Rishon Rishon

Madonna becomes Esther?

I don’t know what to make of this:

Assuming a newly modest public image more in keeping with that of a nice Jewish girl than a “Material Girl,” pop star Madonna says she has adopted the Hebrew name of Esther. The Catholic-bred singer/actress said in an ABC News “20/20” interview airing on Friday that her identification with the Biblical queen celebrated in the Jewish festival of Purim stems in part from her adherence to the study of Jewish mysticism known as Kabbalah.

I always thought that Judaism had some general wisdom to offer, that it deserved to be “cool” like Buddhism or Hinduism. But how Jewish is this? Guy Richie, Madonna’s husband objects to it being called Jewish at all:

The religion, said to date back to the second century, is usually described as "Jewish mysticism", but Guy rejects that description. Its advocates say it offers a path to fulfilment based on spiritual and scientific laws of the universe.

Traditionally, before you could study Kabbalah (Qabala) you had to be conversant in Jewish Law (halakha), be over 40, and married. I guess Madonna has two out of three. I actually don’t know what Madonna’s brand of Kabbalah is. For now, I’ll assume it’s for the best.

Qabala in Hebrew means reception. A kabbalist is a m’qubal.

Posted by David Boxenhorn at July 25, 2004 07:17 PM