In Hebrew, the word “Kabbalah” means “Reception”.
קבלה
Kabbalah, indeed, is the science that enables us to receive the Divine Light into our world in order to reveal the Divine Presence. This is an important point because Kabbalah can be a dangerous science: it can lead to “madness” or even to the “dark side.” Therefore, one must be cautious about what they seek to receive. If one studies Kabbalah to gain power, wealth, or honors, they should expect trouble.
Yes, Kabbalah can lead to madness. Jewish esotericism is the foundation of all Halakha, Jewish law, a heresy created by the Erev Rav (mixed multitude) to subjugate and impose conformity. In our world of exile, those who hold political, religious, or economic power are often the true madmen, hiding their madness behind masks of seriousness.
Authentic Kabbalah is not magic; it is not about reciting prayers or performing rituals to ask for wealth, health, and so on.
False Kabbalah leads to madness and plunges people into the dark side—into religion, which creates bonds that imprison us rather than connecting us to the Divine. Authentic Kabbalah, on the other hand, is rational and filled with light.