Mysticism Books

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Book SynopsisIn this fresh, classroom-friendly volume, Margery Kempe, a married woman from fifteenth-century England, dictates her remarkable life story. Far from provincial, this extraordinary woman tells us about her business ventures in Lynn, her spiritual conversion and asceticism, and her travels all around Europe and the Holy Land while on pilgrimage. Kempe presents a splendidly detailed perspective of a woman from the rising middle class of the late Middle Ages, of a frequent pilgrim, and of a would-be saint gifted with spectacular crying. This edition, faithful to the original Middle English text but edited for accessibility to students, includes a gloss, notes, introduction, and a glossary, making The Book of Margery Kempe an excellent choice for any class interested in religion, gender, travel, or even daily life in late medieval Europe.Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroductionSelect BibliographyThe Book of Margery KempeNotesGlossary

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Book SynopsisTHE PRAYER OF THE HEART IN CHRISTIAN & SUFI MYSTICISM guides the reader through the stages of mystical prayer. Mystical prayer is a way to create a living relationship with the Divine within the heart. Drawing on Christian and Sufi sources such as St. Teresa of Avila, ''Attâr, St. John of the Cross and Rûmî, as well as from his own experience, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee describes how prayer is first born of need, but then takes one deep within the heart, into the stages of Union and Ecstasy. Through mystical prayer, one is drawn beyond any words into the interior silence of real communion with God. Here, in the silence within the heart, a meeting and merging takes place that carry us beyond our self into the mystery of divine presence, into the secret nature of love''s oneness.THE PRAYER OF THE HEART IN CHRISTIAN & SUFI MYSTICISM explores the inner listening of the heart and the secret of ''pray without ceasing'' in which we discover how prayer becomes alive within the heart. Finally there is a chapter on the need at this time to pray for the Earth. How can we pray for well being of the Earth? How can we include the Earth in our prayers and our heart?This little book is an offering of the heart that brings together the Christian and Sufi mystical traditions in the oneness of love to which they belong. It will benefit any practitioner of prayer, anyone who is drawn to discover a relationship with God within their heart.

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Book SynopsisBridging the gap between western intellectual traditions and Islamic mysticism, this book explains the meaning of knowledge in the orthodox line of Sufism. Following the living tradition of intellectual René Guénon, the lessons presented are intended as an expression of an Islamic school of wisdom within the contemplative dimension of Islam.

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Book Synopsis"Margaret Cropper was the first to capture [Evelyn Underhill's] life, which now in this new century can continue to inspire, challenge and point the way for those on the ancient quest for the holy." —from the Foreword by Dana Greene, dean of Oxford College of Emory University SkyLight Lives reintroduces the lives and works of key spiritual figures of our time—people who by their teaching or example have challenged our assumptions about spirituality and have caused us to look at it in new ways. Evelyn Underhill (1875–1941) was one of the most highly acclaimed spiritual thinkers of her day. Her fresh approach to mysticism provided one of the first invitations to modern seekers to realize that not only saints or great holy men could experience the love of God—but that all people contain within them a capacity for the Divine. This intimate biography, written by one of Underhill’s closest friends, allows us to appreciate this revolutionary woman as both a charming, down-to-earth friend and a groundbreaking spiritual seeker and guide. Through letters, personal reminiscences, and excerpts from Underhill’s much-loved published writings—including her definitive Mysticism, published in 1911 and continuously in print since then—Margaret Cropper captures the spirit, journey and wisdom of one of the most influential women of the early twentieth century. Updated with a new foreword by Dana Greene, dean of Oxford College of Emory University, this intriguing spiritual portrait includes a brief memoir of Lucy Menzies, one of Underhill’s closest confidants, highlighting their remarkable relationship. This biography of Evelyn Underhill, one of the greatest spiritual thinkers of the early twentieth century, guides readers on a voyage through her life and a survey of her spiritual classics that would forever bring the Divine into the everyday for countless people. A passionate writer and teacher who wrote elegantly on mysticism, worship and devotional life, Evelyn Underhill urged the integration of personal spirituality and worldly action. This is the moving story of how she made her way toward spiritual maturity, from her early days of agnosticism to the years when her influence was felt throughout the world. An early believer that contemplative prayer is not just for monks and nuns but for anyone willing to undertake it, Underhill considered the study of modern science not as a threat to contemplation but rather an enhancement of it. Her many lectures and writings on mysticism and spirituality, including her classic Mysticism: A Study in the Nature and Development of Man’s Spiritual Consciousness, inspired the many people touched by her unique passion to take on a spiritual life.Trade Review"An engaging and instructive biography of an extraordinary spiritual woman whose thinking and soulful life offers much for us to consider." —Dr. Robert Coles, Pulitzer Prize–winner and author of Simone Weil: A Modern PilgrimageTable of ContentsForeword to the SkyLight Lives Edition Introduction Note Lucy Menzies:A Memoir 1. Childhood and Girlhood 2. "I Entered Italy" 3. Years of Discovery 4. Vocation and Marriage 5. Early Married Years 6. Her Book Called Mysticism 7. The Years before the War 8. The War Years 9. Choice of a Director 10. “In We Are, and On We Must” 11. “Called Out and Settled” 12. A Tremendous Year 13. “In Torment and Effort to Serve the Brethren” 14. Speaking to the Clergy 15. The Revision of the Prayer Book and Matters of Reunion 16. Religious Editor 17. Chiefly about Retreats 18. The Golden Sequence and a Visit to Norway 19. The Last Retreats and Worship 20. Laying Down Tools 21. The Sword Outwears the Sheath 22. Doctor of Divinity and Pacifist 23. The Prayer Group 24. The Last Years Epilogue Acknowledgements Notes Index

