Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest in Judaism

Front Cover
Rowman & Littlefield, 2006 - 257 pages
Today, many people from all faiths are exploring the Kabbalah. What were once controversial and esoteric teachings from medieval Jewish mystics now is becoming one of the latest spiritual trends sweeping across America. In the wake of this renewed interest comes David Ariel's Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest in Judaism, a thoroughly updated edition of his classic best selling book, The Mystic Quest. Ariel beautifully presents the complex elements of Jewish mysticism's major ideas in clear, understandable, and accessible language for Jewish and non-Jewish readers alike. Hailed as "brilliant" by Publishers Weekly, the book has a completely revised Introduction that sets a contemporary context for understanding Jewish mysticism, given the current fascination with Kabbalah in today's culture. Several chapters are substantially revised, making key ideas less abstract and more comprehensible to readers. Because it can be easy to misunderstand the intricate teachings of Jewish mysticism, the book now includes a section called the "10 Main Conceptual Principles" of Jewish mysticism, putting the main concepts in clear, easy to grasp, modern language. Concluding with how Kabbalah can be incorporated into our daily lives, Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest in Judaism, is an intellectually sophisticated yet straightforward book studded with deep insights on what Jewish mystical thought is all about.

From inside the book

Contents

Seekers of Unity The Nature of Mysticism
1
Visionaries Mystics and Kabbalists The History of Jewish Mysticism
23
The Hidden and the Revealed The Infinite God of Jewish Mysticism
43
The Calculus of the Divine World The Teaching of the Sefirot
65
The Shekhinah The Feminine Aspect of God
95
Entering the Garden The Meaning of Torah
113
The Oneness of Being The Destiny of the Soul
129
The Mystic Drama The Religious Life of the Jewish Mystic
149
Raising the Sparks Modern Jewish Mysticism
171
Mysticism and Meditation The Mystic Quest
203
Notes
221
Glossary
233
Bibliography
235
Index
241
About the Author
Copyright

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About the author (2006)

David Ariel is President of the Laura and Alvin Siegal College of Judaic Studies in Cleveland. He is the author of the best selling book What Do Jews Believe? The Spiritual Foundations of Judaism, and Spiritual Judaism: Restoring Heart and Soul to Jewish Life. Ariel lives in the Cleveland, Ohio area.

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