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The Kabbalah Centre is an international organisation dedicated to teaching Kabbalah (esoteric Jewish mysticism). It claims to be founded in Jerusalem in 1922 by Yehuda Ashlag, but this claim is disputed.
The Kabbalah Centre is now run by Philip Berg (born Feivel Gruberger), his wife Karen, and their sons Yehuda and Michael. It has over 50 branches worldwide, with major ones in New York City, Los Angeles, London, and Toronto.
Berg's view of Judaism
Berg states that it is his job to reveal the real truths about Kabbalah, which all other rabbis have failed to teach correctly. For example, while most Kabbalists have traditionally taught that Jews must follow Halakha (Jewish law) as strictly binding, Berg teaches that knowing the purpose behind halakha is more important. - Judaism is not concerned with conforming to a strict religious way of life in which it is perceived that if one wants to be considered a Jew he has to perform certain ritual tasks. On the contrary, the goal is to connect to metaphysical forces through which we can fulfill our Desire to Receive The Torah, properly understood, can completely fulfill all our needs, and once that goal has been achieved, the barriers that have been created between Jews and non-Jews will collapse: (The Kabbalah Connection, p.43)
Berg advocates the use of astrology and horoscope readings to counsel his students. (Rabbinic Judaism generally views these activities as forbidden.)
Until the advent of Chassidism, the common belief was that the teaching of Kabbalah must be restricted. While some parts of the Kabbalah were considered acceptable to teach to both young men and women over the age, most of Kabbalah was held to be forbidden to be taught, except to men over 40 years of age. In contrast, Berg teaches that most rabbis have been teaching falsehood and setting up false requirements for such study; he terms them rabbis of "ill repute".
- There are those who pose as religious leaders who, for their own selfish reasons, spread false requisites for the study of the Zohar and discourage people from "indulging" in its sublime treasures. Either these rabbis fear for their positions, because people tasting of the Kabbalah might embarrass them with the incisiveness of their questions, or, perhaps, because their own upbringing deprived them of this because their own knowledge, they see no reason to allow others of "lower standing" to be given the opportunity of partaking of Kabbalah's spiritual elixir....These kat (cults) of Rabbis have been, and are still in some quarters, blemishes and disfigurements on the face of Rabbinic Judaism. "The arid field of Rabbinism, the P'shat seekers are the fools and hate knowledge." (Tractate Sanhedrin, P. 99B) These Rabbis of ill-repute attempt to conceal from the layman the facts that the foremost Jewish legalists and talmudists were also famous kabbalists.
- (The Zohar, Ed. Berg, Introduction, Parashat Pinhas, p. xxxiii-xxxv)
Unlike most of classical rabbinic Judaism, Berg holds that God does not literally reward people for good behavior and punish them for bad behavior. While such teachings are generally considered anathema in most of Orthodox Judaism, many historians and some Modern Orthodox scholars hold that this is the true view of Maimonides, despite a literal reading of Maimonides 11th principle of faith. Berg writes: - We are taught from childhood that if we do something good, G-d will reward us and if we do something bad, he punishes us. Never believe it.
- (The Wheels of a Soul, Berg, p. 46)
An important part of his theology is the literal belief in reincarnation, which he holds is a central tenet of Judaism, and which can be proven absolutely true by a logical argument. This idea is accepted as true by most Orthodox Jews, but some Orthodox Jews, and most non-Orthodox Jews, view the entire idea as false and philosophically untenable. The issue of how Jews have traditionally understood reincarnation is discussed in Jewish eschatology. - Reincarnation is not a question of faith or doctrine, but of logic and reason.. the Bible is its Fountainhead."
- (The Wheels of a Soul, Berg, p. 29)
Berg's ideas about the effect of spirituality within Hasidic Judaism are similar to those held by other scholars of Judaism. - The fundamental purpose of Hasidism, which borrowed from the example of the Sephardim, was to inject spirituality into the religion, as opposed to the thoughtless formalism prevailing within the liturgy and ceremonies of their fellow Jews in Lithuania, the Mitnagdim. For this reason the Hasidim did not enjoy either credibility nor popularity among Mitnagdim.
- The place that was assigned to the Zohar in the scheme of prayer and ritual by the Hasidim was one of the basic points at issue between the two sects It was and is essentially a contest between the formalism of dogmatic ritual, as practiced by Mitnagdim and the spiritually-directed practices of the Hasidim.
- (The Zohar, Ed. Berg, Introduction, Parashat Pinhas, p. pp. xliii-xliv)
Core teachings The Kabbalah Centre emphasises the importance of the application of the 'wisdom' of Kabbalah in life as opposed to the strict study of the Zohar. Students are encouraged to attend courses that explain how 'chaos' (i.e. potential and current problems) can be removed from life by understanding and applying a variety of spiritual 'truths' that are based upon Kabbalistic concepts.