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Book SynopsisIn "Together Forever", Michael Laitman tells us that if we are patient and endure the trials we encounter along our life''s path, we will become stronger, braver, and wiser. Instead of growing weaker, we will learn to create our own magic and our own wonders as only a magician can. In this warm, tender tale, the author shares with children and parents alike some of the gems and charms of the spiritual world. The storyline introduces a kind magician who wishes to have a friend, and to teach his friend all the magic that he knows. He creates all kinds of objects and animals, but his best friend and student is the man that he creates. The story describes how the magician teaches the man to be like him -- a great and kind magician -- and explains that every one of us can become like the magician, if it is our wish. The wisdom of Kabbalah is filled with spellbinding stories. "Together Forever" is yet another gift from this ageless source of wisdom, whose lessons make our lives richer, easier, and far more fulfilling.

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Book SynopsisLaitman introduces several extraordinary concepts that weave into a complete solution: 1) The crisis is essentially not financial, but psychological: People have stopped trusting each other, and where there is no trust there is no trade, but only war, isolation, and pain. 2) This mistrust is a result of a natural process that''s been evolving for millennia and is culminating today. 3) To resolve the crisis, we must first understand the process that created the alienation. 4) The first, and most important, step to understanding the crisis is to inform people about this natural process through books, such as Bail Yourself Out, TV, cinema, and any other means of communication. 5) With this information, we will "revamp" our relationships and build them on trust, collaboration, and yes, care. This mending process will guarantee that we, and our families, prosper in a world of plenty.

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Book SynopsisThe story of the Grail and those who seek it remains one of the most enduring myths known to the West. In this book the stories and legends are explored in depth and the ongoing spiritual Quest outlined by a world-renowned authority on the subject. Also included are a series of meditational exercises to help the seeker find his or her own way to the heart of the Grail.Table of ContentsAcknowledgements Introduction to the 2010 Edition Introduction Part One: Histories I: The Cauldron of Rebirth: The Celtic Grail Exercise 1: The Company of the Noble Head 2: Christ’s Cup: The Christian Dimension Exercise 2: Journey to the Grail Lands 3: The Stone of Wisdom: Orientalism and the Grail Exercise 3: The Green Stone 81 Part Two: Initiations 4: The Family of the Grail: Guardians and Gods Exercise 4: Joining the Family of the Grail 5: Waste-Land and Wounded King: Healing with the Grail Exercise 5: The Five Changes 6: The Living Hallows: Knighthood for Today Exercise 6: Working with the Grail Appendix Bibliography

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Book SynopsisMysticism is not just for recluses: it is a totally practical path in the world that we all can choose. The mystic tradition teaches us that God is inherent in everything. What does this mean for the way we relate to creation with all its inhabitants and to the environment?

