Kabbalah (18 page)

tian kabbalah

dualism: gender duality, 18,

European Jews, 91.
See also
21, 44, 48; good and evil,

specific country

18, 22, 49–50, 76–77; Pla—

evil powers
(sitra ahra),
7, 33, tonic, 53

34, 46, 49–53; command—

dynastic houses
(zaddik),
96–99

ments and, 55, 57–58, 59;

good-evil dualism, 18, 22,

Eibschutz, Jonathan, 91

49–50, 76–77; messianism

ein sof
(infinity), 39–41, 43, and, 87, 89; Samael, 50, 52,

74, 75

53; Satan, 22, 35, 49, 58

121

I N D E X

exile, 80, 83; of Spanish

God: anthropomorphic texts

Jewry, 34–35

on, 15, 43, 47, 87; experi—

Ezekiel, chariot of, 11, 14–

ence of, 38; meeting with,

15, 17

13; names of, 14, 28, 44,

Ezra of Girona, 27, 50

46–47, 64, 66, 108; relationship with, 9, 54, 56,

faith
(emunah),
88

87, 98.
See also under divine
female divinity.
See
shekhinah
golem, 105–108

(female divinity)

good and evil, 58, 64, 83; du—

Ficino, Marsilio, 62

alism of, 18, 22, 49–50,

Florence (Italy) school, 62

76–77

Fludd, Robert, 67

Graetz, Heinrich, 6, 30, 103

France: Catharic heretics in,

grammar, 16, 18

23, 24; Provence kabbal—

Greek philosophy, 6, 53, 63;

ists, 3, 5, 20, 25, 27, 50

neo-Platonists, 41, 45, 65,

Frank, Jacob, 92

67, 78

Frankenstein’s monster, 107.

See also
golem

Habad Hasidism, 100–101,

Frankists, 92

102

Freemason movement, 105

ha-Cohen, Isaac ben Jacob,

50, 52

Garden of Eden, 50, 76–77

ha-Cohen of Castile, Isaac,

gender duality, 18, 21, 44, 48

22, 27, 34

Genesis, Book of, 11, 16, 17.

hagiographic tales, 73

See also
creation ha-Kanah, Nehunia ben, 20,

German pietists, 18–20, 47, 54

34

Gikatilla, Joseph, xii, 29

halakhah
(law), 2, 29, 58, 59, Giorgio, Francesco, 66

68, 77, 90

Girona school, 5, 20, 25, 27,

ha-Levi, Abraham berabi

48

Eliezer, 35

gnosticism, 6, 22–24; Chris—

Halevi, Ze’ev ben Shimon,

tian, 22, 24, 48–49; female

109

power in, 48–49; German,

Harba de-Moshe (The

23, 29

Sword of Moses), 14

Gnostic Religion, The
(Jonas),
harmonia mundi
(harmony of 23

the universe), 17, 66, 81

122

I N D E X

harmony, 17, 55–56

homiletic literature, 31, 38,

Hasidey Ashkenaz, 18–20,

39

34, 63

human soul, 33, 45, 81, 82

Hasidic writers, 41

Hasidism, 5, 68, 81, 92, 93–

Ibn Ezra, Abraham, 21, 47

102, 109; Bratslav

Ibn Tamim, Dunash, 16

Hasidim, 99, 101, 102;

Ibn Yoqtan, Hay, 106

Hasidic messianism, 93,

Idra Rabba (The Large As—

99–101; neo-Hasidism,

sembly), 31

101–102; Opponents of,

Idra Zuta (The Small Assem—

93, 95, 96, 97, 101;
zaddik
bly), 31

dynasties of, 96–99

idrot
(assemblies), 31, 32

havurot
(young Jewish infinity
(ein sof),
39–41, 43, groups), 68

74, 75

Hayman, Peter, 16

Internet, 109

Hebrew, 1, 31

Isaac ben Abraham the Blind,

Hebrew alphabet, 16–17, 29,

20, 25, 27, 52

64, 105, 108.
See also
sefirot
Isaac (biblical), 45

Hebrew grammar, 16, 18

Isaiah (prophet), 4

Hebrew prayers, 19.
See also
Ishmael, Rabbi, 14, 15

prayers

Islam, 2, 16, 53, 86;

Hebrew University (Jerusa—

Shabbatai Zevi’s conver—

lem), 103

sion to, 88–89, 90

Hekhalot literature, 13–15,

Islamic mysticism, 10

19, 21, 23, 49

Islamic philosophers, 106

Hekhalot Rabbati, 32

Israel, 1; Hasidim in, 97, 98–

Helmont, Franciscus

99, 99, 101, 102; kibbutzim

Mercurius van, 67

in, 68; people of, 46, 77

Hermes Trismegestus, 62

Italy, kabbalists in, 3, 6, 28,

Hermetica (esoteric trea—

31, 34, 62

tises), 62

hesed
(love and mercy), 43, Jacob, Rabbi, 27

44, 45

Jacob (biblical), 45

Hijja, Abraham bar, 21

Jerusalem: Hassidim in, 97;

hokhmah
(wisdom), 43, 44

Hebrew University, 103;

