Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism: A Reassessment

6/30	7/2	3	Professor Rachel Elior Yeshiva University, Bernard Revel Graduate School of Jewish Studies  Harry Fischel Summer Program 2003 Click here for an image of the original syllabus
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Syllabus  

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The class will review Scholem’s assertions in his two books Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism and Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism and Talmudic Tradition and will compare it with development in scholarship in four major periods and in relation to the book: Gershom Scholem Major Trends Fifty Years After (eds. Peter Schafer and Joseph Dan) Tubingen

The four periods are:

• 1 Ancient Jewish Mysticism

• 2 Heikhalot Mysticism

• 3 Medieval Mysticism

• 4 16^th century Kabbalah

Course Requirements

• Class participation 25%

• 4 Reading response papers —one for each week reading (1-2 page) 25%

• Final paper (10-12 pages) 50%

English reading text and secondary sources is required: Hebrew reading for Hebrew Readers is recommended (as well as general reading on various kinds of mystical literature in English) both are appended with #

The course is composed of 15 Lectures relating to 15 of the following units:

• 3 lectures of section A

• 3 lectures from section B 

• 2 lectures from section D 

• 2 lectures from section E 

• 3 lectures from section F

• and discussions relating to the book Gershom Scholem Reconsidered —50 years after

A

1.       Introduction: Mysticism and Jewish Mysticism

Gershom Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, New York 1967, pp 1-39

# Rachel Elior, Paneia haShonot shel ha-Herut Iunim be-Mistika Yehudit, Alpayim 15 Tel Aviv: Am-Oved 1998

2.   Historical Survey of Jewish Mystical Literature

Gershom Scholem, Kabbalah, Jerusalem 1974, pp. 8-87

Or Joseph Dan, The Heart and the Fountain, Oxford 2002 pp. 1-44

3.   Holy Place, Holy Time, Holy Ritual - Chariot Mysticism B. C

I.   Holy Place

Texts

Bible (JPS):

• Genesis Chapters. 1-2

• Exodus 25:9, 17-22

• I Kings 6:23-28, 8:6-8

• Isaiah 6: 1-3

• Ezekiel Chapters. 1, 10

• I Chronicles 28:18

• II Chronicles 3:10-13

Pseudepigrapha:

• 1 Enoch 14:8-25 in: James H.Charlesworth, (ed.), The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1, London 1983-5, pp. 20-21 or in H. F. D. Sparks, The Apocryphal Old Testament, Clarendon Press: Oxford 1990 , p 20 1-203

• Jubilees 8:19 in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. Ii, London and New York 1985, or Sparks, The Apocryphal Old Testament, p. 38

• Second Ezekiel, The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, (eds.) Florentino Garcia Martinez and Eibert Tigchelaar, two volumes, Leiden 1997, vol. I, pp. 768-77 1 BM478A3G37 1997

#On the various kinds of Pseudpigraphic writings mentioned above see Michael E. Stone, (ed), Jewish Writings of the Second Temple Period, Assen 1984. BM485 .L57 vol.2

# For Dead Sea Scrolls complete edition in Hebrew and English see: Discoveries in the Judaean Desert, Oxford: Clarendon 1955-2000 39 volumes BM487 A 

Secondary Literature

• Rachel Elior, ‘The Merkavah Tradition and the Emergence of Jewish Mysticism , in:Sino-Judaica, Jews and Chinese in Historical Dialogue, (ed. A. Oppenheimer) Tel Aviv 1999, pp. 101-158 BM423S56 1999

• #Mikdash Umerkavah Kohanim umalakhim Heikhal veheikhalot bamistika haivrit hakduma, Jerusalem : Hebrew University Magnes Press 2002

• =Rachel Elior, The Three Temples, On The Emergence of Jewish Mysticism, Oxford:Littman Library 2003 (forthcoming, a library copy will be available)

