spoken of by Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. It was written of in the Bible. It has been accorded fear and respect by kings, queens, and conquerors throughout the ages. The ancient Greek seafarers painted eyes on the prows of their ships as protection against this power. The Romans called it oculus malus. To the Scots it was droch shuil. Kabbalists refer to it as ayin horeh.
According to the kabbalists, this form of negative energy can affect our lives and well-being. It can hold us back from achieving our destinies and it can also cause us to lose what we have already achieved.
Applying the Red String Technology
Worn around the left wrist, the Red String works in the same way as the vaccines of modern medicine. When we receive a vaccination against a disease, a weakened strain of the illness is integrated into the vaccine. Spiritual immunizations are based on a similar principle. Kabbalah teaches that colors have specific frequencies and energies. Red, for example, is the color of danger. By binding a Red String to ourselves in a very specific manner, we shield ourselves against the dangerous negativity that might be directed our way—a spiritual vaccine against the destructive forces of the Evil Eye.
The color red is one part of the technology. * "
I make no judgements or opinions on this or Madonna. Although that last word “technology” does make me want to…
And that’s how the kids are going to be raised in Madonna’s orphanage?
Maybe neglect and starvation ain’t all that bad . . .
When the magic water goes on sale for only $10 a bottle!
It evidently involves paying $26 for a special red string :dubious:
It’s my understanding that the Kabbalah practiced by Madonna and Britney has very little to do with the traditional school of Jewish mysticism.
I don’t claim to understand traditional Jewish mysticism, but that’s my understanding of the Kabbalah Centre as well. What they’re saying sounds to me a lot more like typical New Age hooey than it does like Jewish mysticism.
I should mention that I don’t think all New Age beliefs and writings are hooey, and that traditional religions have superstitions that are just as silly (like the Jewish one about the evil eye, or the Christian obsession with 666).
How much technology is there in a piece of red string?
'Bout $26 dollars worth, they’d have you believe.
A couple years ago .I was flipping through the cable channels and came upon a Sunday preacher in a really flashy cool religious outfit. I stopped for a second to see what he was pushing. He was selling blessed rubberbands. I nearly fell off my chair, while I pictured him sending his secretary to Office Max whem more were needed. They were yours for a minimum donation of 25 bucks. It struck me as so stupid,but I pictured little old ladies writing checks at that moment.So we have a counterpart. A kind of bargain over 26 dollar string I suppose.