Open Secret: Postmessianic Messianism and the Mystical Revision of Menahem Mendel Schneerson

473 Pages·2009·2.84 MB·English

by  Elliot R. Wolfson

O P E N
S E C R E T
Marc chagall,
“Moses Breaking the Tablets of the law”
O P E N
S E C R E T
Postmessianic Messianism and
the Mystical Revision
of
M e n a Ḥ e M M e n d e l
S c h n e e r S o n
E L L I O T R. W O L F S O N

COLumbIa uNIvERSITy PRESS
New York
COLumbIa uNIvERSITy PRESS
Publishers Since 1893
new York chichester, West Sussex
copyright © 2009 columbia University Press
all rights reserved
library of congress cataloging-in-Publication data
Wolfson, elliot r.
open secret : postmessianic messianism and the mystical revision of
Menahem Mendel Schneerson / elliot r. Wolfson.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBn 978-0-231-14630-2 (cloth : alk. paper)
1. Schneersohn, Menahem Mendel, 1902–1994—Teachings. 2. habad.
3. habad—history. 4. Mysticism—Judaism. I. Title.
BM755.S288W64 2009
296.8'3322—dc22
2009009363
casebound editions of columbia University Press
books are printed on permanent and durable acid-free paper.
Printed in the United States of america
c 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
references to Internet Web sites (Urls) were accurate
at the time of writing. neither the author nor columbia University Press
is responsible for Web sites that may have expired or changed
since the book was prepared.
For BoB dYlan
the man in the long black coat

The ultimate perfection of the days of Messiah
is the aspect of birth, the revelation of the divine light
within the depth of a person’s heart.
—ShneUr ZalMan oF lIadI, Torah or, 55B
emancipate yourselves from mental slavery,
none but ourselves can free our minds.
—BoB MarleY, redemPTion Song

C o n t e n t s
Preface
xi
note on the transliteration
xvii
IntroduCtIon:
Behind the Veil Unveiled
1
1. ConCealIng the ConCealment:
The Politics of the Esoteric
28
2. a/voIdIng PlaCe:
Apophatic Embodiment
66
3. semIotIC transubstantIatIon of the somatIC
130
4. messIanIC torah:
Hypernomian Transvaluation
161