The Chicken Qabalah of Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford: Dilettante's Guide to What You Do and Do Not Need to Know to Become a Qabalist

I find Baba Lon's 'trickster' attitude a bit annoying, like it's more of a defense mechanism than a actual sense of humor. I also find his whole "Rabbi Lamed" persona and "Chicken Qabalah" vaguely culturally insensitive and again, defensive. That said the man is a scholar and impressive practitioner who tries his very best to lay some heavy concepts down. I always get something important out of his books.

There's something disquieting about non-Jews appropriating the symbols and techniques of the Kabbalah for use in their own pagan rituals. While it's certainly the case that the early Kabbalists borrowed heavily from their Christian gnostic neighbours and other non-Jewish sources, as both a practice and a tradition it was always deeply rooted in Judaism. By definition, Kabbalah is "Jewish Mysticism", inseparable from the religious beliefs and observances.

But even if we put all that aside, and assume that I'm being overly sensitive and that the author is operating completely in good faith, with respect and reverence for a religious tradition that he doesn't follow or believe, this is still a really weird little book. It's written in the show more form of Peter Schickele vis a vis PDQ Bach, with teachings of a fictitious "rabbi" and lots of dumb jokes. It's not so much that I'm offended by the irreverence (a lot of the Kabballah is downright wacky and not above spoofing), and more that it entirely misses the point.

To make things worse, he attempts to use examples from modern science to explain the meaning behind esoteric concepts and inscrutable phrases. But he mangles both sides of the equation, misrepresenting both the science and the mysticism to fit into his own worldview. The whole thing feels very hacked together and contrived, clearly intended for an audience that has already bought in to the same flavour of arcane new age superstitious magical thinking. show less

With the exception of the Tarot chapter (Kabbalah has nada to do with the Tarot), a great, lucid, and thought-provoking introduction to the Kabbalah told with wit, flair, and humor.

I decided to read this book for a number of reasons. I'm currently learning the Hebrew alphabet and beginning the study of Qabalah. So, as an into book I decided to read Lon DuQuette's book on the subject. Lon is one of my favorite occult writers and also one of the most knowledgeable occultists in the world. He takes very complex subjects (like this one) and makes them understandable though humor. One can surmise that right from the title. It's much appreciated in a genre where writers tend to take themselves a bit too seriously. Fortunately for me, I seem to learn quicker when subjects are presented in a humorous way, so this book was a perfect fit.

The book itself was really an eye-opener. Prior to this, I really didn't have much show more understanding of what Qabalah is. I knew it had to deal with the "Tree of Life" and numerology, but that's about it. I had no idea how profoundly complex, yet elegant, it is. It's both a puzzle and a context in which to view the world around us. In fact, it's what all Western magick is based on.
Without going into details, I'll just say it's some pretty profound stuff -- quite mind-boggling actually. It's really changed the way I few the nature of reality.

Another great book by Lon. show less

Fascinating and humorous introduction to the Qabalah! The philsophical components are complex and compelling. You've got to read it through more than once to even begin to get it!

Lon is always terribly funny. As he describes this book "the qabablah book for non-qabalists." It gives you the basics.

A funny and educational introduction to the magical Kabbalah. There is no better introduction to the ideas of Kabbalah than this.