WHAT IS ORTHODOX JUDAISM? [2 of 5] Orthodox Judaism encompasses both the academic-focused Modern Orthodox, as well as Hasidim Orthodox, the latter being the more mystical practice. Hasidic Jews are the men you see wearing skull caps and black or dark-gray suits. These Jewish mystics exhibit similar spiritual behaviors to those in the Charismatic movement that is a part of the modern, American, Christian Church. Mystical Judaism today is called Kabbalah, and the highly influential singer Madonna is one its major followers and promoters. The roots of Kabbalah’s mystic practices developed between the 500s and 1300s AD, among late-Babylonian, Italian, French, and Spanish Jews. Kabbalah means "to receive," meaning the followers claim to receive ongoing, higher, better, and newer revelations from God—; —just as today’s Charismatic community claims. Earlier in Judaism, Kabbalah was mainstream, but then later came to be the practice of only a few “special” Jews who God exclusively blesses with some supposed “true meanings” of Scripture—they get so-called secret knowledge. Because God singled them out to receive His “real truth,” how dare we question them? And doesn’t that sound similar to the attitude of Roman Catholicism, where followers are taught to refrain from interpreting the Bible for themselves—that’s reserved for the learned Catholic priests. Only they possess the unique “specially given ability” to understand and interpret Scripture. The same sort of claim comes from Kabbalah leadership who run a cult organization performing occult practices.