Etymology

kabbalah

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Today it means: A body of mystical Jewish teachings based on an esoteric reading of the Hebrew scriptures. Full definition →

Hebrew קַבָּלָה
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The story

  1. Hebrew · borrowed fromקַבָּלָה“Jewish mysticism”
  2. English todayKabbalah

Borrowed from Hebrew קַבָּלָה (kabalá, “Jewish mysticism”, literally “something received”). It refers to the notion that Kabbalah is a set of mystical doctrines received in antiquity and passed on in small circles. Doublet of cabal.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.