[.ca] KABBALAH OF ENVY (ISBN 1590303326)

The Kabbalah of Envy/ A Critical Review:
If I could give a 1/2 star, I'd actually give this book 4 1/2 instead of 5. With that understood... This is the second in Rabbi Nilton Bonder's trilogy of "The Kabbalah Of..." series. And, it picks up where the Kabbalah of Money left off. Envy, like Money, draws a link between the emotional/ psychological and the realm of the spirit. The subtitle is extremely appropriate as a starting point for his thesis. Bonder identifies hatred, anger, frustration, unforgiveness and the more subtle emotions of annoyance and mistrust as the hidden faces of envy. Because, as he would eloborate, they separate one from his neighbor ("the Other"). Regarding the commandment, "Love thy neighbor as thyself," the adage rests on the idea that one recognizing the full breath of the human experience, would make allowance for indiscretions. This book is full of Talmudic wisdom and practical reason. Interestingly, as in Money, Bonder graphs out the four economic and spiritual worlds and shows how our participation influences the movements of the corresponding spiritual levels. Here, also, is a description of how one's disposition affects those four worlds. There are, however minor, moments in the book that Bonder introduces insufficient evidence to support a particular view. In particular, the chapter with "Tuning into your angels." I won't elaborate, except to say, that removing this restores the cadence and the continuity of the discussion. I did find this moment in particular a bit discordant. So, what does Bonder say as the antidote for envy? You might be surprised to learn that he simply states, empathy. How does one employ empathy? When and under what terms? Bonder does offer some encouraging ways to go about it. I found this book to be very important and I will refer to it often. I hope you will too.