Descenders to the Chariot: The People Behind the Hekhalot Literature (Supplements to the Journal for the Study of Judaism)

354 Pages·2001·15.01 MB·English

by  James R. Davila

SUPPLEMENTS
TO THE
JOURNAL FOR THE STUDY
OF JUDAISM
Editor
JOHN J. COLLINS
The Divinity School, Yale University
Associate Editor
FLORENTLNO GARCIA MARTINEZ
Qumran Institute, University of Groningen
Advisory Board
P. ALEXANDER - J. DUHAIME - A. HELHORST - P.W. VAN DER HORST
A. KLOSTERGAARD PETERSEN — M.A. KNTBB — J.T.A.G.M. VAN ROTTEN
J. SLEVERS - G. STEMBERGER - J. TROMP
VOLUME 70
DESCENDERS
TO THE CHARIOT
The People behind the Hekhalot Literature
JAMES R. DAVILA
BRILL
LEIDEN • BOSTON • KOLN
2001
This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Library "of Congress Cataloging-in Publication data
Davila James R, 1960-
Descenders to the chariot: the people behind the Hekhalot literature /
by James R. Davila.
p. cm. — (Supplements to the Journal for the study of Judaism,
ISSN 1384-2161 ;v. 70)
Includes bibliographical references (p.) and index.
ISBN 9004115412 (cloth : alL paper)
1. Cabala—History. 2. Hekhalot literature—History and criticism. 3.
Merkava. 4. Shamanism—Comparative studies. I. Title. LI. Series.
BM526.D42 2001
296.1 '6—dc21 2001046476
Die Deutsche Bibliothek — CIP-Einheitsaufiiahme
Davila, James R. :
Descenders to the Chariot: the people behind the Hekhalot literature /
by James R. Davila. - Leiden ; Boston; Koln : Brill, 2001
(Supplements to the journal for the study of Judaism ; Vol. 70)
ISBN 90-04-11541-2
ISSN 1384-2161
ISBN 90 04 11541 2
© Copyright 2001 by Koninklijke Brill NY, Leiden, The Netherlands
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PRINTED m THE NETHERLANDS
To my mother

CONTENTS
Acknowledgments ix
Abbreviations and Sigla xi
1. The Hekhalot Literature 1
2. Mysticism, Magic, and Shamanism 25
3. Becoming a Shaman 55
4. Shamanic Ascetic Techniques 75
5. Initiatory Disintegration and Reintegration 126
6. The Otherworldly Journey 156
7. Control of the Spirits 196
8. The Hekhalot Literature and Other Jewish Texts of
Ritual Power 214
9. Locating the Descenders to the Chariot 257
10. Conclusions 306
Bibliography 313
Indices 325

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Many have come to my aid over nearly a decade as this book was
being conceived and written. Their help Jias improved it a great
deal and has saved me from numerous errors. Those that remain
are, of course, my responsibility alone. I wish to thank Christopher
Morray-Jones for his perceptive formal response in 1994 to a paper
outlining the case now presented in this book as well as for many
informal conversations on the subject. A version of chapter 5 was
presented in a conference on ancient magic in California in August
of 1998. The other attenders gave me much profitable feedback, and
I am grateful in particular for comments from and conversations
with David Frankfurter, Jonathan Seidel, and Jonathan Z. Smith. I
thank Shaul Shaked for his help with some difficult passages in the
Aramaic incantation bowls. My colleagues at St. Mary's College,
Philip Esler and Bernhard Lang, read and commented on portions
of an early draft of the monograph. The series editor, John J. Collins,
along with two anonymous readers, also provided helpful comments
and suggestions. Central College in Pella, Iowa, provided a research
and development grant in 1992 which helped make this study pos­
sible. The University of St. Andrews provided additional financial
support and granted me a semester of research leave in the spring
of 2000 to finish the book. My postgraduate student, Deborah
Anderson, prepared the indices. I cherish the patient and unstinting
support of my family. My wife, Rachel, devoted her editorial skills
and talents to making me look like a much better writer than I am.
My son, Teddy, kept me on track by asking each day over dinner
how many chapters I had written that day. And I am especially
grateful to my mother, Lois A. Davila, for her love, encouragement,
and support over the last forty years. This book is dedicated to her.
St. Andrews
11 April 2001