- The Goldstein-Goren Department of Jewish Thought
Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
P.O.B 653, Beer-Sheva 84105
- Jewish Mysticism, Western Esotericism (History), Kabbalah, New Age spirituality, Theosophical Society, Method and Theory in the Study of Religion, and 28 moreNew Religious Movements, Anthroposophy, Traditionalism, Theosophy, Rudolf Steiner, Thelema, Christian Kabbalah, Golden Dawn Tradition, The influence of Victorian Spiritualism and Psychical Research in the literature and culture of the long 19th century, Gershom Scholem, Christian Zionism, Sri Aurobindo, Sri Aurobindo Ghose, Gérard Encausse (Papus), Alphonse Louis Constant (Eliphas Lévi), Laurence Oliphant, Dönmeh, Neo-Sufism, Pico Della Mirandola, Max Theon and the Cosmic Movement, Aurobindo, Lost Tribes of Israel Theory, Lurianic Kabbalah, Zohar, Astrology, Allan Kardec, Jael Silliman, and Christian Ginsburgedit
- I am a Professor of Jewish Thought at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. My research interests include the History ... moreI am a Professor of Jewish Thought at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. My research interests include the History of Kabbalah and of its research, Western Esotericism, New Religious Movements, and New Age Culture.edit
In recent years, the interest on life and work of the Jewish writer, philosopher, mystic and politician Shmuel Hugo Bergmann (1883–1975) has perceptibly increased. Well-known as a protagonist of the famous "Prague Circle", Bergmann headed... more
In recent years, the interest on life and work of the Jewish writer, philosopher, mystic and politician Shmuel Hugo Bergmann (1883–1975) has perceptibly increased. Well-known as a protagonist of the famous "Prague Circle", Bergmann headed for Palestine in 1920, became the driving force for building the Jewish National Library in Jerusalem and finally advanced as first Rector of the Hebrew University. All his life, close ties to the Czech Republic remained.
In the State of Israel, Bergmann became a leading philosopher and highly admired cultural figure. He himself showed great interest in world religions, mysticism, and Western esotericism. Bergmann also emerged as an important point of reference for left-wing Israeli discourse. Up from the late 1920ies has was one of the protagonists of the “Brit Shalom”, an initiative which called for an advocated peaceful coexistence of Jews and Arabs and a bi-national State in Israel/Palestine.
In this volume, distinguished historians, scholars of religion, and cultural scientists conflate a fascinating life story of a man who always worked on social and educational improvements and searched for fairness and deeper truths in a world full of conflict and antagonisms.
In the State of Israel, Bergmann became a leading philosopher and highly admired cultural figure. He himself showed great interest in world religions, mysticism, and Western esotericism. Bergmann also emerged as an important point of reference for left-wing Israeli discourse. Up from the late 1920ies has was one of the protagonists of the “Brit Shalom”, an initiative which called for an advocated peaceful coexistence of Jews and Arabs and a bi-national State in Israel/Palestine.
In this volume, distinguished historians, scholars of religion, and cultural scientists conflate a fascinating life story of a man who always worked on social and educational improvements and searched for fairness and deeper truths in a world full of conflict and antagonisms.
Research Interests:
The philosopher and Zionist activist Shmuel Hugo Bergmann (1883–1975) was the first director of the National Library of Israel, the first rector of the Hebrew University, and a key member of the Brit Shalom organization. In his numerous... more
The philosopher and Zionist activist Shmuel Hugo Bergmann (1883–1975) was the first director of the National Library of Israel, the first rector of the Hebrew University, and a key member of the Brit Shalom organization. In his numerous books and articles, Bergmann presented for Hebrew readers the main currents of Western philosophy. Alongside his political and academic activities, Bergmann was involved in the study and propagation of esoteric and spiritual schools of his day. He believed that the teachings of contemporary spiritual masters contained the keys to a new metaphysics, one derived from alternative states of consciousness.
The essays collected here examine esoteric schools and spiritual teachers in which interested Bergmann found particular interest – Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Anthroposophical Society; the Sufi René Guénon, founder of the Traditionalist School; George Gurdjieff and his student P. D. Ouspensky, founders of the Fourth Way, the Indian philosopher and yogi Sri Aurobindo, and parapsychology. The essays are preceded by an introduction by Boaz Huss and Samuel Glauber that surveys Bergmann’s interest in the spiritual currents of his day, his call for the creation of a “courageous” philosophy that would expand the boundaries of human consciousness, and his contribution to the culture of alternative spirituality in Israel.
The essays collected here examine esoteric schools and spiritual teachers in which interested Bergmann found particular interest – Rudolf Steiner, founder of the Anthroposophical Society; the Sufi René Guénon, founder of the Traditionalist School; George Gurdjieff and his student P. D. Ouspensky, founders of the Fourth Way, the Indian philosopher and yogi Sri Aurobindo, and parapsychology. The essays are preceded by an introduction by Boaz Huss and Samuel Glauber that surveys Bergmann’s interest in the spiritual currents of his day, his call for the creation of a “courageous” philosophy that would expand the boundaries of human consciousness, and his contribution to the culture of alternative spirituality in Israel.
Research Interests:
The book offers a study of the genealogy of the concept of “Jewish mysticism.” It examines the major developments in the academic study of Jewish mysticism and its impact on modern Kabbalistic movements in the contexts of Jewish... more
The book offers a study of the genealogy of the concept of “Jewish mysticism.” It examines the major developments in the academic study of Jewish mysticism and its impact on modern Kabbalistic movements in the contexts of Jewish nationalism and New Age spirituality. Its central argument is that Jewish mysticism is a modern discursive construct and that the identification of Kabbalah and Hasidism as forms of mysticism, which appeared for the first time in the nineteenth century and became prevalent since the early twentieth, shaped the way in which Kabbalah and Hasidism are perceived and studied today. The notion of Jewish mysticism was established when Western scholars accepted the modern idea that mysticism is a universal religious phenomenon of a direct experience of a divine or transcendent reality and applied it to Kabbalah and Hasidism. The term Jewish mysticism gradually became the defining category in the modern academic research of these topics. Mystifying Kabbalah examines the emergence of the category of Jewish mysticism and of the ensuing perception that Kabbalah and Hasidism are Jewish manifestations of a universal mystical phenomenon. It investigates the establishment of the academic field devoted to the research of Jewish mysticism, and it delineates the major developments in this field. The book clarifies the historical, cultural, and political contexts that led to the identification of Kabbalah and Hasidism as Jewish mysticism, exposing the underlying ideological and theological presuppositions and revealing the impact of this “mystification” on contemporary forms of Kabbalah and Hasidism.
Research Interests:
This volume is the first-ever publication devoted to the Cosmic Movement, a mysterious esoteric organization that was active in the early twentieth century and spawned movements that are still active today. The book includes sixteen... more
This volume is the first-ever publication devoted to the Cosmic Movement, a mysterious esoteric organization that was active in the early twentieth century and spawned movements that are still active today. The book includes sixteen chapters that cover the origins, history, contexts, doctrines, practices, and offshoots of the movement, detailing the lives, literary output, and teachings of the movement’s founders, Max Théon and Mary Ware, as well as its later developments and derivatives, which include the celebrated Integral Yoga of Sri Aurobindo and Mirra Alfassa.
Contributors: Toshio Akai, Asher Binyamin, Jean-Pierre Brach, Helena Čapková, Julie Chajes, Christian Chanel, John Patrick Deveney, Christine Ferguson, Peter Heehs, Boaz Huss, Shimon Lev, Jonatan Meir, Michele Olzi, Daniel Raveh, Hana Ewa Raziel, and Gal Sofer.
Contributors: Toshio Akai, Asher Binyamin, Jean-Pierre Brach, Helena Čapková, Julie Chajes, Christian Chanel, John Patrick Deveney, Christine Ferguson, Peter Heehs, Boaz Huss, Shimon Lev, Jonatan Meir, Michele Olzi, Daniel Raveh, Hana Ewa Raziel, and Gal Sofer.
Research Interests:
The Zohar is one of the most sacred, authoritative, and influential books in Jewish culture. Many scholarly works have been dedicated to its ideas, its literary style, and the question of its authorship. This book focuses on other issues:... more
The Zohar is one of the most sacred, authoritative, and influential books in Jewish culture. Many scholarly works have been dedicated to its ideas, its literary style, and the question of its authorship. This book focuses on other issues: it examines the various ways in which the Zohar has been received by its readers and the impact it has had on Jewish culture, including the fluctuations in its status and value and the different cultural practices linked to these changes. This dynamic and multi-layered history throws important new light on many aspects of Jewish cultural history over the last seven centuries.
Boaz Huss has broken new ground with this study, which examines the reception and canonization of the Zohar as well as its criticism and rejection from its inception to the present day. His underlying assumption is that the different values attributed to the Zohar are not inherent qualities of the zoharic texts, but rather represent the way it has been perceived by its readers in different cultural contexts. He therefore considers the attribution of different qualities to the Zohar through time, and the people who were engaged in attributing such qualities and making innovations in cultural practices and rituals.
For each historical period from the beginning of Zohar reception to the present, Huss considers the social conditions that stimulated the veneration of the Zohar as well as the factors that contributed to its rejection, alongside the cultural functions and consequences of each approach. Because the multiple modes of the reception of the Zohar have had a decisive influence on the history of Jewish culture, this highly innovative and wide-ranging approach to Zohar scholarship will have important repercussions for many areas of Jewish studies.
Boaz Huss has broken new ground with this study, which examines the reception and canonization of the Zohar as well as its criticism and rejection from its inception to the present day. His underlying assumption is that the different values attributed to the Zohar are not inherent qualities of the zoharic texts, but rather represent the way it has been perceived by its readers in different cultural contexts. He therefore considers the attribution of different qualities to the Zohar through time, and the people who were engaged in attributing such qualities and making innovations in cultural practices and rituals.
