Wednesday, November 07, 2007


RABBI YEHUDAH ASHLAG, BAAL HaSULAM - THE ANARCHIST KABBALIST

Bet you didn't think there were any Anarchists who look like that!

Read on, Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ha-Levi Ashlag (1885- 1954), one of the most famous Kabbalists in the Jewish world, was utterly amazing in every way:

"Through intensive study of Kabbalah, a person's desire to give to others is developed in relation to this goal. Ashlag believed that the coming of the
Messiah meant that humans would attain this quality which would allow them to give up their selfishness and devote themselves to loving each other for the sake of life's purpose, as stated in the commandment "love thy neighbor as thyself."

Ashlag had strong political opinions, believing in a religious version of libertarian communism, based on principles of Kabbalah, which he called altruist communism. Though his anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist ideas show some Marxist influence, he strongly opposed communism instituted by force. He supported the Kibbutz movement and preached to establish a network of self-ruled internationalist communes, who would eventually annul the brute-force regime completely, for “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.”, because there is nothing more humiliating and degrading for a person than being under the brute-force government. However, most of the contemporary followers of Ashlagian Kabbalah seem to ignore the radical teachings of their rebbe. "
Not only are these teachings ignored, they have been silenced. As famous as he is, almost no one knows this aspect of his thinking.

Doreen Ellen Bell-Dotan, Tzfat, Israel
DoreenDotan@gmail.com