Kabbalah is the various teachings dealing with Jewish mysticism, its prime source being the Zohar, the Book of Splendor, based on the teachings of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai, who lived in the First Century.

The common translation of the word Kabbalah is "receiving", implying that the teachings were originally and are still best transmitted from master to disciple. Another interesting meaning from the same Hebrew root word is to "find parallels" or analogues between the dimensions of space, time and soul.

Kabbalah and Art may seem to be contradictory, because of Judaism's long iconoclastic tradition, the only art tolerated being the artisanship of ritual objects, such as candelabra and spice boxes. However, the text of Zohar, is very stimulating visually, always enjoining the reader "to come and see" (as opposed to the Talmud, which states "it was heard") and can help the artist who studies it seriously to attain an expansive consciousness for creating inspired work.