Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis

Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis (he/him) serves Congregation Kol Ami in Flower Mound, TX. He also teaches Kabbalah at the University of North Texas. He is the author of The Encyclopedia of Jewish Myth, Magic, and Mysticism. He has also published numerous articles and essays. The most recent, “Your Kisses are Sweeter than Wine: Jewish Erotic Theology,” appears in The Sacred Encounter (CCAR Press, 2014).

Torrah and Kippah

Tear Down Their Altars

Rabbi Professor Marc Saperstein
Parashat R’eih begins with a set of instructions for the Israelites to tear down the altars of other gods once they enter the Promised Land. By today’s standards, these instructions may appear to be harsh.
Blackboard with a the Sefirot of the Kabbalah drawn in the middle.

What is Kabbalah?

Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis
Kabbalah (also spelled Kabalah, Cabala, Qabala)—sometimes translated as “mysticism” or “occult knowledge—is a part of Jewish tradition that deals with the essence of God. Whether it entails a sacred text, an experience, or the way things work, Kabbalists believe that God moves in mysterious ways. However, Kabbalists also believe that true knowledge and understanding of that inner, mysterious process is obtainable, and through that knowledge, the greatest intimacy with God can be attained.

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