'The Origins of Jewish Mysticism' offers an in-depth look at the history of Jewish mysticism from the book of Ezekiel to the Merkavah mysticism of late antiquity. The author reveals what these writings seek to tell us about the age-old human desire to get close to and communicate with God.

Jewish esotericism is the oldest and most influential continuous occult tradition in the West. Presenting lore that can spiritually enrich your life, this one-of-a-kind encyclopedia is devoted to the esoteric in Judaism—the miraculous and the mysterious. In this second edition, Rabbi Geoffrey W. Dennis has added over thirty new entries and significantly expanded over one hundred other entries, incorporating more knowledge and passages from primary sources. This comprehensive treasury of Jewish teachings, drawn from sources spanning Jewish scripture, the Talmud, the Midrash, the Kabbalah, and other esoteric branches of Judaism, is exhaustively researched yet easy to use. It includes over one thousand alphabetical entries, from Aaron to Zohar Chadesh, with extensive cross-references to related topics and new illustrations throughout. Drawn from the well of a great spiritual tradition, the secret wisdom within these pages will enlighten and empower you. Praise: "An erudite and lively compendium of Jewish magical beliefs, practices, texts, and individuals...This superb, comprehensive encyclopedia belongs in every serious library."—Richard M. Golden, Director of the Jewish Studies Program, University of North Texas, and editor of The Encyclopedia of Witchcraft: The Western Tradition "Rabbi Dennis has performed a tremendously important service for both the scholar and the novice in composing a work of concise information about aspects of Judaism unbeknownst to most, and intriguing to all."—Rabbi Gershon Winkler, author of Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism

If you want to explore Jewish Mysticism, then keep reading... Jewish Mysticism is a powerful expression within the Jewish tradition. Rooted in antiquity and veiled in mystery until quite recently, Jewish Mysticism has burst into the modern world in guises both illuminating and bewildering. Throughout Jewish history, flashes of the light held within sacred texts have sparked the sages' inquisitive minds throughout the Diaspora. Rising out of the ashes of the Temples once standing in Jerusalem, the texts and theologies associated with Jewish Mysticism have comforted and ecstatically raise those who have used their knowledge. In this book, we'll review key texts, including: Sefir ha Behir Sefir Yetzirah Ma'aseh Merkavah and the accompanying Heikhalot literature But in examining these texts, we'll also delve into the historical contexts in which they were written and how they served as spiritual responses to the tribulations of the Jewish people, interpreted by those who wrote and disseminated them. You'll discover fascinating things along way... You'll meet some great sages, chief among them the Father of Lurianic Kabbalah, Isaac Luria, his disciple Moses de Leon, and the great Moses Cordovero, who recognized the need for Messianic hope in the face of oppression. You'll meet the sefirot and be introduced to their mysteries as the emanations of the Divine. You'll learn about key Kabbalistic concepts like tzimtzum, shevirah, and tikkun and what they mean, as a foundation for understanding the operation of the sefirot, set in Etz Chaim (the Tree of Life). You'll see how spiritually powerful texts can be abused through popularization. This always concerned the Kabbalistic sages and is the reason for the traditionally limited transmission of Kabbalah. You'll learn how the Ashkenazi Hassidim came to be the powerful manifestation of Judaism they are today and how they went from being the "bad boys" of Judaism to part of the ultra-Orthodox Haredi movement. You'll meet the Baal Shem Tov, father of the Hassidic renaissance, and the Vilna Gaon, leader of the Mitnagdim, once at war with each other but the originators of a new iteration of Hassidic life and practice, in response to the Haskalah (Jewish Enlightenment). This book provides a detailed introduction to the fascinating world of Jewish Mysticism and the community most closely associated with it. Bring your curiosity and questions and open the door to the mysteries of this vibrant corner of the Jewish World. Click the "add to cart" button and step into the fascinating world of Jewish Mysticism.

This is the first translation with commentary of selections from The Zohar, the major text of the Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. This work was written in 13th-century Spain by Moses de Leon, a Spanish scholar.

Presents a historical overview of the movements and trends in Jewish mysticism including Hekhaloth mysticism, classical and Lurianic Kabbalah, Shabbetai Zevi, and Hasidism, seeking to define and explain how the various currents of tradition throughout the centuries are related. Original.