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Book SynopsisInvestigating sufi-inspired spirituality in the modern world, this multi-faceted and interdisciplinary volume focuses on Beshara, a spiritual movement that applies the teachings of Ibn 'Arabi in a non-Muslim context. It traces the movement's emergence in sixties Britain and analyses its major teachings and practices, exploring through this case-study the interface between Sufism and the New Age, and the encounter between Islam and the West. Examining from a global perspective the impact of cultural transformations associated with modernisation and globalisation on religion, this timely volume concludes by tracing possible futures of Sufi spirituality both in the West and in the Muslim world.Trade Review"A marvellous book ... historically and ethnographically well informed, with equally well-informed use of theory - handled with very considerable sensitivity - and lucidly written." Paul Heelas, author of The New Age Movement and The Spiritual Revolution "Empathetic in approach and immensely well-documented, this is an exemplary work. Its great importance for akbarian studies is its discussion of the way in which Ibn 'Arabi's teachings have been received and transformed in the modern world." Michel Chodkiewicz, author of Seal of the Saints and An Ocean Without Shore "A masterful and multifaceted study. This important book opens out to provide a much-needed critique of the sociology of Islam in the age of globalization." Victoria Rowe Holbrook, author of The Unreadable Shores of Love and Beauty and Love "The primary reference work on Beshara will be this thoughtful, intelligent and immensely well-researched book. We can learn a great deal from it." Peter Young, Principal of the Beshara School of Intensive Esoteric EducationTable of ContentsSetting the Scene; Emergence & History; Spiritual Education: Texts & Contexts; Bulent Raus as Guiding Figure; The Beshara Perpsecie & the Teaching of Ibn 'Arabi; The Spiritual Life: Culture & Practice; Projecting Ibn 'Arabi for Today's World; Beshara and Sufism in the Modern World; Index.

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Book SynopsisText in English & Arabic. This book unearths a hidden treasure from the golden age of Ottoman scholarship, an original Arabic commentary by Isma'il Anqarawi on the Light Verse of the Quran, presented here in English for the first time. A devoted follower of Rumi and Ibn 'Arabi, Anqarawi was a highly influential figure in the 17th-century Ottoman world. Perhaps best known as a charismatic and beloved shaykh of the Sufi Mawlawi (Mevlevi) order, he was also a renowned author. "The Lamp of Mysteries" reveals profound insights into the famous and mysterious Light Verse. Bilal Kuspinar has also provided a detailed account of Anqarawi's life and works, an analysis of the Commentary, and a critical edition of the Arabic text.Table of ContentsPart I: Overview -- An Introduction to Isma'il Rusukhi Anqarawi; A Review of the Misbah al-Asrar. Part II: Translation of The Lamp of Mysteries -- Chapter 1: On the Nature of Light; Chapter 2: On the Lamp, the Niche & the Glass; Chapter 3: On the Blessed Olive Tree; Chapter 4: On Guidance from the Beginning to the End; Bibliography; Index. Part III: Critical edition of the Arabic Text of Misbah al-Asrar.

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Book SynopsisText in English & Arabic. If it is true, as Ibn 'Arabī claims, that voyaging never ceases in all worlds and dimensions, the paradigmatic voyages recounted in this remarkable book offer the reader an inexhaustible source of reflection. As a well-known Sufi saying puts it, 'the spiritual journey is called "voyage" (safar) because it "unveils" (isfār) the characters of the Men of God'. This book explores the theme of journeying and spiritual unveiling as it plays out in the cosmos, in scripture and within the soul of the mystic. Beginning with a series of cosmological contemplations, Ibn 'Arabī then turns to his own selective readings of Prophetic lore, in which he gives profound Muhammad, Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Lot, Jacob and Joseph, and Moses. Angela Jaffray's translation of Kitāb al-Isfār 'an natā'ij al-asfār brings this major treatise to an English-speaking audience for the first time. It is accompanied by a new edition of the Arabic text based in a manuscript in Ibn 'Arabi's own hand, an introduction and extensive notes. It also includes a rich in-depth commentary that will guide the reader through Ibn 'Arabī's subtle and allusive writing.Table of ContentsBiography of Ibn 'Arabī; Introduction; Translation & Arabic Text; Commentary; Bibliography; Index of Qur'anic Verses; Index of Hadithl; Index of References to the Futūghāt; Index of General Terms.

