Matt is a professor of Jewish mysticism at the Center for Jewish Studies, Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, Calif. He taught at the Graduate Theological Union for nearly 20 years. He's translated the new book The Zohar: Pritzker, Vol. 1. His other published works include God and the Big Bang and Varieties of Mystical Nothingness: Jewish, Christian, and Buddhist.
Historian and theologian Arthur Green has long studied Jewish religion and culture. Among the many books he has written is his latest, A Guide to the Zohar.
The Zohar is a collection of writings and teaching that appeared in the 13th century. It is the basis of kabbalah, a mystical extension of Judaism identified with alphanumeric codes and esoteric symbols. Green's Guide to the Zohar is an overview of modern studies of kabbalah's medieval origins.
In addition to being dean of the rabbinical school of Hebrew College, Arthur Green is also on leave from Brandeis University.
Hollywood's Hottest Cult: The Kabbalah Chronicles:
Part
One: Red String Theory.
A four-month Radar investigation reveals how a renegade
rabbi and his striver wife ended up atop a multi-million-dollar
empire built on bracelets, bottled water, and Madonna.
Part
Two: In the Beginning.
Radar’s investigation of the Kabbalah Centre continues,
focusing on founder Philip Berg, insurance salesman-turned- guru, and his second wife,
who conceived the idea of dumbing down Jewish mysticism and selling it to the masses.
Part
Three: Madonna’s Magical Mystical Tour.
Demi! Ashton! Marla! Roseanne! When it comes to
attracting celebrities, the Bergs have given Scientology a run for its money. But their
lucky star is an aging pop icon who has funded the Centre to the tune of $18 million…
and counting.
Part
Four: There’s No Profit Like Non-Profit.
How did a family of middle class mystics end up
with matching mansions in Beverly Hills? Our final installment examines how the Kabbalah Centre
is pouring millions into a network of businesses controlled by the Bergs and their minions.
MEDIA ALERT: THE KABBALAH LEARNING
CENTRE IS THE LATEST POP CULTURE. HOWEVER, MOST ARE UNAWARE
THAT IT’S A DESTRUCTIVE CULT. Please read Freedom
of Mind release here.
Published by Task Force on Cults and Missionaries
Los Angeles, CA 1995
Who is "Dr. Philip S. Berg"?
Philip S. Berg is the charismatic founder and leader
of a quasi-Jewish cult functioning under the name of "Research
Centre for Kabbalah." It has branches in New York City, Los
Angeles, Toronto, London, a few other cities. Berg portrays himself
as an orthodox rabbi and proclaims his "Kabbalah Centre"
to be a Jewish orthodox institution. IN his youth he did study
at an orthodox Yeshiva in Brooklyn NY, and it seems that he was
ordained. Berg claims to have a doctorate (all his books go under
the name "Dr. Philip S. Berg"). In some of his books
he alleges to have a doctorate in "comparative religion,"
while another source claims his doctorate to be in "jurisprudence
in biblical law." When personally confronted about the discrepancies,
and questioned about his alleged doctorate, he admitted (in a
published interview) that in fact -he has no academic degree at
all - and that his alleged "doctorate" is "part
of his smichah (ordination)". Everyone knows, of course,
that there is no such thing. For his public lectures Berg advertises
himself invariably as "the greatest Kabbalist in the world;"
"the world's foremost authority on the Kabbalah;" "a
living Kabbalist and the rarest of teachers;" or other such
flamboyant terms of self-aggrandizement. Outside of his own Centre
and circle of followers, neither the academic nor the Jewish religious
worlds know anything about him except for the anomalies of his
centers. They have absolutely no regard for him, his teachings,
writings or activities. In fact, he is universally condemned by
both the orthodox rabbinate and contemporary schools of Jewish
mysticism in Israel, the USA and elsewhere, as a charlatan.
What is the "Kabbalah Centre"?
One of the most extensive articles about Berg and
the Kabbalah Centre was published in a national Canadian Jewish
weekly, the Canadian Jewish News, dated March 18, 1993, pp. 2,
6-7 and 9. It exposed, with names, some of the Kabbalah Centre's
anomalies, such as:
In the autumn of 1990, a Marilyn McLeod was
dying of cancer. She was visited by a "Rabbi" Yardeni
of the Kabbalah Centre who persuaded her to purchase a complete
hard cover set of the Zohar, as well as a few other books about
Jewish mysticism, for hundreds of dollars. Marilyn was also
told to change a mezuzah and her Hebrew name. For $250, they
changed her mezuzah, gave her about a dozen audio tapes from
the centre, and changed her name altogether. Though Marilyn
couldn't read any Hebrew, she was told to simply scan the Zohar
for its healing properties. Shortly thereafter (January 1991)
she dies.
Other cases are cited of people unable to read
Hebrew (let alone Aramaic - the language of most of the Zohar),
and who could ill afford the high prices charged, who were persuaded
to purchase the Zohar and other works, who were told that mere
scanning of the books would help them in their quest for spiritual
fulfillment.
Young people drawn into the centre were persuaded
to help with maintenance of the building and other jobs.
When thoroughly questioned, Berg "readily
concedes that 'most' of the students as well as the teachers
at the centre would likely not be able to read or interpret
a page from the Hebrew Zohar." Nonetheless, he maintains,
in an alleged "paraphrase of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai"
that :you can learn from someone who doesn't know".
