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Despite what you may hear from Madonna, Jewish mysticism is not generally taught to the uninitiated. A highly esoteric frame around mainstream Jewish religious texts, Kabbalah was traditionally reserved for seasoned Jewish scholars who had already thoroughly mastered the minutiae of Jewish law and practice - and even among that select group, kabbalists were a breed apart, for not every great sage was inclined toward mysticism.

"Pure" Kabbalah, deeply concerned with ontological and metaphysical mysteries, built on a broad foundation of Jewish texts, and often expressed in a dense, allusive Aramaic, remains the domain of the scholars. But a great many mystical concepts and expressions have filtered down into day-to-day Judaism, from the well-known song "Lecha Dodi" that ushers in the Sabbath across the globe, to the oft-cited (and oft-misunderstood) Jewish principle of tikkun olam ("repairing the world").

In Jerusalem particularly the influence of mysticism in daily Jewish life is strong and readily apparent. Though not the traditional center of Jewish mysticism (that honor goes to Tsfat in the north), Judaism's holiest city has naturally attracted a procession of mystics and the mystically-inclined for hundreds of years. Even in the modern era, Kabbalists still pore over texts in the city's yeshivas, while enterprising vendors on the street sell hamsa charms and red string bracelets to tourists (which are more folk magic than Kabbalah, but mystically-conceived all the same). And while the gates of the Kabbalah remain locked to dilettantes, determined Jerusalem visitors can still avail themselves of a fascinating glimpse into the mystical aspects of the Jewish faith.

The Old City

Naturally, all roads in Jerusalem begin in the Old City. Start by visiting the Ramban Synagogue on HaYehudim Street in the Jewish Quarter, founded by the great Spanish rabbi Nachmanides (the Ramban) upon his arrival in Jerusalem in 1267. Though not mainly a mystic, the Ramban was schooled in Kabbalah, and part of his dispute with his equally famous contemporary Avraham ibn Ezra stemmed from the latter's preference for simple, rather than mystical, textual exegesis.

Continue onward to the Jewish Quarter synagogue built over the birthplace of the Arizal - Yitzchak Luria - the spiritual founder of the predominant system of Kabbalah for the last five centuries.

Then stop outside the famous Beit El Synagogue, the hub of Kabbalistic study in Jerusalem for centuries, and marvel at its venerable silver doors depicting the Old City's gates.

For a taste of more down-to-earth mysticism, hustle down the steps to the Western Wall plaza, where you're sure to run into a vendor offering red string bracelets (pictured, though downtown) as segulot - a word whose meaning is rather complicated, so you may is well just think of your new bracelet as a mystical good luck charm.

Modern Jerusalem

Downtown, tour the onetime house (and now museum) of Rabbi Avraham Kook - first chief rabbi of Mandatory Palestine, spiritual father of the religious strain within Zionism, and capital Kabbalist - which stands on the street that bears his name.

Nearby is the Psalms Museum, an eccentric collection of mystically-informed nonrepresentational art inspired by the Psalms.

Head further west to Nachlaot (pictured), one of the oldest neighborhoods in the western part of the city, a warren of alleys dotted with the tiny century-old synagogues of Jerusalem's Ashkenazi and Sephardi communities - and imbued with a palpable mystic energy. Many international spiritual seekers in contemporary Jerusalem make Nachalot their home base.

Famous graves

Though it may seem strange to outside observers, visiting the graves of famous rabbis and holy men is integral to the observance of more mystically-inclined streams of Orthodox Judaism, whether to petition for something akin to intercession (a theologically problematic act within Judaism, and the cause of no small amount of internecine conflict within Orthodoxy), or to simply soak up the spiritual energy.

Several prominent Kabbalists are buried in Jerusalem's two main Jewish cemeteries, and their graves attract a steady procession of devotees.

On the Mount of Olives (pictured), pay your respects at the graves of the aforementioned Rabbi Kook, 19th and 20th century Lithuanian Kabbalist Shlomo Elyashiv, and 18th century Yemeni Kabbalist Shalom Sharabi.

Within the sprawling Har HaMenuchot on the western fringes of the city, you'll find the graves of Aharon Rokeach, the rebbe of the Belz Hasidic dynasty, and Yehuda Ashlag - the Kabbalist whose grave is perhaps the single most popular destination for students of mysticism in Jerusalem (yes, even Madonna has been there).

If the timing is right

If you're lucky enough to be in the city during the late spring, you may catch the celebrations of the minor Jewish holiday Lag BaOmer, which has been unofficially claimed by Jewish mystics as the Kabbalistic holiday par excellence. In Jerusalem, observances tend to center around ecstatic dancing and the construction of very, very large bonfires (pictured) - so it's a blast.

Also, the Bible Lands Museum is currently running an exhibition on Jewish magic through the ages, a tradition that represents a folksier (and perhaps more exciting) parallel to the intellectually demanding Kabbalah.