From Publishers Weekly
From its very first page, it's obvious that this lucid, authentically Jewish and scholarly work is different from the numerous recent titles that have jumped on the kabbalistic bandwagon. Dan, an expert on Jewish mysticism and winner of the 1997 Israel Prize, carefully explodes several misconceptions. He begins by separating religion from mysticism. In current usage, he says, "someone who prays is religious; someone who really means it is a mystic." But the basic attitudes of mysticism often contradict those of established religion: the mystic distrusts language, logic and thought, certain that those vehicles cannot lead to the revelation of God's nature. "Mysticism is that which cannot be expressed in words, period," states Dan succinctly. He further distinguishes between mysticism and Kabbalah, noting that though many mystics were Kabbalists, Jewish mysticism began a thousand years before Kabbalah. Mysticism, he stresses, is a Christian term that has no parallel in Judaism; Jewish mysticism is the "invention of contemporary scholars dealing with comparative study of religion." A comprehensive introduction explains the historical development of mysticism from antiquity to modern times, and delineates its leaders, texts and theology. Over 25 selections reflect the remarkable scope of Jewish mysticism, from the visions of Rabbi Akiba and Rabbi Ishmael to the secrets of the Zohar; from apocalyptic, messianic and magical texts to the vibrant writing of four contemporary Israeli poets an unconventional inclusion. This volume will appeal to any serious reader of mysticism.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
Dan, author of 50 books, winner of the 1997 Israel Prize, and a professor of kabbalah at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, is the foremost scholar of Jewish mysticism, which refers to the inner, more intense, and spiritual dimension of religious life on the intellectual or experiential level. Dan discusses such topics as kabbalah, the major form of Jewish mysticism originating in the late twelfth century; the Zohar ("Book of Splendor"), the central work on the subject; and midrash, rabbinical interpretation of the Bible in a nonliteral sense. Other works and major figures discussed include the baal Shem Tov, founder of Hasidism; the Hebrew poet Hayyim Bialik; "The Duties of the Heart," a manifest of Jewish spirituality; and the writings of Rabbi Eleazar ben Judah of Worms, Abraham Abulafia, and Rabbi Hayyim Vital. Dan also explores the historical development of mysticism from late antiquity to the modern period. The subject is difficult to comprehend, but this is an indispensable work for students, scholars, and general readers.
George CohenCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
