Kabbalah Simply Stated: A Conversation with the Rabbi

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Summary: The Name Says It All
Review: I had the pleasure of hearing Bob Waxman speak at a local UU church about Kabbalah, and it was possibly the first time that I really understood what was being discussed. Other books seem to be several inches over my head in understanding. I picked up his book after his lecture and have not been disappointed yet. The book is in the same straight-forward speak that he uses in his lectures. It breaks down complex thoughts and ideas and presents them to you in a way that's easy to digest, and leaves you wanting more. This is a great first step on the path to understanding Kabbalah. I'm just disappointed that he didn't include his Wizard of Oz analogy in the book (that I've seen yet -- still have a little longer to finish) -- where he compares the characters Dorothy meets on her way to the Emerald City as representations of the 4 Kingdoms on Earth (mineral, plant, animal, human = Tin Man, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Dorothy).

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Summary: found; an easy way to understand basic Kabbalah
Review: I have read a number of books on this subject, but was not satisfied because they seemed entirely too complicated. When I
saw this title I said,"I have to buy this book," and I did. It
lives up to its name. I particularly enjoyed it because it is
written as a dialogue, which makes for easy reading. The language
used doesnot confuse the reader, even when topics of deep under-
standing are covered such as hidden symbolism or the basic concepts of the sephirot. I loved the fact that you can feel the
presence of both the author and the rabbi.I found the illustrations stimulating as well as attractive. The Glossary is
very important to me as I continue my reading, and I hope that
Mr.Waxman will produce other books so that I can learn from him
without being bewildered.

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Summary: Just finished reading this book tonight.
Review: While everything is still fresh in my mind, I wanted to share my thoughts with others who may be interested in this book. First, the reason I bought the book was because of a review I read here on Amazon. Everything that person said in his review was true and accurate. I have read many other books on Kabbalah, but this one is different. It's written in dialogue, so I automatically became wrapped up in the relationship between the Rabbi and Neer. They are two very likeable people and their fondness for each other adds a unique emotional dimension to the book. I could really feel the affection and respect they had for one another. A few of the chapters I had to read twice, but overall, the book is very readable. The Rabbi uses common-sense analogies to get his points across and it's hard to argue with his comparisons between the physical and spiritual worlds. Again, it's the engrossing dialogue that makes this book work so well.