For each historical period from the beginning of Zohar reception to the present, Huss considers the social conditions that stimulated the veneration of the Zohar as well as the factors that contributed to its rejection, alongside the cultural functions and consequences of each approach. Because the multiple modes of the reception of the Zohar have had a decisive influence on the history of Jewish culture, this highly innovative and wide-ranging approach to Zohar scholarship will have important repercussions for many areas of Jewish studies.
Research Interests:
Theosophical Appropriations Esotericism, Kabbalah and the Transformation of Traditions Editors: Julie Chajes, Boaz Huss The thirteen chapters of this volume examine intersections between theosophical thought and areas as diverse as... more
Theosophical Appropriations
Esotericism, Kabbalah and the Transformation of Traditions
Editors: Julie Chajes, Boaz Huss
The thirteen chapters of this volume examine intersections between theosophical thought and areas as diverse as the arts, literature, scholarship, politics, and, especially, modern interpretations of Judaism and kabbalah. Each chapter offers a case study in theosophical appropriations of a different type and in different context. The chapters join together to reveal congruencies between theosophical ideas and a wide range of contemporaneous intellectual, cultural, religious, and political currents. They demonstrate the far-reaching influence of the theosophical movement worldwide from the late-nineteenth century to the present day.
Contributors: Karl baier, Julie Chajes, John Patrick Deveney, Victoria Ferentinou, Olav Hammer, Boaz Huss, Massimo Introvigne, Andreas Kilcher, Eugene Kuzmin, Shimon Lev, Isaac Luberlsky, Tomer Persico, Helmut Zander.
Esotericism, Kabbalah and the Transformation of Traditions
Editors: Julie Chajes, Boaz Huss
The thirteen chapters of this volume examine intersections between theosophical thought and areas as diverse as the arts, literature, scholarship, politics, and, especially, modern interpretations of Judaism and kabbalah. Each chapter offers a case study in theosophical appropriations of a different type and in different context. The chapters join together to reveal congruencies between theosophical ideas and a wide range of contemporaneous intellectual, cultural, religious, and political currents. They demonstrate the far-reaching influence of the theosophical movement worldwide from the late-nineteenth century to the present day.
Contributors: Karl baier, Julie Chajes, John Patrick Deveney, Victoria Ferentinou, Olav Hammer, Boaz Huss, Massimo Introvigne, Andreas Kilcher, Eugene Kuzmin, Shimon Lev, Isaac Luberlsky, Tomer Persico, Helmut Zander.
Research Interests:
בספר זה נפרשת הטענה שזיהוי הקבלה והחסידות עם מיסטיקה איננו מובן מאליו: המושג "מיסטיקה יהודית" הופיע לראשונה במאה התשע־עשרה, ווהפך לנפוץ רק בשלהי המאה התשע־עשרה ובראשית המאה עשרים. בספר נידונים ההקשרים ההיסטוריים והחברתיים שהביאו להבניית... more
בספר זה נפרשת הטענה שזיהוי הקבלה והחסידות עם מיסטיקה איננו מובן מאליו: המושג "מיסטיקה יהודית" הופיע לראשונה במאה התשע־עשרה, ווהפך לנפוץ רק בשלהי המאה התשע־עשרה ובראשית המאה עשרים.
בספר נידונים ההקשרים ההיסטוריים והחברתיים שהביאו להבניית המושג "מיסטיקה יהודית", ונבחנת התקבלותו של המושג הזה כקטגוריה שכוננה את מחקר הקבלה והחסידות באקדמיה והשפיעה על עיצובן של תנועות
קבליות וחסידיות בנות זמננו. מטרתו של הספר היא לברר את הגנאלוגיה של המושג "מיסטיקה יהודית" ולחשוף את ההנחות התיאולוגיות והפוליטיות העומדות ביסוד המחקר האקדמי של הקבלה והחסידות.
בספר נידונים ההקשרים ההיסטוריים והחברתיים שהביאו להבניית המושג "מיסטיקה יהודית", ונבחנת התקבלותו של המושג הזה כקטגוריה שכוננה את מחקר הקבלה והחסידות באקדמיה והשפיעה על עיצובן של תנועות
קבליות וחסידיות בנות זמננו. מטרתו של הספר היא לברר את הגנאלוגיה של המושג "מיסטיקה יהודית" ולחשוף את ההנחות התיאולוגיות והפוליטיות העומדות ביסוד המחקר האקדמי של הקבלה והחסידות.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Preface In the last decades of the 20th century, a surprising revival of interest in Kabbalah and Hasidism occurred in Israeli society, in Jewish communities in the Diaspora, and to a certain degree in the Western culture in general.... more
Preface
In the last decades of the 20th century, a surprising revival of interest in Kabbalah and Hasidism occurred in Israeli society, in Jewish communities in the Diaspora, and to a certain degree in the Western culture in general. Since the late 1960’s, and especially, during the last two decades, new Kabbalistic movements came into being, whereas old Kabbalistic Yeshivot and Hasidic groups have become more active. Today, many forms of Kabbalistic rituals and practices are performed, revived, and re-invented, along with Kabbalistic themes being integrated in literature, art, music and popular culture.
Most contemporary Kabbalistic and Hasidic movements emerged out of earlier forms of 20th century Kabbalah, reproducing and developing previous Kabbalistic themes and practices. Yet, today`s Kabbalah is created in the framework of postmodern culture and new spiritual formations (especially, the New Age) stimulating its revival and to a large extent shaping its cultural expressions.
The present volume includes sixteen articles which investigate the new forms of Kabbalah, their cultural contexts and their contacts with other forms of contemporary spiritual revival. The papers were written by prominent scholars from a variety of disciplines, including history of Kabbalah, sociology, anthropology, and religious studies.
Some of the articles deal with various forms of contemporary Kabbalah and Hasidism. Yaakov Ariel investigates the origins of the movements of Renewal and return to tradition; Chava Weissler examines the Performance of Kabbalah in the Jewish Renewal Movement in the United States, and Rachel Werczberger explores the theme of healing in the rituals of Jewish Spiritual Renewal in Israel. The Contemporary Renaissance of Breslov Hasidism is discussed by Zvi Mark, and Jonathan Garb presents his research of the mystical Renaissance in the contemporary Ashkenazi Haredi World in Israel. Elliot R. Wolfson’s study focuses on the Kabbalistic-Pietistic Teachings of Itamar Schwartz, one of the more prolific contemporary teachers of Kabbalah in the Haredi world. Jonatan Meir examines the boundaries of Kabbalah in the thought of R. Yaakov Moshe Hillel, of Yeshivat Hevrat Ahavat Shalom of Jerusalem. In her study `Kabbalah for the Gentiles`, Jody Myers draws attention to three contemporary Kabbalah teachers (Ariel Bar Tzadok, Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Michael Laitman) who affirm the appropriateness of teaching Kabbalah to non-Jews.
Other articles trace the wider contexts in which contemporary forms of Kabbalah emerged and follow the contacts between Kabbalah and other forms of contemporary spiritual revival in the western world. In his essay Philip Wexler goes into the social psychological and religious core of classical social theory, and suggests that this core is relevant for the understanding of new age spirituality. Véronique Altglas offers a comparative perspective on the globalization of religious resources through an examination of case-studies: neo-Hindu movements that spread in the West and the Kabbalah Centre. Wouter J. Hanegraaf examines the way kabbalistic themes were understood and integrated in the Gnosis magazine, published in 1985-1999, and Graham Harvey explores the negotiations of contemporary Paganism between esotericism and animism under the influence of Kabbalah.
Several scholars deal with the Israeli context of present day revival of Kabbalah and contemporary spirituality. Shlomo Fischer looks at new cultural and social phenomena among the West Bank settlers in Israel-Palestine and the larger radical religious Zionist community supporting them. Tamar Katriel investigates the precursors to postmodern spirituality in Israeli cultural ethos, and Joseph Loss investigates the processes of becoming a Buddha-Dhamma practitioner through an ethnographic study of Buddha-Dhamma practitioners in Israel. Concluding the volume, the editor reviews the research of contemporary Kabbalah and Hasidism and the challenges contemporary Kabbalah poses to the academic study of Jewish Mysticism.
The volume grew out of an international workshop on `Kabbalah and Contemporary Spiritual Revival`, funded by the Israel Science Foundation and the Goldstein-Goren International Center for Jewish Thought, which was held at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in May 2008. I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to those who assisted me in the production of this volume: Ms. Judith H. Seeligmann who took upon herself the style editing of the volume and Prof. Daniel Sivan, the director of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Press, who prepared it for publication. Special thanks are due to Prof. Howard Kreisel, the head of the Goldstein-Goren International Center for Jewish Studies and the editor of the Goldstein-Library of Jewish Thought, who accompanied this volume through all of its stages with his sound advice and good will, contributing much to its final editing. I would like also to thank Ms. Lilach Bar and Ms. Ziva Vital who helped to prepare and organize the workshop this volume is based on. The preparation of this volume was supported by the Israeli Science Foundation (grant no. 809/05).
In the last decades of the 20th century, a surprising revival of interest in Kabbalah and Hasidism occurred in Israeli society, in Jewish communities in the Diaspora, and to a certain degree in the Western culture in general. Since the late 1960’s, and especially, during the last two decades, new Kabbalistic movements came into being, whereas old Kabbalistic Yeshivot and Hasidic groups have become more active. Today, many forms of Kabbalistic rituals and practices are performed, revived, and re-invented, along with Kabbalistic themes being integrated in literature, art, music and popular culture.
