Hello Rabbi, why do Kabbalistic ideas sometimes border pagan beliefs? For example, there is a Sefer called Shemos Mazalot Goralot, also Sefer Rafael HaMalach (not Raziel, Rafael, but from what I know Sefer Raziel might also apply). And I don’t really read Kabbalistic works but I just looked inside (my Rebbi has the two books I listed, I was at his house for Purim and just skimmed through) and I saw certain pictures, like the hand with letters/words on it, isn’t this a Hindu concept? And also heads of Zodiacs, which I know refer to the Zodiacs, but isn’t this pagan concepts, I understand the Gemara also talks about Zodiacs, but how could they do it if it is a pagan concept!? Please explain in basic terms, as I am a pashut person, I don’t think I think profoundly. Thank you

Shalom! Kabbala is a very secondary aspect of Torah which should only be studied after finishing the entire Tanach (Bible), its basic commentaries (at least Rashi and Ramban), the Shulchan Aruch, the Talmuds (both Babylonian and Jerusalem), thousands of midrashim and many classics in Jewish philosophy and ethics, which are much more basic. I myself have been studying for many hours a day for many decades and have yet to master all of those more basic sources, so I can’t really answer your question. I can just write generally that there are certain ideas in kabbala which may also be found in foreign eastern mystical sources, for what's true is true. Nevertheless, there is also much falsehood, (and as you wrote) paganism and even charlatanism in such fields (because it may not be rational)- especially in gentile but sometimes even Jewish "kabbala centers". Accordingly, one must be especially careful to study kabbala only with reliable orthodox rabbis who received it (kabbala literally means to receive) from the ancient legitimate and kosher rabbinical sources. With Love of Israel, Rav Ari Shvat