Origins of the Kabbalah [Paperback]

Gershom Gerhard Scholem (Author), Allan Arkush (Translator)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 1, 1991

One of the most important scholars of our century, Gershom Scholem (1897-1982) opened up a once esoteric world of Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah, to concerned students of religion. The Kabbalah is a rich tradition of repeated attempts to achieve and portray direct experiences of God: its twelfth-and thirteenth-century beginnings in southern France and Spain are probed in Origins of the Kabbalah, a work crucial in Scholem's oeuvre. The book is a contribution not only to the history of Jewish medieval mysticism but also to the study of medieval mysticism in general and will be of interest to historians and psychologists, as well as to students of the history of religion.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Gershom Scholem's Origins of the Kabbalah provides a painstakingly detailed history of Kabbalah's rise among medieval French and Spanish Jews, describes the first publication of Jewish mystical texts, and investigates the growth of their influence on Jewish religious life. The book also doubles back to describe secret traditions of Jewish Gnosticism, which describe a Creation story so numerological and esoteric it makes the New Testament book of Revelation look as simple and straightforward as a Saturday-morning cartoon. This book is much denser than Scholem's excellent On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism, but for readers with a basic knowledge of Kabbalah, it shouldn't be rough going. --Michael Joseph Gross

Review

[Scholem] labors the wealth, even the scandal, of the past in order to multiply options of survival. No great textual scholar, no master of philology and historical criticism commands a technique at once more scrupulously attentive to its object and more instinct with the writer's voice. That voice reaches out and grabs the layman. -- George Steiner, The New Yorker



[Scholem's] work on Jewish mysticism, messianism, and sectarianism, spanning now half a century, constitutes . . . one of the major achievements of the historical imagination in our time. I would contend that it is of vital interest not only to anyone concerned with the history of religion but to anyone struggling to understand the underlying problematics of the human predicament. -- Robert Alter, Commentary



This book has been a classic in its field since it was first issued in 1950, and it still stands as uniquely authoritative and intriguingly instructive. . . . [It is] a monument of revelation and insight bridging anthropology, religion, sociology, and history. -- Publishers Weekly

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 504 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (January 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691020477
• ISBN-13: 978-0691020471
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,214 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #49 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > Jewish Texts > Kabbalah
  • #66 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Jewish Life

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

44 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars conforming thought to faith, November 26, 2000

By 

catherine guelph "catrina_g" (milano, italy) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Origins of the Kabbalah (Paperback)

In my mind, this is one of the most important books written in the twentieth century. Strong words, I admit; please allow me to make my case. This book helps to remove much of the confusion concerning the Kabbalah which is a rich tradition of repeated attempts to achieve and portray direct experiences of GOD. In the words of a disciple of Isaac the Blind (1165?-1235?), "The essential thing in the divine service of the mystics and those who meditate on His name, lies in this : 'and cleave to Him.' [Deuteronomy 13:5] And this is a cardinal principle of Torah and of prayer, that one make one's thought conform with one's faith." One of the most important scholars of the twentieth century, Gershom G. Scholem (1897-1982) opened up a once esoteric world of Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah, to concerned students of religion. The basic thesis of this book is that the Kabbalah originated in one chronologically limited time-span (13th century) and in one geographically limited area (Provençe, France and Gerona, Spain). The editor, R. J. Zwi Werblowsky who worked closely with Scholem, writes "in many way's URSPRUNG UND ANFäNGE DER KABBALAH (1962) [Origins of the Kabbalah] is the most impressive of all [of his writtings] for here Scholem dealt with a major yet enigmatic phenomenon in the history of Jewish spirituality." For Scholem, the oldest literary document of the Kabbalah is the book Bahir. He presents historical evidence that it is a product of Oriental sources combined with purely gnostic tradition (e.g. Merkabah literature) distilled in German Hasidim to arrive in Provençe sometime between 1130 and 1170. Scholem continues with the fascinating history of the Kabbalah with a study of Isaac the Blind, one of the greatest early interpreters from Provençe. Isaac's many new contributions included combining the Bahir with new ideas, thoughts and terminology. In the mid-13th century, the trail continues to the city of Gerona as the centre of the contemplative Kabbalah in its most complete development prior to the Zohar. Scholem writes, "The Kabbalah appeared in Gerona in the fully elaborated form of a contemplative mysticism that sought to draw all domains of Jewish existence into its sphere of influence and to embue them with its spirit." I honestly hold to the conviction that this is a book for everyone, regardless of faith, or disposition to esoteric mysticism. From the first edition, Professor Scholem writes, "Once the ice of ignorance has been broken and the charlatanism that dominated the field has been overcome, the way will be open to further fruitful research. Jewish studies as well as the history of Oriental and Western religions will benefit equally from a more penetrating study and discussion of the problem of the Kabbalah." If you are interested in a spiritual relationship, this book with be interesting to you.

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Origins of the Kabbalah, August 8, 2000

By 

[e-mail] (Seattle, Wa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Origins of the Kabbalah (Paperback)

This is a very in depth study of the origins of Kabalistic development. Mr. Scholem has obviously done alot of research into this field and is considered one of the leading authorities in it. His works are always very well researched and comprehensive in both scope and content. Though this text is not entertaining it is doubtful that those reading it are looking for entertainment. One will find a treasure trove of in depth information that is informative and insightful. No stone has been left unturned by Mr. Scholem in his study of the material at hand. His interpretation of this field of study is unique in the aspect that he gives the true historical evidence and avoids interjecting his own beliefs into the text. If one is looking to come to a true understanding of when, where, why, who, and how the Kabbalah came to take the form that is currently presented to us in other books then one should invest the time needed to read this text.