The Messianic Idea in Judaism and Other Essays on Jewish SpiritualityGershom Scholem was the master builder of historical studies of the Kabbalah. When he began to work on this neglected field, the few who studied these texts were either amateurs who were looking for occult wisdom, or old-style Kabbalists who were seeking guidance on their spiritual journeys. His work broke with the outlook of the scholars of the previous century in Judaicádie Wissenschaft des Judentums, the Science of Judaisḿwhose orientation he rejected, calling their ́disregard for the most vital aspects of the Jewish people as a collective entity: a form of ́censorship of the Jewish past.́ The major founders of modern Jewish historical studies in the nineteenth century, Leopold Zunz and Abraham Geiger, had ignored the Kabbalah; it did not fit into their account of the Jewish religion as rational and worthy of respect by ́enlightened́ minds. The only exception was the historian Heinrich Graetz. He had paid substantial attention to its texts and to their most explosive exponent, the false Messiah Sabbatai Zevi, but Graetz had depicted the Kabbalah and all that flowed from it as an unworthy revolt from the underground of Jewish life against its reasonable, law-abiding, and learned mainstream. Scholem conducted a continuing polemic with Zunz, Geiger, and Graetz by bringing into view a Jewish past more varied, more vital, and more interesting than any idealized portrait could reveal. ́from the Foreword by Arthur Hertzberg, 1995 |
Contents
THE MESSIANIC IDEA IN Kabbalism | 37 |
THE CRISIS OF TRADITION IN JEWISH MESSIANISM | 49 |
REDEMPTION THROUGH SIN | 78 |
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The Messianic Idea in Judaism and Other Essays on Jewish Spirituality Gershom Scholem No preview available - 1995 |
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Abraham antinomian apocalyptic apocalypticism apostasy appears Baal Shem Baruchya become believers biblical Buber Cardozo century Christian conception concrete devekut divine doctrine Dönmeh element exile expressed fact faith formulation Frank Frankist Galut Golem Halakhah Hasidim Hasidism Hebrew hexagram hidden holy Ibid interpretation Isaac Luria Israel Jacob Jacob Emden Jacob Frank Jerusalem Jews Kabbalah Kabbalism Kabbalistic katnut legend literature living Lord Lurianic Maggid of Mezritch magic Maimonides meaning ment Messianic age Messianic idea Moses mystical Nathan of Gaza nature Oral Torah original paradoxical Prague prayer prophets question Rabbi radical reality realm redemption regarding religion religious remained restorative revelation Sabbatai Zevi Sabbatian Sabbatian movement Salonika scholars Science of Judaism sect Shekhinah Shem's Shield of David significant soul sparks spiritual symbol Talmud teaching theology things tikkun tion Torah of beriah tradition Tree true utopian Wehle words writings Zaddik Zohar