Both in the interview as well as in their promotions,
Berg calls his centre "Yeshiva Kol Yehuda," alleging
affiliation and association with (as the continuation or successor
to) the Yeshivah Kol Yehuda in Jerusalem, originally founded
in 1922 by the late Rabbi Yehudah Ashlag and later headed by
the late Rabbi Yehudah Tzvi Brandwien. Berg calls himself as
"Rabbi Brandwein's chief student." [Note: see further
on, chapter X, about this false allegation!]
The Kabbalah Centre offers its classes and
publications to an indiscriminate mixture of "man, woman,
child, non-Jew," religious or secular.
Berg condemns rabbis who criticize and censure
him and his organization as "jealous; they are simply jealous
of how we are teaching people."
A former student who spent 18 months studying
at the centre and "thousands of dollars on books and tapes,"
decided to investigate orthodox Judaism and realized how far
removed the centre is from traditional Judaism. He said that
at first "everything was very impressive. Everything made
sense to me. They were in synch with what I knew about spirituality.
But then I did a little outside reading and I started to realize
that to know Kabbalah you need to be at a level of personal
development. They never mention that. They don't talk about
kashrut, mitzvot or tefilah (prayer). They never mention G-d.
They talk about a light, about power. They offer instant gratification
and instant answers."
All the above is extracted from the Canadian Jewish
News article. None of these matters was ever questioned or denied
by Berg or the Centre.
Berg's Use of "Libel Chill"
Berg has literally millions of dollars at his disposal.
The net assets of his New York branch in 1990, according to IRS-returns,
are close to 10 million dollars. Using the principle of "libel
chill," he scares detractors who will speak out openly against
him with expensive libel and slander suits. That is why rabbinic
condemnations of him and his centre are usually couched in very
careful and often veiled wordings. One rabbi was not that careful:
Canadian rabbi Emanuel Schochet, a rabbinic scholar and authority
on Jewish mysticism well-known throughout the world, author and
editor of numerous primary texts, dared to speak out against Berg
and the Kabbalah Centre in a lecture delivered in 1993 in South
Africa. On his return to Canada, Berg hired one of Canada's top-paid
lawyers in libel to sue Rabbi Schochet for $4.5 million dollars
for "libel and slander." Rabbi Schochet condemned the
Jewishly unacceptable practices of Berg and his centers of
a) using horoscopes and astrology in general in counseling
their victims,
b) the indiscriminate use and teaching of sacred and complex
teachings of the Kabbalah to people totally illiterate in anything
Jewish and devoid of Jewish observances as well as to gentiles,
c) the exorbitant prices they charge for the sale of the Zohar
and other writings pressed upon their victims at mark-ups of
over 500% of the fair market-price,
d) acts of extortion by scaring naïve people with all
kinds of evil and curses that will come upon them if they refuse
to offer money for the Kabbalah Centre, and ludicrous promises
of physical health and wealth if they will purchase their publications;
and other such flagrant violations of Jewish law and tradition,
as well as other samples of immoral behavior.
Documented list of Perversions
Dr. Phil Abramowitz, Director of the Task Force
on Missionaries and Cults at the Jewish Federation of New York,
circulated a memociting: "Only some if the items have been
brought to his attention regarding the work of Dr. Philip Berg:
Two people complained about Berg advising two
women to divorce their husbands. He claimed that he had seen
it in the Kabbalah or in some mystical dimension that they should
divorce. [Note: This, incidentally, is a common and well-documented
practice of the Kabbalah Centre: when a married couple disagrees
about association with the Kabbalah Centre, especially when
this involves immense financial commitments, the one in favor
of Berg is usually advised to divorce the disagreeing spouse
because "the marriage is spiritually unsuitable."]
A young man from the Chaim Berlin yeshiva claimed
that his father's manuscript had been taken by Berg and printed
under Berg's own name.
On 42nd Street in Manhattan, Berg's followers
have been seen trying to solicit passers-by ( s, Puerto Ricans,
Jews and non-Jews) to buy Berg's publications and as well to
encourage them to attend his lectures.
An observant family in Toronto had called in
to complain of the circumstance where their child was terminally
ill. Berg had claimed that he could cure the child through Kabbalah
and had required a payment of some thousands of dollars. The
child died.
The Toronto Vaad HaRabonim and the Queens Vaad
HaRabonim had issued statements to the public about avoiding
the learning in Kabbalah Centers as well as purchasing books
which were on the market. (This was all enacted to foil the
work of Berg.) [Note: The Chief Rabbi , the Bet Din of Johannesburg,
and the Rabbinical Association of South Africa, also issued
decrees of condemnation against the Kabbalah Centre and managed
to drive them out of their country.]
Philadelphia Board of Rabbis complained that
Berg's followers had been abusive to their members when demanding
that appeals be made for Berg's organization in synagogues.
When they were asked for Haskamot (letters of approbation) none
were ever produced.)
Numerous calls have been received from Jewish
residents in Flatbush and Queens complaining that Berg's representatives
are making solicitations on behalf of the Kabbalah center and
refuse to leave the premises until they are given money. In
fact, they literally put their "foot in the door"
- they claim that Berg had taught them that it is better to
get abuse in this world and to have the world to come - "A
Lichter Gan Eden."
There are stories of kids livings in Berg's
basement, being paid a minimal wage and going out promoting
his books and seminars.
