Qabalah
/kəˈbɑː.lə/noun
A mystical and esoteric system of Jewish thought focusing on the nature of God and the universe.
Did you know?The Qabalah, often linked to the Tree of Life, symbolizes the path to divine understanding and spiritual enlightenment in a mystical framework.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Semitic
PSem
*qbl
“to receive or accept, indicating a transmission of secret knowledge.”
Ancient Hebrew
Hebrew
קַבָּלָה
“tradition or receiving, referring to a body of mystical teachings.”
Medieval Latin
Latin
cabalista
“a practitioner of cabalistic traditions, emphasizing secrecy and mystical interpretation.”
16th Century
Hebrew
קַבָּלָה
“the established term for the mystical system of interpretation of the Torah.”
Modern English
English
Qabalah
“the adopted term in English referring specifically to the esoteric Jewish mysticism.”