What links the Knights Templar to the Jewish mystical codes of the magical Kabbalah? I have been visiting the Israeli town of Safed to find out. This is a place recognised as the home of the Kabbalah as well as having a history relating to the Templars.
Lurianic Kabbalah and Safed
Safed is considered the birthplace of Lurianic Kabbalah, a prominent branch of Jewish mysticism, led by Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572). Lurianic Kabbalah posits that God, in a radical act of self-limitation, created space for the world by contracting His infinite light, allowing for the existence of a created, independent realm.
This contraction resulted in a cosmic “fall” or breakage of the vessels (Shevirah) during creation, releasing sparks of divine light into the material world. The central theme of Lurianic Kabbalah is that humanity has a responsibility to collect and restore these lost sparks through their actions, particularly by fulfilling the commandments (mitzvot) and engaging in spiritual practices. This process of repair is not solely a divine endeavor, but requires active human participation.
Lurianic Kabbalah emphasises the unique role of the Jewish people in this process of redemption, viewing them as a collective force engaged in the battle against evil and for the restoration of the world. This belief system incorporates the concept of reincarnation, where souls are believed to return to earth to continue their work of repair and redemption until they have fully fulfilled their purpose.
The Knights Templar at Safed
There was a fortress at Safed before the crusaders arrived but in the 1160s, under the Christian kingdom of Jerusalem, the castle was strengthened and passed to the Knights Templar for safekeeping. In 1187, Saladin defeated the crusaders and Templars at the Battle of Hattin. Jerusalem fell to Saladin and a year later, Saladin seized Safed.
However, in the 1240s, the Templars were back and building a much more impregnable citadel – at enormous cost. By the 1260s, the knights had a new enemy on their doorstep. The Mamluk leader Baybars took the Hospitaller castle at Arsuf in 1263 and sold all those knights into slavery. In 1266, he showed up at Safed.
Baybars very likely bribed local people and possibly some of the Turcopoles (Syrian auxiliaries) fighting with the Templars, to betray the knights. The castle succumbed to the Mamluk with the Templars promised safe passage if they laid down their arms and left. As they filed out, they were slaughtered.
There is a curious story that when Baybars entered the castle he was confronted by an enormous idol that the Templars worshipped and which, they believed, protected the castle. He ordered it to be torn down and replaced with a Muslim mihrab. Either Baybars was confronted by a Christian statue of a saint or – as some have speculated – there was truth to the rumours that the knights communed with a demon called Baphomet.
Some esoteric writers on the Templars have suggested that by operating in Jewish holy places like Safed, the knights came into contact with mystical belief systems like the Kabbalah. Some scholars have noted similarities between Templar rituals and Kabbalistic concepts, such as the use of numerical symbolism, esoteric knowledge, and the idea of a hidden truth. This is completely rejected by mainstream historians.
If you would like to know more about the Knights Templar, then get your hands on a copy of my book: The Knights Templar – History & Mystery. Published by Pen & Sword and available on Amazon, Waterstones, Barnes & Noble, and WHSmith. Don’t miss out on your copy!
Reblogged this on Barbaryalan's Blog.