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Book SynopsisThis is the first systematic overview of the science of letters (ilm al-huruf) according to the great Andalusian spiritual master, scholar, poet and philosopher Ibn Arabi (d. 1240). Ibn Arabi defined the science of letters as familiarity with the building-blocks of the Quranic revelation and everything in the world of Nature. Letters are understood as visual and aural signs of pointing to the mysteries of existence. The present study examines how the universe came to be, for what purpose it as created and the hierarchical structure it is endowed with. It is an old story told anew -- through the 28 letters of the Arabic alphabet, their orthographic forms and the meanings attributed to them, utilising Ibn Arabis own diagrams. Although the story could be told through geometrical figures or numbers, letters were chosen on the basis of Ibn Arabis doctrine that the meanings carried by the letters fully encompasses the whole of existence: God and the universe.Trade ReviewThe Written World of God is the first and only detailed introduction to Ibn ʿArabis science of letters. Through meticulous and thorough research, Dr. Raić has shone important light on this essential and vast region of the authentic teaching of the greatest master of Sufism. In the process, she demonstrates how this sacramental science is used by Ibn ʿArabi to mine and display the incalculable power of the holy language of Arabic and elaborate a literal metaphor for the creation and functioning of the cosmos and everything in it. This book corrects errors in previous scholarship and opens a very welcome door to the further study of what has been a too-long-neglected - sometimes unfairly disparaged - feature of the writings of Ibn ʿArabi in particular and Sufism in general. --Todd Lawson (Professor Emeritus, University of Toronto)"The 'Science of Letters' pervades Ibn ʿArabi's entire work in ways that are both obvious and hidden, so this book by Dunja Raić is very welcome, because it opens a well-crafted window on it for the serious seeker." -- Paolo Urizzi (Perennia Verba, Italy)

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Book SynopsisMysticism, which transcends the boundaries of time and space and refers to a reality not grasped by means of ordinary human cognition, is one of the central sources of inspiration of religious thought. It is an attempt to decode the mystery of divine existence by penetrating to the depths of consciousness through language, memory, myth, and symbolism. Delving deep into the psyche, mystics strive to redeem perceived reality from its immediate meaning. Mystical texts constitute a history of this religious creativity, of man’s attempt to reveal the divine structure underlying the chaos of reality and thereby endow life with hope and purpose. By offering an alternative perspective on the world that gives expression to yearnings for freedom and change, mysticism engenders new modes of authority and leadership; as such it plays a decisive role in moulding religious and social history. For all these reasons, the mystical corpus deserves study and discussion in the framework of cultural criticism and research. This study is a lyrical exposition of the Jewish mystical phenomenon. It is based on a close reading of the hundreds of volumes written by Jewish mystics and incorporates mystical testimonies drawn from the different countries and cultural environments in which Jews have lived. Rachel Elior’s purpose is to present, as accurately as possible, the meanings of the mystical works as they were perceived by their creators and readers. At the same time, she contextualizes them within the boundaries of the religion, culture, language, and spiritual and historical circumstances in which the destiny of the Jewish people has evolved. The author succeeds in drawing the reader into a mystical world. With great intensity, she conveys the richness of the mystical experience in discovering the infinity of meaning embedded in the sacred text; teasing out the recurring themes, she explains the multivalent symbols. Using copious extracts from Jewish mystical sources, she illustrates the varieties of the mystical experience from antiquity to the twentieth century. She succeeds in eloquently conveying how mystics try to decipher reality by penetrating beyond its apparent boundaries: how they experience spiritual powers symbolically, imaginatively, or visually; how hidden truths are revealed in visions or dreams, in an epiphany or as ‘lightning’; how they are ‘engraved’ in the mind or illuminate in the soul. Most of the texts she draws on are written in very obscure language, but the skilful translations communicate the mystical experiences vividly and make it easy for the reader to understand how Elior uses them to explain the relationship between the revealed world and the hidden world and between the mystical world and the traditional religious world, with all the social and religious tensions this has caused. Trade Review‘Will greatly reward the non-specialist reader who is willing to put in some effort in order to receive a taste of this amazing Jewish literary tradition.’ Aaron Howard, Jewish Herald-Voice'A useful overview of Jewish mystical thought, overflowing with interesting insights.'James R. Davila, Journal of Jewish Studies'The book is extremely successful in delineating the existential meaning of the mystical phenomenon, and gives great insight into the popularity and attraction of this highly influential strand of Judaism.'TraditionTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration1 The Jewish Mystical Library and the New Vision of Reality2 The Infinity of Meaning Embedded in the Sacred Text3 The Mystical Figure: Life without Limits4 Mystical Language and Magical Language: 'Had I been using tongues of men and angels'Appendix: Historical and Literary Figures, Kabbalists, and Mystics Mentioned in Jewish Mystical LiteratureBibliographyIndex

