Review
"This magisterial work reveals in irrefutable fashion the cosmological foundations of the Kabbalah and its expression in sacred geometry and number symbolism. It sweeps aside centuries of speculation, misunderstanding, and partial understanding and in all likelihood will set off the storms of scholarly controversy that invariably attend genuinely original and revolutionary thought. I believe that Leonora Leet has done for Kabbalah scholarship what R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz did for Egyptology--this is a work of immense importance." ― John Anthony West, author of Serpent in the Sky: The High Wisdom of Ancient Egypt
"The Secret Doctrine of the Kabbalah is a bold and innovative interpretation of the esoteric teachings of Judaism. Leonora Leet creatively expands the parameters of the tradition in her efforts to plumb the depths of the secrets of Judaism. Particularly impressive is her utilization of mathematical and scientific categories to illuminate the mystical teachings of the kabbalah. The result is a fresh and fascinating exploration of the hidden wisdom of Judaism, which should be of great interest to all those who are searching for an enriched engagement with spiritual matters." ― Elliot R. Wolfson, Abraham Lieberman Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, New York University
"With mastery, sensitivity, and depth, Leonora Leet has illuminated the hidden meaning and structure of one of the world's great transmissions of mystery--the Kabbalah--in a manner that invigorates its power to transform individual awareness and inform and reform our social development." ― Robert Lawlor, author of Voices of the First Day and Sacred Geometry
"Impressive and erudite. A major advancement in our understanding of the kabbalistic tradition." ― Richard Smoley, author of Hidden Wisdom and editor of Gnosis
"The Secret Doctrine of the Kabbalah is the second book by Dr. Leonora Leet (with two more planned) to result from a project begun in 1978 with the accidental discovery of what she believes to be the ultimate source of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life diagram. Her first text, Renewing the Covenant: A Kabbalistic Guide to Jewish Spirituality, should be perused before attempting to decipher this brilliant but dense treatise. Not for the casual or merely curious reader, Leet's book expounds on such theoretical subjects as the Tetragrammaton, the Covenant of Number, the sacred science of sound and spiritual practice, Kabbalistic geometry, and cosmic genesis. She goes on to synthesize sacred science and Kabbalistic cosmology with quantum physics. If your IQ is at least comparable to your body weight, and your bent is unlocking the doors of the universe through geometry, this excruciatingly well-researched tome may get you in the front gate." ― P. Randall Cohan, Amazon.com
"No less than an attempt not only to improve upon the traditional summations of Kabbalistic truth and practice but to reconcile them with modern linguistic and cosmological theory, this will delight adepts but may leave beginners behind. Nevertheless, Leet's is an impressive work." ― Library Journal
"Kabbalah, meaning "tradition," originated with the ancient Hebraic priesthood. This book will attempt to recover not only the main features of the priestly lore, but its meaning, that which through the millennia has continued to embody the secret heart of Jewish mysticism and give it vitality." ― Bodhi Tree Book Review, Summer / Fall 2000
"Leonara was a brilliant writer. I’ve not only read The Secret Doctrine of the Kabbalah but also studied it in depth and returned to it several times. It’s been with me now since (if I remember correctly) around 15 years. It’s one of the few books in my personal collection that I always have on my bookshelf. She has approached the subject matter with sensitive and in-depth appreciation and understanding, underpinned with academic rigour. And to be fair every-time I have returned to it or browsed through it I find new meanings and over the years even different understandings of what I had read years before." ― H. Malik, Deputy Editor, YOGA Magazine
From the Back Cover
JUDAICA / SPIRITUALITY "This magisterial work reveals in irrefutable fashion the cosmological foundations of the Kabbalah and its expression in sacred geometry and number symbolism. It sweeps aside centuries of speculation, misunderstanding, and partial understanding and in all likelihood will set off the storms of scholarly controversy that invariably attend genuinely original and revolutionary thought. I believe that Leonora Leet has done for Kabbalah scholarship what R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz did for Egyptology--this is a work of immense importance." --John Anthony West, author of Serpent in the Sky: The High Wisdom of Ancient Egypt "The Secret Doctrine of the Kabbalah is a bold and innovative interpretation of the esoteric teachings of Judaism. Particularly impressive is the utilization of mathematical and scientific categories to illuminate the mystical teachings of the Kabbalah. The result is a fresh and fascinating exploration of the hidden wisdom of Judaism, which should be of great interest to all those who are searching for an enriched engagement with spiritual matters." --Elliot R. Wolfson, Professor of Hebrew and Judaic Studies, New York University "With mastery, sensitivity, and depth, Leonora Leet has illuminated the hidden meaning and structure of one of the world's great transmissions of sacred mystery--the Kabbalah--in a manner that invigorates its power to transform individual awareness and inform and reform our social development." --Robert Lawlor, author of Voices of the First Day and Sacred Geometry This brilliant new work reveals the Kabbalah to be the product of a sophisticated, though largely forgotten, Hebraic sacred science that was the rival of any in Egypt or Greece. Unlike previous historical explorations of the Jewish esoteric tradition, The Secret Doctrine of the Kabbalah resurrects this ancient body of knowledge to reveal eternal truths that can have a profound and positive impact on contemporary spirituality. New experimental methods of practicing Hebraic sacred science are explored that explain as never before the meaning of the central cosmological diagram of the entire Western esoteric tradition--the kabbalistic Tree of Life. Leet shows that the Kabbalah and its central diagram enshrine a key to the purpose of the cosmos, a key that has vast implications for modern physics, cosmology, and spiritual evolution. LEONORA LEET (1929-2004) received her Ph.D. from Yale University and was Professor of English at St. John's University. She is the author of Renewing the Covenant.
About the Author
Leonora Leet (1929-2004) received her Ph.D. from Yale University and was Professor of English at St. John's University. She is the author of The Universal Kabbalah, The Kabbalah of the Soul, Renewing the Covenant, and The Secret Doctrine of the Kabbalah.
