One of the most important scholars of our century, Gershom Scholem (1897-1982) opened up a once esoteric world of Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah, to concerned students of religion. The Kabbalah is a rich tradition of repeated attempts to achieve and portray direct experiences of God: its twelfth-and thirteenth-century beginnings in southern France and Spain are probed in Origins of the Kabbalah, a work crucial in Scholem's oeuvre. The book is a contribution not only to the history of Jewish medieval mysticism but also to the study of medieval mysticism in general and will be of interest to historians and psychologists, as well as to students of the history of religion.
Gershom Scholem's Origins of the Kabbalah provides a painstakingly detailed history of Kabbalah's rise among medieval French and Spanish Jews, describes the first publication of Jewish mystical texts, and investigates the growth of their influence on Jewish religious life. The book also doubles back to describe secret traditions of Jewish Gnosticism, which describe a Creation story so numerological and esoteric it makes the New Testament book of Revelation look as simple and straightforward as a Saturday-morning cartoon. This book is much denser than Scholem's excellent On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism, but for readers with a basic knowledge of Kabbalah, it shouldn't be rough going. --Michael Joseph Gross
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
conforming thought to faith:
In my mind, this is one of the most important books written in the twentieth century. Strong words, I admit; please allow me to make my case. This book helps to remove much of the confusion concerning the Kabbalah which is a rich tradition of repeated attempts to achieve and portray direct experiences of GOD. In the words of a disciple of Isaac the Blind (1165?-1235?), "The essential thing in the divine service of the mystics and those who meditate on His name, lies in this : 'and cleave to Him.'... more info
Origins of the Kabbalah:
This is a very in depth study of the origins of Kabalistic development. Mr. Scholem has obviously done alot of research into this field and is considered one of the leading authorities in it. His works are always very well researched and comprehensive in both scope and content. Though this text is not entertaining it is doubtful that those reading it are looking for entertainment. One will find a treasure trove of in depth information that is informative and insightful. No stone has been left unturned by... more info
