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The Hidden and Manifest God: Some Major Themes in Early Jewish Mysticism

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ISBN-10:: 0791410447
ISBN-13:: 9780791410448
Pub. Date:: 10/14/1992
Publisher:: State University of New York Press

ISBN-10:: 0791410447
ISBN-13:: 9780791410448
Pub. Date:: 10/14/1992
Publisher:: State University of New York Press

The Hidden and Manifest God: Some Major Themes in Early Jewish Mysticism

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Overview

This book represents the first wide-scale presentation and interpretation of pre-kabbalistic, Jewish mysticism. This is the Hekhalot or Merkavah mysticism. The emphasis is on the conceptions of God, the angels, and man that the texts provide and that are the framework of the Judaic world view in late antiquity and the early Middle Ages.

This interpretation is based on the major works of this early Jewish mysticism: Hekhalot Rabbati ("The Greater Palaces"), Hekhalot Zutarti ("The Lesser Palaces"), Ma'aseh Merkavah ("The Working of the Chariot"), Merkavah Rabbah ("The Great Chariot)" and the Third (Hebrew) Book of Enoch. Many quotations from this largely unknown body of esoteric literature are included.

The experience of the mystical heroes of this literature moves between the two poles of the heavenly journey-between the ascent of the mystic through the seven palaces to the Throne of Glory and the adjuration, the attempt to invoke God and his angels in order to force them to fulfill man's will. Both are permeated by magic, and the world view of this first stage of Jewish mysticism is thus deeply magical. The circles which formed it were concerned with nothing less than a radical transformation of the world of normative Judaism that for centuries was determined by the Rabbis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780791410448
Publisher:	State University of New York Press
Publication date:	10/14/1992
Series:	SUNY series in Judaica: Hermeneutics, Mysticism, and Religion
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	198
Sales rank:	785,734
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Peter Schäfer is Professor of Judaic Studies at Freie Universität Berlin, Institut für Judaistik.

Preface

1. Introduction

2. Hekhalot Rabbati
God
God as King upon His Throne
The Appearance of God
Angels
The Bearers of the Throne
The hayyot ha-qodesh
The Heavenly Praise
Individual Angels
Man
The yored merkavah
Israel
The Adjuration

3. Hekhalot Zutarti
God
The Power of the Divine Name
Can one see God?
Shiur Qomah
God as King
Angels
The hayyot ha-qodesh
The hayyot and the Throne
Guardians and Examiners; Individual Angels
Man
The Ascent of Moses and 'Aqiva
The Danger of the Divine Name
The Book of Merkavah Mysticism
Ascent and Adjuration

4. Ma'aseh Merkavah
God and His Name
Angels
The Heavenly Praise
Gatekeepers
Angels of Revelation
Man
The Prayer as Means to the Ascent
The Protagonists of the Heavenly Journey
The Prayer as Means of the Adjuration

5. Merkavah Rabbah
God
God and His Name
Shi'ur Qomah
Angels
The Heavenly Praise
Sandalphon and Metatron
Man
The Mystery of the Divine Name
Who Uses the Mystery?
The Magical Use of the Name
Mastering the Torah
The Adjuration
The Ascent of 'Aqiva

6. 3 Enoch
God
The Shekhinah on the Throne
Transcendence of God?
The Appearance of God
The Names of God
Angels
The Angelic Hierarchy
The Heavenly Praise
Metatron
Man
The Heavenly Journey of the yored merkavah
Eschatology and Anthropology

7. Results
Man between God and the Angels
God
Angels
Man
The Hidden and Manifest God
Transcendence and Immanence
Ecstatic Heavenly Journey and Magical-Theurgic Adjuration
Esoteric and Exoteric

Conclusion

Bibliography

Index of Literature

Index of Authors

Index of Subjects

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Editorial Reviews

"What I like best about this book is that it describes the theology and anthropology of the Hekhalot literature in a way that flows naturally from the literature itself. The author avoids imposing external agendas on the material. Further, he distinguishes among different layers of material and allows each layer, as well as the ensemble, to speak for itself. His knowledge of the material is vast, his scholarship impeccable." — David J. Halperin

"The author has dealt in a clear and systematic way with the major themes pertaining to the corpus of early Jewish mysticism. His textual method opens up many new avenues of research and enables us to rid ourselves of some past biases in the study of Jewish mysticism." — Elliot R. Wolfson

From the Publisher

Examines and interprets pre-kabbalistic Jewish mysticism as religion rather than as literature, as most modern studies do. For the Hekhalot or Merkavah schools, considers the conceptions of God, the angels, and man; and the framework of the Judaic world view in late antiquity and the early Middle Ages. Paper edition (unseen), $12.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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The Hidden and Manifest God: Some Major Themes in Early Jewish Mysticism

The Hidden and Manifest God: Some Major Themes in Early Jewish Mysticism

Paperback

Temporarily Out of Stock Online

Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Table of Contents

Customer Reviews

Temporarily Out of Stock Online

Overview

Product Details

About the Author

Table of Contents

Related Subjects

Customer Reviews