The centre's core principle is the importance of sharing, viewed as directly opposing the influence of the ego, defined by the Centre as the "desire to receive for oneself alone".
By actively combating the influence of the ego and increasingly sharing in life (both physically and emotionally), one will experience lasting satisfaction, fulfilment and the removal of 'chaos' from life.
Sharing is based on the principle that one ultimately lives life with a single ongoing choice - whether to be influenced by the ego or the 'light' (viewed both as energy and the Creator). The Centre teaches that the ego, sometimes referred to as 'satan' (pronounced sa'tan) was created by the 'light' in order to give humanity free choice.
Free choice is present so that each individual can undo 'Bread of Shame', a concept describing a state of guilt that was present prior to the Big Bang, when complete fulfilment was experienced without effort due to a state of unity with the light.
The world, a domain of separation, was created so that the 'light' could be revealed (received) from choice with the application of effort. It is the ego (or satan) that allows humanity to apply effort by acting as an adversory or 'opponent'.
As humanity 'reveals' more light in the world, by increasingly sharing and undertaking good deeds (despite the ego's efforts to the contrary), the more Bread of Shame is undone, allowing humanity to return to an original state of unity without the corresponding guilt.
Students are also encouraged to understand the importance of non-reactivity, such as when prompted by circumstances to be angry or judgemental towards others. Such behaviour is described as reactive, 'disconnecting' the student from the 'light'. In such situations, students are strongly encouraged to be 'proactive' (i.e. act from love) and to 'restrict' what is seen as the ego's attempt to make you 'disconnect'.
Ultimately, the Kabbalah Centre teaches that if humanity as a whole continues to be influenced by the ego, exhibiting traits such as 'hating for no reason', the 'light' (energy) will be blocked, creating chaos - potentially an armegeddon scenario. This is viewed as avoidable by 'spreading' the wisdom of Kabbalah to as wide an audience as possible.
Target audiences With a carefully targeted message mixing astrology, numerology, psychology, and themes from New Age teachings, intermingled with Jewish rites and observances, the group has attracted many secular and assimilated Jews and non-Jews, including entertainment celebrities such as Alanis Morrisette, Ashton Kutcher, Barbra Streisand, Britney Spears, Brittany Murphy, Courtney Love, David Geffen, David Graham, Demi Moore, Diane Keaton, Elizabeth Taylor, Goldie Hawn, Gwyneth Paltrow, Hugh Jackman, Jeff Goldblum, Laura Dern, Linda Gray, Lindsay Lohan, Mick Jagger, Naomi Campbell, Normandie Keith, Paris Hilton, Roseanne Barr, Sabrina Guinness, Sandra Bernhard, Sandy Gallin, Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson, Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham & Winona Ryder. Their most prominent fervent devotee is the singer Madonna who, joined by her husband Guy Ritchie, studies regularly with a personal Kabbalah Center rabbi, no longer gives concerts on Friday night (which is the onset of the Jewish Sabbath), wears the red string around her left wrist for protection and to ward off the "Evil Eye" (Ayin Hara), has introduced Jewish ritual objects such as tefilin into her videos, and claims to have changed her name to Esther (named for the ancient Jewish queen Esther of Persia) and she donated several million dollars towards the opening of a new Kabbalah center in London. (Madonna, for the record, was born a Catholic.)
Criticisms Reactions from organized Jewish groups have been almost uniformly negative, and other critics have accused it of being a cult.
The Toronto Vaad HaRabonim, the Queens Vaad HaRabonim, Rabbi Yitchak Sladowsky of the Vaad HaRabonim of Queens, the Chief Rabbi of South Africa, the Bet Din of Johannesburg, the Rabbinical Association of South Africa, Rabbi Emanuel Schochet of Canada, and Rabbi Shmuel Boteach have all issued public condemnations of Berg and the Kabbalah Centre, warning people to stay away from this group and avoid its publications. The Philadelphia Board of Rabbis warned that Berg and his group had become abusive.
Orthodox rabbis from all sectors of the varied Orthodox Jewish community have condemned Berg and his Kabbalah Centre for multiple deviations from traditional Judaism, such as:
- Using horoscopes and astrology to counsel people.
- The teaching of Kabbalah to people who have no in-depth background in Judaism, which is a violation of traditional Jewish law.
- The teaching of Kabbalah to people under 40, and to women.
- Charging huge amounts of money for courses in mysticism, which traditionally have been given for free or low cost.
- Pressuing people to buy the Kabbalah Centre's own books, which are sold at prices up to five times higher than from other sources.
- Engaging in extortion by scaring people with threats of curses that will befall them if they do not give money to the Kabbalah Centre.
- Promising people cures if they buy and use Kabbalah Centre products.