Most contemporary Kabbalistic and Hasidic movements emerged out of earlier forms of 20th century Kabbalah, reproducing and developing previous Kabbalistic themes and practices. Yet, today`s Kabbalah is created in the framework of postmodern culture and new spiritual formations (especially, the New Age) stimulating its revival and to a large extent shaping its cultural expressions.
The present volume includes sixteen articles which investigate the new forms of Kabbalah, their cultural contexts and their contacts with other forms of contemporary spiritual revival. The papers were written by prominent scholars from a variety of disciplines, including history of Kabbalah, sociology, anthropology, and religious studies.
Some of the articles deal with various forms of contemporary Kabbalah and Hasidism. Yaakov Ariel investigates the origins of the movements of Renewal and return to tradition; Chava Weissler examines the Performance of Kabbalah in the Jewish Renewal Movement in the United States, and Rachel Werczberger explores the theme of healing in the rituals of Jewish Spiritual Renewal in Israel. The Contemporary Renaissance of Breslov Hasidism is discussed by Zvi Mark, and Jonathan Garb presents his research of the mystical Renaissance in the contemporary Ashkenazi Haredi World in Israel. Elliot R. Wolfson’s study focuses on the Kabbalistic-Pietistic Teachings of Itamar Schwartz, one of the more prolific contemporary teachers of Kabbalah in the Haredi world. Jonatan Meir examines the boundaries of Kabbalah in the thought of R. Yaakov Moshe Hillel, of Yeshivat Hevrat Ahavat Shalom of Jerusalem. In her study `Kabbalah for the Gentiles`, Jody Myers draws attention to three contemporary Kabbalah teachers (Ariel Bar Tzadok, Yitzchak Ginsburgh and Michael Laitman) who affirm the appropriateness of teaching Kabbalah to non-Jews.
Other articles trace the wider contexts in which contemporary forms of Kabbalah emerged and follow the contacts between Kabbalah and other forms of contemporary spiritual revival in the western world. In his essay Philip Wexler goes into the social psychological and religious core of classical social theory, and suggests that this core is relevant for the understanding of new age spirituality. Véronique Altglas offers a comparative perspective on the globalization of religious resources through an examination of case-studies: neo-Hindu movements that spread in the West and the Kabbalah Centre. Wouter J. Hanegraaf examines the way kabbalistic themes were understood and integrated in the Gnosis magazine, published in 1985-1999, and Graham Harvey explores the negotiations of contemporary Paganism between esotericism and animism under the influence of Kabbalah.
Several scholars deal with the Israeli context of present day revival of Kabbalah and contemporary spirituality. Shlomo Fischer looks at new cultural and social phenomena among the West Bank settlers in Israel-Palestine and the larger radical religious Zionist community supporting them. Tamar Katriel investigates the precursors to postmodern spirituality in Israeli cultural ethos, and Joseph Loss investigates the processes of becoming a Buddha-Dhamma practitioner through an ethnographic study of Buddha-Dhamma practitioners in Israel. Concluding the volume, the editor reviews the research of contemporary Kabbalah and Hasidism and the challenges contemporary Kabbalah poses to the academic study of Jewish Mysticism.
The volume grew out of an international workshop on `Kabbalah and Contemporary Spiritual Revival`, funded by the Israel Science Foundation and the Goldstein-Goren International Center for Jewish Thought, which was held at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in May 2008. I would like to convey my heartfelt thanks to those who assisted me in the production of this volume: Ms. Judith H. Seeligmann who took upon herself the style editing of the volume and Prof. Daniel Sivan, the director of the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev Press, who prepared it for publication. Special thanks are due to Prof. Howard Kreisel, the head of the Goldstein-Goren International Center for Jewish Studies and the editor of the Goldstein-Library of Jewish Thought, who accompanied this volume through all of its stages with his sound advice and good will, contributing much to its final editing. I would like also to thank Ms. Lilach Bar and Ms. Ziva Vital who helped to prepare and organize the workshop this volume is based on. The preparation of this volume was supported by the Israeli Science Foundation (grant no. 809/05).
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In 1958, Shmuel Hugo Bergmann wrote to his Indian friend Indra Sen: "There are so many ways of spiritual development offered to men today. There is Rudolf Steiner, of whom I am very much indebted, there is Uspansky, whom I do not know,... more
In 1958, Shmuel Hugo Bergmann wrote to his Indian friend Indra Sen:
"There are so many ways of spiritual development offered to men today. There is Rudolf Steiner, of whom I am very much indebted, there is Uspansky, whom I do not know, there is R. Guenon whom I have studied this autumn, there is Sivananda there is Krishnamurti – and there is Pondicherry. How can one who has had no personal experiences and who seeks his way, decide for himself which way is the right way?"
This short passage reveals Bergmann’s deep interest in esotericism and alternative spirituality, as well as his uncertainties regarding his own spiritual quest. Bergmann started his spiritual quest as a young man and continued searching for the rest of his life. He found much interest in various esoteric and spiritual teachings, in which he believed one could find the key for a new metaphysical science based on alternative forms of consciousness, and later had an important role in introducing modern esoteric teachings to Israeli public and in the formation of modern alternative spiritual movements in Israel. The article discusses
Bergmann’s esoteric and alternative spiritual interests, his call for a “courageous” philosophic revolution that would expand human consciousness, and his impact on esoteric and alternative spiritual culture in Israel.
"There are so many ways of spiritual development offered to men today. There is Rudolf Steiner, of whom I am very much indebted, there is Uspansky, whom I do not know, there is R. Guenon whom I have studied this autumn, there is Sivananda there is Krishnamurti – and there is Pondicherry. How can one who has had no personal experiences and who seeks his way, decide for himself which way is the right way?"
This short passage reveals Bergmann’s deep interest in esotericism and alternative spirituality, as well as his uncertainties regarding his own spiritual quest. Bergmann started his spiritual quest as a young man and continued searching for the rest of his life. He found much interest in various esoteric and spiritual teachings, in which he believed one could find the key for a new metaphysical science based on alternative forms of consciousness, and later had an important role in introducing modern esoteric teachings to Israeli public and in the formation of modern alternative spiritual movements in Israel. The article discusses
Bergmann’s esoteric and alternative spiritual interests, his call for a “courageous” philosophic revolution that would expand human consciousness, and his impact on esoteric and alternative spiritual culture in Israel.
Research Interests:
In 1927, a small book titled Lebenserinnerungen des Kabbalisten Vital (The Memoires of the Kabbalist Vital) was published in Vienna. Its author was Chajim Bloch (1881–1973), a Rabbi, independent scholar, translator, author, and erstwhile... more
In 1927, a small book titled Lebenserinnerungen des Kabbalisten Vital (The Memoires of the Kabbalist Vital) was published in Vienna. Its author was Chajim Bloch (1881–1973), a Rabbi, independent scholar, translator, author, and erstwhile forger. The book includes a German rendition of Sefer ha-Hezyonot (The Book of Visions), the memoirs and dream diary of the famous 16th century Kabbalist Hayyim Vital (1542–1620), along with introductions and postscripts written by Bloch himself, as well as by the esotericist and German nationalist Franz Spunda (1890–1963) and the Jewish-Austrian psychoanalyst Wilhelm Stekel (1868–1944). The Memoires of the Kabbalist Vital sheds interesting light on Vienna’s interwar culture and the revival of interest in Kabbalah and Hasidism in the modern period. However, this intriguing book and its colorful author has received very little scholarly attention until now. This article delves into Bloch’s intellectual biography, with a focus on his rendition of The Book of Visions and its paratexts. It also explores some later accounts given by Bloch regarding the publication of the book. The article examines the various interconnected contexts of the translation and publication of the book, revealing interesting connections between Kabbalah, Western esotericism, psychoanalysis, and antisemitism in Vienna in the interwar period.
Research Interests:
This article examines the links between alternative spirituality and Israeli militarism in the context of the confrontations between new religious and spiritual movements and Israeli society and state, and the efforts of such movements to... more
This article examines the links between alternative spirituality and Israeli militarism in the context of the confrontations between new religious and spiritual movements and Israeli society and state, and the efforts of such movements to gain legitimation through participation in republican citizenship practices and adaptations of Israeli cultural values. The article discusses the representation of alternative religious and spiritual movements as a danger to the Israeli Army by anticult movements, and the response of new religious movements to such accusations. Through the study of two case studies, Emin and Anthroposophy, the article examines the adjustments of religious and spiritual doctrines and practices of new religious movements to Israeli military ethos, the role of militarism in the endeavors of such movements to legitimize themselves through participation in Israeli republican citizenship practices, and the appropriations and interpretations of the Israeli military ethos by Israeli alternative spiritual movements.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This article presents a preliminary overview of Jewish involvement in modern occult movements and representations of occultism in Jewish culture from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries. Jews across the world at this time... more
This article presents a preliminary overview of Jewish involvement in modern occult movements and representations of occultism in Jewish culture from the late nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries. Jews across the world at this time took an interest in occult currents that emerged in European and North American society. This entailed both a centrifugal movement on the part of Jews toward broader occult movements, as well as a centripetal incorporation of occult trends within Jewish popular culture and religious thought: many Jews joined Western esoteric movements, while occult currents were integrated into Jewish popular culture and religious literature. Those interested in occultism and esoteric movements included leading Jewish writers, scholars, rabbis, artists, and political activists. Many Jews who took part in the esoteric milieu aspired to integrate Judaism with Western esotericism, at times yielding novel modes of modern Jewish occultism. These modern Jewish occult forms, largely forgotten today, were interwoven into numerous works of Jewish literature, art, and religious thought from the late-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries, while also exerting an influence on broader alternative spiritual movements to this day. The article discusses the challenges of defining Jewish occultism and examine its scope and impact within the respective fields of Jewish studies and Western esotericism. The framework of Jewish occultism, we argue, calls into question several conventions of modern Jewish historiography. Long overlooked, the study of modern Jewish occultism stands to challenge prevailing conceptions of Jewish modernity and secularization, while offering new research paradigms for the historical study of nineteenth-and twentieth-century Judaism and Western esotericism.