Complaint was made from the New York City Department
of Finance that 3 of Berg's representatives had come to the
Department saying that they wanted to give Mishloach Manot gifts
- (traditional gifts of food given to friends on the festival
of Purim) - to Jews working in the Department. They were furnished
with a list of names of Jews working in that Department. When
they approached the Jews, they did not admit that they had obtained
the names from the Department, but, rather, said that Berg had
instructed them according to Kabbalah to buy his Kabbalah books
and attend his Shiurim (classes). They were also frightened
by the claims of what would happen to them if they would not
attend these lectures."
The same memo also cites reports from Rabbi Yitchak
Sladowsky, Executive VP of Vaad HaRabonim of Queens:
Parents had complained that children were "taken
in" be Berg and were being estranged from their families.
The Vaad have been told that Berg held seances
(and ) together with the youngsters and tried and got them to
try and make contact with the dead and to transcend their own
souls."
The Canadian Jewish News - article quotes Arnold
Markowitz, director of the Cult Hotline of the New York Jewish
Board of Family and Children's Services, that he has received
a fair amount of calls complaining of "high pressure"
and abusive tactics employed by the Kabbalah Centre's New York
branch. "The calls, usually from current and former members
and their relatives, tell of people 'totally consumed' by the
centre 'while neglecting family and work.'" Markowitz said
that the centre exhibits many cult-like qualities similar to "name"
cults like the Unification Church of Rev. Sun Myung Moon. He adds
that his 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.'" The article cites the same
type of reports from Dr. Phil Abramowitz of new York Jewish Community
Centre's Task Force on Missionaries and Cults, Bernie Farber of
the Canadian Jewish Congress, and Julius Ciss of the Toronto counter-missionary
group Jews for Judaism.
Mockery of Jewish Law and Tradition Selections from Berg's Writings
Berg masquerades as an observant "orthodox
rabbi." Anyone who observes his practices or reads his books,
however, will discover an altogether different picture:
The very fact that he is suing a Jew, let alone
an orthodox rabbi, in a secular court, instead of - at best
- summoning him before a Bet Den (religious court) is one of
the most serious offenses against Jewish law which is binding
upon all religious Jews, states unequivocally:
"It is forbidden to submit a law-suit for adjudication
before gentile judges and their courts of law even if the sentence
will conform to Jewish law. This is prohibited even if both parties
agree to submit the case before them. Whosoever submits a law-suit
for adjudication before them is a rasha (totally wicked person)
and is regarded as one who reviles, blasphemes, and rebels against
the Torah of Moses our Teacher! GLOSS: The Bet Din is authorized
to ban and excommunicate him until he will remove the authority
of the gentiles from his fellow (Jew). One excommunication also
anyone who supports the one who goes to the gentiles!" (Schulchan
Aruch, Choshen Mishpat, section 26, paragraph 1)
Following here are a few examples of Berg mocking
and denying fundamental principles of traditional Judaism in his
writings:
Berg writes in his tract called THE KABBALAH
CONNECTION, p42:
"Like the scientists, the leaders of the three
main streams of Judaism today are interpreting the body of the
Torah according to their own Desires to Receive and the Desire
to Receive embodied in their congregations. Unhappily, whereas
the sages who presented commentaries on the Talmud, from Rashi
and Rabbi Tam of the Tosafot and others worked and disagreed with
one another in the spirit of pure science inspired by G-d and
believing totally in what they wrote, the last century has seen
a turning away from the sanctity of Halacha - away from pure science
in favor of applied science which, in this case, means conforming
more readily and easily to the mainstream of contemporary life.
The reality of gufei Torah thus is lost, abandoned and forgotten.
We no longer inquire, as did the sages of the Talmud, into the
nature and structure of the "cables" of observance -
the physical aspect of communication with the metaphysical plane.
We have become, instead, obsessed with the need to tailor Judaism
to fit as many Jews as possible".
In other words, the gospel according to Berg declares
that there is no longer any valid Halacha. Halachic authorities
in the last century are but professional "tailors" who
cut, weave and sew to order, their Halachic pronouncements seeking
to accommodate the desires and caprices of as many customers as
possible.
In the same tract, p. 43:
"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".
And on p. 44:
"The aspect of Law does not have its customary
secular implication of conformity and sanction. The Halacha of
binding of Tefillin each morning is not a rule laid down by the
Torah to keep the Jewish people in line. It merely bears witness
to the fact that for six days in every week, the Tefillin is in
tune with the paths by which energy is flowing, and that if we
want to use that energy, this is the means by which we can connect
with it. Halacha, properly understood, is therefore descriptive
rather than prescriptive. To say, that a particular deed or action
is "Halachically incorrect" is not to say that one is
doing wrong, is not an observant Jew or is not fitting into the
mainstream of Judaism. We are merely making the observation that
the particular action is question is not properly connecting with
the energy pattern available to it."
Even the most ignorant Jew knows that the word mitzvah
(pl. mitzvot) means commandment, thus a Divine edict and obligation.
Halacha, regardless of the etymology of that word, means specifically
Jewish LAW, in the plain sense of that term.
The Torah states very explicitly that the observance
of Mitzvot goes with promises of rewards in the here-and-now or
the hereafter, while the violation of mitzvot incurs punishment
- ranging from purely spiritual penalties to fines, flogging,
excommunication and capitol punishment. [See also further on,
chapter VII.]
