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.