Madonna and Israeli politician Tzipi Livin are seen leaving a restaurant in Tel Aviv Nir Pekin / Splash News

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MADONNA has run into trouble in the Holy Land after being criticised by religious groups for her “erroneous” adherence to the Jewish mystical sect of Kabbalah.

The Queen of Pop is in Israel to combine a personal pilgrimage of holy sites with tonight and tomorrow night’s Sticky & Sweet gigs in Tel Aviv.

She is being feted by the country’s secular establishment – opposition leader Tzipi Livni had dinner with her last night, and Madonna is due to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday.

But Jewish mystics have accused her of abusing their ancient branch of Judaism.

Kabbalah Rabbi Yitzhak Batzri said the Material Girl is not practising the religion correctly and may not even be entitled to study it at all, as she is a woman.

"Madonna is not dealing with the real practical Kabbalah,” he said. “We deal with spiritual issues of the soul, whereas Madonna is dealing with issues of the body as well. Her teaching of Kabbalah is erroneous."

For most Jews, Kabbalah is a powerful form of mysticism that should be attempted only by men over 40.

Madonna, 51, was baptised and brought up as a Roman Catholic but converted to Kabbalah after saying it transformed her life.

Recently she said: "All the questions I had about life began to be answered and I realised I had finally found a 'belief system' or philosophy that incorporated science and spirituality.

"I also began to see that being rich and famous wasn't going to bring me lasting fulfilment and that it was not the end of the journey; that it was the beginning of the journey."

She has even assumed the Jewish name of Esther, and studied the sect in LA.

It is rare for international acts to perform in Israel on global tours, but Madonna said she had included the country in her itinerary, partly for spiritual reasons.

She is being accompanied by her boyfriend, Jesus Luz, and children Lourdes, Rocco John, David Banda and Mercy James.

On Sunday she visited the Western Wall - the most holy place for Jews to pray - where her arrival attracted a media frenzy and she had to be given police protection.