> Alongside this theosophical system, other kabbalists developed an ecstatic Kabbalah. The emphasis here is on meditative techniques, especially the recitation of divine names and combinations of the letters of the Hebrew alphabet based on Sefer Yetsirah. The most prominent ecstatic kabbalist was Abraham Abulafia. Born in Spain in 1240, Abulafia traveled and lived in Italy, Sicily, Greece, and the land of Israel. In his travels he may have been influenced by Sufism and yoga. He combined the teachings of Sefer Yetsirah with Maimonides’ theory of prophecy, expounding a technique for achieving a state of inspiration through the fusion of the human and divine intellects. (*From Daniel Matt's Introduction to the Essential Kabbalah*)