Berg, therefore, displays sheer ignorance, stupidity,
an outrageous perversion of the facts, and a total distortion
of the Torah. His nonsense of mitzvot being "descriptive"
(suggesting that it is optional) rather than "prescriptive"
(which means obligatory), is the typical claim of licentious renegades
who seek, and wallow in, anti-nomianism (discarding the legitimacy
and relevance of law). The Torah, and all of Jewish tradition,
makes it very clear, beyond any shadows of doubt, that to act
"Halachically incorrect" is indeed to "do wrong"
- which requires (even on the unintentional level) an act of repentance.
There is not a single instance where the authorities
mentioned talk in their cited commentaries about manipulating
"energies" or connecting "cables." They
would condemn this as idolatrous. The Halachic and Kabbalah
authorities condemn most severely those who would use "practical
Kabbalah" or seek to tap the supernal lights or energies.
They state that people like that invariably become wicked and
despicable heretics and will have a bitter end.
[For sources see: Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Pardes
Rimonim XXVII:27; Rabbi Chaim Vital (citing Rabbi Isaac Luria),
in Sha'ar Ru'ach HaKodesh, Tikun III, in Likutei Torah, section
Shemot, and also in Sha'ar Hamitzvot, section Shemont. See also
Rabbi Yehudah Hechassid, Sefer Chassidim, par. 204-5, and the
commentaries there.]
Berg's indiscriminate and unqualified involvement
with Kabbalah resulted in precisely all that these warnings predicted.
Like the alchemists of old, who pursued the study of the Kabbalah
and the occult sciences in order to produce gold to indulge their
desires, and like all others who sought to master the Kabbalah
for personal gain, Berg reduces the Torah and Jewish tradition
into a manual of magic and astrology to manipulate Heavenly forces
or energies to attain personal gratification or to avoid personal
misfortune. Berg's "system" promises his followers that
they can turn Almighty G-d into their private lacky, a genie in
a bottle, to do their bidding. The Torah (Halacha), which Jewish
tradition sees as the revelation of G-d's Will, G-d's commandments,
G-d's prescription for the proper life, behavior and human self-discipline,
are discarded by Berg as rabbinic myths, orthodox naiveté,
a nefarious plot of ignorant religious fanatics to control the
ignorant masses.
Slander of Rabbis and Halachic Authorities More selections from Berg's Writings
In the introduction to the book THE ZOHAR:
Parashat Pinhas, p. xxxiii-xxxv, Berg repeats his anti-orthodox
diatribes: "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."
What a stupendous statement! All the great authorities
who warned and cautioned about the study of Zohar and Kabbalah
that this is for the properly qualified only, authorities which
include Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (author of the Zohar), the foremost
Kabbalists like Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, Rabbi Isaac Luria and Rabbi
Chaim Vital, the Vilna Gaon, the Baal Shem Tov, the Siftei Kohen,
and so forth, in Berg's view "posed as religious leaders,"
made their pronouncements for "selfish reasons," "feared
for their positions," and were "afraid of embarrassment"!!!
They were "cultists" - "blemishes and disfigurements
on the face of Rabbinic Judaism," "Rabbis of ill-repute."
Berg, knowingly fully felt that his followers are even more ignorant
than he and would never bother (or know how) to check his allegedsources,
invents from his fertile imagination a quotation from the Talmud,
"Tractate Sanhedrin P. 99B." It so happens that his
quotation does not exist either there or anywhere else. There
is nothing even remotely on that whole folio of the Talmud!
Berg claimed for a "fact" that "the
foremost Jewish legalists and Talmudists were also famous Kabbalists."
Some, indeed, were. Many, however, were most definitely not,
such as, for example, the greatest of them all, i.e., Maimonides.
In fact, many Kabbalists severely condemned the super-rationalist
approach of Maimonides. Rabbi Isaac Luria who had the greatest
respect and admiration for Maimonides, states nonetheless that
Maimonides, being of the left pa'eh (corner) did not merit to
know the wisdom of the Zohar!" (Sha'ar Hagilgulim, ch.