4. II. Holy Time

Texts

• 1 Enoch, chapters 1-36, 72-82 in James H. Charlesworth, (ed.) The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1, London and New York 1983; or Sparks, The Apocryphal Old Testament, pp. 184-22 1, 257-274

• Jubilees, Chapters 1-10, in James H. Charlesworth, (ed.) The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. -2, London 1983 or Sparks, The Apocryphal Old Testament, pp. 10-44

• David’s Calendar, in The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, (eds.) Florentino Garcia Martinez and Eibert Tigchelaar, two volumes, Leiden 1998, pp. 1178-1179, Temple Scroll calendar, in: ibid. pp. 1238-1247, 1260, 1294, Ibid 1997, flood calendar ibid. pp.500-502, MMT calendar, p. 790

 Secondary Literature

James Vandrkam, Calendars in the Dead Sea Scrolls, London and New York 1998

5.111. Holy Time — Shevuot-Shavout

Texts

• Exodus 19; Deut. 16:9-12; Leviticus 23; Psalms 68:18

• Jubilees, Chaps. 1-9 The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. II; Sparks, The Apocryphal Old Testament, pp. 10-40

• The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, pp. 68-80, 642-649, 744-5, 76 8-770 BT Megila 31 a-b

Secondary Literature

• David J. Halperin, The Faces of The Chariot. Early Jewish Responses to Ezekiel’s Vision, Tubingen 1988, pp. 262-288    BM496.9. M87 H33 1988

• Rachel Elior, The Three Temples, On The Emergence of Jewish Mysticism, Oxford: Littman Library 2003 (forthcoming, a library copy will be available), chapter s 6-7

6.1.      Holy Ritual - Priests and Angels

Texts

• Bible: Malachi 2:1-8, 3:1

• Ben Sirah 5 1:28-29

• Dead Sea Scrolls; The Rule of The Community: The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition,(eds. Florentino Garcia Martinez and Eibert Tigchelaar) two volumes, Leiden 1997-8, pp. 971; 984-987, 1028-1031 frag. 2; 1032 frag.35, 1210-1211 frag Iii

• Pseudepigrapha: Jubilees, Chapters 30-3 1, Sparks pp 99-102: Dead Sea ScrollS St Edition, pp. 51-5 7

• Testaments of the Twelve Tribes, The Testament of Levi, James Charlesworth, (ed.) The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1, pp. 773-78 1, 788-795; Jubilees, ibid, vol II, pp.112-118 or Sparks pp 526-537

Secondary Literature

• J.  Kuge1. Levi’s Elevation to the Priesthood in Second Temple Writings Harvard Theolo2ical Review 86 (1993) pp.  1-64

• R. A. Kugler, From Patriarch to Priest: The Levi-=Priestly Tradition.. SBLEJL 9 Atlanta: Scholars Press 1996

Rachel Elior, The Three Temples, On The Emergence of Jewish Mysticism, Oxford: Littman Library 2003 (forthcoming, a library copy will be available) chapter 8

7.   II. Holy-Ritual: Angelic Liturgy

Text

• Carol Newsom, Songs of The Sabbath Sacrifice, Atlanta 1985; or: Discoveries in the Judaean Desert XI, pp. 173-339 or DJD XXIII, pp. 259-304; or The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, pp. 804-836, 894

Secondary Literature

• Carol Newsom, ‘Merkabah Exegesis in the Qumran Sabbath Shirot’, Journal of Jewish Studies 38 (1987), pp. 11-30

• John Maier, ‘Shire Olat hash-Shabbat : Some Observations on their Calendric Implications and on their Style’, in: J. Trebolle Barrera and L. Vegas Montaner (eds.) The Madrid Qumran Congress: Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judeah, II, Leiden 1992, pp. 542-560

8. The identity of the Judean Desert Scrolls writers

Texts

• Ezekiel 43:19

• Ben Sirah 5 1:29

• The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition, pp. 78, 100-108, 132-134, 164, 324-32 6, 3 52-354, 554-556,  586