Research Interests:
The article examines the complex and ambivalent relations between Kabbalah scholarship and western esotericism. It shows that in the late 19 and early 20th century, several scholars of Kabbalah found interest in the occult and had... more
The article examines the complex and ambivalent relations between Kabbalah scholarship and western esotericism. It shows that in the late 19 and early 20th century, several scholars of Kabbalah found interest in the occult and had connections with western esoteric movements. It analyses the complicated and nuanced attitude toward western esotericism of Gershom Scholem and shows that although he disparaged occult Kabbalists, he had a more positive appreciation of Christian Kabbalah and early modern western esoteric currents. Furthermore, the article argues that Kabbalah academic scholarship and western esoteric and occult circles share some significant terms, presuppositions, and theological perspectives. The article claims that Kabbalah scholarship and Occult Kabbalah have common genealogies, significant connections, and shared ideas and that the recognition, and study, of these complex relations, may contribute to a better and more nuanced understanding of both Kabbalah scholarship and modern western esotericism.
Research Interests:
We offer a preliminary survey of interwar Anglo-Jewish spiritualist organizations and how their members related spiritualism to Judaism. Concentrating on London Jewry, we focus on two distinct spheres: the Yiddish-speaking Jewish... more
We offer a preliminary survey of interwar Anglo-Jewish spiritualist organizations and how their members related spiritualism to Judaism. Concentrating on London Jewry, we focus on two distinct spheres: the Yiddish-speaking Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe who formed the city’s first Jewish spiritualist societies in the heart of the East End, and the more affluent, accultured members of the JSPR, many of whom were also involved in other esoteric movements. We then turn our attention to the sundry rabbinic responses offered to Anglo-Jewish spiritualism and the ways in which Anglo-Jewish spiritualists negotiated their Jewish identity with their spiritualist convictions and practices. Many British Jews were concerned in the interwar period with growing religious indifference, and these anxieties played out on both sides of the debate over Jewish involvement in spiritualism. While certain rabbis condemned spiritualism and blamed its increasing popularity on the widespread abandonment of religion, Anglo-Jewish spiritualists and their supporters argued for the permissibility of spiritualism under Jewish law – despite the apparent biblical prohibition against necromancy – and many of them turned to spiritualism in an effort to bring about a spiritual revival of contemporary Judaism.
The notion that Max Théon was a Kabbalist, and that Kabbalah was one of the central sources of the Cosmic Philosophy is prevalent amongst followers of the Cosmic Movement, those who are interested in its teachings, and the scholars who... more
The notion that Max Théon was a Kabbalist, and that Kabbalah was one of the central sources of the Cosmic Philosophy is prevalent amongst followers of the Cosmic Movement, those who are interested in its teachings, and the scholars who study the movement. The chapter offers a detailed examination of the place of Kabbalah in the Cosmic Philosophy, concentrating on the writings of the founders of the movement and their immediate followers. The chapter re-examines the question of the possible acquaintance of Théon with Jewish Kabbalistic sources, describes the Kabbalistic terms and ideas that can be found in the writings of the Cosmic Movement, and discusses the perceptions of the Kabbalah and its relation to the Cosmic Tradition amongst Théon and his followers.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Since the early 19th century, western theologians and scholars discussed the historical connections between Kabbalah and Sufism, compared them, and regarded them as the mystical trends of Judaism and Islam. The idea that there is a close... more
Since the early 19th century, western theologians and scholars discussed the historical connections between Kabbalah and Sufism, compared them, and regarded them as the mystical trends of Judaism and Islam. The idea that there is a close resemblance between Kabbala and Sufism is prevalent today in the wider public, especially amongst New Age, neo-Sufi, and neo-Kabbalistic circles.
The chapter surveys the evidence concerning the historical connections between Kabbalah and Sufism and discusses the history of the academic study of Sufism and Kabbala and its reception by the general public. It shows that although there is some resemblance between ideas and practices of some Kabbalistic and Sufi circles, there is evidence of only very few historical interactions between Kabbalist and Sufis. The connections between Kabbalah and Sufism were dependent mostly on shared sources, rather than on personal encounters. Notwithstanding the scarcity of historical evidence, scholars (and following them, neo-Kabbalists and neo-Sufis) emphasize the resemblance between Kabbalah and Sufism and offer speculations concerning possible historical interactions between them. Although cultural transfers existed also between non-Sufi Islamic circles and Kabbalah, and Sufism had a considerable impact on other Jewish movements except Kabbalah, scholars and practitioners emphasize especially the Kabbalistic-Sufi connections. The chapter shows that the pervasive notion concerning the proximity and remarkable resemblance of Sufism and is dependent on the definition and interpretation of these traditions as expressions of a universal, mystical, religious phenomenon. It argues that the perception of Sufism and Kabbala as Islamic and Jewish mysticism encouraged the comparisons and the search for possible historical connections between them and shaped the ways academic study these traditions, as well as the ways they are perceived, appropriated, and practiced in contemporary western societies.
The chapter surveys the evidence concerning the historical connections between Kabbalah and Sufism and discusses the history of the academic study of Sufism and Kabbala and its reception by the general public. It shows that although there is some resemblance between ideas and practices of some Kabbalistic and Sufi circles, there is evidence of only very few historical interactions between Kabbalist and Sufis. The connections between Kabbalah and Sufism were dependent mostly on shared sources, rather than on personal encounters. Notwithstanding the scarcity of historical evidence, scholars (and following them, neo-Kabbalists and neo-Sufis) emphasize the resemblance between Kabbalah and Sufism and offer speculations concerning possible historical interactions between them. Although cultural transfers existed also between non-Sufi Islamic circles and Kabbalah, and Sufism had a considerable impact on other Jewish movements except Kabbalah, scholars and practitioners emphasize especially the Kabbalistic-Sufi connections. The chapter shows that the pervasive notion concerning the proximity and remarkable resemblance of Sufism and is dependent on the definition and interpretation of these traditions as expressions of a universal, mystical, religious phenomenon. It argues that the perception of Sufism and Kabbala as Islamic and Jewish mysticism encouraged the comparisons and the search for possible historical connections between them and shaped the ways academic study these traditions, as well as the ways they are perceived, appropriated, and practiced in contemporary western societies.
Research Interests:
The article examines Jewish Theosophists’ aspiration to spiritualize Judaism in light of Theosophy and to elevate the image of Judaism within the Theosophical Society. It discusses the ways in which members of the Association of Hebrew... more
The article examines Jewish Theosophists’ aspiration to spiritualize Judaism in light of Theosophy and to elevate the image of Judaism within the Theosophical Society. It discusses the ways in which members of the Association of Hebrew Theosophists, as well as other Jewish fellows of the Theosophical Society, confronted opposition from Jewish Orthodox circles and responded to the negative image of Judaism within the Theosophical Society. The article illustrates that Kabbalah played a central role in the endeavor of the Jewish Theosophists to bring about a spiritual, Theosophical reform of Judaism, as well as in their endeavor to enrich Theosophy with Jewish spirituality. It shows that many Jewish Theosophists argued that the Jewish mystical tradition was the source of ancient wisdom and identical with Theosophical doctrines. These claims served to counter the allegations from Jewish opponents that the Jewish Theosophists had distanced themselves from Judaism, as well as to defend Judaism and improve its image in the eyes of non-Jewish Theosophists. Finally, it argues that the Association of Hebrew Theosophists, as well as other Jewish fellows of the Theosophical Society, made a unique attempt, at that time, to create what could be termed a modern, Western, universalistic form of Judaism that embraced Kabbalah and presented Jewish mysticism as the central component of the Jewish tradition.
Research Interests:
The article is dedicated to the 1684 Sulzbach Zohar edition its role in the history of the reception and canonization of the Zohar. It examines the context of the Sulzbach Zohar printing and argues that it was part of a larger printing... more
The article is dedicated to the 1684 Sulzbach Zohar edition its role in the history of the reception and canonization of the Zohar. It examines the context of the Sulzbach Zohar printing and argues that it was part of a larger printing project of the Sulzbach Kabbalistic circle which included the printing of the second volume of the Kabbalah Denudata in Frankfurt, and the printing of the Syriac version of the New Testament in Hebrew characters, in Sulzbach. The article brings possible evidence to the involvement of Sabbateans in the Sulzbach Zohar printing project.