36. See also Rabbi C. J. D. Azulay, Shem Hagedolim, s.v. Harambam.
See also Maimonides' introduction to his Guide, and the comments
thereon by one of the foremost Kabbalists, Rabbi Joseph Ergas,
Shomer Emunim 1:9)
And where is Berg's evidence for Rav Saadiah Gaon,
Rashi, Rabbenu Tam and so many others? (If Berg assumes that a
commentary on Sefer Yetzirah, implies involvement with Kabbalah,
obviously he does not know anything about Sefer Yetzirah. Many,
including Rav Saadia Gaon, read it from a philosophical, non-Kabbalistic
- or, at least, not in the normatively understood Kabbalistic
- perspective.) C. In this vein, Berg also presents an original
revisionist account of history. He writes in the same introduction,
pp. xliii-xliv: "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 MitnagdimŠ 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 sectsŠ
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. Like the Sephardic Jew, the Hasid maintained
that the quintessence of the Jewish religion lay in the internal-spiritual
study of Talmud, combined with a determined belief in the efficacy
of prayer. Thus, both groups opposed the robotic, despiritualized
form of prayer observed within all three factions of Judaism --[reform,
conservative, orthodox]. The Mitnagdim, contrarily, although they
could not reject outright the validity of the teachings of the
saintly Tannah, R. Shimon bar Yohai and his Zohar, regarded Jewish
life and religion as consisting of strict obedience to the laws
based upon the literal study of the Talmud and the precepts. The
Talmud, without the assistance of R. Shimon Bar Yoshai's interpretation,
is, to the Kabbalist's way of thinking, an exercise in lifeless,
rigid ritualism, the result of which has been an abandonment of
the study of Talmud, not only by most Jews, but even by the majority
of Orthodox Jews." One need not be a scholar at all to know
that the foremost leader of the Mitnagdim, the fiercest opponent
to Hassidism, was R. Elijah, the Vilna Gaon. To reduce that confrontation
to an argument about the stature, study and use of the Zohar,
is absolute ignorance about both the struggle between the Hassidim
and the Mitnagdim and personality of the Vilna Gaon, his teachings
and writings. The Vilna Gaon wrote some of the most incisive commentaries
on the Zohar. Like few before or after him, he wrote extensively
about the absolute necessity of studying the Kabbalah (see, for
example, the anthology Even Shelemah). His prayer-book, and accounts
of his practices and customs, follow Kabbalistic teachings and
devotions. He taught Kabbalah to his disciples. Nefesh Hachayim,
the major work of the Gaon's principle disciple Rabbi Chaim of
Voloszin, is based completely on the Zohar and the writings of
Rabbi Isaac Luria. The Lithuanian School of Kabbalah, founded
by the Gaon, continued generation after generation, through the
author of Aspaklaryah Hame'irah (which is partially printed in
the margins of the standard editions of the Zohar) to the recent
works of the late Rabbi Shelomoh Eliyashuv. So much for our alleged
"doctor in comparative religion"-'s knowledge of Jewish
history in general, and history and development of Kabbalah in
particular.
Denying Fundamental Principles of the Torah and
Inventing new ones
If all that were not enough, another of his
books, modestly, titled "The Ground Breaking Book that
tells you all about Reincarnation - THE WHEELS OF A SOUL,"
p. 46, has the following pronouncements of "orthodox rabbi"
Berg.
"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."
In other words, Berg tells you not to believe one
of the "13 Fundamental Principles of Judaism" (Principle
11, in Maimonides' formulation) that "G-d rewards those who
perform the commandments of the Torah and punishes those who transgresses
its admonitions." According to this "greatest Kabbalist"
we are not to believe the numerous passages in the Torah that
speak explicitly of reward and punishment, such as Leviticus ch.
26 and Deuteronomy ch. 28-29; or in the Shema recited twice daily
- Deuteronomy ch. 11:13ff., to mention but some major sources.
In the same tract, p.29, Berg alleges that
"Reincarnation is not a question of faith or doctrine,
but of logic and reason.. the Bible is its Fountainhead;"
and p. 51: "By now it should be quite clear that reincarnation
is discussed and accepted in the Bible, and that by virtue of
that acceptance it is an integral part of Judaism and Christianity
alike."
Very interesting. Why is it, then, that some of
the greatest authorities of Judaism, including Rav Saadiah Gaon
(to whom Berg makes several references and who says of the idea
of reincarnation that it is no less than "madness and confusion"),
R. Abraham Ibn Chinya, R. Abraham Ibn Daud and R. Joseph Albo,
denied and rejected the idea of reincarnation? One need not be
too great a scholar or student of religion to know that one can
hardly imagine something more absurd than Berg's assertion than
"Judaism is not concerned with conforming to a strict religious
way of life" requiring the performance of certain religious
tasks. Religious law and ritual is the very foundation, the beginning
and the end, of the Torah and Judaism. Berg's teachings are no
more than a poor-echo of the basic claim of the apostle Paul,
in the New Testament, and later of the movement of the false Messiahs
Shabbatai Tzvi and Jakob Frank, that the laws or rituals of the
Torah and Jewish tradition are no longer required. So is his claim
that "proper understanding of the Torah," i.e., the
teachings and doctrines of Bergism , will remove "the barriers
that have been created between Jews and non-Jews."
Berg and his people make constant use of astrology
and horoscope-readings to "counsel" those who come
to them. They pretend to see all kinds of negative forces or
auras threatening their victims, and then advise them that the
"pending evil" can be avoided by means of hefty contributions
to the Kabbalah Centre. A favorite ploy of theirs is to suggest
the amount of $30,000 for reprinting the Sulam-edition of the
Zohar, payable either by post-dated cheques or credit-card.
The use of astrology, of course, is forbidden by Jewish law.
To be sure, there have been a good number of Jewish scholars
who believe in the principles of natural forces and influences
suggested by astrology. Nonetheless, Jewish law and tradition
state quite clearly that Jews are not to consult horoscopes
and astrology. Maimonides condemns astrology as a form of idolatry.
The Schulan Aruch, the universal Code of Jewish Law, composed
by Rabbi Joseph Karo who himself was a great Kabbalist and studied
with Rabbi Isaac Luria himself, states unequivocally: "One
is not to consult astrologers or fortune-tellers - GLOSS: because
it is written 'You shall be wholehearted with the Lord, your
G-d' (Deuteronomy 18:13), and how much more so, therefore, it
is forbidden to consult those that use divination, enchanters
and sorcerers." (Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah, section 179,
paragraph 1). The Zohar is also very emphatic in prohibiting
a Jew's use or consultation of astrology (see Zohar, vol. I
(Book of Bereishit), p. 90b; vol. II (Book of Shemot), p. 172a;
and vol. III (Book of Vayikra-Davarim), p. 216b; etc. For Maimonides'
condemnation see his Code, Laws of Idolatry, chapter II, par.
