Post by ccinri on Sept 8, 2007 18:44:42 GMT -5
Britney Spears and Madonna were wearing red strings on their left wrists too.
"Found a religion...can't wait to put on my red string"
August 18, 2005
By Rick Ross
Centuries old the Kabbalah is often called "Jewish mysticism." Its teachings have often been distorted by mystics and occultists over the centuries. Christian intellectuals during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods once reinterpreted Kabbalah to fit into their own dogma. Today it has been marketed to celebrities and sold to the rich by the so-called "Kabbalah Centre" run by Philip Berg, his wife Karen and their two sons Michael and Yehuda.
But much of what the Berg's Kabbalah Centre teaches was never a part of historical Jewish teachings. Nevertheless celebrities embrace this supposed pop version of Kabbalah reportedly as "a lifeline, an energy booster, an ego-dimmer, a self-improvement tool and a key to unlocking the secrets of the universe."
Middle aged pop diva Madonna, now known to her Kabbalah pals as "Esther," practices it and even scheduled her latest "Reinvention Tour" to allow for Friday nights off, supposedly to honor the Jewish Sabbath. Hebrew words for the names of God were part of her concert backdrop. And a tour T-shirt for sale as a souvenir proclaimed "Kabbalists do it better."
In one of Madonna's latest rock videos she wrapped teffilin, the leather straps used in Jewish prayer, around her arms. Madonna wears the "red string" around her wrist, which signals that she is one of the Berg's faithful followers. The same string is also sold to the general public (at one time through Target stores) as an amulet to purportedly ward off the "evil eye."
Jewish scholars have repeatedly made it clear that trinkets like the red string have no real connection to Kabbalah.
But many celebrities seem to have been smitten by the Kabbalah bug.
Britney Spears wore the red string and had Hebrew letters tattooed on her back. Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Paris Hilton, David Beckham and his wife (former Spice Girl) Victoria wear the bracelet. Mick Jagger and his ex-wife Jerry Hall once did fundraisers for the Bergs. Devoted diehards Roseanne Barr and Sandra Bernhard are long-time members.
However, authentic Kabbalah requires preparation through years of in-depth Torah and Talmud study explained Rabbi Justin Jaron Lewis, director of the Jewish studies program at Queen's University in Canada.
Madonna and other celebrity pretenders have not done this and thus have no meaningful understanding of the complex esoteric text.
Rabbi Reuven Bulka put it this way, "Have you ever built the 17th floor of a building without having a foundation? It's about as ridiculous as it gets. Like a guy studying nuclear physics who can't add one and one."
Authentic Kabbalah study actually begins at 40, requires fluent Hebrew and years of studying the sacred texts that it is said historically date back to Spain in the 13th century.
But the Berg's followers most often can't even read Hebrew. They instead are taught to scan the text, which is described as some new spiritual "formula" that "has finally been revealed to the world."
How does so-called "scanning" work to enlighten its practitioners without them able to read the actual words on the page?
Berg explains, "You pick up the phone and call Tokyo...You're not sure how the phone works, but you use it anyway. We do things all the time without understanding how they work."
Is this some sort of dubious new instant religious enlightenment?
One netizen reportedly gushed on a related Kabbalah Internet blog, "I for one (am) thrilled to have finally found a religion that believes the same things I do...I can't wait to put on my new red string!"
Note: This report was based upon "A red string has stars buzzing," an article written by Leslie Scrivener previously published by the Toronto Star July 19, 2004
"Found a religion...can't wait to put on my red string"
August 18, 2005
By Rick Ross
Centuries old the Kabbalah is often called "Jewish mysticism." Its teachings have often been distorted by mystics and occultists over the centuries. Christian intellectuals during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods once reinterpreted Kabbalah to fit into their own dogma. Today it has been marketed to celebrities and sold to the rich by the so-called "Kabbalah Centre" run by Philip Berg, his wife Karen and their two sons Michael and Yehuda.
But much of what the Berg's Kabbalah Centre teaches was never a part of historical Jewish teachings. Nevertheless celebrities embrace this supposed pop version of Kabbalah reportedly as "a lifeline, an energy booster, an ego-dimmer, a self-improvement tool and a key to unlocking the secrets of the universe."
Middle aged pop diva Madonna, now known to her Kabbalah pals as "Esther," practices it and even scheduled her latest "Reinvention Tour" to allow for Friday nights off, supposedly to honor the Jewish Sabbath. Hebrew words for the names of God were part of her concert backdrop. And a tour T-shirt for sale as a souvenir proclaimed "Kabbalists do it better."
In one of Madonna's latest rock videos she wrapped teffilin, the leather straps used in Jewish prayer, around her arms. Madonna wears the "red string" around her wrist, which signals that she is one of the Berg's faithful followers. The same string is also sold to the general public (at one time through Target stores) as an amulet to purportedly ward off the "evil eye."
Jewish scholars have repeatedly made it clear that trinkets like the red string have no real connection to Kabbalah.
But many celebrities seem to have been smitten by the Kabbalah bug.
Britney Spears wore the red string and had Hebrew letters tattooed on her back. Demi Moore, Ashton Kutcher, Paris Hilton, David Beckham and his wife (former Spice Girl) Victoria wear the bracelet. Mick Jagger and his ex-wife Jerry Hall once did fundraisers for the Bergs. Devoted diehards Roseanne Barr and Sandra Bernhard are long-time members.
However, authentic Kabbalah requires preparation through years of in-depth Torah and Talmud study explained Rabbi Justin Jaron Lewis, director of the Jewish studies program at Queen's University in Canada.
Madonna and other celebrity pretenders have not done this and thus have no meaningful understanding of the complex esoteric text.
Rabbi Reuven Bulka put it this way, "Have you ever built the 17th floor of a building without having a foundation? It's about as ridiculous as it gets. Like a guy studying nuclear physics who can't add one and one."
Authentic Kabbalah study actually begins at 40, requires fluent Hebrew and years of studying the sacred texts that it is said historically date back to Spain in the 13th century.
But the Berg's followers most often can't even read Hebrew. They instead are taught to scan the text, which is described as some new spiritual "formula" that "has finally been revealed to the world."
How does so-called "scanning" work to enlighten its practitioners without them able to read the actual words on the page?
Berg explains, "You pick up the phone and call Tokyo...You're not sure how the phone works, but you use it anyway. We do things all the time without understanding how they work."
Is this some sort of dubious new instant religious enlightenment?
One netizen reportedly gushed on a related Kabbalah Internet blog, "I for one (am) thrilled to have finally found a religion that believes the same things I do...I can't wait to put on my new red string!"
Note: This report was based upon "A red string has stars buzzing," an article written by Leslie Scrivener previously published by the Toronto Star July 19, 2004