Ben Shimon Halevi

Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi, born Warren Kenton (1933–2020), was a British author and educator specializing in Kabbalah. He was a founding member of the Kabbalah Society and primarily published under his Hebrew name. Halevi's background included artistic and theatrical pursuits before he began his dedicated study of Kabbalah at age 25. He believed he was guided by spiritual influences and started teaching in 1969, establishing group meetings and later traveling extensively to study and lecture on Kabbalah, particularly focusing on the Toledano Tradition.

Halevi's teachings emphasized the Kabbalistic Tree of Life and its concepts of balance, drawing parallels between spiritual and psychological realms. He taught on multiple continents and lectured at various institutions, including the Temenos Academy. While his work gained recognition, including a mention by King Charles III and appreciation from figures like Kathleen Raine, it also faced criticism from academic scholars for its presentation of Kabbalah. Halevi authored numerous books on Kabbalah, astrology, and stagecraft, with his Kabbalistic works translated into sixteen languages.

Born Warren Derek Kenton in London to a Sephardi Levite family, Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi's early life was marked by a move during World War II. He received formal art education at Saint Martin's School of Art and the Royal Academy of Arts. Following his studies, he maintained an art practice and also worked in diverse fields including hospitals, theatre workshops, and the Royal Opera House. His professional activities extended to graphic design and teaching at institutions like RADA and the Architectural Association, alongside lecturing for organizations such as the Wrekin Trust and the Theosophical Society.

Halevi began his self-taught journey into Kabbalah at the age of 25, feeling guided by spiritual sources. He initiated teaching in 1969, using methods inspired by G.I. Gurdjieff to attract interested students. He organized weekly meetings and developed a particular interest in the Toledano Tradition of Kabbalah, which originated in medieval Spain and France. His research led him to visit major Kabbalistic centers across Europe, North Africa, and Israel. Halevi's approach integrated Neoplatonic emanationism, particularly the concept of the Ein Sof and the ten Sephirot, into his exposition of Creation.

As a teacher, Halevi engaged students globally, conducting courses and lectures across all continents. He was a fellow of the Temenos Academy, founded by Kathleen Raine, and taught at numerous centers including the New York Open Centre and the Jungian Institute of Santa Fe. His work was translated into sixteen languages, and he authored 18 books covering Kabbalah, astrology, and stagecraft. Halevi also co-founded the Kabbalah Society, dedicated to studying early Kabbalah from Provence and Spain. His teachings on the Tree of Life were acknowledged by King Charles III for their insights into balance and harmony.

While Halevi's work resonated with many, including artists and musicians like Sinéad O'Connor and Charles Thomson, it also drew criticism. Professor Joseph Dan of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, a scholar of Kabbalah, expressed concern over the appropriation of Kabbalah by New Age authors, citing Halevi as an example. Dan noted that Halevi, described as an "English gentleman from Hampstead," lacked Hebrew knowledge and that his books were sometimes treated as authoritative scholarly sources despite this.

“A feature of this author's system not found in others (although doubtless it is traditional though not universally taught) is the beautiful way in which the interfaces of each 'world' overlap with the one above (or below). Thus, the highest experiences of the physical world overlap the lower part of the next world (the psychological]: and again psyche's highest experiences of the individual soul coincide with spiritual regions of the transpersonal world of universal forms. So from illumination to illumination we reascend the 'ladder' by which each of us 'came down to earth from heaven'. The awe-inspiring sublimity of the Kabbalistic universe at once convinces and comforts. It is our destiny to descend and to fulfil some task, learn some lesson in the natural world; as it is to follow the path of return, to reascend from world to world, no matter how many lifetimes this may take us before we return to our true home, 'the kingdom of Heaven'.”

“Special thanks to Selina Marshall + Warren Kenton for showing me that all I'd need was inside me.”

“I studied Kabbalah under a teacher called Warren Kenton, who said there was a lot of humour at the spiritual level, and I think that's true.”

“Another distressing phenomenon is connected with the numerous books concerning kabbalah, its history, nature, and traditions, as instruction for modern living, published by "Z'ev ben Shimon Halevi" who is a nice English gentleman from Hampstead who does not know any Hebrew. His books were used as authentic, scholarly source by many, including Simo Parpola.”