8-9 and 16, and his Book of Commandments. Vol. II, par. 32).
Jewish law and the Kabbalists explicitly forbid
the teachings of Kabbalah to people who do not have a good knowledge
of basic Jewish law, and who are not meticulous with the observance
of Jewish law and tradition. (See Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah,
section 246, par. 4, and the commentators there. Rabbi Moshe
Cordovero, Or Ne'erav, part I, ch. 6 and part III, ch 1-4; Rabbi
Chaim Vital, Introduction to Eitz Chayim; Sidur of Rabbi Isaac
Luria, ed. Rabbi Shabtai of Rashkov, sect. Kavanat Halimud,
p.130.) In the same context, Jewish law and the Kabbalists state
that teachers of Kabbalah must themselves be Torah-scholars
of unimpugnable character, people of the highest moral standing
and religious observance. (See Shulchan Aruch, Yoreh De'ah,
sect. 246, par. 8; and the Kabbalah-texts cited above.)
Jewish law forbids the teaching of Torah, let
alone Kabbalah, to non-Jews. (See Maimonides, Hilchot Melachim,
chapter 10, par. 9. Zohar, vol. II, p. 111b and vol. III, p.
73a.)
Berg recently published a Jewish prayer-book
according to the rite of Rabbi Isaac Luria. The basic text is
no more than a reprint of earlier such prayer books. Berg, however,
added footnotes which copy various gimatriyot (numerical equivalents)
of words or phrases etc. which appear in numerous texts. In
order to fool naïve people, he tricked a number of prominent
Israeli rabbis to write approbation's for this prayer-book.
The fact that he tricked them is obvious from the texts of these
approbation's: they refer to him as "Rabbi Berg, Rosh Yeshivah
(dean) of Yeshivah Kol Yehudah in the USA" In truth, of
course, this is a fictitious title and a fictitious school!
In America, Berg claims to be the dean of a Yeshivah Kol Yehudah
in Jerusalem, and in Israel he pretends to be the dean of a
Yeshivah Kol Yehudah in the USA Berg and his disciples parade
these approbation's as evidence that he has the support and
respect of these rabbis for himself and the work of the Kabbalah
Centre. In truth, the approbation's merely recommend the publication
of a prayer-book of the rite of Rabbi Isaac Luria. They make
no reference to the "personality" or work of Berg,
his cult, or his activities. Moreover, these rabbis obviously
never saw or examined Berg's prayer-book. They simply gave an
approbation for a seemingly innocuous publishing effort. If
they had seen Berg's work, they would had no choice but to condemn
and ban his prayer-book; for Berg there commits the fatal error
of attributing Divine quality to idolatry: In the first paragraph
of the Aleinu-prayer there is a verse which reads: "for
they [the heathens] bow to vanity and emptiness and pray to
a god which helps not." In a demonstration of crude ignorance,
Berg understood the word el (god) in that phrase to be a reference
to Divinity, and thus attributes to it a gimatriya which applies
exclusively to G-d (see his prayer-book, p. 280, note 9; and
this fatal error is repeated on pp.359 and 405). We have here
a typical example of a Midrashic interpretation on the verse
"The fool proclaims his guilt" (Proverbs 14:9), namely,
that "A fool proclaims his guilt with his own guilt with
his own mouth!" Attention has already been drawn to this
blasphemous stupidity, and chances are that Berg will soon reprint
his book to hide his ignorance.
Berg's "Prophetic Powers"
A good sample of Berg's keen mystical insights,
which cannot be explained by anything but an implied status of
prophecy, is to be found in that same tract, The Wheels of A Soul.
In chapter 12, titled 'The Man Who Returned as His Nephew,' Berg
claims to have determined that a certain individual did not violate
the terrible sin of suicide but must have been murdered. His "proof"
is as follows. Aryeh was born on Cheshvan 9, 5719, corresponding
to the civil date of November 12, 1958. [Berg did not bother to
check a calendar. The 9th of Cheshvan 5719 corresponds to October
23, 1958! In my case, no connection is ever made with his birthday.]
On August 19, 1978, 'Aryeh' was found dead, and his family was
deeply perturbed by the question whether he committed suicide
or was murdered. Thus they called on Berg to resolve this question.
Berg discovered that Aryeh's brother had a baby born on the 29th
of Nissan 5739 (which corresponds to April 26, 1979), and was
named after his uncle. From this, Berg concludes that the baby-Aryeh
must have been conceived in the preceding (Jewish) month of Elul
5738 (thus between Elul 1, 5738, corresponding to September 3,
1978, and Elul 29, 5738, corresponding to October 1, 1978). Referring
to a passage in the writings of Rabbi Isaac Luria about babies
corn or conceived in the month of Elul, and combining this with
the fact that the dead man and his new-born nephew have the same
name, Berg concluded that this "indicates that the two Aryehs
were the same" (i.e. that the baby must have been an incarnation
of his dead uncle). Now, from September 3 to April 26 there are
235 days, which is 33 weeks and 4 days, or 7 months and 23 days.
From October 1 to April 26 are 208 days, which is 29 weeks and
4 days, or 6 months and 26 days. Normative birth occurs in the
ninth month. This clearly raises the obvious question: How would
Berg know that the child "must have been conceived"
between the end of the 7th month and the end of the 8th month
prior to birth??? Secondly, Berg claims that there is a Talmudic
interpretation that says "anyone below the age of 20 cannot
be condemned to death in the event of premeditated murder."
