Studies in Jewish Myth and Messianism

By Yehuda Liebes
Translated by Batya Stein

Subjects: Jewish Mysticism
Series: SUNY series in Judaica: Hermeneutics, Mysticism, and Religion
Paperback : 9780791411940, 226 pages, November 1992
Hardcover : 9780791411933, 226 pages, December 1992
Out of print (Hardcover)

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Table of contents

Introduction

1 De Natura Dei: On the Development of the Jewish Myth

2 The Kabbalistic Myth as Told by Orpheus

3 Sabbatean Messianism

4 Sabbetai Zevi's Religious Faith

5 Ha-Tikkun Ha-Kelali of R. Nahman of Bratslav and Its Sabbatean Links

Notes

Bibliography

Sources

Index

Description

This book deals with the nature and development of Jewish myth from the Talmudic period through Kabbalah to Hasidism. It describes the changes in this myth in its various stages and the external influences on it. The author shows that myth is in the essence of the Jewish religion and that, rather than being created out of external influences, Kabbalah is one of its manifestions. The book also deals with the related subject of Messianism, and delves into the special spiritual personalities of some messianic figures in Jewish history to show how myth was incarnate in them.

Yehuda Liebes teaches Jewish Mysticism in the Department of Jewish Thought at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He is the author of Studies in the Zohar, also published by SUNY Press.