RTE 556 Jewish Mysticism
Jewish Mysticism, commonly referred to as Kabbalah, is the product of thousands of years of esoteric speculation, revelatory experience, scholasticism, pietism and risk. This course will analyze the role of mysticism in Jewish history through analysis of the major theological ideas of classical Kabbalah. The second half of the course will carry the narrative into the world of Hasidism. These traditions will be examined in terms of its historical development, its relationship to mystical experiences and its sacred literature. Attention will also be paid to the relationship of Kabbalah to other kinds of mysticism, in line with general issues in the study of religious mysticism. In the second part of the course we will engage in learning primary chassidic teachings of Rebbes that stem from the conception of the movement till our generation. We will engage in close textual analysis of primary sources as a means of understanding the evolution of the Chassidic vocabulary and library. We will encounter the teachings of core voices in the Chassidic movement and explore the essence of their theology and spiritual legacy.