From a reader:

Dear Jonah:
You got it almost exactly right about the Kabbalah. Despite my Jewish last name, I’m not Jewish – yet. I’m converting in the next couple of months not because of a marriage, but because I think its a good choice for me and my family. Because of my eminent conversion, I’ve been studying Judaism intensely for the last year. You are right about the Kabbalah. Jewish men were not supposed to consider learning Kabbalah until they are 40.
There are a couple of problems with the USA today article. One is that the Kabbalah doesn’t “parallel” Judaism – it IS part of Judaism. In the words of one rabbi, “The Kabbalah is all nonsense, but its Jewish nonsense, so it might have some value.” It’s NOT studied instead of the Talmud, but only after one has become an expert in the Talmud. That’s why Jews are supposed to wait until they are at least 40 to study the Kabbalah because its assumed that it would take that it would take that long to learn the Talmud. Even then it is discouraged by many rabbis (as you said.) My rabbi told me that he doesn’t know the Talmud well enough to study Kabbalah himself. Or in his words, its like a doctor trying to do brain surgery without learning that the arm bone is connected to the hand bone.
Its new age stuff that is leaking out to the general public and to goofballs like Madonna. A Catholic friend of mine heard about it and came running up to me at work and excitedly asked me if I knew anything about Kabbalah. I looked around conspiratorially and in a mock whisper replied, “Yes, but I’m not allowed to tell you.”
[Jewish-sounding last name withheld]