Lamed Vav and the Power of Mystical Kindness

“This book is a gem. It is a book of history, an intelligent and useful self-help book, an inspirational volume, and a delight to read. Hoffman is one of those rare writers who can explain, in crisp, clear language, the most sublime ideas. I am so glad he wrote this groundbreaking book.” * Arthur Kurzweil, author of Kabbalah for Dummies and The Talmud for Dummies *“A wonderful integration of ancient spiritual teachings with modern psychology, providing a wealth of practical guidance on how to enrich our lives. With the clarity and good-humored benevolence of his authorial voice, Hoffman himself embodies the ideal of the Lamed Vav.” * Steve Taylor, PhD, author of The Leap and Extraordinary Awakenings *“With a deeply moving historical sweep, Hoffman evokes the great lineage of Jewish mystical thought—from Talmudic sages to the Baal Shem Tov—as a continuous dialogue on divine compassion. His exploration feels both ancient and urgently relevant, directly addressing the loss of kindness and empathy that is rampant in the modern world.” * Bernard Beitman, MD, author of Meaningful Coincidences and Life-Changing Synchronicities *“Edward Hoffman brings to twenty-first-century life the legend of the thirty-six secret sages at work in the world, performing anonymous acts of tikkun to repair the rifts and fractures in creation. Hoffman’s graceful and enlightening account of this powerful Hebrew legend takes readers on an inspiring journey through Kabbalistic mysteries, Jungian psychology, and much more, leaving them ready to perform radical acts of kindness themselves.” * Gary Lachman, author of Maurice Nicoll, Touched by the Presence, and Jung the Mystic *“Edward Hoffman invites us to take a transformative journey accompanied by 36 hidden messengers—spanning and connecting the mystical texts and tales of the Kabbalists and Hasidim, extending into the modern humanistic and transpersonal psychologies of Maslow and Jung. Each chapter consists of a deep distillation of a lifetime’s worth of wisdom, complete with engaging inner exercises intended to allow one to translate thoughts and words into new, penetrating insights and meaningful actions. This is a book to immerse oneself within, to savor and soak in, emerging renewed, re-enchanted, and re-inspired.” * Elliot Cohen, PhD, former chair of the British Psychological Society’s Transpersonal Psycholog *“In this age of mean-spiritedness and isolation, this book could not be timelier. The focus of this lucid and deeply informative book is the Lamed Vav, a time-honored Jewish tradition of kind, generous, and spiritually wise people who are said to help save the world in every generation. For me, these are enigmatic spiritual figures akin to what the psychoanalyst Alice Miller calls ‘helpful witnesses.’ These witnesses are everyday people who possess profound abilities to ‘meet’ and help transform intensely suffering souls. They are not always prominent or readily identifiable, but they are seasoned and inspirational. I recommend Hoffman’s call to seek out Lamed Vav—and the legacy they represent—to all who aspire to a more whole and awe-based life.” * Kirk J. Schneider, PhD, author of Awakening to Awe and Life-Enhancing Anxiety *“Edward Hoffman takes us on a luminous path that combines his deep knowledge of Jewish mysticism and folklore with the urgent need to rekindle our innate capacities for kindness, friendship, community, and common purpose. He awakens the ‘old mind’ and offers guided activities that stir our own inner knowing while affirming the communal ground we all stand upon. Lamed Vav consciousness is an evolutionary ember—born of older times—reminding us what is most essential about our human connections and the quiet strength of humility in the face of mystery.” * Alan Briskin, PhD, coauthor of Space Is Not Empty *“Hoffman provides a brilliant, insightful, and highly readable exposition of a Jewish mythos: that in each generation, 36 righteous people, anonymous to others, sustain our world through kind and generous acts. More significantly, he elucidates the concept of Lamed Vav consciousness, a latent capacity for kindness in each of us, and provides activities to help us become kinder and more compassionate. Relationships are at the heart of our families, friends, and work lives. This unique, highly meaningful, and potentially behavior-changing book can help us grow in our understanding of ourselves, others, and the world around us.” * John Ballard, PhD, emeritus professor, Mount St. Joseph University and author of Decoding the Workpl *

Edward Hoffman, PhD, is a licensed psychologist and has been an adjunct associate professor at Yeshiva University in New York City for more than 20 years. An award-winning author, his books include Paths to Happiness, The Wisdom of Maimonides, and The Kabbalah Reader, and have been translated into more than a dozen languages. He lectures widely on psychology and Jewish spirituality throughout the United States and abroad.