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Rating: 
Summary: Excellent overview of this form of mysticism.
Review: Daniel Matt has presented the essential principles of the Kabbalah in a very straightforward way. His introduction and notes help give substance to the text. Many of the principles it provides, relating to God, the "material" world, and related ideas are universal to many religions. I'm a Catholic and did not find many of the principles not unlike what might be found in Catholic mysticism (which I hope to read some authors on). Very good book (which I found a bargain price-refers to hardcover edition).
Rating:
Summary: Excellent overview of this form of mysticism.
Review: Daniel Matt has presented the essential principles of the Kabbalah in a very straightforward way. His introduction and notes help give substance to the text. Many of the principles it provides, relating to God, the "material" world, and related ideas are universal to many religions. I'm a Catholic and did not find many of the principles not unlike what might be found in Catholic mysticism (which I hope to read some authors on). Very good book (which I found a bargain price-refers to hardcover edition).
Rating:
Summary: A Great Read For Learners
Review: I first heard about the art of Kabbalah through celebrities such as Madonna and Demi Moore. I figured if it touched some of the shallowest people in the world, I might as well learn about its background. This essential guide to the ancient Jewish mysticism of Kabbalah is complete and concise for beginning learners of the faith. Daniel C. Matt separates the book into various sections dealing with one particular topic accompanied by an excerpt from the text with signifance to that topic. The book also expresses deep thought into beliefs discussed in the Torah/Old Testament which I found to be helpful and engaging. Overall, I recommend this book to anyone interested in the faith of Kabbalah. It's simply a great read!
Rating: 
Summary: Basic, but a bit too shallow
Review: Many people recommend this text as an introduction to the Kabbalah. I tend to agree, simply because this book was written with beginners in mind. For example, all of the footnotes to the texts are NOT marked on the actual text. Rather, they appear in the back of the book. Daniel Matt does this in order to comfort the beginner, but I find it hinders more than it helps.Probably the best thing about this text is the beautiful poetry Matt utilizes. Translations are never quite the same as the original, but Matt sacrifices more of the literal meaning than most. However, the poetry is very nice. Particularly noteworthy is "The Creation of God," which I fell in love with on the first read. For the casual student, this is a good beginner text. But for those who really want to know more about the Kabbalah, try other authors such as Gershom Scholem, Howard Schwartz, and Aryah Wineman.
Rating:
Summary: A good starter book about Kabbalah
Review: One of the better books I've read on Kabbalah. The author shares some insight into the study of the deaper meanings of the Bible. He puts it in such a way that makes this form of study less mysterious. Quite frankly, I don't understand why it is so secretive to begin with.
Rating: 
Summary: Lou Grant does Kabbalah
Review: The drama injected into the readings of these kabbalistic texts takes away more than it adds. As a sincere Ed Asner fan, I am truly disappointed. These renderings are reminiscent of the dramatic readings done by William Shatner (which can now be heard only on programs such as "The Annoying Music Show"). So, where is Alexander Scourby when you need him?
Rating:
Summary: Brain author recommends it.
Review: This is a well written, concise, and useful place to start for anyone interested in the Zohar and Jewish mysticism. I highly recommend it. Best to DC Matt for an excellent write! K. Giuffre MD, author "The Care and Feeding of Your Brain"
Rating:
Summary: a great place to start
Review: This is the first book that I ever read on the Kabbalah and I would recommend it as the best starting place to anyone who is interested in the subject. The reason I recommend it over Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism (by Gershom Scholem, arguably the most important and influential scholar in this area) is because this book gets the reader directly in touch with the texts (and, thanks to the commentary, the meanings derived from them) that make up what has come to be known as "Kabbalah." Matt divides his book into sections by topic and each entry contains an excerpt from a text that fits the particular topic. The introduction contains a brief essay on the development of the Kabbalah; in the back of the book is a commentary on each passage, helping the reader to understand aspects, meanings, and references in the texts that otherwise may have not been understood. Highly enriching.
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