Don't let the title you see on the cover of my copy Rephael Yedidya's book fool you. The book is not really titled “Kabbala: the comprehensive dictionary of basic terms of the Kabbala.” The real title is inside “Kabbala: a dictionary of terms, practices and applications.” (To add to my confusion the picture of the book I found online and here has the correct subtitle.) And if that's still not confusing enough look at the table of contents, where you will see that this second version of the subtitle is also the title of the fifth main section of the book. That section makes up 97 of the 160 pages of the book.

It is indeed an alphabetical dictionary of 99 terms. Most of them are physical illnesses, diseases body parts or conditions. Everything from asthma, through, coughing, epilepsy, malaria... down to wounds. They range from the practical that has nothing to do with Kabbalah. (E.g. “to be rid of fleas, put kerosne or ox gall mixed with strong vinegar in the places where they hide.”page 107) to the more dubious (e.g. “for the sting of a bee or fly there ie one remedy – catching the stinger and smearing it over its sting”page 77). Many of the headings have subheadings; e.g. animals, dream-signs elements, food, trees have their own listings.

These are certainly interesting readings, but their connection to Kabbala is not explained in any detail and often seem to be extrapolation of medieval superstition. I am resigned to treat them as such and having a hard time to believe that anybody actually takes them to heart in today's medically advanced world. I am not saying that medical science has the answers for every cures, far from it, but doubt that “cooked pears or fresh myrtle fruits are a remedy for hernia.” (page 166) Folk medicine can be great and am sure often based on observations, but doubt that everything in this book is listed would work.

The first four sections of the book cover the tree of life and its sefirot, numerology, the planets of our solar system and the 12 zodiac signs. Sefirot section follows the more known attributes for each, although the association with biblical figures and psychological tendencies are not as often cited as this book suggests. The numerology section also deviates form the well-known schema in the sense that decided only the numbers between 0 and 10 count and number 13. While most numerological works I am familiar with associate every letter of the full Hebrew alphabet with a numerical value and derive their meanings based on these values. The description of the solar system directly correlates each planet with one of the sefirot and draws conclusions accordingly. I won't comment on the zodiac signs as I am not familiar enough with the concept of astrology.

Minor pet peeeve: I wish authors would be consistent with the spelling of words in their works. I recognize that Kabbala is the transliteration of a Hebrew word, but would have been nice to settle on one or two b-s in it (or “h” at the end or not) and stick to the decision. Yedidya didn't apply this simple editing concept.

The quality of the illustrations vary. The dictionary, where illustrations would be the most useful has none. The usual three-prong, symbolic tree-of-life with its 10+1 sefira is repeated on three pages (10, 29, 160) throughout the book. Plus we see it on page seven drawn over a human body. On page 25, 39 and 61 there are three more illustrations that seem to be bad reproductions from Halevi's Kabbalah picture book.

The back cover says, “in this book we have documented change in behaviors and perception...” They did no such things. But the quotes goes on: “collected spells and amulets, dream interpretations, atsrology and starsigns that relate to the worries and problems of every day life.” This they sure did without reasonable explanation of whether they intended is a practical guide or study of folk lore. The back cover seems to suggest the former. All I can say it will not guide my life.