In his notes he cites "Babylonian Talmud, Sanhedrin, p.'
- leaving the page number blank. He had to leave it blank as he
could not find it for the simple reason that no such quote exists
there, or anywhere for that matter. To give Berg some benefit
of doubt, we may assume that he might possibly have been confused
by remembering something about no punishment being meted out before
the age of 20, which appears in the commentary of Rashi on Genesis
23:1, learned by little children in grade 1 or 2 of a Talmud Torah.
The source for this can be found in tractate Shabbat 89b and in
the Jerusalem Talmud, Bikurim 2:1. The problem however, is that
this refers specifically to the punishment of karet (excision
of the soul) from Heaven. Indeed, a simple study of the Torah-text,
undertaken by even little children and without need of any commentaries,
shows that there are several cases in the Torah itself, explicitly
prescribing capital punishment for youths below the age of twenty.
Berg thus again displays arrogant ignorance and distortion, and
on this he bases his case that the baby must have been an incarnation
of his uncle. Thirdly, from his "prophetic assumption"
that the baby is an incarnation of its late uncle, Berg arrives
at the stupendous conclusion that the dead Aryeh must have been
murdered and could not have committed the sin of suicide. For,
says Berg, if he had committed suicide he would not have been
reincarnated! How convenient. First he takes for granted that
there is a case of reincarnation, and thus concludes that therefore
there could not have been a suicide. Even a child can recognize
the absurdity of this circular argument.
Berg the "Inventor"
In his interview with the Canadian Jewish News,
Berg claims, in a curious switch from his precious pronouncements
on the Mitnagdim, that the Vilna Gaon said that "Kabbalah
should be our first pre-requisite, before Talmud, before anything
else." While now recognizing the Gaon's connection with
Kabbalah, he crudely invents a quote and falsifies the Gaon's
statements. It is quite obvious that he is totally ignorant
of the writings of the Vilna Gaon. The Gaon clearly follows
Jewish orthodox tradition and declares: "He who wishes
to deal with the 'great and wondrous things' but will not first
observe the laws and learn them, 'shall not be enriched;' for
'who is rich? He who rejoices in his lot' and does not walk
in 'great and wondrous things' before filling his belly with
the 'bread that sustains the heart of man.' Without this, it
is impossible to attain the secrets [mysteries of the Torah];"
Gaon's Commentary on Mishlei 21:17. Likewise, the Zohar, volume
II (Book of Shemot), end of p. 115a states: "For him who
makes an effort [with Torah] the merit the World to Come it
is called a 'possession'Š in context of 'the Possessor of Heaven
and Earth' (Genesis 14:19), 'Acquire wisdom, acquire understanding'
(Proverbs 4:5). After acquiring [it] for himself, he shall have
freedom. There is one who is acquired forever, and there is
one who is acquired for six years.." In his commentary
on this passage, Yohel Or, p. 10c, the Vilna Gaon explains:
"'He shall have freedom': that is, he shall then busy himself
with the 'Tree of Life', the secrets of the Torah, which is
referred to as the 'World of Freedom'. There is one who is':
that is, throughout his life he will never attain he secrets.'
And there is one': that is, until he will study the Talmud,
and thereafter the secrets of the Torah, for thence he will
attain the 'inner awe' and make an effort which is not for the
sake of receiving a reward. For then he shall be on the level
of 'a child in Atzilut', as known. Thus it is said, 'If there
is no awe there is no Torah, if there is no Torah [there is
no awe: the first [phrase] refers to the external awe and the
plain sense of the Torah, and the second to Kabbalah and the
inner awe."
In that same interview, one of the teachers
of Berg's centre appeals to a famous Kabbalistic work, Or Hachamah
for support of their antinomian behavior. This quote is again
a distortion. The author, Rabbi Abraham Azulay (following a
principle already established by R. Isaac Luria) merely distinguished
between the originally "concealed study" of the Kabbalah
and the presently permitted "open study" of the Kabbalah.
He does not make it a free-for-all. The alleged attribution
that "only through Kabbalah will we forever eliminate war,
destruction and man's inhumanity of his fellow man "does
not exist, not even by allusion.
The allegation, made in the same interview,
that "many scholars credit the Chassidic movement for bringing
Kabbalah out of the darkness and to the masses" is sheer
nonsense. This goes right counter to the very teachings of Chassidism:
both the Baal Shem Tov (founder of the Chassidic movement) and
the Maggid of Mezrich (successor of the Baal Shem Tov) cautioned
most severely against teaching Kabbalah to an attributed the
antinomian and immoral perversions of the Frankist to their
improper study of the Kabbalah, undertaken cavalierly without
adequate preparation and perspective. [See Sefer Baal Shem Tov,
vol. I : p. 27f, and vol. II : p. 198; Or Ha'emet, p.86.]
Lies and More Lies
In context of the shameless incident of duping
a dying woman into purchasing books and tapes, and to change
her name, the Canadian Jewish News quotes the Kabbalah Centre's
teacher's defense: "Marylin was persuaded to change her
Hebrew name because it is the center's belief that one should
not be named for a deceased relative but rather a figure in
the Torah." This is hardly a credible excuse when his mentor,
Berg himself, writes in The Wheels of a Soul, p. 110: Parents
should always name their children after relatives or loved ones,
who were giving people, with whom they felt a soul affinity."
