48 Friday, February 3, 1978
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
An Eminent Psychiatrist's Observations on the 'Kabala,'
Mysticism and Exorcism in Jewish, Western Traditions
By DR. PETER MARTIN
The Jewish people are often called the
People of the Book. When I finished reading
"Kabbalah", by Perle Epstein (Doubleday), I
realized that this designation is but a de-
scription of our people's behavior, not an ex-
planation of it.
For some Jewish scholars throughout the
centuries, intensive Torah study was in the
service of an intense, driving inner need.
Study of Torah was in the service of their
search for God. It expressed a need to know
Him intimately. It is called kishupha —
yearning for the Divine.
At first, God made the Jews His Chown
People; Jews have ever since chosen o
search for and to reunite with Him. Theil s
was a search for devekuth — the state tf
cleaving to God. For the mystically oriented,
the study of the Torah and the Zohar has
been a path to Elohim Hayim — the living
God, a state of ecstatic consciousness
*achieved by deep concentration.
Kabala has been an over-all title for
Jewish mystical tradition. It has been
charscteristic of Jews to strive for union
with the Absolute — yechida.
The bible ofJewish mysticsm is the Zohar
Book of Splendor. It is a 13th Century
Spanish mystic's guide — although it pur-
ports to be a series of midrashic expositions
by the Second Century mystic, Rabbi Si-
- meon bar Yochai.
In Judaism, meditation practices leading
to a mystical, altered state of consciousness
date back to the time of the Second Temple,
in the Second Century BCE, and are found in
one of the earliest forms ofJewish mysticsm,
Merkabalism.
Later, in the 13th Century CE, Rabbi
Abulafia felt that the normal life of the soul
*s kept within limits by our sensory percep-
tions and emotions, and since these percep-
tions are concerned with the finite, the soul's
life is finite.
He felt that man needs a higher form of
perception which, instead of blocking
the soul's deeper origins, opens them up.
The purpose of Abulafia's prayer and
methodical meditation was to experience a
new state of consciousness, described as
harmonious movement of pure thought,
which has served all relations to the senses.
This approach is, of course, not exclusive
to Jews. It could be recognized as a Judaized
version of the Indian mystic's yoga.
This JeWish phenomenol is a universal
phenomenon of mankind. A mystic of what-
ever belief can be defined as one who desper-
atRly wants to know the meaning of life.
To. the Jewish mystic, the meaning of life
is known. It lies in a reunion with the shek-
God's female aspect and imminent
nina
presence. How to achieve it is the problem.
It is a delicate task for a psychoanalyst
like myself to review a book on mys-
ticsm. If patients who I have seen suffer-
ing from hysteria or schizophrenia are
used as a frame of reference, the entire
"
subject of mysticsm
be
could
relegated
to the area of magic, false beliefs and
mental illness.
Even- in kabalistic sects run by great
kabalistic. masters, care would be taken in
selection • of students and in continuous
supervision of students since some could be-
come psyChotic and some were reported to
have died -in their immersion in the mys-
hich have never been comprehensi-
layman like myself.
minded of the interchange between
ern young lawyer in the Broadway
Tenth Man" who says to the
kabalist, "Really, I have been reading your
book, the Book of Zohar. I am sure it has lost
much in the translation, but sir, any disciple
of this abracadabra is presuming when he
calls anyone else a fool ...
"A good psychiatrist, even a poor one,
could strip your beliefs in 10 minutes. None
of these things exsist. You have made them
all up because it is unbearable for you to
bear the pain of insignificance."
To this the kabalist replies, "You have
been reading the Book of johar. Dear
young man, one does not read the Book
of Zohar, leaf thiough its pages, and
make marginal notes.
"I have entombed myself in this volume
for 60 years, raw with vulnerability to its
hidden mysteries, and have sensed only a
glimpse of its passion. Behind every letter of
every word lies a locked image, and behind
every image a sparkle of light of the ineffa-
ble brilliance of Infinity.
