In Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction, Joseph Dan,
one of the world's leading authorities on Jewish
mysticism, offers a concise and highly accurate look at
the history and character of the various systems
developed by the adherents of the Kabbalah. Dan sheds
light on the many misconceptions about what Kabbalah is
and isn't--including its connections to magic,
astronomy, alchemy, and numerology--and he illuminates
the relationship between Kaballah and Christianity on
the one hand and New Age religion on the other. The book
provides fascinating historical background, ranging from
the mystical groups that flourished in ancient Judaism
in the East, and the medieval schools of Kabbalah in
Northern Spain and Southern France, to the widening
growth of Kabbalah through the school of Isaac Luria of
Safed in the sixteenth century, to the most potent and
influential modern Jewish religious movement, Hasidism,
and its use of kabbalistic language in its preaching.
The book examines the key ancient texts of this
tradition, including the Sefer Yezira or ''Book of
Creation,'' The Book of Bahir, and the Zohar.Dan
explains Midrash, the classical Jewish exegesis of
scriptures, which assumes an infinity of meanings for
every biblical verse, and he concludes with a brief
survey of scholarship in the field and a list of books
for further reading. Embraced by celebrities and
integrated in many contemporary spiritual phenomena,
Kabbalah has reaped a wealth of attention in the press.
But many critics argue that the form of Kabbalah
practiced in Hollywood is more New Age pabulum than
authentic tradition. Can there be a positive role for
the Kabbalah in the contemporary quest for spirituality?
In Kabbalah, Joseph Dan debunks the myths surrounding
modern Kabbalistic practice, offering an engaging and
dependable account of this traditional Jewish religious
phenomenon and its impact outside of Judaism. |
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