Rav Berg – Kabbalah World Founder

Published in 2002 by Random House, Inc., The Essential Zohar, written by Rav Philip Berg, brings the ancient wisdom of the Zohar to bear on contemporary issues and dilemmas.

The Zohar is the central text of the Kabbalah whose message has been transported through the ages in an unbroken chain from teacher to student has traditionally been accessible to only the chose few whose great wisdom and personality characteristics deemed then suitable for receiving such deep knowledge.

In modern times, however, Rav Berg has taken this great knowledge and brought it to a mass audience, regardless of their religious affiliation, background or training, so that the world can benefit from the great message which lies within the Kabbalah.

This new book is one more step in bringing the Kabbalah through an understanding of the Zohar, to the people who wish to benefit from its wisdom. The goal is self-transformation and tikkun olam, mending what is broken in the modern world.

Rav Berg models himself upon those who preceded him as teachers of the Kabbalah – Rav Ashlag and Rav Brandwein. Rav Yehudah Ashlag was a leading Kabbalist who was active at the start of the 20th century, and is best known for his monumental work, HaSulam, The Ladder, on the Zohar. (This is a Hebrew commentary and explanation of the Aramaic text of the Zohar.)

Ashlag was followed by his prime students who included his sons and Rav Yehuda Tzvi Brandwein. Rav Brandwein was active in Israel, teaching Kabbalah to many different groups of students. One of these groups included Phillip Berg, soon to be Rav Phillip Berg who was to found the Kabbalah Center in the US. (Berg studied in Israel with Brandwein.)

Rav Berg teaches the Kabbalah himself, and heads the Kabbalah Centres around the world where you can learn Kabbalah the way Rav Berg teaches it, and in English.

Rav Yehuda Ashlag, the author of the prime commentary, HaSulam (“The Ladder”), on the Zohar, which is the central text of the Kabbalah, taught the Kabbalah in Israel at the opening of the 20th century. Rav Ashlag’s prime student, Rav Yehuda Tzvi Brandwein took over leadership of the center where Ashlag taught after Ashlag passed away.

Rav Berg, founder of the Kabbalah Center, studied Kabbalah in Israel, and he was one of the students who would attend the classes of Rav Brandwein. Indeed, Rav Berg felt that he was given the mandate by Brandwein to take over the position of teacher of the Kabbalah, and to open the secrets of the Kabbalah to the world. Founding the Kabbalah Center has made Rav Berg a leading figure at the forefront of adult spiritual education.

The Kabbalah Center has flourished under the leadership of Rav Berg, his wife, Karen, and his sons, Yehuda and Michael Berg.

Rav Berg explains that before creation of the universe the world was in a perfect state. At the beginning of the universe as we know it, there was a “Big Bang” which caused the light-filled vessel which was the universe, to shatter, which caused the separation of the vessel, which was previously united with the light that filled it, from the light. The light became the force of creation, and the shattered vessel the force of desire. The broken pieces of the holy vessel, together with the force of the sacred light, are what our physical universe is today.

For over 4,000 years the Kabbalah has been the cornerstone of the secret wisdom of self-transformation and tikkun olam. It is our task in this world to collect the shattered shards of that sacred vessel so that we can once again unify and perfect the world.

Rav Berg is the founder of the Kabbalah Centre. For more information please go to the Brief Bio Page.