The Holy Kabbalah is a comprehensive scholarly study of Jewish mysticism, first published in 1929, in which A. E. Waite examines the esoteric traditions known as the “Secret Tradition in Israel.” Rather than serving as a sacred text itself, the work functions as a historical, theological, and mystical analysis of Kabbalistic thought and literature.
Waite’s study centers on foundational Kabbalistic sources such as the Zohar, the Sepher Yetzirah, and the doctrine of the Ten Sephiroth, commonly represented by the Tree of Life. Through these frameworks, the book explores how Kabbalah understands the nature of God, creation, and the relationship between the infinite and the finite.
In Kabbalistic theology, God is conceived as Ein Sof—the infinite, unknowable essence beyond human comprehension—who reveals Himself through the Sephiroth, divine emanations that structure both the cosmos and the human soul. Waite presents these ideas with an emphasis on their symbolic, metaphysical, and ethical dimensions rather than magical practice.
Widely regarded as a classic in Western esoteric scholarship, The Holy Kabbalah offers a balanced approach that combines academic rigor with mystical insight. It traces the historical development of Kabbalah, surveys its major texts, and assesses its enduring influence within Judaism and Western mystical thought.
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