Inner Space

"Describes detailed training of prophecy that a prophet undergoes"

Reviewers love Kaplan: Sounds like this miggt be the best introduction to Kabbalah out there... ie start with this "i wish i started with this" "...instead of Dion Fortune crap" "really good making complex simple to understand">"like the interrelation between spirit and human world parallels, relation with tree of life, the 4 words, and _..." "such great author Rabbi Kaplqn" "helped me understand the really complex esoteric" "great analogies" "inspired me to be a better jew" And because kabbalah tarot and __ is (claimed in one of these books) the foundation to western esotericism it sounds like this might be a solid very? important foundation.

Reviews

Nov 05, 2020Bogi Takács added it

I decided to read this because I read an article complaining that it had too many computer metaphors. I also really like Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan's books in general, and his translations as well, but that article pushed this book up in the priority queue :) I put Innerspace on my wishlist and I got it as a present from Laura לאה and I am really grateful for that!! Thank you!

Innerspace is really two books in one. (Note: my edition has no space in the title.) The first part is an overview of traditional Jewish Kabbalah, and the second part is a commentary on the first chapter of the book of Yechezkel. Both of these sections were edited from his lectures, but also, he'd written outlines and notes for them, which gave an idea of how he imagined the lectures as a book. The book itself was only published after his very early and untimely passing.

I thought both sections had very clear explanations and I personally really appreciated the modern analogies too. There wasn't an overbearing amount of them. I've also seen this book described as some kind of New Age tome, which really misses the point, this is a mainstream Orthodox Jewish book with no particularly outlandish ideas about Kabbalah. Nothing in it was really "out there" for me and it was mostly a restatement of things I'd already learned in Orthodox contexts, but it was all VERY clearly stated, and this book clarified some confusing spots for me that I hadn't even realized I'd been confused about.

I wish I'd had this book as a teen, because it ties a lot of disparate topics together really well, and it would have been great to have around. It is maybe a bit too dense for an introductory book - I could not read it in one sitting, my brain would have melted -, but it could be great as a second book on the topic + a reference book to have around, it has a thorough bibliography too. (For an introductory book, hmm, maybe The Thirteen-Petalled Rose by Rabbi Steinsaltz?)

Source of the book: Gift from my wishlist bought by Laura לאה (less)

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Jun 04, 2009Cesar rated it it was amazing

Aryeh Kaplan's introduction to Jewish Kabbalah and Prophecy is the most beautiful and spiritual presentation of the subject I have ever read. He also has an amazing ability to present very complex topics in a comprehensible way. Furthermore, the work is very scholarly, with all statements cited and referenced, with occasional further explanation in the Notes. (less)

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Sep 06, 2017Paul rated it it was amazing

Rabbi Kaplan's little book is the one that provided me with proper introduction to this subject, after a fair amount of stumbling and frustration. Many a other introductory work is either too limited, or too focused on Kabbalah's profane history and so on. This book, however, is very near to perfect. Eminently understandable and elegant, not to mention author's remarkable mastery for allegorical explanations. Going back to it years later, one cannot help but be impressed with it as a pure achievement. (less)

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Jul 09, 2017Christian rated it it was amazing

Shelves: magic-occultism, religion-theology-spirituality, judaica, to-buy-2019

Better get off your Crowley, DuQuette, Rankine or what have you for later and start out with Kaplan's "Inner Space" if you want to have a relly good, thoughtfull and in depth introduction to Kabbalah. This one gives you more than many many other books of this kind a glimbse behind the veil and shows you the really intricate complexities of the tree of live, the four worlds, the soul and their interconnectedness to the Torah as well as some practical aspects. Mandatory reading, especially for those dabbling occultists... (less)

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Jun 04, 2021Aaron rated it it was amazing

A great primer on the subject. Wish I had read this sooner rather than Dion Fortune type crap as my intro. Accessible but still in-depth. Kaplan is a great teacher.

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Apr 04, 2015Pintele Naftali rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites

The best intro to Kabbalah out there. Laid out in a orderly and thorough format. It's a must read for any Kabbalah student. (less)

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Apr 12, 2012Jimmacc rated it it was amazing

Rabbi Aryeh Kaplan is one of the two authors who inspire me to be a better Jew, every time I read their material. This book is an enjoyable introduction to kabbalah. Rabbi Kaplan makes esoteric ideas understandable. Very worthwhile read.