Holocaust, 99

temple in, 33, 46, 74

123

I N D E X

Jewish culture, 38, 41, 59, 80,

of, 4–5; as secret tradition,

88; Christian kaballah

3–4; term and meaning, 1–

and, 67, 68; Lurianism

10.
See also
Christian and, 83

kaballah; Lurianic

Jewish folktales, 101, 107

kaballah

Jewish intellectuals, 35, 71.

Kabbalah Denudata,
60, 66

See also
rationalistic phi-Kalonymus family, 18–20

losophy; Safed scholars

Karo, Joseph, 39, 71–72

Jewish law, 90.
See also
law;
kavanot
(spiritual intentions), Torah

38, 57

Jewish mysticism.
See
mysti-kavod
(glory), 47, 48

cism

kelim.
See
vessels
(kelim)
Jewish people, 46, 67

Kenton, Warren, 109

Jewish religiosity, 6, 29, 33,

keter
(divine will), 40, 43, 44, 54

82

Jewish tradition, 2, 41, 67,

kibbutzim, 68

68, 77.
See also
tradition King, Karen, 23

Jews, emancipation of, 91

Klippers, Hayyim Vital, 73,

Jonas, Hans, 23

79, 80, 81, 82

Joseph (biblical), 45

Kook, Abraham Yitshak ha-Cohen, 108

Judah ben Samuel the Pious,

19

language, 18, 32, 64, 66; eso—

Judaism, 18, 53, 61, 67, 102;

teric, 95; mysticism and, 9.

enlightenment movement

See also under
Hebrew in, 91, 103; Hasidism and,

law
(halakhah),
2, 58, 68, 77, 93, 100; Lurianism and,

90

82–83; orthodox, 29, 37–

Leibnitz, Gottfried Wilhelm,

38, 59, 68, 69, 103;

6, 67

ultraorthodoxy, 72, 77, 81

Lilith, 50, 51

Jung, Carl Gustav, 6, 8, 67,

literary conservatism, 37–38

105

literary creativity, 32

“Lithuanians.”
See
Oppo-kabbalah: expanded meaning nents (“Lithuanians”)

of, 5–8; in modern Israel,

Loeb, Judah, 107

1; as received tradition, 2–

love and mercy
(hesed),
43, 3; scholar/historian view

44, 45

124

I N D E X

Luria, Isaac, 5, 72–74, 87, 92

Major Trends in Jewish Mysti-Lurianic kabbalah, 45, 66,
cism
(Scholem), 30

70–83, 108; Opponents

martyrdom, 19

and, 93, 95; Sabbatian

masoret
(transmission), 2

messianism and, 85, 86;

Matt, Daniel, 31

Safed scholars and, 5, 71–

Medici family, 62

73, 85, 87;
shevirah
(de-merkavah
(chariot of struction) in, 73, 75–77,

Ezekiel), 11, 13, 33

81, 82;
tikkun
(redemp-Merkavah literature, 13–15, tion), 57–58, 77–81;

19, 21, 23, 49

zimzum
(constriction) in, messianic element, 34, 35

73–75, 81, 82

messianic redemption, 33,

Lurianism, 102; Zohar and,

52, 57, 71, 79, 98

5, 108

messianism, 73; Hassidic, 93,

Luzzatto, Moshe Hayyim,

99–101; Sabbatian, 81,

39, 41

84–92, 95

microcosmos, 17

ma’amarot
(utterances), 21, 42

midot
(qualities), 42

midrash, 2, 5, 16, 49, 64;

ma’aseh bereshit
(work of gen-Book Bahir and, 20, 21; esis), 11, 13

Zohar and, 31, 32–33

ma’aseh merkavah
(work of Midrash ha-Neelam (The

the chariot), 11, 13

Secret Commentary), 31

Madonna (global superstar),

Mishnah, 11, 37

104, 110

Mithredates, Flavius, 62

Madonna (Mother of

mitnagdim.
See
Opponents Christ), 48–49

(“Lithuanians”)

magic, 6, 56; Christian

mitzvot.
See
commandments kabbalah and, 62, 63, 64;

