Kabbalah is a discipline and school of thought that deals with the mystical aspect of Judaism. It consists of a large body of information on the nature of divinity, creation, the origin and fate of the soul, and the role of human beings. It also consists of meditative, mystical, and magical practices which were taught only to a select few in each generation. Kabbalah suggests that the human soul has the nefesh, ruach, and neshamah as its elements. The nefesh is found in all individuals, and enters the physical body at birth. It is the animal essence of the soul, and is linked to instincts and bodily cravings. Ruach contains the moral virtues and the ability to distinguish between good and evil. Neshamah is related to the intellect, and allows man to enjoy and benefit from the afterlife. Two other parts of the human soul, the chayyah and yehidah are also referred to in kabbalah. They represent the sublime levels of intuitive cognition, and are attained only by a few individuals. Chayyah allows one to have an awareness of the divine life force itself, and yehidah is the highest plane of the soul.

Kabbalah also suggests that every Hebrew letter, word, and number in the Bible contains a hidden message, and it teaches the methods to interpret these meanings. It teaches that every human being is a work in progress, and every negative aspect of or occurrence in people’s lives is the result of not having been able to free themselves from the domination of the human ego. Through Kabbalah, it is hoped that the individual will learn to acquire patience, empathy, and compassion to achieve fulfillment. By helping individuals recognize the sources of negativity in their hearts and lives, positive change can be achieved.