The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition (Way Into... (Paperback)) - Softcover

Hoffman, Rabbi Lawrence A.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1580232000 ISBN 13: 9781580232005

Publisher: Jewish Lights, 2004

Synopsis

An accessible introduction to the concepts of Jewish mysticism, their religious
and spiritual significance, and how they relate to our lives.

The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition allows us to experience and understand mysticism's inexpressible reverence before the awe and mystery of creation, and celebrate this rich tradition's quest to transform our ordinary reality into holiness.

About this title

Review:

"Jewish mysticism is not something one can 'do'" but rather "an attitude toward reality," writes Lawrence Kushner, the prolific Massachusetts rabbi whose books on mysticism include Honey from the Rock and The River of Light. Kushner notes this distinction at the beginning of The Way into Jewish Mystical Tradition, an excellent primer for lay readers who know nothing about mysticism, and a useful refresher for more advanced students of mysticism. The book's organization is inspired by Psalm 19, which Kushner says summarizes the "ways of Jewish mysticism" into three parts. It begins with "an inexpressible reverence before the awe and mystery of creation" then moves toward "the conviction that sacred text contains the key to unlocking the secret of being," and finally results in a "yearning to lead a life of holiness and righteousness." In The Way into Jewish Mysticism, each of these three stages is illustrated by key Jewish mystical ideas, drawn from every phase of Jewish history: Heikhalot mystics (beginning in the first century B.C.), for instance, developed a metaphor called shiur koma, which "attempted to describe the size of God's body"; and Lurianic mystics (in the 16th century) were preoccupied with the possibility of past lives and the transmigration of souls. Each of these ideas is preserved in a pithy phrase or biblical verse, offered in both English and its original Hebrew or Aramaic. And each idea, Kushner suggests, is just one part of the larger mystical worldview, which sees that "beneath the apparent contradictions, brokenness, and discord of this everyday world lies a hidden divine unity." --Michael Joseph Gross

From the Inside Flap:

For everyone who wants to understand the concepts of Jewish mysticism, this book shows the way into an essential aspect of Judaism, and allows you to interact directly with the sacred mystical texts of the Jewish tradition.

Guided by Lawrence Kushner, a leading teacher of Jewish mysticism, The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition helps us explore the world of Jewish mysticism, its religious and spiritual significance, and how it relates to our lives.

What "Jewish mysticism" means. Classic and less familiar texts—and guidance on how to approach them—allow us to learn the key ideas of Jewish mysticism firsthand.

Why mystical tradition is a part of the modern Jewish experience. The Bible, midrash, the Jewish prayer book, and rabbinic literature teach us that mysticism is not something we "do" but is an attitude toward how we approach our daily lives, an important way of understanding, organizing, and enriching Jewish religious life today—and every day.

How mysticism contributes to Jewish spirituality. Through becoming aware of the Jewish mystical tradition and its goals, we share in the work of restoring harmony to the world we live in.

The Way Into Jewish Mystical Tradition allows us to experience and understand mysticism’s inexpressible reverence before the awe and mystery of creation, and celebrate this rich tradition’s quest to transform our ordinary reality into holiness.

About this edition

• Publisher: Jewish Lights
• Publication date: 2004
• ISBN 10: 1580232000
• ISBN 13: 9781580232005
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224