The Commonality of Humanity, An Artist's Journey
Academy Award, Golden Globe and Emmy Award winning actress, popular author, businesswoman, mother and wife, Gwyneth Paltrow was born into an established and respected Hollywood family.
Her mother is the celebrated actress Blythe Danner, her father the late Bruce Paltrow was a noted American film and television producer/director.
Gwyneth’s pedigree is filled with distinguished relatives. One could easily consider her Godfather, Steven Spielberg as icing on the cake.
Gwyneth was invited to appear on the popular American documentary television series, “Who Do You Think You Are?’ The series follows famous personalities as they explore and uncover their ancestral roots.
On April 1, 2011, Ms. Paltrow learned that her father’s family has deep roots in Poland’s once thriving orthodox rabbinical mystical community.
Through the online database, “Jewish Records Indexing – Poland” Jewish Records, Poland Gwyneth discovered her father’s family name was originally Paltrowicz.
For generations the family lived in a northern Polish village where her great great great grandfather, Rabbi Tzvi Paltrowicz was a noted Kabbalah mystic, healer and scholar.
Interestingly enough, before this revelation Gwyneth had already begun exploring Kabbalah.
What Is It, What Is Kabbalah?
Simply defined Kabbalah is ancient Hebraic mysticism.
It’s an exponent of living a life totally dedicated to Godly principles and is a pathway to the final reward where one completely merges with God.
It encompasses numerology, astrology, meditation and the study of the Torah.
According to Chabad.org Chabad Website “Often referred to as the “soul” of the Torah, the Kabbalah is an ancient Jewish tradition which teaches the deepest insights into the essence of G‑d, His interaction with the world, and the purpose of Creation, Kabbalah teaches the essential Jewish cosmology, integral to all other Torah disciplines.”
Some believe it was an oral tradition handed down from generation to generation long before Moses.
Others believe that Moses, while handing the Torah and Ten Commandments to the Israelites at Mt. Sinai, revealed the Kabbalah as part of the whole package of revelations.
As we move through history, there are dozens and dozens of greatly respected and venerated Kabbalah masters, rabbis and mystics. Most of them came from northern Africa and European countries that border along the Mediterranean.
As the Jews were expelled from country to country, the teachings and teachers of Kabbalah moved into Eastern European towns and villages.
Along the historic road, there are those who believe when Jesus, (a descendant of the mystical Judaean King David and his son, King Solomon the Wise) was just a lad, he too studied Kabbalah under the great rabbinical mystics of Jerusalem.
And then the young Jesus took that knowledge with him when at the age of 13 He traveled to India where He studied yoga and Kashmir Shaivism principles of Self-Realization under the guidance of the great one, Mahavatar Babaji.
The Kabbalah Center, Los Angeles, Controversies
The Center was originally founded in 1965 as a publishing house by Rabbi Philip Berg.
The profits were initially used to finance full-time male Kabbalah students studying in a Jerusalem Yeshiva located in the Old City. The Yeshiva is associated with the revered Chasidic mystic, Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag (1885 – 1954).
Rabbi Philip Berg who himself studied under Rabbi Ashlag, began to venture into teaching and publishing his own original English language Kabbalah books geared for the secular Jewish and non-Jewish public.
The Ashlag Chasidic movement deemed Berg’s teachings heretical and took the unusual steps of having him ex-communicated.
In 1984, Rabbi Philip Berg officially opened The Kabbalah Center, Los Angeles as a learning facility for anyone interested in studying Jewish mysticism.
When he passed away, Berg’s widow Karen, and his son Michael inherited The Center.
Eventually, both Karen and Michael would be labeled heretics and they too were ex-communicated by the Ashlag Chasidic Movement.
Doors Open Up
Since the Beatles’ famous journey to India in the 1960s, from decade to decade ancient paths and mystical secrets were becoming more and more available to an ever inspired and curious public.
Many famous personalities were coming out of the ‘I’m a Meditator & Seeker Closets.’
One of the first to burst through and knock down that door was Madonna.
Never one to shirk controversy or criticism, she literally ran into the arms of a Realized Siddha Master in New York City’s Chelsea Hotel. And from there she bounced, with the help of her friend Jewish comedian Sandra Bernard, into the world of Michael Berg’s Kabbalah teachings.
Michael has a golden touch. He attracts thousands, if not hundreds of thousands to his brand of Kabbalah mysticism, his brand of exploring the higher self through meditation and fundamental Kabbalah tools.
One of his friends, one of his followers, perhaps even his disciple is Gwyneth Paltrow.
No You Don’t Convert to Kabbalah
Let’s clear this up.
Kabbalah is not a religion, nor is it a cult or sect. One does not convert to Kabbalah.
Kabbalah is a mystical path among many mystical paths known to humanity. It parallels and often intersects with Hindu and Yogic practices and principles.
Kabbalah is a guide to explore the hidden, higher dimensions of our existence. Perhaps it will even lead to achieving an experience of God.
Did Gwyneth Paltrow convert to Kabbalah? Absolutely not.
Did she convert to Judaism? Most likely.
There’s so much gossip, stories, rumors that surround Ms Paltrow and her private life. It’s utterly unimportant.
However, in her private search for paths to enlightenment, in her desire to seek answers to her spiritual questions, Gwyneth embraced the Jewish heritage of her own DNA.
That even before learning of her Kabbalah roots, Gwyneth found that path by herself.
Or maybe Gwyneth was guided in meditation by her great great great grandfather, Rabbi Tzvi Paltrowicz. That it was he who whispered in her ear to pick up the mantle of her family’s great spiritual tradition.
Epilogue
Believe it or not. Word on the street is Madonna will be coming to Jerusalem to celebrate the holiday of Shavuot.
It begins on the evening of Thursday, May 25th.
One of three mandatory holidays of pilgrimage to Jerusalem, Shavuot celebrates the receiving of the Ten Commandments, the Torah and the Kabbalah at Mt. Sinai.
Madonna intends to visit the graves of several Kabbalah Mystics including the grave of Rabbi Philip Berg.
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