RELS 207 Kabbalah & Jewish Mysticism
This course is an introduction to the major trends of Jewish mysticism from late antiquity to the present day. Major texts like the Zohar and the Tanya, and mystical movements like Rhineland pietism and Hasidism, will be explored chronologically to trace the development of these traditions and discern what is continuous and discontinuous within each one. Major themes such as mystical union, hermeneutics, asceticism and embodiment, esotericism, as well as meditative practices and paths will also be highlighted. What is it like to be a Jewish mystic? What is the texture of their mystical experiences and how are they woven into the mystic’s personal and communal life? Jewish mysticism will also be explored in relation to both exoteric expressions of Judaism as well as forms of mysticism found in other religions. We will conclude the course with an in-depth examination of Kabbalistic traditions still found and practiced today, from the secluded worlds of the ultra-orthodox to the universal formulations of the Kabbalah center.
Core Requirements Met
- Pre-1800
- Global Connections