"But the concept of the Inexpressible Un-
knownis inconceivable to you, for you are a
man possessed
by the Tangi-
ble. If you
cannot touch it
with your fin-
gers, it simply
does not
exist."
However, it
is not just
skeptical
Jewish
lawyers who
have difficulty
in hearing the
music of the
Kabala. The
vast majority
of Jews have
DR. PETER MARTIN
lost the way.
The Kabala of
today has become secretive and disor-
ganized.
The last known group of practicing
kabalists continues to meet today at the
Yeshiva Beth El in Jerusalem. It is
closed to even the most interested ob-
server. The small congregation con-
tinues the practices instituted by its
predecessors four centuries ago.
The Kabala is a virtually unknown diver-
sion of the treasures of Jewish religious ex-
perience. Through the centuries those who
immersed themselves in kabalistic practices
were often considered by their fellow Jews to
be madmen or to be false Messiahs.
There is an old hasidic parable illustrative
of this problem: "A deaf man passed by a
home in which a wedding party was going
on. He looked in the window and saw all the
people there dancing and cavorting, leaping
about and laughing.
"However, since the man was deaf, and
could not hear the music of the fiddlers, he
said to himself, `Ah, this must be a
madhouse.' It does not follow that because he
was deaf the people were lunatics."
This book will not teach anyone hoW
to hear the music. But through the
scholarly research of its author, it will
bring light to bear upon some of the
secrets of the practice of Jewish mys-
ticsm.
That its author is a woman is indeed sur-
prileir
made her research more difficult.
Looking for the truth, Perle Epstein spoke
with kabalists who refused to even face her.
Instead, an interpreter had to stand between
them.
Her search took her to a synagogue which people, hoping to do good and be good.
prohibited women; she sat in a dark room Psychiatric labels need not be attached,
with a window. These mystics must not have to them.
Understanding of this need can bring com-
been far advanced in their training since
this is not a description of perfect equilib- fort to their parents. It could even lead to a
rium — detachment from worldly pain and re-awakening of the parents' own interest in
pleasure, which is a prerequisite before Judaism.
This book is not a how-to-do-it-yourself
learning the art of hitbodedut — medita-
book. It is an historical survey of how
tion.
Surely they were still far from the saintli- Kabala was practiced and how Kabala is a
ness achieved by Rabbi Akiba through his mystical practice fully dependant on,
integrated with, Judism as a whole.
meditation.
The book is in keeping with our times.
In order to study Kabala, Jewish tradition
states that one must be a male, over 40, There is a widespread renewal of the super-
married and have children. This tradition natural, mystical, magical and irrational in
helps weed out potentially disturbed appli- contemporary western society. We have
seen a rapid shift among young people from
cants.
Perle Epstein's interest in Jewish the iconclastic social activism of the 1960s
mysticsm is inherited from her ancestor, toward an internal, personal quest for peace
the great kabalist and founder of and meaning in the 1970s.
hasidism, the Baal Shem Tov. He is said
The latter quest is seen in the popular-
to have brought the Kabala down from ity of non-conventional religiosity, mys-
the angels and placed it in the hands of tical experiences and eastern
men.
philosophies. One manifestation of this
Dr. Epstein, a worthy descendant, per- social revolution is our manifest fasci-
sisted despite the obstacles placed in her nation with demonology and exorcism.
way and has rewarded us with a small gem
It is not surprising that psychiatry is be-
of a book. If the re-awakening of interest in
the Kabala in Israel persists as Dr. Epstein • coming more biological just at a time when
predicts and if it develops in America, this our society is becoming more metaphysical.
book will have contributed to the ground- In every culture hyper-rationalism has been
followed by a revival of supernaturalism.
swell.