Research Interests:
In the 19th century, some Jewish scholars of the Wissenschaft des Judentums movement presented Kabbalah as the vital, spiritual and mystical aspect of Judaism, and juxtaposed it to legalistic, conservative, and petrified Halakha. Jewish... more
In the 19th century, some Jewish scholars of the Wissenschaft des Judentums movement presented Kabbalah as the vital, spiritual and mystical aspect of Judaism, and juxtaposed it to legalistic, conservative, and petrified Halakha. Jewish neo-romantic and Zionist thinkers adopted this perception, which Christian Kabbalists and Hebraists first formulated in the Renaissance period. The assumption concerning the distinction and tension between Jewish mysticism and Halakha had a significant impact on the modern academic study of Judaism and it still governs the academic discipline of Jewish mysticism that Gershom Scholem and his disciples founded. This article argues that the modern identification of Kabbala as Jewish mysticism, and the assumed dichotomy between spiritual, vital Kabbalah, and dogmatic, petrified Halakha are a modern Jewish adaptation of the Pauline antithesis between the letter that kills and the Spirit that gives life.
https://academic.oup.com/mj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/mj/kjaa017/6042978?guestAccessKey=f91cdc75-673f-4596-8f39-e7dba4b78e29
https://academic.oup.com/mj/advance-article/doi/10.1093/mj/kjaa017/6042978?guestAccessKey=f91cdc75-673f-4596-8f39-e7dba4b78e29
Research Interests:
In 1888, Isaac Myer published, in Philadelphia, a book entitled Qabbalah – The Philosophical Writings of Solomon Ben Yehuda Ibn Gabirol. Myer's book was the first comprehensive book on Kabbalah printed in the United States, and the most... more
In 1888, Isaac Myer published, in Philadelphia, a book entitled Qabbalah – The Philosophical Writings of Solomon Ben Yehuda Ibn Gabirol. Myer's book was the first comprehensive book on Kabbalah printed in the United States, and the most learned and up to date book on Kabbalah in English at the time. The article presents Myer and his works and examines his unique scholarly-esoteric approach to Kabbalah. The article investigates Myer's sources, his intellectual and esoteric networks, and his connections with scholars of religion, Jewish rabbis, and occultists. The article sheds light on the interest and perception of Kabbalah in America in the late 19th century and contributes to understanding the development of Kabbala in America in later periods.
Research Interests:
The article presents the brief correspondence between Samuel Lewis (a.k.a Sufi Sam), one of the founding figures of the New Age movement and Gershom Scholem, the great scholar of Kabbalah. The correspondence, which took place in the... more
The article presents the brief correspondence between Samuel Lewis (a.k.a Sufi Sam), one of the founding figures of the New Age movement and Gershom Scholem, the great scholar of Kabbalah. The correspondence, which took place in the spring of 1948, in the midst of the hostilities between Arabs and Jews in Palestine, followed the publication of the second edition of Scholem’s grand opus, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, in which Lewis found much interest. The article, which presents some newly discovered documents from Scholem’s archive, examines the publication and early reception of Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, the encounters Scholem had with contemporary occultists and spiritual seekers, and the new information concerning Esoteric-Kabbalistic circles in the United States which is found in the letters. The correspondence emphasizes the cultural and personal differences between the herald of the Jewish New Age and the founder of the academic study of Jewish Mysticism, but at the same time it highlights the mutual interests and cultural exchanges between academic scholars and modern occultists.
https://correspondencesjournal.com/19602-2/
https://correspondencesjournal.com/19602-2/
Research Interests: Intellectual History, Jewish Studies, Spirituality, Jewish Mysticism, Jewish History, and 14 moreMysticism, Spirituality & Mysticism, Jewish Thought, Western Esotericism (History), Jewish historiography, Occultism, Christian Kabbalah, Kabbalah, Theosophy, Gershom Scholem, Esotericism, Western Esotericism, History of the Freemasonry and the Theosophical Society in Central America, and Esoterismo
Research Interests: Kabbalah and Sabbateanism
Uncorrected proofs from Hermes Explains: Thirty Questions about Western Esotericism, edited by Wouter J. Hanegraaff, Peter J. Forshaw, & Marco Pasi, Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, 2019
Research Interests:
En los últimos años, se ha producido un notable resurgimiento del interés en la Cabalá y el misticismo judío en Israel, los Estados Unidos y otros países, en su mayoría occidentales. Este renacimiento, que incluye un resurgimiento de las... more
En los últimos años, se ha producido un notable resurgimiento del interés en la Cabalá y el misticismo judío en Israel, los Estados Unidos y otros países, en su mayoría occidentales. Este renacimiento, que incluye un resurgimiento de las doctrinas y prácticas cabalísticas y jasídicas y una integración de los temas cabalísticos en diversos campos culturales, coincide con la aparición de la Nueva Era (New Age) y otros movimientos religiosos espirituales y nuevos relacionados en el mundo occidental en las últimas décadas del siglo veinte. Los temas de la Nueva Era aparecen en varios movimientos cabalísticos contemporáneos y neojasídicos, y hay similitudes significativas entre estos movimientos, la Nueva Era y otros movimientos recientes de reavivamiento espiritual y religioso. Este artículo examinará el renacimiento contemporáneo de la Cabalá e investigará la relación entre la Cábala contemporánea y los fenómenos de la Nueva Era. Demostrará que las características centrales de la nueva cultura espiritual aparecen no sólo en los grupos contemporáneos de Cabalá y Neojasídicos que usan explícitamente los temas de la Nueva Era, sino también entre los movimientos cabalísticos y jasídicos que se perciben como la presentación de formas más tradicionales del misticismo judío. Se argumentará que la característica compartida de la Cabalá contemporánea y la Nueva Era no depende únicamente del impacto directo de los movimientos de la Nueva Era en la Cabalá contemporánea, sino más bien del contexto postmoderno y la naturaleza de ambos fenómenos. El surgimiento y las construcciones de la Cabalá contemporánea, la Nueva Era y otros movimientos espirituales relacionados, que pueden describirse como "espiritualidades postmodernas", dependen de los cambios económicos y sociales mundiales a fines del siglo XX. Este artículo afirmará que estas nuevas formaciones culturales reflejan la lógica cultural del capitalismo global tardío y responden a las nuevas condiciones sociales en la era postmoderna.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
בשנת 1887 הכין ופרסם אברהם דוד יחזקאל בּפּונה שבהודו תרגום של ה'אדרא זוטא' לערבית–יהודית. מאמרו של בועז הוס סוקר את התרגום הזה ואת פרסומיו האחרים של יחזקאל בבית הדפוס שהקים בפונה. המאמר דן במפעל ההדפסה של יחזקאל, בקשריו עם ה'אגודה... more
בשנת 1887 הכין ופרסם אברהם דוד יחזקאל בּפּונה שבהודו תרגום של ה'אדרא זוטא' לערבית–יהודית. מאמרו של בועז הוס סוקר את התרגום הזה ואת פרסומיו האחרים של יחזקאל בבית הדפוס שהקים בפונה. המאמר דן במפעל ההדפסה של יחזקאל, בקשריו עם ה'אגודה התאוסופית' ובפולמוס שהתעורר לאחר הדפסת התרגום. הוס מראה שהעניין של יחזקאל בקבלה התעורר בעקבות הצטרפותו ל'אגודה התאוסופית', ושהתורות התאוסופיות עיצבו את תפיסת הקבלה שלו, שבאה לידי ביטוי בתרגום ה'זוהר' ובמפעל ההדפסה שלו.
Research Interests:
The Zohar, a compilation of Kabbalistic texts which were written in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, was bestowed an authoritative and sacred status in many Jewish communities. Together with its central role in Jewish... more
The Zohar, a compilation of Kabbalistic texts which were written in the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, was bestowed an authoritative and sacred status in many Jewish communities. Together with its central role in Jewish culture, the Zohar stimulated considerable interest in Christian Kabbalistic and Western esoteric circles. In recent years, a newly awakened interest in the Kabbalah and the Zohar has been evident in many circles both in Israel and all over the world. The interest in the Zohar stimulated its translation into different languages, each created according to different motivations and within diverse theological and ideological frameworks. This article offers a review of the history of translations of the Zohar and discusses the historical contexts and ideological frameworks in which these were created.
Research Interests:
The paper describe the life of S. S. Cohen, his activities as a Theosophist and follower of Sri Ramana, and his ideas concerning Judaism and the state of Israel. The paper also looks at several other early-twentieth century followers of... more
The paper describe the life of S. S. Cohen, his activities as a Theosophist and follower of Sri Ramana, and his ideas concerning Judaism and the state of Israel. The paper also looks at several other early-twentieth century followers of Indian gurus, who were of Jewish origin, and compare their attitudes to their Jewish origins with that of Cohen.
Research Interests:
The article offers a preliminary study of Jewish theosophists and their interpretations of Kabbalah and analyzes the contexts and significance of Jewish-theosophical appropriations of Kabbala. The article argues that the Jewish... more
The article offers a preliminary study of Jewish theosophists and their interpretations of Kabbalah and analyzes the contexts and significance of Jewish-theosophical appropriations of Kabbala. The article argues that the Jewish theosophists’ interpretations of Kabbalah were part of a wider current of modern-Jewish interest in Kabbalah, and that some of their basic assumptions about the nature and significance of Kabbalah resemble and interconnect with the perceptions of modern scholars of Kabbalah.
Research Interests:
The paper was published in The Newsletter of the Friends of the Theosophical Archives, FOTA no. 6, Spring - Summer 2016. The issue, including the printed version of the article (with pictures), can be downloaded here... more
The paper was published in The Newsletter of the Friends of the Theosophical Archives, FOTA no. 6, Spring - Summer 2016. The issue, including the printed version of the article (with pictures), can be downloaded here http://hypatia.gr/fota/images/newsletter/Fota_Newsletter06.pdf
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This article discusses the nexus between art and occultism in the Idéal et Réalité group, which was active in Paris in the third decade of the twentieth century and attracted many prominent writers, poets, actors, and artists. The Idéal... more
This article discusses the nexus between art and occultism in the Idéal et Réalité group, which was active in Paris in the third decade of the twentieth century and attracted many prominent writers, poets, actors, and artists. The Idéal et Réalité group emerged from the early twentieth-century esoteric Le Mouvement Cosmique, and it was much influenced by its Cosmic Philosophy. The Cosmic Movement was founded by Max Théon and his wife Théona (Mary Ware) in the first decade of the twentieth century. Art and literature were important in the philosophy and practice of both the Cosmic Movement and the Idéal et Réalité circle. Art dealer Eugène Blot and members of his extended family contributed to the participation of high-profile artists in the Idéal et Réalité circle
http://nr.ucpress.edu/content/ucpnovo/19/4/102.full.pdf
http://nr.ucpress.edu/content/ucpnovo/19/4/102.full.pdf
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The Cosmic Movement was founded in the early 20th century by two mysterious esoteric teachers, Max Théon, and his wife, Madame Théon. Madame Théon, who was also known as Una and Alma, had a leading role in the movement—but, her disciples... more
The Cosmic Movement was founded in the early 20th century by two mysterious esoteric teachers, Max Théon, and his wife, Madame Théon. Madame Théon, who was also known as Una and Alma, had a leading role in the movement—but, her disciples did not know her real name, her origins, or her history before she met Théon. This article shall introduce new information concerning the early history of Madame Théon,
which enables to determine with precision her identity and origins, the main stages in her life, and her intellectual and spiritual activities and transformations.
which enables to determine with precision her identity and origins, the main stages in her life, and her intellectual and spiritual activities and transformations.