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Book Synopsis Many books on Maimonides have been written and still more will appear. Few present Maimonides, as Menachem Kellner does against the actual religious background that informed his many innovative and influential choices. He not only analyses the thought of the great religious thinker but contextualizes it in terms of the ‘proto-kabbalistic’ Judaism that preceded him. Kellner shows how the Judaism that Maimonides knew had come to conceptualize the world as an enchanted universe, governed by occult affinities. He shows why Maimonides rejected this and how he went about doing it. Kellner argues that Maimonides’ attempted reformation failed, the clearest proof of that being the success of the kabbalistic counter-reformation which his writings provoked. Kellner shows how Maimonides rethought Judaism in different ways. It is in highlighting this and identifying Maimonides as a religious reformer that this book makes its key contribution. Maimonides created a new Judaism, ‘disenchanted’, depersonalized, and challenging; a religion that is at the same time elitist and universalist. Kellner’s analysis also shows the deep configuration of Judaism in a new light. If, as Moshe Idel says in his Foreword, Maimonides was able to ‘reform so many aspects of rabbinic Judaism single-handedly, to enrich it by importing such dramatically different concepts, it shows that the profound structures of this religion are flexible enough to allow the emergence and success of astonishing reforms. The fact that, great as Maimonides was, he did not overcome the traditional forms of proto-kabbalism shows that the dynamic of religion is much more complex than subscribing to authorities, however widely accepted.’Trade Review'One of the most important books on Maimonides to be published in the last thirty years and quite possibly one of the most important in the field of Jewish philosophy. The writing is clear and crisp, and the scholarship is impeccable. The book explains not just how radical Mamonides's dissatisfactions with the Judaism of his day was, but how radical his opinions are for most Jews today.'Kenneth Seeskind, AJS Review 'Impressive... lucid... that rare scholarly study that manages not to compromise on academic rigour while daring to state strongly-held convictions that are so relevant in times troubled by the many irrational "surges" of political, military, and religious fundamentalism.'Allan Nadler, Forward 'Kellner has contributed a study of great value not only for an academic audience but for lay and yeshivish audiences as well. The book is a welcome addition to the samizdats currently circulating within the underground yeshiva counter-culture.'James A. Diamond, Meorot 'A spirited, highly stimulating works that reads fluently and fully engages not only with the mind but also the reader's Jewish soul.'Haim Chertok, Midstream 'Interesting and important... extremely valuable in the way that it roots both Maimonides' legal code and his philosophy in the thought-world and social and religious practices of his own time, and dramatizes the ways in which some of his most characteristic formulations function as critical responses to what prevailed in his own culture and environment.'Aryeh Botwinick, Philosophy East & West 'One of those rare combinations of erudite scholarship and accessible style, treating an issue that is not only perennially meaningful, but also particularly salient today-features that characterize a number of his works... Throughout the book, Kellner devises a series of easy-to-follow dualities to structure his argument... many books have been written about Maimonides. What Menachem Kellner's book does uniquely is to isolate the ways in which Maimonides bumps against the mystical and mythical strains that run through ancient and medieval Jewish thought like a river. While any educated Jew knows that Maimonides stands out as a leading rationalist, Kellner presents us with a compelling portrait of the multi-faceted ways in which Maimonides expunges these mystical and mythical veins from the Jewish mine.'Joel Hecker, The Reconstructionist 'Kellner has refocused Maimonidean studies in a new way. In addition, he has done so in a very learned manner: his footnotes cover a vast area of Jewish scholarship; his summaries of scholarship are very concise; and his bibliography is very full... a very important book. It formulates clearly and comprehensively the hyperrationalist reading of Maimonides which is widely held by scholars of Jewish philosophy. It also offers a new proposal on the subject of the opponents against whom Maimonides