kabbalistic
Of Hebrew mysticism
Kabbalistic relates to Kabbalah, the tradition of Jewish mysticism concerned with hidden meanings in scripture, the nature of God, and esoteric knowledge.
The word often describes symbolic or numerological interpretation: kabbalistic readings of the Torah.
In looser usage, kabbalistic suggests anything arcane, mysterious, or deliberately obscure: The tax code's kabbalistic complexity defies ordinary comprehension.
Concealed from view
- hermeticImpenetrably closed off
- arcaneUnderstood by few
- secret doctrineHidden spiritual teaching
- initiatoryOf a beginning
oral transmission · concealed · adept · Aleister Crowley · Golden Dawn · Theosophy · ceremonial magic
Judaism's core scripture
- TalmudRabbinic law compilation
- HasidismDevout mystical branch of Judaism
- MidrashRabbinic biblical commentary tradition
- Sefer YetzirahHebrew mystical cosmogony treatise
Ari · Isaac Luria · Hebrew · Aramaic
Sacred botanical symbol
- emanationSomething that flows out
- divine sparkSacred essence within beings
- transcendenceSurpassing usual limits
- gnosisExperiential sacred understanding
meditation · contemplation · revelation · illumination · ascent · spiritual realm · celestial · prophecy
Original model for copies
- numerologyMystical significance of digits
- glyphVisual form of character
- sigilMagical or heraldic symbol
- sacred geometrySymbolic patterns with spiritual significance
correspondences · Hebrew letters · permutation · hidden meaning · allegory · paths · pillars · veil
occult
Concealed from view
- hermeticImpenetrably closed off
- arcaneUnderstood by few
- secret doctrineHidden spiritual teaching
initiatory · oral transmission · concealed · adept · Aleister Crowley · Golden Dawn · Theosophy · ceremonial magic
Torah
Judaism's core scripture
- TalmudRabbinic law compilation
- HasidismDevout mystical branch of Judaism
- MidrashRabbinic biblical commentary tradition
Sefer Yetzirah · Ari · Isaac Luria · Hebrew · Aramaic
Tree of Life
Sacred botanical symbol
- emanationSomething that flows out
- divine sparkSacred essence within beings
- transcendenceSurpassing usual limits
gnosis · meditation · contemplation · revelation · illumination · ascent · spiritual realm · celestial · prophecy · visionary
archetype
Original model for copies
- numerologyMystical significance of digits
- glyphVisual form of character
- sigilMagical or heraldic symbol
sacred geometry · correspondences · Hebrew letters · permutation · hidden meaning · allegory · paths · pillars · veil · cipher
kabbalisticexoteric
Suitable for outsiders
public · open · accessible · transparent · plain
kabbalisticliteral
Meaning exactly what's said
plain · straightforward · face-value · surface-level · prosaic
kabbalisticrationalist
One guided by reason
legalistic · orthodox · rabbinical · empirical · scholastic