The holy name; mysticism in judaism
Miriam Bokser Caravella

Those who seek to understand the meaning and purpose of life, and who desire to penetrate the facade of commonly accepted beliefs, will find that the same mystic truths are found at the core of all religions. True mysticism is not abstract and ethereal. It is practical. It offers a viable way of life to those who seek to find God. Jewish mystics throughout history have looked at life as a challenge and have not hesitated to take the sometimes~lonely quest to inner truth and oneness with God. The prophets of the Bible, the Jewish Sufis of thirteenth~century Egypt, the Kabbalists of Safed, the Hasidim of Eastern Europe, are some of the many luminous souls of Jewish history who have sought spiritual union and true purpose to life. Today, throughout the Western world, people of all religions question their traditionally held beliefs and seek personal spiritual experience. Within all religions can be found those souls who have experienced the inner truth of God’s reality. These are the mystics, those who penetrate beyond ritual and external prayer and go within to merge their souls into God. The Holy Name: Mysticism in Judaism explores the common mystic truths to be found in Judaism and the teachings of the saints (Sant Mat). These truths include the holy Name or Word~the inner sound current or divine creative power~and the need for a living Master or spiritual guide to impart the meditation practice leading to spiritual union with that divine power. From the time of his birth, man inevitably works his way towards death. It is the author’s hope that this book will provoke the reader to stop along his journey and explore the purpose of his short stay on earth.

The author was raised in a family of strong, traditional Jewish values, where love for God and His Torah was the focal point of daily life. Her father, a renowned Jewish scholar and rabbi, encouraged a deeper look into the mysteries of man’s relationship with God, beyond that of the surface rituals and prayers. She attended yeshivot (Jewish parochial schools) through high school and took courses in advanced Jewish studies at the Jewish Theological Seminary of America during her college years. She was graduated from Barnard College at Columbia University in 1964 with a B.A. in English language and literature.

During the 1960s and 1970s the author worked as a freelance photojournalist. In 1980, she became a career Foreign Service Officer with the United States Information Agency and is currently serving in Washington, D.C. From her early years, the author was motivated by a longing to understand the purpose of life. She explored various realms of human experience, including traditional religion, art, and social action. Ultimately, her search led her to the teachings of the saints (Sant Mat), as taught by the contemporary living Master, Maharaj Charan Singh, who initiated her into this spiritual practice during his visit to the U.S. in 1970. This book arises out of the author’s desire to share with others her discovery of the universal spiritual path which has given her life profound meaning. It is written for all seekers of truth~not just those from a Jewish background for as she explained, all religions have a common core -truth is truth and is not subject to man’s sectarianism.