Research Interests:
This article examines the controversies and polemics against the Kabbalah Center, and probes the cultural significance of the denunciations of the kc as “inauthentic.” The study shows that the accusation of inauthenticity is directed both... more
This article examines the controversies and polemics against the Kabbalah Center, and probes the cultural significance of the denunciations of the kc as “inauthentic.” The study shows that the accusation of inauthenticity is directed both at the kc’s modern features, which are perceived as incompatible with “authentic” Kabbalah, as well as against the kabbalistic practices and doctrines of the kc which are perceived as incompatible with “authentic” modern Western values. It argues that the hostility to the kc is stimulated to a large degree by the postmodern features of the kc and its transgression of the fundamental cultural boundaries of modern Western culture. Furthermore, it shows that the indictment of inauthenticity is used to amplify the cultural power of competing Kabbalists and academic scholars of Kabbalah, who present themselves as experts on “authentic” Kabbalah.
Research Interests:
The review essay of The Sacred is The Profane takes up the challenge of the authors to offer a historical analysis and contextualization of the discourse that is critical of the concept of religion. The essay observes that criticisms of... more
The review essay of The Sacred is The Profane takes up the challenge of the authors to offer a historical analysis and contextualization of the discourse that is critical of the
concept of religion. The essay observes that criticisms of “religion” emerged and gained significant power in the context of the growing influence of critical theories in the
humanities and social sciences in the last decades. Yet, apart from the obvious impact of critical theories on religious studies, the essay suggests that the radical criticism of
religion is related to a major shift in the use of the term religion as a folk category in contemporary culture. It claims that criticism of religion as an analytic category and
suggestions to dispense with it altogether were made possible by the diminishing social and political power of the modernist dichotomy between the religious and the
secular in the postmodern era.
concept of religion. The essay observes that criticisms of “religion” emerged and gained significant power in the context of the growing influence of critical theories in the
humanities and social sciences in the last decades. Yet, apart from the obvious impact of critical theories on religious studies, the essay suggests that the radical criticism of
religion is related to a major shift in the use of the term religion as a folk category in contemporary culture. It claims that criticism of religion as an analytic category and
suggestions to dispense with it altogether were made possible by the diminishing social and political power of the modernist dichotomy between the religious and the
secular in the postmodern era.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The present article examines spirituality as an emergent new cultural category that challenges the binary opposition of the religious and secular realms of life. The article probes the cultural significance of the popular phrase... more
The present article examines spirituality as an emergent new cultural category that challenges the binary opposition of the religious and secular realms of life. The article probes the cultural significance of the popular phrase ‘spiritual, but not religious’ and examines the emergence of New Age spirituality within the framework of late capitalism and postmodern culture. It offers a new perspective on the debate of the secularization theory and re-examines the notions upon which this debate hinges. The article also examines the assessment of New Age spirituality as disguised neo-liberal ideology and proposes that the disparaging condemnations of contemporary spirituality can be seen as a response to its challenge to the entrenched notion that the religious and the secular are universal distinct categories.
Research Interests:
The article argues that the academic study of Jewish Mysticism is based on theological assumptions which are are embedded in the use of the term `mysticism` as the major analytic category for the study of Kabbalah and Hasidism. It... more
The article argues that the academic study of Jewish Mysticism is based on theological assumptions which are are embedded in the use of the term `mysticism` as the major analytic category for the study of Kabbalah and Hasidism. It analyses the accepted definitions of mysticism, and highlights their explicit and implicit theological assumptions. The article further examines the theological presuppositions of the Kabbalah research of Gershom Scholem as well as of his successors (including those who challenged many of his scholarly assumptions), and their affinities to the theologies of modern spiritual movements, first and foremost the New Age. Finally the article argues that a non-theological study of Kabbalah and Hasidism requires their de-mystification and the abandonment of "Jewish Mysticism" and the major foundational category of this field of study.
Research Interests:
"Naphtali Herz Imber is famous as the author of the Jewish national anthem, “Hatikvah” ( “The Hope”). He is also quite well known for his non-conformism, vagabond lifestyle, and excessive drinking. However, his interest in the occult... more
"Naphtali Herz Imber is famous as the author of the Jewish national anthem, “Hatikvah”
( “The Hope”). He is also quite well known for his non-conformism, vagabond lifestyle,
and excessive drinking. However, his interest in the occult and Kabbalah are much less
known. Imber wrote several articles on Jewish mysticism, translated some kabbalistic texts,
and published the first journal on Kabbalah—Uriel: A Monthly Magazine Devoted
to Cabbalistic Science (of which only one issue appeared). Although much scholarly literature
has been devoted to Imber and his famous poem, his interest in the occult and Jewish
mysticism has not been investigated. This article will discuss Imber’s encounter with latenineteenth-
century esotericism, specifically the doctrines of Laurence and Alice Oliphant
and the Theosophical Society. It presents Imber’s notions concerning Jewish mysticism and
examines the impact that the Theosophical Society and the Oliphants’ principles had on
his perception of Kabbalah. Finally, it discusses the connection between Imber’s Zionism
and his interest in Kabbalah and shows that his perception of Jewish mysticism, which
was greatly influenced by Western esoteric ideas, was shaped in the framework of fin de
siècle Orientalism and Jewish nationalism. Imber’s positive evaluation of Jewish mysticism
and its nationalistic interpretation anticipates the position of later Zionist scholars of
Jewish mysticism, whose vision of Kabbalah and Hasidism largely shaped the way Jewish
mysticism is perceived and studied today."
( “The Hope”). He is also quite well known for his non-conformism, vagabond lifestyle,
and excessive drinking. However, his interest in the occult and Kabbalah are much less
known. Imber wrote several articles on Jewish mysticism, translated some kabbalistic texts,
and published the first journal on Kabbalah—Uriel: A Monthly Magazine Devoted
to Cabbalistic Science (of which only one issue appeared). Although much scholarly literature
has been devoted to Imber and his famous poem, his interest in the occult and Jewish
mysticism has not been investigated. This article will discuss Imber’s encounter with latenineteenth-
century esotericism, specifically the doctrines of Laurence and Alice Oliphant
and the Theosophical Society. It presents Imber’s notions concerning Jewish mysticism and
examines the impact that the Theosophical Society and the Oliphants’ principles had on
his perception of Kabbalah. Finally, it discusses the connection between Imber’s Zionism
and his interest in Kabbalah and shows that his perception of Jewish mysticism, which
was greatly influenced by Western esoteric ideas, was shaped in the framework of fin de
siècle Orientalism and Jewish nationalism. Imber’s positive evaluation of Jewish mysticism
and its nationalistic interpretation anticipates the position of later Zionist scholars of
Jewish mysticism, whose vision of Kabbalah and Hasidism largely shaped the way Jewish
mysticism is perceived and studied today."
Research Interests:
The article argues that the academic study of Jewish Mysticism is based on theological assumptions which are are embedded in the use of the term `mysticism` as the major analytic category for the study of Kabbalah and Hasidism. It... more
The article argues that the academic study of Jewish Mysticism is based on theological assumptions which are are embedded in the use of the term `mysticism` as the major analytic category for the study of Kabbalah and Hasidism. It analyses the accepted definitions of mysticism, and highlights their explicit and implicit theological assumptions. The article further examines the theological presuppositions of the Kabbalah research of Gershom Scholem as well as of his successors (including those who challenged many of his scholarly assumptions), and their affinities to the theologies of modern spiritual movements, first and foremost the New Age. Finally the article argues that a non-theological study of Kabbalah and Hasidism requires their de-mystification and the abandonment of "Jewish Mysticism" and the major foundational category of this field of study.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The chapter examines the history of the comparative studies of Hindu and Jewish mysticism, and offers a new comparative perspective, which does not regard mysticism as a trans-historical, universal phenomenon, but rather, looks at... more
The chapter examines the history of the comparative studies of Hindu and Jewish mysticism, and offers a new comparative perspective, which does not regard mysticism as a trans-historical, universal phenomenon, but rather, looks at mysticism as a modern, cultural-historical embedded category. Following a short discussion of the genealogy of the modern categories "mysticism," "Jewish mysticism" and "Hindu mysticism" and of the history of the comparative study of Jewish and Hindu mysticism, the chapter compares the modern framing and construction of Jewish and Hindu mysticism. The historical comparative study offered in this chapter highlights the similar cultural and political contexts in which the notions of Jewish and Hindu mysticism and their study evolved. It suggests that the comparative study of the genealogies of these notions may open new directions of study and new historical comparative perspectives on the Jewish and Indian traditions that are branded as Hindu and Jewish Mysticism.
