What is Kabbalah, and why have everyone from celebrities to secularists been wearing red strings and proclaiming it as the latest and greatest answer to life's conundrums?
Kabbalah, a form of Jewish mysticism, is considered the world's oldest body of spiritual wisdom. According to tradition, Kabbalistic knowledge was transmitted orally by the Jewish patriarchs, prophets and sages. Their teachings sought to address the complexities of the material and the nonmaterial universe, as well as the nature of all humanity.
Australian attorney and educator Rabbi Laibl Wolf will appear at the Sun Valley Inn on Sunday, Aug. 26, from 6:30 to 8:30. His presentation, entitled "Extreme Makeover: Mystical Edition," will address the theme, Body & Soul: Are Yours a Good Fit? The event is free. Donations to the center are welcome.
Laibl Wolf is a motivational speaker who lectures all over the world. He has addressed groups as divergent as the American Psychological Association, the Fortune 500 convention and gatherings of Buddhist monks. As well, he is the author of the best-selling book, "Practical Kabbalah." The book and various CDs, videos and spiritual information materials will be available at the seminar.
"This is, I think, less disco, more soul," said Rabbi Mendel Lifshitz, of Chabad Jewish Center in Boise, which is sponsoring Wolf's visit. "He will look at the soul of Kabbalah versus the external fantasies. I'm not saying there is nobody focusing on the soul of Kabbalah but this is a deeper look inside."
Wolf will guide attendees through 10 steps to health and balance, focusing on inner balance and outer calm. He will introduce methods for achieving happiness and fulfillment while providing meditation tools for healing thoughts and feelings. The presentation will also address food and the environment, guilt and anxiety.
"This is another educational opportunity that we are delighted to offer the community," said Rabbi Mendel Lifshitz, director at the center. "The timeless secrets of Kabbalah are ever-more relevant in today's society, as we grapple with the spiritual and material energies surrounding us."
Wolf brings age-old wisdom to the new age, drawing his teachings from the ancient and previously encrypted texts of the Kabbalah, Lifshitz said. A Hassidic rabbi, Wolf's pragmatic teachings are open to people of all backgrounds.
The son of Polish Holocaust survivors, Wolf is also the founder and director of the Human Development Institute. He received his rabbinic ordination from the chief rabbi of Israel, and has studied under the great Hassidic masters, his foremost mentor being Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, who was known globally for the passionate wisdom he bestowed on humankind.
Melbourne University appointed Wolf as its founding lecturer in Jewish mysticism and spirituality.
To RSVP or for more information call the Chabad Jewish Center at (208) 853-9200 or visit kaballah@jewishidaho.com.
Rabbi Laibl Wolf