• Flavius Josephus, Wars of The Jews, book 2, chapter 8:2-13

• Flavius Josephus, Antiquities, book 13, lines 171-173, 288-298

See sources in Geza Vermes and Marti nGoodman, (eds.)The Essenes According to the Classical Sources, Oxford 1989

Secondary Literature

• The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English, (ed.) Geza Vermes, New York 1997, pp. 1-93

• #Lawrence Schiffman, ‘The New Halakhic Letter (4QMMT) and the Origins of the DeadSea Sect’, The Biblical Archeologist 33 (1990) 64-73

B

9. Chariot Mysticism B.C. to Chariot Mysticism C. E

Texts

• Background 1 Enoch 2 Enoch and 3 Enoch -James H. Charlesworth, (ed.) The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1-London 1983;or Sparks pp. 169-362 +3 Enoch

• *Mishna Hagiga 2:1

• Bavli Hagiga 14 b

• Tosefta Hagiga 2:3f

Secondary Literature

• Gershom Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, New York 1967, pp 40-79

• Gershom Scholem, Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism and Talmudic Tradition,New York 1965 5076.833

• Philip Alexander, ‘The Historical Setting of the Book of Enoch’, Journal of Jewish Studies 28 (1977), pp. 156-180 or *Appensix in Charlesworth pseudepigrapha pp. 269-275

• Martha Himmelfarb, Ascent to Heaven in Jewish and Christian Apocalypses, New York 1993, pp 29-46

• *Peter Schafer, ‘New Testament and Hekhalot Literature. The Journey into Heaven in Paul and in Merkavah Mysticism’, in: idem, Hekhalot Studien, Tubingen 1988, pp. 234-249

• #Jozef I. Milik, The Books of Enoch, Oxford 1976 . pp 125-135

10. Heikhalot Literature

Texts

• Heikhalot Rabbati, in: David R. Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, New York 1978, pp. 56-84 for Hebrew Readers P. Schafer Synopsis to Heikhalot Literature, Sections 8 1-345

• *Third Enoch=Sefer Heikhalot, in: Philiph Alexander, 3 (Hebrew Apocalypse of) Enoch, in: James H. Charlesworth, (ed.) The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, vol. 1, pp 258f, 264-268

Secondary Literature

• David J. Halperin, The Faces of the Chariot. Early Jewish Responses to Ezekiel's Vision, Tubingen 1988, pp. 1-60, 452-455, 567-573 BM496.9. M87 H33 1988 

• #Rachel Elior, ‘Merkabah Mysticism, -A Critical Review [D.J. Halperin, Faces of The Chariot, Tubingen 1988], NUMEN, International Review for the History of Religions, Vol. XXXVII (1990), pp. 233-249

• *Peter Schafer, “man between God and the Angels” in ibid, The Hidden and Man fest God, Albany 1992, pp. 139-166

 11. Priests and Angels in Heikhalot Literature

Text:

• Synopsis to Heikhalot Literature + Genizah Fragments , Peter Schafer (ed.) 1982, 1984

Secondary Literature

• Rachel Elior, ‘Mysticism, Magic and Angelology - The Perceptions of Angels in Hekhalot Literature, Jewish Studies Quarterly, vol. 1, (1993/4), pp. 3-53 BM1 .J394

• Rachel Elior, ‘From Earthly Temple to Heavenly Shrines — Prayer and Sacred Song in the Hekhalot Literature and Its Relation to Temple Tradition’, Jewish Studies Quarterly, vol.4, (1997), pp. 2 17-267

12. Priests and Sages-Chariot and Temple-Exchanging mystical roles in the first few centuries C.E

Texts

• II  Corinthians 12:2-4

• BT Berachot 7a BT Hagiga 13 b BT Yoma 54a Jubilees 8:19

• Visions of Rabbi Akibah and Rabbi Ishmael. In: The Heart and the Fountain, An Anthology of Jewish Mystical Experiences. (ed.) Joseph Dan, Oxford 2002, pp. 55 - 56Gershom Scholem, Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism and Talmudic Tradition, New York 1965, pp. 14-20

