Can a Gentile Study Kabbalah?
A question I received: I’m Jewish. Can I study Kabbalah together with gentiles – people who aren’t Jewish by birth? The Book of Zohar says that every person who teaches even one letter of the Torah to a gentile is responsible for the destruction of the world, and that a gentile who wants to learn must first convert to Judaism. What should I do?
My Answer: “Jew” comes from the word “Ever,” to cross, so a Jew is a person who has crossed the Machsom. Israel is a person who has the intention of “Yashar-El,” “straight to the Creator.” “Yuhudi” comes from the word “Ihud,” meaning “union” (with the Creator). All these notions are properties of love, bestowal, or altruism.
“Goy” (gentile) means “a nation” in Hebrew. This word isn’t offensive; it only underlines the uncorrected, egoistic degree. In the Torah or Kabbalah, “Goy” (gentile) refers to egoism, and Jew, Israel, or Hebrew refer to love and bestowal.
We all start out as gentiles – uncorrected. When we choose the spiritual goal and begin the correction (even while we still haven’t attained it), we become Israel (Isra-El, straight to the Creator). Next, when we cross the Machsom, we become Jewish. And when we attain the goal – union with the Creator, we become Hebrew.
We all came out of Babylon, we are all egoists, and we must all correct ourselves and become like the Creator. When a gentile (an egoist) studies Torah (Kabbalah) for his own sake, he is only harming himself. One should study Torah (Kabbalah) only in order to attain spirituality, the property of bestowal. Hence, you should study with the people who have this goal!
In addition, you should ask: can you and should you study the Torah (Kabbalah) with yourself? Maybe you are a gentile (in your intentions and aspirations)? First you should check whether you want to become like the Creator and attain “love for your neighbor.” If yes, then you can study Kabbalah, because this is the only correction Kabbalah makes to a person. However, if you have a different goal – for your own sake, then you are a gentile, and Torah (Kabbalah) isn’t for you. It is written: “A gentile who studies the Torah must die,” because he attracts Light and thereby becomes even more opposite to It. This is how a person kills the gentile within him. It’s written that the entire Torah is the rule, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Conclusion: Everyone should study Kabbalah regardless of their intention! If they have the intention of a gentile, then they will kill the gentile within them and go from “for one’s own sake” to “for the sake of the Creator.”
Related Material:
Laitman.com Post: Kabbalah Is for the Whole World
What Is Kabbalah?
Kabbalah Today Article: “Permission to Reveal”
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Dear Rabbi Laitman,
What is your opinion of a person who would like to convert to Judaism? It sounds as if you are suggesting it is not a valid option. Also the Orthodox are so against intermarriage, yet it seems that you don’t see this as a problem?
I am a little confused by some of your comments with regards to religion…I assume that you embrace the Orthodox version of keeping the Mitzvot, but it seems as though you are critical of keeping rituals. Could you please explain how you define religion. Will the whole world eventually evolve to become “Hebrew”?
Do you think that Judaism will still be around, after we have reached our unity with Hashem…you said in one article that the only holiday we will still celebrate is Purim…I assume this means we will continue to keep the Mitzvot? Or is the tikkun complete and the need for keeping the Mitzvot no longer necessary?
I enjoy reading your articles very much…thank you for your willingness to share with us.
Denise
Dear Sir,
In only a very few minutes reading your material I received perfect confirmation of an intuition that has been knocking louder with in me every day: That it is time for the realization that everyone is a Jew. That there is no one who is not a Jew. I tried this idea out last summer in the following manner I asked a friend,
“Why do Jews feel they have a patent on holocaust? Does it not persist every day in this world? Is it not on going?”
This didn’t go over at all and I dropped it. Then a few weeks and a few months go by and the feeling evolves further to exactly what is in bold type above and I worked up the courage to say it aloud to another dear friend and was amazed that he was not offended and liked what I was saying!
“That if G.d is everything then we are all everyone of us Jews. It has become unreasonable now in this moment not to feel it.”
How would you express this feeling in the most kind way? Its a feeling I wish to express in the most loving way possible. Understanding that sometimes the most loving thing we can say is only silence; I ask your help. How best might I express this feeling? Thank you! I hold you in my heart.