An excellent overview of the history of jewish mysticism from its early. Books by language additional collections indic manuscripts. Gershom scholem and the mystical dimension of jewish history on. Gershom scholem was professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university of jerusalem until his death in 1982. Notes on the study of merkabah mysticism and hekhalot. Born to an assimilated jewish family in berlin, gershon scholem joined the zionist movement as a student. In his introduction to major trends in jewish mysticism, scholem blames jewish scholars of the haskalah period, who, because of what he decried their antagonism and neglect of the study of kabbalah, allowed the field be all but monopolized by charlatans and dreamers. Bavarian academy of art that the three books that reflect the spirit. Buy jewish gnosticism, merkabah mysticism, and talmudic tradition by scholem, gershom g. May 18, 2011 reading from gershom scholem s classic scholarly work on the kabbalah. Buy major trends in jewish mysticism revised edition by scholem, gershom gerhard isbn. From moses mendelssohn to julius guttmann, the philosophers of judaism have hesitated to admit that any kind of mysticism could be valued as a legitimate offspring of the purity of monotheistic jewish thought. Major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
That was obviously scholem s opinion, but it was hardly the opinion of other scholars at the time. The combination of the two books would lead to the creation of the. Yet his books on this arcane subject major trends in jewish mysticism, sabbatai sevi, and the kabbalah and its symbolism to mention only a fewhave won him a. We have new and used copies available, in 0 edition starting at. Gershom scholem was born in berlin, the son of a printer. Fair to say that scholem 18971982, the author of major trends in jewish mysticism, on the kabbalah and its symbolism, sabbatai sevi. He is the author of from berlin to jerusalem, major trends in jewish mysticism, the messianic idea in judaism, on the. This volume thus sets the context for the current debate conducted by a new generation of scholars, who have introduced fresh ideas, new methodologiesand radical critique of the man they still revere as. Major trends in jewish mysticism book by gershom scholem. Major trends in jewish mysticism 9780805210422 by gershom scholem. Gershom scholem refrained from studying the jewish mysticism of his own time not because he was a historian and philologist but because he denied its significance and value. He is also the author of the messianic idea in judaism, on the kabbalah and its symbolism, on the mystical shape of the godhead and zohar.
Major trends in jewish mysticism 9780805210422 by gershom. This little book presents gershom scholem discoveries in the area of jewish gnosticism which go behind of what he already did in his major trends in jewish mysticism. In his introduction to major trends in jewish mysticism, scholem blames jewish scholars of the haskalah period, who, because of what he decried their antagonism and neglect of the study of kabbalah, allowed the field be all but monopolized by charlatans and dreamers scholem s chapter on merkabah mysticism and jewish gnosticism deals mainly with the mystical books the. A collection of lectures on the features of the movement of mysticism that began in antiquity and continues in hasidism today. He proceeded to devote himself to a thorough understanding of jewish history, religion and culture, acquiring a knowledge of hebrew and jewish sources. Gershom scholem and the mystical dimension of jewish history. Scholem is best known for his collection of lectures, major trends in jewish mysticism 1941 and for his biography sabbatai zevi, the mystical messiah 1957. One of the most important contributions of gershom scholem to the study of jewish culture in. Gershom scholem, major trends in jewish mysticism new york, 19. Gers hom scholem, major trends in jewish mysticism new york, 1974, p. Academic study of jewish mysticism, especially since gershom scholem s major trends in jewish mysticism 1941, distinguishes between different forms of mysticism across different eras of jewish history.
Gershom scholem major trends fifty years after eds. Jul, 2017 what gershom scholems take on jewish mysticism can teach us now. Gershom scholem, professor of jewish mysticism, is dead the. Gershom scholem a collection of lectures on the features of the movement of mysticism that began in antiquity and continues in hasidism today. Major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem books. In his introduction to major trends in jewish mysticism, scholem blames jewish scholars of the haskalah period, who, because of what he decried their antagonism and neglect of the study of kabbalah, allowed the field be all but monopolized by charlatans and dreamers scholem s chapter on merkabah mysticism and jewish gnosticism deals mainly with the mystical books the lesser.