Shmuel Boteach went so far as to say "Earth to Phillip Berg: Do us all a favor and dump Madonna as your principal spokesperson. Sorry to be so crass, but Madonna is a slut. Yes, she may sing, and she may dance. But she is famous for being a slut. And no religion dare have a slut as its principal representative." He goes on to say: "[I]s the Kabbalah Center really so desperate that it is prepared to promote itself through a vulgarian whose main contribution to the culture is porn rock?" [1] (http://msnbc.msn.com/id/5112674/)
There have been documented cases of Berg advising women to divorce their husbands based on supposed mystical incompatibility (Phil Abramowitz, Director of the Task Force on Missionaries and Cults at the Jewish Federation of New York). According to the Los Angeles Task Force on Cults and Missionaries, this is a common tactic of Berg's when one spouse has been donating large sums of money to the Kabbalah Centre and Berg is afraid that the other spouse will object. (The Truth about the Kabbalah Centre)
High pressure and cult-like tactics According to the Cult Hotline of the New York Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services, Berg's New York group regularly engages in abusive, high-pressure tactics.
Arnold Markowitz states that Berg's group engages in tactics used by mind-controlling cults. According to him, research "has shown the centre to impart 'an inordinate amount' of submission to its rules - the neglect of other pursuits - a his level of suggestibility, denial of privacy and a strong focus on a self-appointed, charismatic leader, namely, Berg. It also employs some 'hard-sell' tactics usually associated with better-known cult groups. The centre displays a strong inwardness too: "They see the outside world as unenlightened. It's a very 'us-versus-them' mentality." (Canadian Jewish News, quotes from Arnold Markowitz, director of the Cult Hotline of the New York Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services)
Cult expert Rick Ross includes Berg's Kabbalah Centre on its list of cults.
Use of libel lawsuits to prevent criticism Berg and his Kabbalah Centre were initially heavily criticised by many Orthodox rabbis and by a number of journalists who wrote exposés about his group. In response, Berg initiated a series of lawsuits alleging libel and slander against those who criticised him, a tactic that no other practioner of Kabbalah has engaged in.
Orthodox Rabbi Emanuel Schochet of Canada, an expert in Kabbalah, spoke out against Berg on a number of occasions, including a 1993 lecture to the Jewish community in South Africa. In response, upon his return to Canada, Berg sued Schochet for $4.5 million dollars for "libel and slander".
Role of Berg Philip Berg claims to have a doctorate, and many of his books are listed as being by "Dr." Berg. However, in different interviews he has offered different explanations of what type of Ph.D. he earned. He claimed to have a Ph.D. in comparative religion, at another time he claimed to have a Ph.D. in jurisprudence in biblical law, and later claimed that his Ph.D. was given as part of receiving semicha, traditional rabbinic ordination. He has never shown his Ph.D. to investigative reporters, and refuses to name the organization that gave him the Ph.D.
Berg used to call his center "Yeshiva Kol Yehuda," and claimed that it was affiliated with a genuine Orthodox Jewish yeshiva, Yeshivah Kol Yehuda, in Jerusalem, Israel. The Yeshiva in Israel was founded in 1922 by Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag, and later led by Rabbi Yehudah Tzvi Brandwien. Berg claimed to be a disciple of Rabbi Brandwein, and alleges that he received rabbinical ordination at this yeshiva. However, investigative journalists have interviewed this Yeshiva; they deny any relationship between his group and theirs, and deny that Berg ever received rabbinical ordination.
The Kabbalah Centre advertises Berg as being "the greatest Kabbalist in the world" and "the world's foremost authority on the Kabbalah." However, outside of his organization he is not accepted as an authority on Kabbalah, nor as a rabbi, by any of the Jewish denominations.
Claims that he can cure disease An expose in the Canadian Jewish News (March 18, 1993, pp. 2, 6-7 and 9.) discussed the case of Berg's claims to be able to cure diseases. He sells untranslated sets of the Zohar, an ancient Jewish mystical text written in Aramaic, and claims that by merely opening the book and running one's fingers along the lines, one can be cured of disease
References Abby Ellin and Adam J. Sacks The Kabbalah centre wants your heart - and your money: The String That Binds The Village Voice, August 11, 2004
Robert Eshman L.A.'s Kabbalah Learning Center seems to attract many searching Jews, but criticism of it is widespread The Jewish Journal, February 14, 1997
Aynat Fishbein The Cabal of the Cabbalah Centre Exposed: New Relations "Tel Aviv" (An Israeli magazine) September 1994, pp.31-35
Tamara Ikenberg, Madonna, et al have watered down Jewish mysticism, scholars charge Louisville Courier-Journal/August 26, 2004
Nadya Labi What Profits Kabbalah? Time Magazine, November 24, 1997
David Rowan Chief Rabbi sounds alarm on mystical Kabbalah group The London Times, April 3, 2004
The Truth about the Kabbalah Centre Task Force on Cults and Missionaries, Los Angeles, CA 1995
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