Madonna's Kabbalah apology

Music

13:30 12 October 2005

Madonna is to make a public apology to Kabbalah followers after she "sinned" against the mystic Jewish faith on her forthcoming album.

The star is expected to ask for forgiveness after being told she will face "punishment from the heavens" for dedicating new song 'Isaac' to a Kabbalist scholar.

Rabbi Rafael Cohen - head of an Israeli seminary named after 16th century rabbi and scholar Yitzhak Luria - has slammed the singer because it is strictly forbidden to profit from Luria's name.

He told Israel's Maariv newspaper: "Jewish law forbids the use of the name of the holy rabbi for profit. Her act is just simply unacceptable and I can only sympathise for her because of the punishment she is going to receive from the heavens."

Rabbi Israel Deri is demanding Madonna - who converted to Kabbalah after being raised a Catholic - be expelled from the faith for desecrating the late scholar's name.

He said: "Such a woman brings great sin on Kabbalah.

"I hope that we will have the strength to prevent her from bringing sin upon the holiness of the rabbi Luria."

(c) BANG Media International