His scholarly achievements were enormous in the field of jewish mysticism. The mysticswere the true representatives of the living, popular religion of the jewish masses, he wrote in his magnum opus, major trends in jewish mysticism. Scholem, who was emeritus professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university in jerusalem, is credited with elevating the esoteric subject of the cabala to its proper place in jewish studies. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including oxford university, michigan state university, and university of minnesota we have also been recommended for educational use by the following publications. These works major trends, jewish gnosticism, kabbalah, and mystical shape are cited not only to establish the starting point for modern scholarship on hekhalotmerkabah mysticism but also to demonstrate scholems own development in appraising the subject. Perhaps a more significant turning point in the growth of interest in jewish mysticism, though, was the series of lectures that scholem gave at the jewish institute of religion in new york city in 1938, subsequently collected and published as major trends in jewish mysticism, a brilliant and remarkably comprehensive introduction to the history. Be the first to ask a question about major trends in jewish mysticism. Click download or read online button to get by gershom scholem book now. Major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Gershom scholem 18971982 was a noted authority on jewish mysticism. Buy a cheap copy of major trends in jewish mysticism book by gershom scholem. No other contemporary writer equaled him in breadth of knowledge, depth of perception, and power of synthesis. An examination of mysticism from its beginnings in antiquity to its latest phase in hasidism. Gershom scholem was a professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university in jerusalem until his death in 1982. He studied mathematics, philosophy, and hebrew at the university of berlin. Publication date 1995 topics mysticism judaism, cabala history publisher schocken books. A towering 20thcentury intellectual, the publication of his book major trends in jewish mysticism changed the academic study of judaism.
His collected speeches and essays, published as on kabbalah and its symbolism 1965, helped to spread knowledge of jewish mysticism among both jews and nonjews. Scholem published more than 40 books and close to 700 articles and trained three generations of scholars of kabbalah. His landmark collection of essays, major trends in jewish mysticism, is the starting point for all scholarship on jewish. Other readers will always be interested in your opinion of the books youve read. I learned a great deal from this text, and further my spiritual understanding has been enhanced by herr doktor gershom scholem s 18971982 book, major trends in jewish mysticism.
By gershom scholem download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. When major trends in jewish mysticism was published the following year, it bore what is. One of the most important contributions of gershom scholem to the study of jewish culture in the middle ages in central europe was his integral inclusion of the ashkenazi hasidic movement in the history of jewish mysticism and pietism. Major trends in jewish mysticism is a work on the history of the jewish kabbalah by gershom scholem, published in 1941. I consider this book to be essential for a complete understanding of the history of jewish mysticism. One of the most distinguished jewish scholars of this century, gershom scholem almost singlehandedly created the field of academic study of jewish mysticism. What gershom scholems take on jewish mysticism can teach us now. Major trends in jewish mysticism book ancient history. He is widely regarded as the founder of the modern, academic study of kabbalah, becoming the first professor of jewish mysticism at hebrew university of. Among his most important works are major trends in jewish mysticism, the messianic idea in judaism, and on the kabbalah and its symbolism.
It is not without irony that scholem s most celebrated works were written in german or hebrew yet his most popular and arguably most influential work major trends in jewish mysticism was. Gershom scholem 18971982 ignored these biases and singlehandedly established jewish mysticism as an academic discourse. Major trends in jewish mysticism gershom scholem on. As the zohar is the canonical text of the kabbalah, so, in a sense, is scholem s major trends the canonical modern work on the nature and history of jewish mysticism. This site is like a library, use search box in the widget to get ebook that you want. Major trends in jewish mysticism gershom scholem download. Scholem, who was emeritus professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university in jerusalem, is credited with elevating the esoteric subject of the cabala to its proper place in jewish. Scholem unearthed a range of manuscripts on mysticism and established the authorship of the zohar. Scholem was the first to study this movement as a whole, including in one and the same analysis a discussion. But for a faculty that is actually a kind of research academy, it is a perfect fit. Jewish gnosticism, merkabah mysticism, and talmudic.
