t by the most pious of Jewish scholars. But not everyone is called to be intellectualized. This alienated many from this establishment. From this came Ba’al Shem Tov, a holder of the good name. He taught of Kabbalistic prayer and meditation, which would give a personal experience of G-d. The intellectuals mocked this practice as foolishly pious. Those who were following the teachings of Ba’al Shem Tov were called the “pious ones”, i.e. Hasid. (Bar Tzadok) But those were the ones that had the opportunity to see what could otherwise not be seen and feel what the intellectuals could not feel. This caused persecution. Here are excerpts from Ezekiel:1. Now it came to pass in the thirtieth year ... the heavens opened and I saw visions of G-d.4. And I looked, and, behold, a whirlwind came out of the north, a great cloud, and a fire infolding itself, and a brightness was about it, and out of the midst thereof as the colour of amber out of the midst and fire.Text can also be found in Isaiah Chapter 6 1-8.1. In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, his train filled the temple.8. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.These texts allow for both the calling and the mystical dangerous aspect of the Jewish merkava meditation practices. When one enters the practices, they enter the chariot from which Ezekiel speaks of. Here they are taken to G-d. Here it is also seen why it is important to be properly trained in this practice. One cannot be thought in the presence of more than two people. For this would be profane. The seriousness of the teaching must be kept personal and one must be led on the journeyThe Jewish Kabbalistic side of meditation is that of bringing all thought within. Our normal state is filled with conflictin...
