Description

Overview

“This translation of Professor Scholem’s essays on the rituals and symbolism of the Kabbalah constitutes an immense problem, interesting both to the history of Jewish spirituality and to what may be called the comparative study of mysticism. But there is another and no less significant aspect of the problem: the attraction exercised by the Kabbalah upon Christian theologians, philosophers, and.. upon a growing circle of writers, occultists and simply curious readers.” – Mircea Eliade in Commentary

“Along with Scholem’s Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism [SCHOCKEN], this is the standard work in its field.”

Gershom Scholem guides the reader through central themes in the intricate history of the Kabbalah. He clarifies the relations between mysticism and established religious authority; the mystics’ interpretation of the Torah and their attempts to discover the hidden meaning underlying Scripture; the tension between the philosophical and the mystical concept of God; and the symbolism employed in mystical religion. He conveys his immense erudition with a lucidity that has earned him the admiration of the scholarly world and the appreciation of lay readers.

About the Author

Gershom Scholem is Professor of the Jewish Mysticism at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. His many books and studies on Jewish mysticism grow out of his vast pioneering work in unearthing and interpreting manuscripts hitherto neglected or unknown.