Gershom Scholem and the Mystical Dimension of Jewish History

352 Pages·1987·34.565 MB·English

by  Joseph Dan

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)
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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
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Jewish history
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
FORT WAYNE, INDIANA 46802
You may return this book to any agency, branch,
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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
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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.