With the rationalism comes too much re-
A phenomenon in current America, dis-
turbing to Jewish parents, has been the sponsibility for some individuals to bear.
sight of Indian gurus surrounded by wor- Psychiatry brought man from outer reality
shipful American disciples — 60 percent of into himself and only himself— an increase
in responsibility for human action.
them Jewish.
These 20th Century modern ideas make
These parents' anguish is easy to under-
stand. Not so easy to understand is when man responsible for our own actions but also
they become disturbed when traditional for our own guilts, fears and obsessions.
hasidism welcomes their children with open
For those who like it this way, it is z.
arms and missionary zeal.
great. For others, there is a wish to find
Discipline of one kind or another is "in" — alternative ways of living — and thus not
even keeping kosher and wearing tzitsit. only modify the society, but to modify
Such involvements by these children, 'de- the self.
spite the anguish of the parents, are not un-
Thus, the fantasy of the 1970s has been a
Jewish.
wish to return to an age of exorcism or to
It is Jewish tradition for a proportion experience close encounters of a third and
of the young people to enter into a per- fourth kind as part of a larger, super-
sonal search for God. They are good naturalistic cosmology.
UJA Cautious Over Tricky Sadat
By BORIS SMOLAR
(Editor-in-Chief Emeritus, JTA)
(Copyright 1978, JTA, Inc.)
Jews throughout the
country—especially in
communities where only
limited information is pro-
vided by local newspapers
and radio on the develop-
ments in the dramatic im-
passe in the Israel-Egyptian
talks—are confused. Their
euphoria about the pos-
sibilities of an understand-
ing between Egypt and Is-
rael has evaporated; it
changed into concern.
They turn for information
to the United Jewish Ap-
peal headquarters con-
vinced that UJA national
leaders are maintaining
telephone contact with au-
thorities in Israel and are
familiar with the actual
situation and what can be
expected.
The tempo in which the
events are moving is, how-
ever, such that no authority
in Israel can predict what
Egyptian President Anwar
Sadat may do next in his
"blitz game."
He is full of tricks. He
operates on tactics of
"surprises." Even his in-
vitation to the Synagogue
Council of America—in
which all religious de-
nominations of American
Jewry are represented—
is considered by many as
nothing but a trick. He at-
tempts by such "invita-
tions" to reach American
Jewry over the head of
the Israel government.
- His latest "surprise," de-
manding that the U.S. pro-
vide Egypt with the same
modern weapons that Israel
has acquired, is provoking
the suspicion by many that
his sudden retreat from the
talks with Israel was
merely a "trick" calculated
to blackmail Washington
for more arms, if the U.S.
government wants him to
resume the talks.
The UJA leadership,
g the bridge between
the large masses of Ameri-
can Jewry and Israel, is
naturally watching closely
every nuance in the de-
velopments around the
Egyptian-Israeli stalemate.
It shares its information
with leaders of the Jewish
communities and with UJA
activists in cities outside of
New York.
It does not exclude the
possibility that the artifi-
cial "Broigez" which Sadat
plays now against Israel
could change situations
even from hour to hour. It
therefore advises Jewish
inquirers and Jewish lead-
ers in communities against
being extreme in hope or de-
spair.
At the same time, UJA.
national leaders stress
that the responsibility of
Jews in this country re-
mains the same as it has
been during the 30 years
of partnership with Is-
rael, namely to
strengthen the fabric of
Israel's society, to help
meet its humanitarian
needs, and to enable Is-
rael to bring and settle
Jews from lands of op-
pression.
UJA leaders, in appl
ing the present happenings
aroun'.
- feel that
American Jewry must un-
derstand that Israel is still
far from achieving peace;
that peace will come after a
long period of negotiations;
and that during these
negotiations there will be
"ups" and "downs."
With this approach, the
UJA is embarking now on a
policy of brim;-
"–
sage." to Jev
try not prima
Israelidignitar
professors—
through
American and Israeli—
acquainted with the Arab-
Israel issues and able to
analyze these issues in a
sober and poptlax,yi,.-----