Gershom Scholem and the Mystical Dimension of Jewish History PDF
Preview Gershom Scholem and the Mystical Dimension of Jewish History
DAN JOSEPH GERSHOM SCHOLEM and the Mystical Dimension of Jewish History . GERSHOM SCHOLEM and the Mystical Dimension of Jewish History Joseph Dan Gershom Scholem (1897-1982), often re- garded as the greatest scholar of Jewish studies in our time, made the study ofthe historyofkabbalahandofJewishmysticism into an academic discipline in itsown right. The authorofmorethan40booksandover 700studies, Scholemworkedthroughouthis careertodemonstratethe richness andpro- fundity ofthe mystical dimension inJewish history. In his book Joseph Dan presents Scholem's methods and conclusions, and describes the role of mysticism within the fabricofJewishhistory, religion,andculture. HethenextendshisstudybeyondScholem, providing a survey ofthe history ofJewish mysticism from its early beginnings in late antiquitytomodem,contemporaryHasidism. Scholem wasborn intoan assimilationist Jewish-German family, but developed an intense sense of rebellion early on. While other young Jews were embracing various socialist and leftist groups, Scholem learned HebrewandadoptedJudaismandZionism. His antiassimilationism seemed to bring him totheHebrewlanguage, thentoJewish history, followedbythestudyoftheTalmud and the Midrash. Eventually he chose the ignoredandevenhatedfieldofthekabbalah as the subject to which he would dedicate more than 60 years of study. WhenScholembeganhisscholarlywork, the concept ofJewish studies was not yet (Continued on backflap) j LIBKAKT IV/IAlfM 3 1833ilQigg[9|^.l 296.71 D19g 7155174 Dan, Joseph, 1935- Gershom Scholem and the mystical. dimension of Jewish history 296.71 D19g 7155174 Dan, Joseph, 193! Gershom Scholem and the my5tical d mens on of i i Jewish history ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY FORT WAYNE, INDIANA 46802 You may return this book to any agency, branch, or bookmobile of the Allen County Public Library. MODERN JEWISH MASTERS SERIES General Editor: Steven T. Katz 1. Shlomo Avineri: Moses Hess: Prophet ofCommunism and Zionism 2. Joseph Dan: Gershom Scholem and the Mystical Dimension ofJewish History 3. Arnold Band: Franz Kafka 4. David Singer: RabbiJoseph Soloveitchik 5. Steven T. Katz: Martin Buber 6. David Roskies: Scholem Aleichem 7. Steven Schwarzschild: Hermann Cohen 8. Pinchas Peli: AbrahamJoshua Heschel GERSHOM SCHOLEM AND THE MYSTICAL DIMENSION OF JEWISH HISTORY Joseph Dan n New York University Press New York and London 1987 Counvyr^--- « Allen ana fj.Y/ayne><« Copyright © 1987 by New York University All rights reserved Manufactured in the United States ofAmerica LibraryofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Dan,Joseph, 1935- Gershom Scholem and the mystical dimensionof Jewish history. (ModernJewish masters series ; 2) Bibliography: p. Includes index. — — 1. Mysticism Judaism Historiography. 2. Scholem, Gershom Gerhard, 1897— I. Title. II. Series. BM723.D36 1986 296.7'1 86-21760 ISBN 0-8147-1779-9 byLaiyingChong.
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