Research Interests:
Boaz Huzz Misticismo versus filosofía en la literatura cabalística Traducción del inglés al español Óscar Reyes-Matute_מתת La filosofía y el misticismo son percibidos usualmente como dos fuerzas antagónicas y opuestas en la cultura... more
Boaz Huzz Misticismo versus filosofía en la literatura cabalística
Traducción del inglés al español Óscar Reyes-Matute_מתת
La filosofía y el misticismo son percibidos usualmente como dos fuerzas antagónicas y opuestas en la cultura medieval judía. Sin embargo, a pesar que de una actitud negativa de la una hacia la otra ha sido prevalente entre los místicos y los filósofos, las dos tendencias estuvieron íntimamente relacionadas y fueron interdependientes. Los cabalistas adoptaron conceptos y terminologías filosóficas y las integraron en sus sistemas místicos. A su vez, muchos filósofos judíos fuero influenciados por las percepciones cabalísticas. 1 Además, la imagen negativa de uno y otro-la noción misma de que aquéllos representan "el otro"-no fue siempre predominante. En ciertos períodos los místicos judíos y los filósofos se consideraron unos a otros más favorablemente y algunas veces expresaron una evaluación positiva del corpus de conocimiento de los otros. En este ensayo discutiré un tema específico en la compleja relación entre el misticismo judío y la filosofía, a saber, la imagen de la filosofía dentro de la mayor escuela de la mística judía-la Cabalá. Me concentraré en las diferentes representaciones de las relaciones entre la filosofía y el misticismo, y sugeriré que los tres modelos más importantes de esta representación aparecen en la literatura cabalística. De acuerdo con el primer modelo, la Cabalá y la filosofía representan esencialmente el mismo corpus de conocimiento. La diferencia entre ellas es semántica: diferentes términos se refieren a las mismas entidades y conceptos. Estas diferencias semánticas son, de acuerdo con algunos cabalistas, una consecuencia de las diferentes fuentes de esta información y de su transmisión. El segundo modelo ofrece una visión jerárquica de la relación entre la filosofía y la Cabalá. De acuerdo con este modelo, la filosofía es, en comparación con la Cabalá, un inferior, aunque válido, corpus de conocimiento. Usualmente, los 1 Ver el breve estudio de Idel acerca de la filosofía judía y la Cabalá en la academia moderna en M. Idel "Los secretos de Abulafia acerca de La Guía. Un giro lingüístico" en Perspectivas del pensamiento judío y el misticismo, ed. A. L. Ivri, E. R. Wolfson y A. Arkush, Ámsterdam 1998, 289-92.
Traducción del inglés al español Óscar Reyes-Matute_מתת
La filosofía y el misticismo son percibidos usualmente como dos fuerzas antagónicas y opuestas en la cultura medieval judía. Sin embargo, a pesar que de una actitud negativa de la una hacia la otra ha sido prevalente entre los místicos y los filósofos, las dos tendencias estuvieron íntimamente relacionadas y fueron interdependientes. Los cabalistas adoptaron conceptos y terminologías filosóficas y las integraron en sus sistemas místicos. A su vez, muchos filósofos judíos fuero influenciados por las percepciones cabalísticas. 1 Además, la imagen negativa de uno y otro-la noción misma de que aquéllos representan "el otro"-no fue siempre predominante. En ciertos períodos los místicos judíos y los filósofos se consideraron unos a otros más favorablemente y algunas veces expresaron una evaluación positiva del corpus de conocimiento de los otros. En este ensayo discutiré un tema específico en la compleja relación entre el misticismo judío y la filosofía, a saber, la imagen de la filosofía dentro de la mayor escuela de la mística judía-la Cabalá. Me concentraré en las diferentes representaciones de las relaciones entre la filosofía y el misticismo, y sugeriré que los tres modelos más importantes de esta representación aparecen en la literatura cabalística. De acuerdo con el primer modelo, la Cabalá y la filosofía representan esencialmente el mismo corpus de conocimiento. La diferencia entre ellas es semántica: diferentes términos se refieren a las mismas entidades y conceptos. Estas diferencias semánticas son, de acuerdo con algunos cabalistas, una consecuencia de las diferentes fuentes de esta información y de su transmisión. El segundo modelo ofrece una visión jerárquica de la relación entre la filosofía y la Cabalá. De acuerdo con este modelo, la filosofía es, en comparación con la Cabalá, un inferior, aunque válido, corpus de conocimiento. Usualmente, los 1 Ver el breve estudio de Idel acerca de la filosofía judía y la Cabalá en la academia moderna en M. Idel "Los secretos de Abulafia acerca de La Guía. Un giro lingüístico" en Perspectivas del pensamiento judío y el misticismo, ed. A. L. Ivri, E. R. Wolfson y A. Arkush, Ámsterdam 1998, 289-92.
Research Interests:
Translation of Boaz Huss, All You Need is Love; Madonna and Postmodern Kabbalah, The Jewish Quarterly Review, 2005.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
To be published in Elliot R. Wolfson (ed) The Cambridge Companion to Kabbalah (forthcoming)
(article submitted, 2009)
(article submitted, 2009)
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Lecture given at CISMOR, Doshisha University , Kyoto, February 2015
Research Interests:
The lecture examines the history and ideas of Mirra Alfassa (1878-1973), a Jewish artist of Sephardic origins, who became one of the most famous spiritual leaders in India, know, as the Mother. In the first decade of the 20th century... more
The lecture examines the history and ideas of Mirra Alfassa (1878-1973), a Jewish artist of Sephardic origins, who became one of the most famous spiritual leaders in India, know, as the Mother. In the first decade of the 20th century Mirra Alfassa became active in the Cosmic Movement, an esoteric movement headed by a mysterious Jewish teacher, Max Theon (Eliezer Biemstein , c. 1848-1927). Later, Mirra Alfassa traveled with her second husband, Paul Richard, to Pondicherry, India and became affiliated with Sri Aurobindo (1872-1950), the radical political activist who became a spiritual leader. Mirra, who cooperated with Aurobindo in the publication of the journal Arja, in which he presented the first formulations of his Integral Yoga, was recognized by Aurobindo as the incarnation of the divine female power, the cosmic Mother. Mirra Alfassa who established Sri Aurobindo's Ashram, and later, the international spiritual city Auroville, became one of the most venerated spiritual teachers in India, and around the world. She resided in Pondicherry until her death in 1973.
The lecture will examine the life of Mirra Alfassa and her road from the cosmic movement to Sri Aurobindo's ashram. It will discuss the impact of Max Theon's esoteric ideas on Mirra Alfassa, her perceptions of Kabbalah, and the question of her Jewish identity.
Lecture given at: Paideia The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden Thursday, February 6, 2014
The lecture will examine the life of Mirra Alfassa and her road from the cosmic movement to Sri Aurobindo's ashram. It will discuss the impact of Max Theon's esoteric ideas on Mirra Alfassa, her perceptions of Kabbalah, and the question of her Jewish identity.
Lecture given at: Paideia The European Institute for Jewish Studies in Sweden Thursday, February 6, 2014
Research Interests:
Lecture given at: Theosophical Appropriations: Kabbalah, Western Esotericism and the Transformation of Traditions RESEARCH WORKSHOP OF THE ISRAEL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND THE GOLDSTEIN-GOREN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR JEWISH THOUGHT,... more
Lecture given at: Theosophical Appropriations: Kabbalah, Western Esotericism and the Transformation of Traditions
RESEARCH WORKSHOP OF THE ISRAEL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND THE GOLDSTEIN-GOREN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR JEWISH THOUGHT, December 2013
RESEARCH WORKSHOP OF THE ISRAEL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND THE GOLDSTEIN-GOREN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR JEWISH THOUGHT, December 2013
Research Interests:
Lecture given at: Theosophical Appropriations: Kabbalah, Western Esotericism and the Transformation of Traditions RESEARCH WORKSHOP OF THE ISRAEL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND THE GOLDSTEIN-GOREN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR JEWISH THOUGHT, December... more
Lecture given at: Theosophical Appropriations: Kabbalah, Western Esotericism and the Transformation of Traditions
RESEARCH WORKSHOP OF THE ISRAEL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND THE GOLDSTEIN-GOREN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR JEWISH THOUGHT, December 2013
RESEARCH WORKSHOP OF THE ISRAEL SCIENCE FOUNDATION AND THE GOLDSTEIN-GOREN INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR JEWISH THOUGHT, December 2013
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Invitation to Symposium at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art
Examining issues related to Dada and Kabbalah, poetic structure, the Romanian connection
Examining issues related to Dada and Kabbalah, poetic structure, the Romanian connection
Research Interests:
UCL, London Wednesday September 21st Reception 6.30 in the Gavin de Beer room Lecture 7.00pm in the JZ Young lecture theatre Anatomy Building, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT This event is kindly sponsored by the book’s... more
UCL, London Wednesday September 21st
Reception 6.30 in the Gavin de Beer room
Lecture 7.00pm in the JZ Young lecture theatre
Anatomy Building, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT
This event is kindly sponsored by the book’s publishers,
The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization
***ADMISSION IS FREE***
Reception 6.30 in the Gavin de Beer room
Lecture 7.00pm in the JZ Young lecture theatre
Anatomy Building, UCL, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT
This event is kindly sponsored by the book’s publishers,
The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization
***ADMISSION IS FREE***
Research Interests:
For hundreds of years, Kabbalah has been perceived as a body of secret theoretical and practical knowledge concerning creation, the divine world, and human interaction with it. This course will introduce you to the major ideas and... more
For hundreds of years, Kabbalah has been perceived as a body of secret theoretical and practical knowledge concerning creation, the divine world, and human interaction with it. This course will introduce you to the major ideas and practices of the Kabbalah from an academic point of view.
The course will examine basic Kabbalistic themes such as the theory of the Sefirot, ecstatic and prophetic Kabbalistic techniques, reincarnation, demonology, and practical Kabbalah. It will introduce major Kabbalistic works and movements, including the Sefer ha-Zohar, Lurianic Kabbalah, Hasidism, and the contemporary revival of popular Kabbalah.