• David J. Halperin, The Faces of the Chariot. Early Jewish Responses to Ezekiel's Vision, Tubingen 1988, pp. 31-37

C

*13 Sefer Yetzira (‘The Book of Creation’)

Text:

• David R. Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, New York 1978, pp. 15-19, 42-44

• # Sefer Yetzira

Secondary Literature

• "Hayim Nahman Bialik: Language Closing and Disclosing" in the Heart and the Fountain, An Anthology of Jewish Mystical Experiences. (ed.) Joseph Dan, Oxford 2002, pp. 255-261

• *Gershom Scholem, ‘The Meaning of the Torah in Jewish Mysticism’, in: idem, On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism, New York 1969

D

*l4. Sefer Ha-Bahir (The Book of Brilliance) Transformations in 11th - 12th Centuries

Text:

• # Book Bahir (ed. Ruven Margaliot) Jerusalem: Mosad Harav Kook 1948 or reprints

• The Bahir Translation, Arie Kaplan, New York 1979-89, ## 11, 22, 76, 108, 128-132, 141-146, 156-157, 162-172

 Secondary Literature

• *The Enigmatic Book Bahir

• *Gershom Scholem, ‘Sitra Ahra: Good and Evil in the Kabbalah’, in: ibid. The Mystical Shape of the Godhead, New York 1991, pp. 56-87

• *Gershom Scholem, ‘The Shekhinah: The Feminine Element in Divinity’, in On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism, New York 1969, pp. 140-17 1

15. The Zohar, (The Book of Splendor) The beginning of the passage from Exile to redemption in the 13th Century

Text:

• The Mystical Circle and the world of the Zohar, The Heart and the Fountain, An Anthology of Jewish Mystical Experiences. (ed.) Joseph Dan, Oxford 2002, pp.¹³⁹-¹⁵⁹

• *Text: Isaiah Tishby (ed.) The Wisdom of the Zohar (3 Volumes) Oxford 1991

  • Vol. I. pp. 257-259, 309-3 18

  • Vol. 2, pp. 475- 482, 494-496 561-567, 569, 570, 573

 Secondary Literature

• Gershom Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, chapters 5-6

• *Daniel Matt, Zohar The Book of Enlightenment, Ramsey 1983, pp. 3-39, 193-203

• Yehuda Liebes, ‘How the Zohar Was Written’, in ibid, Studies in The Zohar, Albany 1993, pp 85-90 idem ‘The Messiah of the zohar

• Arthur Green, ‘The Zohar: Jewish Mysticism in Medieval Spain’, in: Essential Papers on Kabbalah (ed.) Lawrence Fine, New York 1995

E

16. Joseph Karo —The Mystical Autobiography From Exile to Redemption in the 16th Century

Text and Secondary Literature

• # Etz Hayim introduction =hakdamah leshaar hahakdamot

• Gershom Scholem. Sabbatai Sevi. (tr. R. Z. Werblowsky) Princeton 1976, Introduction Refael Zevi Werblowsky, Joseph Karo Lawyer and Mystic, Philadelphia 1967 Rachel Elior, ‘Messianic Expectations and Spiritualization of Religious Life in the ₁₆th Century’, in: Essential Papers on Jewish Culture in Renaissance and Baroque Italy, (ed.), David Ruderman, New York 1992, pp. 283-298

• ‘Walking with the Shekhinah: The Palm Tree of Devorah’, in The Heart and the Fountain, An Anthology of Jewish Mystical Experiences. (ed.) Joseph Dan, Oxford 2002, pp.195-202

17. Lurianic Kabbalah —Myth of Exile and Redemption and Predetermined History in the 16 Century

Text:

• *David R. Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism, New York 1978, pp. 159-176,