Berg and the Kabbalah Center claim association
with the Kabbalistic Yeshivah "Kol Yehudah" in Jerusalem,
founded by Rabbi Ashlag in 1922, and later by Rabbi Brandwein.
In fact, their billboards identify the centre as "founded
in Jerusalem in 1922," and their leader as "Dean,"
as if the centre is identical with that Yeshivah. The truth
is that Yeshivah Kol Yehudah (and there is only one in Jerusalem)
denies any association, of whatever kind, with him. Both the
families and successors of Rabbi Ashlag renounce Berg and the
Kabbalah Centre and their activities, severely criticize them
for their antiomian behavior, and call him a charlatan far removed
from anything to do with genuine Kabbalah.
In an interview with an American magazine, JEWISH
LOOK, April 1975, Berg relates that he met his alleged mentor,
Rabbi Brandwein, in the summer of 1962. Then he proceeds to
make ignorant as well as false and presumptuous claims:
He states that Rabbi Brandwein made an original
contribution by being the first to publish the writings of Rabbi
Isaac Luria in a "logical and coherent order." This,
of course is nonsense. Rabbi Brandwein merely published most
of the major texts of Rabbi Luria as a set, when previously
they had been published at various times as individual volumes.
For anyone familiar with the contents of the works, a "logical
and coherent order" would be quite different than the order
(and numbering) of Rabbi Brandwein's edition; a sequence of
vol. 4-5, 1-3, 7-8, 12-15, 9-10, 14, 11, 13, 6, makes much more
sense. This is not said to belittle, in any way or manner, a
truly valuable contribution by Rabbi Brandwein:
a) he made these works available, when most of them were
out of print and difficult to obtain;
b) he published them in comfortably readable print, and
affordable volumes; and
c) he added references to sources in Biblical and Rabbinic
writing and numerous cross-references to the writings of
Rabbi Luria.
Berg claims that "Rabbi Brandwein and
Berg embarked upon an unprecedented publishing venture - [referring
to the above mentioned publication of the writings of the Ari]
- Š they published all of the Ari's dazzling writings in 14
volumes."
The truth is:
The first 10 of the 14 volumes published by
Rabbi Brandwein appeared in the years 1960-1961, thus before
Berg ever heard of Rabbi Brandwein and who - by his own admission
- he first met in 1962!
Rabbi Brandwein did not complete the publication.
He managed to complete only a small part of the first section
of Volume 14 (Peri Eitz Chayim, one of the most important texts)
before he passed away. His son completed the edition of that
volume (in the same style) many years later. Likewise, the Sefer
Halikutim (which became volume 15) was edited and published
much later by Rabbi Brandwein's son-in-law. There are many other
texts of the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria which have not (yet)
appeared in that series. Berg also states that "they (i.e.
Rabbi Brandwein and Berg) published a 10-volume edition of Ha-Sulam."
Berg insinuates that he was instrumental in the publication
of this work when it had actually been published already, completely,
by the author (Rabbi Ashlag; died 1954) himself, in 21 volumes.
There was thus no more than a technical publishing-effort of
a photogenic reprint condensed to 10 volumes.
High finances of the Kabbalah Centre
In the 1988 "Return of Organization Exempt
from Income Tax" submitted to the USA Department of the Treasury,
Internal Revenue Service, covering the fiscal year July 1, 1988
to June 30, 1989, signed by Berg himself on January 14, 1990,
Berg's so-called "Research Centre of Kabbalah" of New
York, NY, declares: Gross Sales (minus returns and allowances)
of inventory (i.e., "Cost of good sold") valued at $241,
744, for the amount of $2, 824, 449, thus a "Gross profit
of $2,582,705 (two million and five hundred and eighty two thousand
and seven hundred and five dollars"!!!!! This means a gross
profit of 1168% (One thousand and one hundred and sixty eight
percent). This is in addition to "collecting contributions"
of another $648,048. Line 75 of that "Return" indicates
that by the end of the fiscal year, Berg's outfit in New York
had a net worth of $9,675,448, for a net gain of $6,164,550 from
the beginning of the fiscal year! Against this income and profit,
their functional expenses for that year are $79,311 for "program
services" and $158,853 for "management and general"
(including $96,758 for "depreciation, depletion etc."),
for "Total functional expenses of $238,164." The same
return (Part II, Statement of Functional Expenses) notes that
"Research Centre of Kabbalah" acquired right to publishing
over 15 books and 15 audio-video tapes, cassettes over the next
10 years worth of $2,585,000." Since their primary publications
are Berg's materials, one would assume that this amount paid (largely,
if not exclusively) to Berg himself who officially received compensation
(salary) of only $12,000 for that year. In comparison, the smaller
"Kabbalah Centre" in Toronto, Ont., Canada, reports
in their Charity Return for the year ending December 31, 1989,
filed on June 28, 1990, receipt of contributions in the amount
of $445,780, and assets of $330,852. The Toronto-branch also claims
that in 1989 it spent $25,422 for "management and administration
costs," and a whopping $399,247 for alleged "charitable
programs." (The return-form does not provide for information
on value and income of books, tapes etc. sold.)
Is there need for saying anything more? All the
above clearly shows who Berg and the Kabbalah Centre are and what
they are doing. Let the people see, know and judge for themselves.
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