In recent decades, interest in Kabbalah has been increasing and many non-academic Kabbalah centers have been founded throughout the world. Most of the information available online for the layman is non-academic, and at times it can be misleading and confusing.
The aim of this course is to introduce students with no background in Kabbalah or Jewish thought to the major ideas and practices of the Kabbalah in their historical and cultural settings. The ideas are presented in an accessible manner without jeopardizing the course's academic rigor.
The course approaches Kabbalah from a historical and sociological perspective. Kabbalistic theories and practices will be studied through reading and analyzing primary sources (the Kabbalistic texts themselves) as well as applying the most up-to-date secondary literature (academic research)
The course presents a variety of different perspectives on the themes it covers. Through the assignments and discussions that accompany the video lectures, students will be encouraged to express their opinions and individual perspectives, and to contribute to fruitful intellectual discussions.
The course will examine basic Kabbalistic themes such as the theory of the Sefirot, ecstatic and prophetic Kabbalistic techniques, reincarnation, demonology, and practical Kabbalah. It will introduce major Kabbalistic works and movements, including the Sefer ha-Zohar, Lurianic Kabbalah, Hasidism, and the contemporary revival of popular Kabbalah.
In recent decades, interest in Kabbalah has been increasing and many non-academic Kabbalah centers have been founded throughout the world. Most of the information available online for the layman is non-academic, and at times it can be misleading and confusing.
The aim of this course is to introduce students with no background in Kabbalah or Jewish thought to the major ideas and practices of the Kabbalah in their historical and cultural settings. The ideas are presented in an accessible manner without jeopardizing the course's academic rigor.
The course approaches Kabbalah from a historical and sociological perspective. Kabbalistic theories and practices will be studied through reading and analyzing primary sources (the Kabbalistic texts themselves) as well as applying the most up-to-date secondary literature (academic research)
The course presents a variety of different perspectives on the themes it covers. Through the assignments and discussions that accompany the video lectures, students will be encouraged to express their opinions and individual perspectives, and to contribute to fruitful intellectual discussions.
Research Interests:
קורס מבוא לקבלה, אוניברסיטת בן גוריון, 2012
10-11 March 2022
Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Clarendon Institute, Walton Street Oxford, OX1 2HG
Convenors: Boaz Huss, Sebastian Musch & Lionel Obadia
Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies Clarendon Institute, Walton Street Oxford, OX1 2HG
Convenors: Boaz Huss, Sebastian Musch & Lionel Obadia
Research Interests:
The Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies invites applications for Fellowships for the 2020-2021 Oxford Seminar in Advanced Jewish Studies (January to June 2021). The aim of the Seminar is to bring together scholars of... more
The Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies invites applications for Fellowships for the 2020-2021 Oxford Seminar in Advanced Jewish Studies (January to June 2021). The aim of the Seminar is to bring together scholars of Jewish-Buddhist relations and develop a framework for the future study of the field.
Application deadline: 10 January 2020.
Application deadline: 10 January 2020.
Research Interests:
In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the death of R. Hayyim Vital (1542-1620), the Goldstein-Goren International Center for Jewish Thought at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the Ben Zvi Institute for the Study of Jewish... more
In commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the death of R. Hayyim Vital (1542-1620), the Goldstein-Goren International Center for Jewish Thought at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the Ben Zvi Institute for the Study of Jewish Communities in the East, and the World Union of Jewish Studies will hold a three-day conference via ZOOM dedicated to Vital and his world.
Vital is known first and foremost as the chief disciple of R. Isaac Luria. Luria himself wrote little; Vital is thus responsible to a large extent for what is now known as “Lurianic Kabbalah.” As a paragon of the sixteenth-century Safed renaissance, many aspects of Jewish life in Palestine and Syria are imbricated in his life and thought in this critical chapter of early modern Jewish history. Alongside his immense and singular contribution to the development of the Kabbalah, the breadth and diversity of Vital’s interests are evident in his rich corpus of writings. These are devoted to a plethora of topics and express the variegated aspects of his activity over many decades in Safed, Jerusalem, and Damascus. The study of Vital’s life and work may thus shed light on many facets of contemporary Ottoman Jewish society.
The fifteen sessions of the conference will cover many aspects of the activity of Vital and his contemporaries, as well as the history of the reception of his intellectual legacy in the modern and early modern periods.
Sessions include:
Safedian Modes of Fashioning Prominent Figures | Crossroads in the Formations of Kabbalistic Knowledge | Vital, Between Cordovero and Luria: A Reappraisal | Vital’s Book of Visions and Its Early and Later Contexts | Safedian Praxis and Its Contexts | Safed Beyond the Text: Reality and Imagination | Metempsychosis and the Fate of the Soul | Vital the Doubtful Messiah | Safed’s Culture of the Book | The Formation of Lurianic Kabbalah Across Regions | From Vilna to Jerusalem: Reading Vital in Modern Times | Vital in a Philosophical Tone
Papers will be delivered in both Hebrew and English
For details (including list of English papers), see: https://sites.google.com/view/vital400/en | For further inquiries: 400vital@gmail.com.
Academic Committee: Prof. Boaz Huss, Prof. Bracha Sack, Prof. J. H. Chajes, Dr. Hanan Harif, Prof. Ronit Meroz, Prof. Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin. Committee secretary: Dr. Assaf Tamari
Vital is known first and foremost as the chief disciple of R. Isaac Luria. Luria himself wrote little; Vital is thus responsible to a large extent for what is now known as “Lurianic Kabbalah.” As a paragon of the sixteenth-century Safed renaissance, many aspects of Jewish life in Palestine and Syria are imbricated in his life and thought in this critical chapter of early modern Jewish history. Alongside his immense and singular contribution to the development of the Kabbalah, the breadth and diversity of Vital’s interests are evident in his rich corpus of writings. These are devoted to a plethora of topics and express the variegated aspects of his activity over many decades in Safed, Jerusalem, and Damascus. The study of Vital’s life and work may thus shed light on many facets of contemporary Ottoman Jewish society.
The fifteen sessions of the conference will cover many aspects of the activity of Vital and his contemporaries, as well as the history of the reception of his intellectual legacy in the modern and early modern periods.
Sessions include:
Safedian Modes of Fashioning Prominent Figures | Crossroads in the Formations of Kabbalistic Knowledge | Vital, Between Cordovero and Luria: A Reappraisal | Vital’s Book of Visions and Its Early and Later Contexts | Safedian Praxis and Its Contexts | Safed Beyond the Text: Reality and Imagination | Metempsychosis and the Fate of the Soul | Vital the Doubtful Messiah | Safed’s Culture of the Book | The Formation of Lurianic Kabbalah Across Regions | From Vilna to Jerusalem: Reading Vital in Modern Times | Vital in a Philosophical Tone
Papers will be delivered in both Hebrew and English
For details (including list of English papers), see: https://sites.google.com/view/vital400/en | For further inquiries: 400vital@gmail.com.
Academic Committee: Prof. Boaz Huss, Prof. Bracha Sack, Prof. J. H. Chajes, Dr. Hanan Harif, Prof. Ronit Meroz, Prof. Amnon Raz-Krakotzkin. Committee secretary: Dr. Assaf Tamari
Research Interests:
מהי מיסטיקה ומדוע היא אינה מונח מוצלח לתיאור הקבלה והחסידות. סדרת שיחות עם פרופ' בועז הוס מהמחלקה למחשבת ישראל, אוניברסיטת בן גוריון בנגב
Research Interests:
SZ Series Episode 8: With Prof. Boaz Huss discussing the Sabbatean origins of Tu B'Shvat We discussed the origins of Tu B'Shvat, first sources to mention the Tu B'Shvat "Seder"/"celebrations", the Sabbatean sources, Donmeh, Donmeh songs,... more
SZ Series Episode 8: With Prof. Boaz Huss discussing the Sabbatean origins of Tu B'Shvat
We discussed the origins of Tu B'Shvat, first sources to mention the Tu B'Shvat "Seder"/"celebrations", the Sabbatean sources, Donmeh, Donmeh songs, sabbatean symbolism, and more
We discussed the origins of Tu B'Shvat, first sources to mention the Tu B'Shvat "Seder"/"celebrations", the Sabbatean sources, Donmeh, Donmeh songs, sabbatean symbolism, and more
Research Interests: Kabbalah and Sabbateanism
Research Interests:
‘Spirituality’ is a term with enormous currency in contemporary discourse on religion, but despite this, it remains under-theorised. Little consideration is given to its development, and most scholarly work simply dismisses ‘spirituality’... more
‘Spirituality’ is a term with enormous currency in contemporary discourse on religion, but despite this, it remains under-theorised. Little consideration is given to its development, and most scholarly work simply dismisses ‘spirituality’ as shallow and commercialised. Boaz Huss argues that “the vehement and disparaging criticism of contemporary spirituality is stimulated by the threat that this new cultural category poses to entrenched scholarly assumptions and research practices” (2014, 58).
To discuss ‘spirituality’, we are joined by Boaz Huss and Steven Sutcliffe. We discuss the genealogy of ‘spirituality’, and its contemporary significance, with particular reference to the New Age movement. The second half focuses on how spirituality may trouble the religion / secular distinction, and its implications for the critical study of religion.
To discuss ‘spirituality’, we are joined by Boaz Huss and Steven Sutcliffe. We discuss the genealogy of ‘spirituality’, and its contemporary significance, with particular reference to the New Age movement. The second half focuses on how spirituality may trouble the religion / secular distinction, and its implications for the critical study of religion.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Knowing the history of the Zohar and its reception, one can better understand the spiritual and political worlds of Judaism as they have evolved over the past 700 years.