- 576 pages
- English
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A Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism Reader
About This Book
An unprecedented annotated anthology of the most important Jewish mystical works, A Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism Reader is designed to facilitate teaching these works to all levels of learners in adult education and college classroom settings. Daniel M. Horwitz's insightful introductions and commentary accompany readings in the Talmud and Zohar and writings by Ba'al Shem Tov, Rav Kook, Abraham Joshua Heschel, and others. Horwitz's introduction describes five major types of Jewish mysticism and includes a brief chronology of theirdevelopment, with a timeline. He begins with biblical prophecy and proceeds through the early mystical movements up through current beliefs. Chapters on key subjects characterize mystical expression through the ages, such as Creation and deveikut ("cleaving to God"); the role of Torah; the erotic; inclinations toward good and evil; magic; prayer and ritual; and more. Later chapters deal with Hasidism, the great mystical revival, and twentieth-century mystics, including Abraham Isaac Kook, Kalonymous Kalman Shapira, and Abraham Joshua Heschel. A final chapter addresses today's controversies concerning mysticism's place within Judaism and its potential for enriching the Jewish religion.
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Series Page
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Contents
- List of Illustrations
- Preface
- Landmark Dates and Key Figures in Jewish Mysticism
- Part 1
- 1. What Is Jewish Mysticism?
- 2. Mysticism in the Bible
- Part 2
- 3. Mysticism in the Talmud
- 4. Song of Songs and Maâaseh Merkavah
- 5. The Temple
- 6. Maâaseh Bereshit, Sefer Yetzirah, and Sefer ha-Bahir
- 7. Hasidei Ashkenaz
- Part 3
- 8. The Ein Sof
- 9. The Sefirot
- 10. Deveikut
- 11. Tzorekh Gavoha
- Part 4
- 12. Prophetic-Ecstatic Kabbalah
- 13. The Role of the Torah
- 14. Sexuality in Jewish Mysticism
- 15. Sin, Teshuvah, and the Yetzer ha-Ra
- 16. Lurianic Kabbalah
- 17. The Problem of Evil in Kabbalah
- 18. Mystical Experiences, Ascetic Practices
- Part 5
- 19. Four Worlds, Four Levels of Soul
- 20. Magic
- 21. Messianism
- 22. Prayer and Ritual in the Mystical Life
- Part 6
- 23. The Baâal Shem Tov and His Teachings
- 24. The Role of Prayer and the Baâal Shem Tovâs Successors
- 25. The Growth of Hasidism and Its Search for Truth
- 26. Chabad Hasidism
- Part 7
- 27. Three Twentieth-Century Mystics
- 28. Concealment and Distortion of Jewish Mysticism
- Suggestions for Further Reading
- Notes
- Glossary
- Bibliography
- Index
- About Daniel M. Horwitz
- Series List