For a sophisticated understanding, not only of the dynamics of jewish mysticism, but of the exquisite complexities of jewish history and tradition, major trends is a major port. Gershom scholem and the study of contemporary jewish mysticism. Scholem, major trends in jewish mysticism new york. His interest in judaica was opposed by his father, but his mother intervened and he was allowed to study hebrew and the talmud with an orthodox rabbi. Major trends in jewish mysticism ebook written by gershom scholem. List of books and articles about gershom scholem online. Whether youve loved the book or not, if you give your honest and detailed thoughts then people will find new books that are right for them. On the kabbalah and its symbolism by gershom scholem. Major trends in jewish mysticism and origins of the kabbala. He is also the author of the messianic idea in judaism, on the kabbalah and its symbolism, on the mystical shape of the godhead and z.
Gershom scholem stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. On the possibility of jewish mysticism in our time by gershom. Here, scholem presents a radical reevaluation of traditions embedded in hekhalot books preserved in rabbinic circles which had retained deep attachment to pharisaism. Jewish gnosticism, merkabah mysticism, and talmudic tradition. In an oftcited passage at the conclusion of his major trends in jewish mysticism he gestures toward the possibility of a renewal of lived jewish mysticism, although he never reveals what. The term kabbalah refers specifically to the form of jewish mysticism that. Major trends in jewish mysticism by scholem, gershom and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Major trends in jewish mysticism tells the history of jewish mysticism following the advent of christianity which gershom scholem considers to have been the first and still the most catastrophic jewish mystic movement. Major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem goodreads. What gershom scholem and hannah arendt can teach us about. Scholem doesnt tell us how to find the road that takes us to these worlds, but he tells us many stories about the men who did.
Published in the united states by schocken books inc. Aug 17, 2011 gershom scholem was professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university of jerusalem until his death in 1982. In 1918 in bern he met elsa burchkardt who became his first wife. Gershom scholem in the wake of so much political turmoil, were hungry for books that diagnose our broken world. If you want to learn about the mystics who discovered the trail head into the unknown, reading major trends in jewish mysticism is a good place to start. Yosef dan examines some of the riddles surrounding the father of kabbala studies. Library of congress cataloginginpublication data scholem, gershom gerhard, 18971982 major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem. Scholems major trends in jewish mysticism 1941, and his later study, jewish 1 the pioneering studies of heikhalot literature in the nineteenth century were as follows.
December 5, 1897 february 21, 1982, was a germanborn israeli philosopher and historian. Gerhard scholem who, after his immigration from germany to israel, changed his name to gershom scholem hebrew. Hes best known for his collection of lectures called major trends. Major trends in jewish mysticism and millions of other books are available for.
Full text of major trends in jewish mysticism internet archive. Of these, kabbalah, which emerged in 12thcentury europe, is the most well known, but not the only typologic form, or the earliest to emerge. Gershom scholem major trends in jewish mysticism major trends in jewish mysticism gershom scholem. In his introduction to major trends in jewish mysticism, scholem. They relate directly to the rebellious aspects of that movement visavis talmudic culture and its worldview, as follows. In his monumental major trends in jewish mysticism, published in 1941, he issued. So did john as he describes in the book of revelations. The jewish mystics major trends in jewish mysticism. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read major trends in jewish mysticism. After major trends in jewish mysticism 1941, the selections from the zohar, and jewish gnosticism, merkabah mysticism, and talmudic tradition 1960, this translation of professor scholem s essays on the rituals and symbolism of the kabbalah is most timely.
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