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Kabbalah Is Not Occult—It Is Torah

by Ram ben Ze'ev



Kabbalah Is Not Occult—It Is Torah
Conrad Flynn and Tucker Carlson

There is a growing trend among certain commentators to misrepresent קבלה (Kabbalah, “receiving”) as “occult.” Recently, Conrad Flynn appeared on Tucker Carlson’s show and repeated this tired trope. It is important to push back firmly: Kabbalah is not occult. It is an inseparable and authentic dimension of תורה (Torah), transmitted through generations of Jewish sages and rooted in the same Divine revelation at הר סיני (Har Sinai, Mount Sinai).


The word “occult” refers to hidden, esoteric practices outside revealed religion—often involving secret rituals, magic, or attempts to manipulate unseen forces. Kabbalah is precisely the opposite. While its teachings are indeed פנימיות התורה (Pnimiut HaTorah, “the inner dimension of the Torah”), they are not separate from Torah; they are Torah. Kabbalah is not a parallel system of mysticism invented on the margins of Judaism, but the spiritual architecture underlying the revealed mitzvot and narratives.



A central text in the study of Kabbalah is the ספר הזוהר (Sefer HaZohar, “Book of Splendour”), known in English as the Holy Zohar. Composed in the second century by רבי שמעון בר יוחאי (Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai) and transmitted orally through his circle of disciples before being compiled centuries later, the Holy Zohar is written in a unique Aramaic style. It offers profound mystical commentaries on the Torah, revealing the hidden structure of creation, the flow of Divine light, and the spiritual significance behind every commandment and narrative.


Far from being a secret manual of magic, it is a sacred work that illuminates the relationship between the Infinite אור אין סוף (Or Ein Sof, “Light without end”) and the finite world. For centuries, it has been studied by the greatest sages to deepen their understanding of G-D’s unity and His interaction with creation.


From the earliest Midrashim, through the teachings of the Arizal and the Baal HaTanya, Kabbalah has always been transmitted within the chain of Jewish tradition—carefully, to prepared students, to refine their understanding and draw them closer to G-D. Far from being “occult,” Kabbalah reveals the spiritual infrastructure of existence itself.


The real problem is not Kabbalah—it is people who look at words like “mystical” or “esoteric” through a Christian or secular Western lens, and then project those assumptions onto Jewish teachings. This is not mere ignorance; it is deliberate distortion. Tucker Carlson operates from an idolatry-based worldview, rooted in an Episcopal ideology that has long sought to convert, co-opt, or confuse Jews. His platform has increasingly become a stage for those who cloak theological hostility in the language of cultural critique.



Conrad Flynn’s appearance was a prime example. He began by declaring that he was “not an expert on the subject,” which turned out to be the only true statement he made during the hour and a half interview. What followed was a confused, ideologically motivated attempt to reframe Kabbalah through a Christianised lens—an exercise designed not to understand, but to delegitimise.


To call Kabbalah “occult” is like calling mathematics “magic” because most people don’t understand calculus. In truth, Kabbalah is a sacred inheritance of the Jewish people, carefully preserved, studied, and revered. It is not for entertainment, not a hobby, and certainly not occult. It is Torah in its deepest form—revealing the inner soul of creation and guiding the Jew toward devekut (cleaving to G-D).


Those who speak on global platforms have a responsibility not to distort what they do not understand. But in this case, it is not misunderstanding; it is intentional. Misrepresenting Kabbalah serves a theological and cultural agenda that is centuries old. It may score points with audiences unfamiliar with Jewish tradition, but it spreads hostility and falsehood, not truth.


Kabbalah is not theirs to define. It belongs to the Jewish people, as part of the eternal Torah given by G-D.



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