Kabbalistic meditation is one of the oldest and most sophisticated contemplative traditions in the world. Unlike secular mindfulness or Eastern meditation, Jewish meditation has a specific goal: deveikut — cleaving to God. Here we explore the major meditation practices within the Kabbalistic tradition and offer guidance for beginning your own practice.
The Prophetic Tradition
The Hebrew prophets were not simply people who predicted the future. They were trained meditators who achieved extraordinary states of consciousness. The Talmud tells us that before prophesying, the prophets would enter deep meditative states using music, isolation, and specific breathing techniques. The Schools of the Prophets (Bnei HaNeviim) were essentially meditation academies where students spent years developing the inner conditions necessary for prophecy — purity of character, emotional stability, intellectual depth, and unwavering faith.
While prophecy in its fullest sense ceased with the destruction of the First Temple, the meditative techniques that supported it continued to be practiced in various forms. Maimonides teaches that the difference between prophecy and meditation is one of degree, not of kind. Every person who meditates sincerely is touching the same channel through which the prophets received their visions. This is a remarkable teaching: the same faculty that allowed Isaiah to see the Divine throne and Ezekiel to glimpse the Merkavah (Divine Chariot) is present, in potential, within every human soul.
Abulafian Meditation: The Dance of Letters
Rabbi Abraham Abulafia (13th century) developed one of the most systematic approaches to Kabbalistic meditation. His technique involves combining Hebrew letters in various patterns while controlling breathing and body posture. The practitioner writes or visualizes letter combinations, chants them rhythmically, and enters progressively deeper states of consciousness. Abulafia described the experience as “untying the knots of the soul” — releasing the mental and emotional patterns that keep us trapped in ordinary consciousness.
While Abulafian meditation is advanced and traditionally practiced under the guidance of an experienced teacher, simplified versions are accessible to beginners. A basic practice: sit comfortably, close your eyes, and visualize the Hebrew letter Aleph. See it in white fire against black. Breathe slowly and deeply. Let the Aleph expand and fill your consciousness. The Aleph, as the first letter of the alphabet and the first letter of “Echad” (One), represents the Unity of God. Simply holding this letter in awareness for ten minutes can produce a remarkable sense of peace and connection.
Chabad Hitbonenut: The Mind’s Journey to the Heart
The Chabad approach to meditation (Hitbonenut) is distinctive in its emphasis on intellectual contemplation as the pathway to emotional and spiritual transformation. Rather than bypassing the mind to reach spiritual states, Hitbonenut harnesses the full power of the intellect. You choose a concept from Hasidic philosophy — for example, “Ein Od Milvado” (there is nothing besides God) — and contemplate it systematically until it moves from abstract idea to felt reality.
The process has three stages. First, you study the concept thoroughly, understanding all its implications. Then you contemplate it in Hitbonenut — sustained, focused meditation on the concept, turning it over in your mind, seeing it from every angle. Finally, the concept “descends” into the heart, generating love (ahavah) and awe (yirah) of the Divine. This is not forced emotion — it arises naturally from deep understanding, like heat from fire. The Alter Rebbe taught that twenty minutes of genuine Hitbonenut each morning transforms the entire day, infusing every action with spiritual awareness.
Practical Guide: Starting Your Meditation Practice
Begin with five minutes daily and increase gradually. Choose a consistent time — early morning before the day begins is ideal. Sit upright in a quiet space. Start with three deep breaths, each time mentally reciting “Ribbono Shel Olam” (Master of the Universe). Then choose one practice: recite the Shema slowly with full attention, contemplate a single verse of Torah, visualize a Hebrew letter, or simply sit in silence while holding the intention of being in God’s presence. Do not judge your experience — there is no “good” or “bad” meditation. Consistency matters more than intensity. Over weeks and months, you will notice subtle but profound shifts in how you perceive reality.
“Prayer without meditation is like a body without a soul.” — The Baal Shem Tov