(mitzvot)

in esoteric treatises, 13–14

Molitor, Franz Josef, 67

magid
(divine messenger), 4, More, Henry, 65, 67

39, 72, 87

Moses ben Nachman, 6, 20,

Magid (Dov Baer), 95, 96

27

MaHaRaL (Juda Loeb), 107

Moses (biblical), 2, 31, 66,

Maimonides, 6, 25, 27, 63,

71, 90

109

Moshe of Burgos, 52

125

I N D E X

Mount Sinai, 2, 3, 4, 66, 71,

orthodox Judaism, 29, 37–38,

77

59, 103; Christian

Muhammad (prophet), 2.
See
kabbalah and, 68, 69;

also
Islam

Hasidism and, 93, 100;

mysticism, 6, 8–10, 38, 100;

Lurianism and, 86;

Christian, 8–9, 10, 67;

ultaorthodoxy, 72, 77, 81

esotericism and, 11, 13–15

Or Yakar
(Precious Light), 72

Nachmanides (Moses ben

Pagels, Elaine, 23

Nachman), 6, 20, 27

parables, 21

Nag Hamadi library, 23, 24

pardes
(paradise), 13

Nahman of Bratslav, 99

Parpola, Simo, 6, 8

names of God, 14, 28, 46–47,

Pentateuch, 27

94, 108; Christian kabbal—

perfection, 54, 57, 72, 76, 77

ists and, 64, 66; tetra—

personal spiritual experience,

grammaton (YHVH), 44

14

Nathan of Gaza, 85, 86–90,

philosophical rationalism,

98

25, 27, 35

nationalistic ideology, 77, 80

Pico dela Mirandola, Gio—

neo-Hasidism, 68, 101–102

vani, 6, 62–63, 66

neo-Platonists, 41, 45, 65,

pietists, 18–20, 47, 54

67, 78

Pirkey de-Rabbi Eliezer
New Age worldview, 6, 68,

(midrash), 49

109–110

Platonism, 53; neo-Platonism,

New York City, Hasidism in,

41, 45, 65, 67, 78

97, 100

Postel, Guillaume, 66

“Nine Hundred Theses”

prayerbook, 59, 80

(Pico), 62

prayers, 19, 38, 53, 54, 78

numbers, 17, 19, 29, 45

prophets, 46, 86, 89.
See also
numerology, 64

specific prophets

Provence kabbalists, 3, 5, 20,

Opponents (“Lithuanians”),

25, 27, 50

93, 95, 96, 97, 101

Pythagoras, 6, 63

oral transmission, 3

ordination of rabbis

“questions from heaven,” 38

(semikhah),
71

Quran, 2.
See also
Islam 126

I N D E X

Raaya Mehemma (The

Sabbatian messianism, 81,

Faithful Shepherd), 31

84–92, 95; Lurianic

rabbinic literature, 46

kabbalah and, 86, 87;

RaSHBAh (Shimeon ben

Nathan of Gaza and, 85,

Adrat), 29

86–90, 98;
tikkun
(re-rationalistic philosophy, 25, demption) and, 86, 88, 89

27, 35, 53–54, 68, 103

Safed scholars, 5, 71–73, 85,

rationalistic theology, 47

87.
See also
Lurianic Recanatti, Menahem, 34

kabbalah

redemption, 33, 35, 72, 83;

Samael (archenemy of God),

messianic, 33, 52, 71, 79,

50, 52, 53

86, 91, 98;
shekhinah
(femi-Satan, 22, 35, 49, 58.
See also
nine power) and, 46.
See
evil powers

also
tikkun
(redemption) schism, 96

reflection, of divine light, 33,

Scholem, Gershom, 6, 8, 22,

46

23, 29, 67; on enlighten—

reformers of Judaism, 59, 68

ment movement, 91; on

reincarnation
(gilgul),
21, 82, feminine concept
(shek-91, 92, 109

hinah),
48; on Hasidism, religion, mysticism and, 9

98; at Hebrew University,

religious perfection, 72, 77.

103; Lurianism and, 73,

See also
perfection 75;
Major Trends in Jewish
religious practice, 6, 29, 33, 54

Mysticism,
30; Rabbi Isaac repentance, 27, 86, 97

and, 52; on Sabbatian

repentance groups, 72

messianism, 88

reshimu
(impression), 75–76

science and magic, 62, 63

Reuchlin, Johannes, 8, 62, 66

scriptural verses.
See
midrash Reuyot Yehezkel (Visions of

secret message, 34

Ezekiel), 14

secret of creation, 13, 33, 64

Rhineland pietists, 18–20, 47

secret tradition, kabbalah as,

Rosenberg, Judah, 107

3–4

RUR (Chapek), 107

Seder Rabba de-Bereshit

(The Extended Descrip—

Saadia Gaon, Rav, 16, 47

tion of Genesis), 13

Sabbath observance, 33, 55,

Sefer ha-Hezyonot
(The Book 58, 78

of Visions), 79

127

I N D E X

Sefer ha-Kanah, 34

shekhinah
(female divinity), Sefer ha-Peliah, 34