Re St 444 - The Mystical Tradition in Judaism

Institution:

Washington University in St Louis

Subject:

Description:

What is Jewish "mysticism"? What is its relationship to the category of "religion"? Is Jewish mysticism just one form of a general phenomenon common to a variety of religious traditions or is it a specific interpretation of biblical, rabbinic, and other Jewish traditions? Taking the above questions as a starting point, this course aims at a systematic and historically contextualized analysis of a broad range of Jewish texts that are commonly classified as "mystical." (All primary texts are read in translation.) Within a broad historical time frame reaching from late antiquity up to the turn of the 19th century, the topics to be discussed include: classical rabbinic literature and its relationship to early esoteric teachings; the alphabetical mysticism of the Book of Creation; traditions of heavenly ascent (Hekhalot Literature) and magical power; the emergence of classical Kabbalah in medieval France and Spain, and the composition of its central text, the Zohar ("Book of Splendor"); Isaac Luria and the further development of Kabbalah in Ottoman Palestine and beyond; Sabbatai Tzvi's messianic movement between Judaism and Islam; the Hasidic communities in Eastern Europe and the phenomenon of mystical leadership. At the same time, we explore such overarching themes as: the interplay of esoteric exegesis of the Bible and visionary experiences; the place of traditional Jewish law (halakhah) within mystical thought and practice; the role of gender, sexuality, and the body in Jewish mystical speculation and prayer; the relationship between mysticism and messianism; Ashkenazic and Sephardic traditions and their mutual impact on Jewish mysticism; the absence of women from Jewish mystical movements; esoteric traditions of an elite vs. mysticism as a communal endeavor; and the tension between innovation and (the claim to) tradition in the history of Jewish mysticism. Prerequisite: Re St 208F or permission of the instructor.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.wustl.edu

Phone Number:

(314) 935-5000

Regional Accreditation:

North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

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