wrote. Kellner's erudition has made this so, and his willingness to engage the present and the future has projected the issue beyond medieval philosophy.'David R. Blumenthal, Reviews in Religion & Theology 'The strengths of this book lie in its didactic and ideological clarity... For those interested in the medieval roots of a major dispute within modern Orthodox Judaism this is an extremely useful book packed with detailed examples of contentious topics.'Michael Fagenblat, Speculum 'A thought-provoking study that deals with rather more than its title suggests.'Jeremy Adler, Times Literary Supplement 'Perhaps no author in the last couple of decades has made Maimonides' theology more relevant for contemporary Orthodox dialogue than Menachem Kellner. His works on dogma, belief, rabbinic authority, and other central topics have generated significant debate and even his biggest detractors acknowledge the substantive and stimulating nature of his work... This is an extremely thought-provoking work that deserves serious attention, debate, and discussion.'Tradition Online'Intellectual tour de force... On the one hand, Kellner, in a work of objective scholarship, insightfully decodes what he takes to be two opposing religions that have contended for recognition as the Orthodox expression of Judaism from ancient to modern times. On the other hand, Kellner, as an engaged modern Orthodox thinker who has a stake in this conflict, applies wide learning, critical skills, and expansive control of traditional Jewish sources, intellectual history, and analytic philosophical tools in a sustained argument... Menachem Kellner’s study of Maimonides and the mystics will endure not because it explicates an antiquarian medieval debate; his study talks to moderns who struggle with ideas and ideals, who are both intellectually modern and Jewishly religious.'Alan J. Yuter, Review of Rabbinic Judaism'This is one of the most important books on Maimonides to be published in the last thirty years and quite possibly one of the most important in the field of Jewish philosophy. The writing is clear and crisp, and the scholarship is impeccable.'Israel Book ReviewTable of ContentsForeword by Moshe IdelPrefaceAcknowledgementsNote on Transliteration and Conventions Used in the Text1 Maimonides' Critique of the Jewish Culture of His DayIntroduction * The Judaism Maimonides Opposed * The Philospphical Basis of Maimonides' Opposition * Esotericism and Elitism * Maimonides' Failure * Elements of Proto-Kabbalah * Maimonides' Opposition to the World of Proto-Kabbalah * Excursus: Terminology2 The Institutional Character of HalakhahIntroduction * Two Opposing Views * Maimonides' View * Maimonides' Motivation * Mistakes and Errors in Halakhah / Science / Dogma * Error in 'Science' * Halakhah as Instrumental * Halakhah and Theology * God and Abraham: Who Chose Whom?3 HolinessIntroduction * A Glance at the Biblical Evidence * Maimonides on the Nature of Holiness in General * Holy Persons * The People of Israel * The Sanctity of the Land of Israel and of Jerusalem * Holy Things: Torah, Tefilin, Mezuzot * Holy Times4 Ritual Purity and ImpurityIntroduction: Two Ancient Views on Ritual Purity and Impurity * Judah Halevi on Ritual Purity and Impurity * Maimonides on Ritual Purity and Impurity * Maimonides on the Sacrifical Cult and the Laws of Ritual Purity and Impurity * Maimonides on the Moral Significance of the Laws of Ritual Purity and Impurity * Critiques of Maimonides' Account of the Sacrifices5 The Hebrew LanguageIntroduction * Judah Halevi on the Hebrew Language * Maimonides on the Hebrew Language * Why Did Maimonides Adopt His Position? * Nahmanides' Critique6 Kavod, Shekhinah, and Created LightIntroduction * Shekhinah, Kavod, and Created Light in Rabbinic Texts * Sa'adiah Gaon * Judah Halevi * Maimonides on Kavod in the Guide of the Perplexed * Maimonides on Shekhinah in the Guide of the Perplexed * Maimonides on Created Light in the Guide of the Perplexed * Shekhinah and Kavod in Mishneh torah and Commentary on the Mishnah7 Jews and Non-JewsIntroduction * Theory of the Acquired Intellect * Jews and Non-Jews * Digression: Which of the Thirteen Principles Must Actually Be Accepted to Achieve a Share in the World to Come? * Who is an 'Israelite'? * Wise Non-Jews and the World to Come * Was Maimonides Truly Universalist?8 AngelsIntroduction * Angels in Rabbinic Thought * Angels in Piyutim * Angels in Heikhalot Literature * Sa'adiah Gaon and Judah Halevi on Angels * Maimonides on AngelsAfterword: Contemporary Resistance to the Maimonidean ReformGlossaryIndex of Citations from Moses Maimonides and Judah HaleviBibliographyGeneral Index

