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Kabbalah
Warning to readers As Christians we don't agree with the contents of books like Kabbalah (i.e. the Book of Zohar, Seder haZohar) and the esoteric way that some people use it. We quote them only in historic context because they are part of the rabbinic literature.
Kabbalah (Hebrew word, “received tradition”) is an esoteric form of Jewish mysticism, which attempts to reveal hidden mystical insights in the Hebrew Bible (Tanakh). The term “Kabbalah” was originally used in Talmudic texts, among the Geonim and by Rishonim as a reference to the full body of the oral tradition of Jewish teaching, which was publicly available. Even the works of Prophets were referred to as Kabbalah, before they were canonized as part of the written tradition. In this sense Kabbalah was used in referring to all of Judaism's oral law. Over time, the oral law was recorded, but the esoteric teachings remained an oral tradition. Thus, this term became connected with doctrines of esoteric knowledge concerning God. Now, even the esoteric teachings of the Torah are recorded, but it is still known as Kabbalah. According to Jewish tradition Kabbalah dates from the Adam, although modern liberal rabbis date its origins in the 13th century. This knowledge has come down as a revelation to elect saints from a remote past, and for the most part, was preserved only by a privileged few. The proper protocol for teaching this wisdom are recorded in the Talmud (second chapter of tractate Haggiga). It is considered part of the Jewish oral law by the majority of religious Jews in modern times, although this is not agreed upon by many modern liberal rabbis and a minority of Orthodox rabbis.
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