Spirituality

P ractic al

Rabbi brings study of ancient text
to modern, everyday life.

SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
StaffWriter

Il

deepest level of the Torah." Written in
Hebrew and Aramaic, it was inaccessi-
ble to most because it was "encoded (in
the second century by Rabbi Shimon
Bar Yochai) in a deliberately encrypted
format to protect its insights from
untutored eyes."

abbala, a system of Jewish
mystical beliefs, once was
permissible for practice only
among married men
older than 40 who were knowl-
edgeable in talmudic text. Today,
people of varying ages, from all
walks of life, study Kabbala.
To help them, there's Rabbi
Laibl Wolf's newest book,
Practical Kabbalah: A Guide to
Jewish Wisdom For Everyday Life
(Random House-Three Rivers
Press). It introduces Jewish spiri-
tuality and Jewish meditation
into daily actions.
"This is something people are
searching for these days," says
Rabbi Laibl Wolf
Rabbi Yochanan Polter of the
Birmingham Bloomfield Chai
Center in Bloomfield Township.
The Center has invited Rabbi
Wolf for two book signings on
Monday, Feb. 14, 4-5 p.m. at
Borders Books & Music in
Birmingham and 5:30-6:30 p.m.
at Barnes & Noble Booksellers in
West Bloomfield.
His book, he says, "transforms the
"I wrote this book to make the basic
wisdom of Kabbala into tools for every-
teaching of Kabbala relevant to daily
day application," and includes imagery
life while, at the same time, providing
and meditation exercises. He calls the
the modern reader with a taste of its
content both spiritual and practical.
original intent," says Rabbi Wolf, who
With a goal of balancing mind and
has shared his observations on Kabbala
emotion, and body and soul, the rabbi
for more than 25 years.
sees Jewish spirituality as having a posi-
He describes Kabbala as being "the
tive impact on individuals as well as
Shelli Liebman Dorfman can be reached relationships.
"Many of the wisdoms of Torah and
at (248) 354-6060, ext. 246, or by
its deepest understandings through
e-mail at sdolfman@thejewishnews.com

Kabbala have universal applicability —
even to Madonna," he says, referring to
the influx of Kabbala study among
celebrities in recent years.
However, Rabbi Wolf cautions: "I
am not at all happy with the kind of
superficial impressions that this sensa-
tionalism is promoting."
A concern in opening
the study of Kabbala to
all, he says, is the fear
that "it would dampen
the primary function of
becoming a practical,
mitzvah-oriented person."
He says Chasidism, the
Orthodox branch of
which he is a member,
merges both the theoret-
ical Kabbala with the
practical yet spiritual
agenda of creation."
Rabbi Poker agrees
that a person doesn't have
to be engrossed in Torah
study to see. "When one
does a good deed, he
knows God is smiling
down on him. Within
Kabbala, there are many
different faces. When one
does a good deed, that is Kabbala."
Rabbi Wolf sees Kabbala as hav-
ing parallels with eastern spiritual
pathways. He recently met with and

CC

Australian rabbi, guest of the

Birmingham Bloomfield Chai
Center, offers more insights

into the Kabbala with his
newest book.

discussed common teachings with the
Dalai Llama.
"I had the good fortune to
exchange views and ideas with, and
learn from, many great masters. My
own master, his eminence the
Lubavitcher Rebbe (the late Rabbi
Menachem Mendel Schneerson) was
my foremost teacher."
Born in Australia, Rabbi Wolf is a
graduate of Melbourne Law School.
He holds post-graduate degrees in
educational psychology, specializing
in motivational theory. His ordina-
tion as a rabbi took place in Israel.
As founder and director of the
Human Development Institute in
Chicaao
both Melbourne Chicago,
and 3 Rabbi
Wolf conducts retreats and seminars
in areas of spiritual awareness
through Kabbala and Chasidism
throughout the world. El

Rabbi Laibl Wolf's Practical Kabbalah book signing will take place 4-5
p.m. Monday, Feb. 14, at Borders Book & Music, 34300 Woodward,
Birmingham, and 5:30-6:30 p.m. at Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 6800
Orchard Lake Road, West Bloomfield. For information on Rabbi Wolf,
access the Web site www.laiblwolf.com

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