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Are there some Kabbalistic concepts that are studied today in Jewish circles that originate from Christianity /Christian theology?

Has there been any study of the relationship between the two, and the direction of influence?

b a
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Mark A.
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    Maybe you could give some examples of what you're saying. What kabbalistic concepts do you think might have stemmed from Christian theology? Have you considered that maybe these Christian concepts actually stemmed from kabbalah? – ezra Oct 28 '16 at 03:17
  • How could someone prove this? – Double AA Oct 28 '16 at 03:43
  • I've considered that it could have gone both ways. I was wondering if there's been any study of which way it has gone. – Mark A. Oct 28 '16 at 04:32
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    Related: http://judaism.stackexchange.com/a/44617/8775, http://www.chayas.com/AntiRAMBAM.pdf, http://www.yahadut.org.il/ZOHAR/MILHAMOT-HASHEM.PDF, http://www.mesora.org/toharhayihud.pdf. This is a very controversial topic. Obviously those who subscribe to particular beliefs, claim that they are legitimate Jewish view, and that any similar beliefs in other religions got them from Judaism, not vice versa. Opponents of the beliefs, however, would use their mysterious origins, and questionable status as proof for illegitimacy. – mevaqesh Oct 28 '16 at 04:58
  • I know that there is Christian cabalists through the history. When we talk about Kabbalah authors in Tora world, they cabalistsic feature is affiliated to their tsidkus, their avodat hashem. They did not serve G-g in Christian circles – kouty Oct 28 '16 at 05:46
  • @kouty - Like who? Elaborate a little. – ezra Oct 28 '16 at 17:48
  • @Ezra Hoerster the Chida in his autobiographical "Maagal Tov" told an episode he was called to spoke about Kabbalah with French and English royal family – kouty Oct 29 '16 at 23:29
  • @kouty - But that doesn't mean the French and English royal family were kabbalists. – ezra Oct 30 '16 at 20:36
  • @Ezra Hoerster right. This is only an example of Kabbalah popularity. But Jewish Kabbalah cannot be mixed with this aristocratic esoteric phenomenon – kouty Oct 30 '16 at 21:11
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    A professor of history who has studied this topic informed me that a good place to start finding the answer is Gershon Scholem's Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism. Reading it has clarified alot for me so I'm putting it out there as an answer since that book is one long answer to this question. – Mark A. Nov 06 '16 at 06:25
  • Depending on how you interpret the historicity of the Talmud, it may be that Jewish mysticism existed in some form long before christianity. For example, there are Talmudic stories about "shades" and exorcism occurring in the time of Shlomo HaMelech. If we consider that the written Talmud comes from an oral accounting originating much earlier, it may be that Jewish tradition itself is the source of some of these ideas. – SAH Dec 22 '16 at 06:58
  • @SAH - The Talmud was written around two hundred years after Gnosticism. – Nathaniel Bubis Dec 22 '16 at 08:25
  • @nbubis see last sentence of my coMment – SAH Dec 22 '16 at 11:26

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Gershom Scholem and other scholars have linked the development of Kabbalah in the 13th century to earlier pre-christian Gnostic ideas. To quote from the "Origins of Kabbalah":

Certain fundamental characteristics of Gnosticism are nevertheless fully congruent with the kind of mysticism we find in the Merkabah writings: the possession of a knowledge that cannot be acquired by ordinary intellectual means but only by way of a revelation and mystical illumination; the possession of a secret doctrine concerning the order of the the celestial worlds and the liturgical and magical-theurgical means that provide access to it.

... The central teaching of Gnosticism consists of methodical instructions for the ascent of the soul from the earth through the spheres of the hostile planet-angels and rulers of the cosmos to its divine home. ... The fact remains that precisely these ideas were affirmed in the heart of an esoteric discipline within the Jewish tradition.

There are many concrete examples of shared Gnosticism, such as the concept of the רקיע שביעי, and the ogdoad.

Nathaniel Bubis
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    As far as I know the discovery of the Nag hammadi library deepened our understanding of Gnosticism well beyond scholem's knowledge. Consequently many of his assumptions relating to Gnostic influence on kabbalah, have been questioned. – mevaqesh Dec 22 '16 at 07:00
  • @mevaqesh - Thanks for your comment regarding the Nag hammadi library. Being a non expert who has read primarily Scholem, if you could add an answer based on later evidence that would be very interesting. There do seem to be quite a lot of glaring similarities. – Nathaniel Bubis Dec 22 '16 at 08:58
  • @nbubis Unfortunately, I do not have the requisite knowledge to write an answer. – mevaqesh Dec 22 '16 at 09:05
  • Let us continue this discussion in chat. – ray Dec 22 '16 at 18:32