Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah

Published by New York University Press 2011

Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah

New Insights and Scholarship

Edited by: Frederick E. Greenspahn

Volume 2 in the series Jewish Studies in the Twenty-First Century

https://doi.org/10.18574/nyu/9780814732885.001.0001

Overview
Contents

About this book

Over the past generation, scholars have devoted increasing attention to the diverse forms that Jewish mysticism has taken both in the past and today: what was once called “nonsense” by Jewish scholars has generated important research and attention both within the academy and beyond, as demonstrated by the popular fascination with figures such as Madonna and Demi Moore and the growing interest in spirituality.

In Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah, leading experts introduce the history of this scholarship as well as the most recent insights and debates that currently animate the field in a way that is accessible to a broad audience. From mystical outpourings in ancient Palestine to the Kabbalah Centre, and from attitudes towards gender to mystical contributions to Jewish messianic movements, this volume explores the various expressions of Jewish mysticism from antiquity to the present day in an engaging style appropriate for students and non-specialists alike.

Author information

Greenspahn Frederick E. :

Frederick
E. Greenspahn is Gimelstob Eminent Scholar of
Judaic Studies at Florida Atlantic University.
He is the editor of The Hebrew
Bible, Women in Judaism, Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah, and Contemporary Israel, as well as
author/editor of numerous other titles, including When Brothers Dwell Together.

Reviews

Jeremy Zwelling,Wesleyan University:
This carefully edited collection of essays on Jewish mysticism effectively delivers on its promise to be accessible to broad audiences. The volume amounts to a thoughtful and lucid conversation among leading scholars . . . It provides a sense of overall coherence as themes set forth in one essay regularly intersect with themes developed in other essays, the sum nicely ending up greater than the parts. The literate lay reader as well as faculty and students in a wide range of university courses will find this to be a most useful gateway to Jewish mysticism as well as an illumining account of current trends in scholarship.

Lawrence Kushner,author of I'm God; You're Not: Observations on Organized Religion & Other Disguises of the Ego:
Greenspahn has assembled many of the & usual suspects along with some welcome teachers from a newer generation of scholars. The buffet he sets before us refreshingly summarizes much of the current thinking about mysticism in general and Kabbalah in particular. The essays are thoughtful, provocative, and frequently even inspiring.

S.T. Katz:
Libraries serving religion and Judaic programs will want to add this volume.

Daniel Scheide:
If you have an interest in Kabbalah, but are not aware of recent trends in the field, this is the book to pick up.

An excellent summary of the history of Jewish mysticism and Kabbalah and the notes here, as in all of the essays, will provide readers with much additional reading material and resources... This is an excellent book for general readers who wish to learn about this fascinating area of Jewish life and literature, as the jargon of scholar-speak is kept to a minimum

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	v
Preface Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Introduction: Reading Mysteries The Origins of Scholarship on Jewish Mysticism Hartley Lachter Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
I. JEWISH MYSTICISM TAKES SHAPE
1 Ancient Jewish Mysticism Michael D. Swartz Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	33
2 The Zohar Masterpiece of Jewish Mysticism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	49
3 Abraham ben Samuel Abulafia and the Prophetic Kabbalah Elliot R. Wolfson Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	68
4 New Approaches to the Study of Kabbalistic Life in 16th-Century Safed Lawrence Fine Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	91
II. BECOMING MODERN
5 Mystical Messianism From the Renaissance to the Enlightenment Matt Goldish Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	115
6 Hasidism Mystical and Nonmystical Approaches to Interpreting Scripture Shaul Magid Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	139
7 Christian Kabbalah Allison P. Coudert Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	159
III. CONTEMPORARY CONCERNS
8 Kabbalah at the Turn of the 21st Century Jody Myers Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	175
9 Gender in Jewish Mysticism Hava Tirosh-Samuelson Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	191
Epilogue Kabbalah and Contemporary Judaism Pinchas Giller Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	231
About the Contributors Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	239
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	243

Language: English
Publisher: New York University Press
Audience: Professional and scholarly;

eBook

Published: November 1, 2011
ISBN: 9780814732885