The Origins of Jewish Mysticism offers the first in-depth look at the history of Jewish mysticism from the book of Ezekiel to the Merkavah mysticism of late antiquity. The Merkavah movement is widely recognized as the first full-fledged expression of Jewish mysticism; one that had important ramifications for classical rabbinic Judaism and the emergence of the Kabbalah in twelfth-century Europe. Yet until now; the origins and development of still earlier forms of Jewish mysticism have been largely overlooked. In this book; Peter Schäfer sheds new light on Ezekiel's tantalizing vision; the apocalyptic literature of Enoch; the Dead Sea Scrolls; the writings of the Hellenistic Jewish philosopher Philo; the rabbinical writings of the Talmudic period; and the esotericism of the Merkavah mystics. Schäfer questions whether we can accurately speak of Jewish mysticism as a uniform; coherent phenomenon with origins in Judaism's mythical past. Rather than imposing preconceived notions about "mysticism" on a great variety of writings that arose from different cultural; religious; and historical settings; he reveals what these writings seek to tell us about the age-old human desire to get close to and communicate with God.
#288338 in Books imusti 2016-01-12Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.30 x 1.30 x 6.10l; .0 #File Name: 0691125708352 pagesUniversity Press Group Ltd
Review
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Right Book for a Bizarre CaseBy J in New YorkDouglas has done an incredible job of charting this bizarre but important case. This well written explains in detail the difficulty of prosecuting war criminals and; I would think; would be of assistance how to handle future prosecutions. Why do I give the book 4 stars? No fault of the author’s; the book can be too detailed for some readers; especially those who have never studied law and the conflict of laws. I found myself skipping sections here and there. Nevertheless; any semi-intelligent reader can get a lot from this riveting; objectively told tale.3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. This book is at once a history of the Demjanjuk ...By Conor ClarkeThis book is at once a history of the Demjanjuk court proceedings; a concise overview of international criminal justice; and a compelling meditation on the novel legal theories brought to bear on 'the right wrong man.' It is also superbly written; and should sustain the interest of a reader with appetite for any of the three.2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Cogs in the holocaust machine.By Sami WeirAn absolutely fascinating book that follows the twists and turns of the legal system trying to deal with the crimes against humanity. A fascinating almost throwing legal tour de force for the prosecutions to try and to shine the lights on to what happened in the death camps through the prosecution of one guard.
