The Thirteen Petalled Rose, written by the world-renowned scholar Rabbi Adin Steinsaltz, is based in the structures and assumptions of Kabbalah, the largely esoteric theological system that deals with the relationships between man, Torah, the Commandments, and G-d. As Rabbi Steinsaltz teaches, "Kabbalah is the official theology of the Jewish people." While The Thirteen Petalled Rose can be viewed as an introduction to the essence of Jewish existence and belief, its author does not attempt to justify Judaism according to external criteria. It is not meant to be a book about its subject, but rather a book that grows out of its own world, the world of Kabbalah. While most primers deal with practical matters, this volume touches largely upon issues of the soul. The Thirteen Petalled Rose is named after the symbolic image used to represent the People of Israel in the opening lines of the mystical Jewish text, the Zohar. In addition to the English edition, The Thirteen Petalled Rose has been translated into Russian and circulated underground in the Soviet Union for many years. It has also been translated into French and Dutch. A book of extraordinary power, The Thirteen Petalled Rose has become a modern classic.
by Adin Steinsaltz