Scholem jewish mysticism books

Buy jewish gnosticism, merkabah mysticism, and talmudic tradition by scholem, gershom g. In his introduction to major trends in jewish mysticism, scholem blames. 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. About the author gershom scholem was professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university of jerusalem until his death in 1982.

Jun 19, 2018 gershom scholem 18971982 was perhaps the foremost jewish intellectual of the twentieth century. Gershom scholem 18971982 ignored these biases and singlehandedly established jewish mysticism as an academic discourse. Jewish gnosticism, merkabah mysticism, and the talmudic tradition, 1960. Seeing the rabbis many books on the subject, scholem asked about them. Scholem 18971982 tells a story about his early research that sums up the position of mysticism in judaic studies in weimar germany. Major trends in jewish mysticism 9780805210422 by gershom. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read major trends in jewish mysticism. Gerhard scholem who, after his immigration from germany to israel, changed his name to gershom scholem hebrew. Scholem, professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university in jerusalem, was born in berlin and educated at the universities of berlin, jena, berne and munich.

Major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem goodreads. December 5, 1897 february 21, 1982, was a germanborn israeli philosopher and historian. Published may 2nd 1995 by schocken books first published 1929. Why gershom scholem, the great scholar of jewish mysticism. Gershom scholem was a professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university in jerusalem until his death in 1982. 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. Major trends in jewish mysticism ebook written by gershom scholem. Gershom scholem, the renowned scholar of jewish mysticism and a longtime friend of strauss. Jewish gnosticism, merkabah mysticism, and talmudic tradition.

Through a lifetime of passionate scholarship, gershom scholem 18971982 uncovered the domains of tradition hidden under the debris of centuries and made the history of jewish mysticism and messianism comprehensible and relevant to current jewish thought. Working in jerusalem at the national library and, eventually, as a professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university, he revitalized interest in kabbalah, an esoteric tradition within judaism. While kabbalah by gershom scholem it is not an easy read, it rewards those who venture forth. He is widely regarded as the founder of the modern, academic study of kabbalah. What gershom scholems take on jewish mysticism can teach us now. He went on to revolutionize the study of jewish history through his extensive analyses of mystical texts. Pubschockenpathbreaking study dividing rabbinic ascent mysticism into merkavah divine chariot and hekhalot celestial palaces traditions, positing an especially strong flowering after the jewish expulsion from spain to the rise of eastern european hasidim. Buy a cheap copy of major trends in jewish mysticism book by gershom scholem. When gershom scholem, the humanist scholar of jewish mysticism, first met the philosopher hannah arendt in the 1930s he was bowled. There are so many books about kabbalah coming out these days like popcorn. Almost singlehandedly, he created the modern academic study of jewish mysticism, a subject that had been scorned by earlier generations of historians. 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.

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. See all books authored by gershom scholem, including sefer hazohar, and kabbalah, and more on. Jul, 2017 scholem reacted to these waves of devastation by turning to the study of mystical movements in jewish history. What gershom scholem and hannah arendt can teach us about. Major trends in jewish mysticism, new york, schocken books, 1941. Matt, the encyclopedia of jewish myth, magic and my. Gershom scholem 18971982 was perhaps the foremost jewish intellectual of the twentieth century.

Gershom scholem was a professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university in. For those not familiar with jewish history, some of the lectures may be dense, but this challenge can also be a springboard for exploring more in jewish history and religious development. But for a faculty that is actually a kind of research academy, it is a perfect fit. Major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem books. Played out during the momentous years just before, during, and after world war i, these experiences eventually led scholem to immigrate to palestine in 1923. Buy major trends in jewish mysticism revised edition by scholem, gershom gerhard isbn. His many books and studies on jewish mysticism grow out of his vast pioneering work in unearthing and interpreting manuscripts hitherto neglected or unknown. His landmark collection of essays, major trends in jewish mysticism, is the starting point for all scholarship on jewish. Be the first to ask a question about major trends in jewish mysticism. Gershom scholem was one of the great scholars of the twentieth century. Gershom scholem books list of books by author gershom scholem. He is the author of from berlin to jerusalem, major trends in jewish mysticism, the messianic idea in judaism, on the. Sep 25, 2019 there may have been more than three speakers, but the only ones that i remember were shlomo pines of the hebrew university, strausss collaborator in the nowstandard english edition of the guide of the perplexed. Pioneering the study of jewish mysticism as a legitimate academic discipline, he overturned the rationalist bias of his predecessors and revealed an extraordinary world of myth and messianism.

One of the most distinguished jewish scholars of this century, gershom scholem almost singlehandedly created the field of academic study of jewish mysticism. Major trends in jewish mysticism book by gershom scholem. Selected works in english edit major trends in jewish mysticism, 1941. George prochnik on exploring his jewish identity and finding guidance in the religious anarchy of gershom scholems kabbalah philosophy.

Library of congress cataloginginpublication data scholem, gershom gerhard, 18971982 major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem. Jewish gnosticism deals mainly with the mystical books the lesser hechalot. He was directed to a prominent rabbi who was considered an expert on kabbalah. Yet his books on this arcane subjectmajor trends in jewish mysticism, sabbatai sevi, and the kabbalah and its symbolism to mention only a. Major trends in jewish mysticism kindle edition by. Scholem unearthed a range of manuscripts on mysticism and established the authorship of the zohar. 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. The jewish mystics major trends in jewish mysticism.

Major trends in jewish mysticism is a work on the history of the jewish kabbalah by gershom scholem, published in 1941. Editions of major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom. He follows with articles on various topics in jewish mysticism, and then includes articles on key personalities, such as sabbatei sevi on whom scholem has written an entire book. Of these, kabbalah, which emerged in 12thcentury europe, is the most well known, but not the only typologic form, or the earliest to emerge. 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. 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. This was the state of things when a young graduate student named gershom scholem decided to write a thesis on jewish mysticism. Exchange of letters between gershom scholem and hannah arendt, in encounter, 221, 1964. The books of the bible were one thing, at least minus deuteronomy, leviticus. Gershom sholem rediscovered the kabbalah and brought it from obscurity to world.

Scholems overview of the development of jewish mysticism in general and kabbalah in particular is magisterial. Gershom scholem stanford encyclopedia of philosophy. That was obviously scholem s opinion, but it was hardly the opinion of other scholars at the time. Yet his books on this arcane subjectmajor trends in jewish mysticism, sabbatai sevi, and the kabbalah and its symbolism to mention only a fewhave won him a. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. He was the first professor of jewish mysticism at hebrew university of. Aug 17, 2011 gershom scholem was professor of jewish mysticism at the hebrew university of jerusalem until his death in 1982. From berlin to jerusalem portrays the dual dramas of the authors total break from his middleclass german jewish family and his everincreasing dedication to the study of jewish thought. Scholem from berlin to jerusalem to my house jewish. Gerhard gershom scholem 18971982 was a scholar of jewish mysticism who revolutionized the understanding of kabbalah and its history.

Scholem s overview of the development of jewish mysticism in general and kabbalah in particular is magisterial. Major trends in jewish mysticism by gershom scholem. He is also the author of the messianic idea in judaism, on the. One of the most important scholars of our century, gershom scholem 18971982 opened up a once esoteric world of jewish mysticism, the kabbalah, to concerned students of religion. A collection of lectures on the features of the movement of mysticism that began in antiquity and continues in hasidism today. Jewish gnosticism, merkabah mysticism, and talmudic.