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Book SynopsisSomething crucial and quite unprecedented happened to kabbalah in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Though it had previously been considered a highly secretive and esoteric tradition, its practitioners began to spread its doctrines throughout the Jewish world with missionary zeal. Their goal was ambitious: no less than the remodelling of the religious and ethical attitudes of the entire Jewish population, a reformation of Judaism. Few aspects of Jewish life and religious practice were not changed as a result of the spread of kabbalah. These innovations originated mainly in the city of Safed in Galilee. They were introduced by kabbalistic adepts, but would not have gained broad acceptance if they had not made sense to people in terms of their everyday lives. The kabbalistic corpus that emerged should thus be interpreted not just as the elaboration of a secretive literary tradition, but as a response to the needs of Jewish society in its manifest historical context. In addition, Roni Weinstein argues, these kabbalistic innovations were partly a response to changes in the Catholic world-view, revealing an intimate link with Counter-Reformation Catholicism that is explored here for the first time. The religious and political changes taking place in contemporary Ottoman settings also contributed to these changes. The effect of these developments on Jewish culture was nothing short of revolutionary, deeply affecting people’s lives at the time and also laying the foundations for change in future generations. Yet they were not presented as revolutionary: the early modern kabbalists understood that they would only succeed in spreading their message if they presented their doctrines as the natural continuation of what went before. Weinstein’s sociological reading of mystical texts encompasses a number of methodological innovations, including the need to consider the impact of the non-Jewish environment in the fashioning of Jewish texts. He sees the emergence of ‘Jewish modernity’ as the result of developments that were intrinsically Jewish rather than as a response to outside influences during the Enlightenment; controversially, he therefore places its origins in the Mediterranean world of the late sixteenth century rather than in eighteenth-century Berlin. His argument is based on a wide range of Jewish sources—including theological tracts, kabbalistic and ethical literature, hagiographies, mystical diaries, halakhic rulings and responsa, and community and confraternal regulations—as well as the testimonies non-Jewish travellers, and Catholic religious literature. This stimulating new reading of the development of kabbalistic texts and practices opens a new chapter in the understanding of Jewish modernity. The Hebrew edition of this book was awarded the Goren-Gottstein Prize for the Best Book in Jewish Thought 2010–2012.Trade ReviewReviews 'A significant, provocative contribution to the literature.' S.T. Katz, Choice'A truly impressive impressive of original and seminal scholarship . . . extraordinarily informative, exceptionally well-written, organized, and presented, making it unreservedly recommended for both academia as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject.' Midwest Book Review‘Roni Weinstein challenges the common assumption that the kabbalistic world-view owes its popularity to its theological and metaphysical content. Rather, he argues, the social context of kabbalistic thought is at least as significant. Weinstein has written an exciting and groundbreaking book which raises important new questions. If he is correct, his book is a landmark breakthrough.’ From the citation for the Goren-Gottstein Prize for the Best Book in Jewish Thought 2010–2012‘Weinstein brings a totally fresh approach to the subject . . . his understanding of kabbalistic texts as a window into the cultural, social, and psychological realities of the beginning of the modern period . . . enables them to be perceived, for the first time, in the wider context of early modern Mediterranean society . . . From this perspective, the kabbalistic texts developed in Safed are not so much the continuation of an earlier tradition but a response to the process of modernization that dominated the period in a way that changed every reality. . . . Weinstein’s explanation of why it was that kabbalah developed in the time and place that it did is convincing . . . Overflowing with original ideas, his work offers a breakthrough that can be considered revolutionary. His connecting the development of kabbalah to the development of modernity makes this a very modern book. . . . eminently readable because it contextualizes palpable human concerns within the broad intellectual panorama of the times rather than limiting itself to the confines of “kabbalah studies” or “Jewish thought”.’ Jonathan Garb Zion'This book is essential for understanding early modern Jewish religious thought and would be a valuable addendum for studies on the broader impact of early modern movements in Christianity. The English is polished and no previous knowledge of kabbalah is necessary for full comprehension. The concise text is rich in content and stimulating in its broad outlook. This study is not only a useful tool for crosscultural comparisons but it itself is a model for such a study. It could only be written by a person who has mastery both in early modern history and in early modern thought both Jewish and general. Luckily, the author meets these requirements and the result is a model monograph.' Shaul Stampfer, Religious Studies ReviewTable of ContentsNote on Transliteration Introduction: A Social Historian Looks at Early Modern Kabbalah 1 A New God: The Theological Innovation 2 Like Giants on the Shoulders of Dwarfs: The Rise of the Jewish Saint 3 Religious Confraternities 4 ‘From my body I shall envision God’: The Body and Sexuality 5 Sin and Repentance: The Jewish Confession 6 Another God. Catholic Tradition in Safed Kabbalah: The Sephardi--Conversos Link 7 Summary: Kabbalah of Safed and Modernity Bibliography Index

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