• ‘The Messianic Dreams of Hayim Vital’ in: The Heart and the Fountain, pp. 203-2 12

 Secondary Literature

• Gershom Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, pp 244-286 or Gershom Scholem, ‘The Doctrine of Creation in Lurianic Kabbalah’, in: ibid. Kabbalah, pp. Jerusalem 1974, 128-144

• # More on Saffed spirituality in the book: Jewish Mystical Autobiographies, Book of Visions (ed.) Morris M. Faierstein, New York 1999 Lawrence Fine, Safed

F

18.  Sabbatianism—Messianism fulfilled and denied in the 17th Century

• Gershom Scholem, Sabbatai Sevi, Princeton 1976, Introduction, and pp. 224-226, 270-275

• *Yehuda Liebes, ‘Sabbtean Messianism’, in: idem, Studies in Jewish Myth and Jewish Messianism, New York 1993, pp. 93-106 BM530L457 1993

19. Frankism and Pietism in the 18th Century

Secondary sources:

• *Gershom Scholem, ‘Redemption through Sin’, in: idem, The Messianic Idea in Judaism, New York 1971, pp. 78-141

• Gershom Scholem, ‘Jacob Frank’ in: idem, Kabbalah, pp. 287-309

• Moshe Hayim Luzzatto, an excerpt from Mesilat Yesharim in: The Heart and the Fountain, An Anthology of Jewish Mystical Experiences. (ed.) Joseph Dan, Oxford 2002, pp. 223-230

20-22. Hasidism 18th to 19th Centuries-Continuity and Change

Texts:

• ‘The Holy Epistle of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Toy’, in: Louis Jacobs, (ed.) Jewish Mystical Testimonies, London 1977

• ‘The Mystical Prayer of Rabbi Israel Baal Shem Toy’, in: The Heart and the Fountain, An Anthology of Jewish Mystical Experiences. (ed.) Joseph Dan, Oxford 2002, pp.231-237

• # Iggeret Hakodesh in Migdal Oz (ed.) Yehoshua Mundschein

• # Shneur Zalman of Liadi Tanya Likkutei Amarim Secondary Literature

• *Rachel Elior, The Paradoxical Ascent To God: The Kabbalistic Theosophy of Habad Hasidism Albany 1993, pp. 49-62, 79-95 Hasidism Reappraised, (ed.) Ada Rapoport-Albert, London 1996

• *Arthur Green, Tormented Master: The Life and Spiritual Quest of Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav, Woodstock 1992, pp. 182-220

• Rachel Elior, ‘Hasidism — Historical Continuity and Spiritual Changes’ In: Gershom Scholem ‘s Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism —50 Years After, (eds.) Peter Schafer and Joseph Dan, (Tubingen 1993, pp. 303-324

Readings

• Bar- Ilan, Meir "Tikkun Layl Shavu'ot"

• Dan, Joseph, The Heart and the Fountain, Oxford 2002 pp. 1-44

• Dimant, Devorah, The Biography of Enoch and The Books of Enoch

• Elior, Rachel,  Karo and the Baal Shem Tov

• Elior, Rachel, The Merkavah Tradition and the Emergence of Jewish Mysticism

• Gruenwald, Itamar, A Pleminary Critical Edition of Sefer Yezira

• Halamish - Tikkun Layl Shavuot

• Halperin, David J., The Faces of the Chariot. Early Jewish Responses to Ezekiel's Vision

• Liebes, The Messiah of the Zohar

• Reeves, J., First Fruits Feast and Ancient Canaanite Calendar

• Scholem, Gershom, Kabbalah, Jerusalem 1974, pp. 8-87

• Weinfeld, M, Pentecost as Festival of the Giving of the Law

• Werblowski - Excerpts from Joseph Karo Lawyer and Mystic

• Articles on Kabbalah in Machanayim

• Qumran Calendar Cult Stuff

• Qumran Psalm 11Q