kabbalah
Americannoun
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a system of esoteric theosophy and theurgy developed by rabbis, reaching its peak about the 12th and 13th centuries, and influencing certain medieval and Renaissance Christian thinkers. It was based on a mystical method of interpreting Scripture by which initiates claimed to penetrate sacred mysteries. Among its central doctrines are: all creation is an emanation from the Deity and the soul exists from eternity.
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any occult or secret doctrine or science.
noun
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an ancient Jewish mystical tradition based on an esoteric interpretation of the Old Testament
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any secret or occult doctrine or science
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of kabbalah
First recorded in 1515–25; from Medieval Latin cabbala, from Hebrew qabbālāh “tradition,” literally, “something received,” i.e., “handed down”; see also cabal ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The practice is so mainstream that millions of Argentines likely practice some sort of cábala, a word that derives from kabbalah, a Jewish mystical tradition.
From New York Times ● Dec. 17, 2022
He liked dozens of Facebook pages connected to far-right groups, conspiracy theories, mysticism, free masonry, alchemy and kabbalah, among other things.
From New York Times ● Sep. 2, 2022
“She loved the kabbalah learning, which is all about improving yourself.”
From New York Times ● Aug. 13, 2013
It followed a first meeting that came via their shared devotion to kabbalah, a mystical strain of Judaism that Ms. Petrocelli became enthralled with a few years ago.
From New York Times ● Aug. 13, 2013
The kabbalah was much more than number crunching; it was a tradition so mystical that some scholars say that it bears a striking resemblance to Hinduism.
From "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seife
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