The Sabbath in the Classical Kabbalah [Paperback]

Elliot K. Ginsburg (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1904113435 | ISBN-13: 978-1904113430 | Publication Date: January 2008 | Edition: 2

This now-classic study is concerned with the richly imagined world of kabbalistic myth concerning the sabbath as it developed from the late twelfth century to the early sixteenth century and with its activation in religious life via ritual.òThe book opens with a historical overview of classical kabbalah, an outline of its symbolic universe. Special attention is given to the key mythic motifs that underlie sabbath observance: the sabbath as source of cosmic blessing; the sabbath as perfected time; the drama of divine restoration and sacred marriage; and the drama of human transformation by the sabbath as reflected in the motif of the sabbath-soul). This is followed by a theoretical discussion of the function andòmeaning of kabbalistic ritual and the problems of its interpretation. Theory gives way to practice with the close study of dramatic rituals located on the margins of the sabbath: the ritual of preparation — how one enters the sabbath — and the ritual of separation — how one leaves the sabbath and yet takes it into the week. Brief appendices deal with the special issues of Torah study and sexuality related to sabbath-observance. This now-classic study combines the close textual readings of traditional scholarly enquiry with more innovative approaches drawing on symbolic anthropology and the like. The presentation is coherent, cohesive, and accessible. It makes a contribution to the history of Jewish spirituality and, more broadly, to the understanding of myth and ritual. (PRINT ON DEMAND)

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Elliot K. Ginsburg is Associate Professor of Jewish Thought at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, prior to which he taught at Oberlin College, and also served as Director of its Judaic Studies Program. He is the author of Sod Ha-Shabbat: The Mystery of the Sabbath (1989), a translated and annotated edition of a work by R. Me'ir ibn Gabbai.

Product Details

• Paperback: 362 pages
• Publisher: Littman Library Of Jewish Civilization; 2 edition (January 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1904113435
• ISBN-13: 978-1904113430
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,360,956 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, May 15, 1999

By 

Richard Zimler (Portugal) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Sabbath in the Classical Kabbalah (S U N Y Series in Judaica) (Hardcover)

This is a wonderful book on the meaning of the Sabbath in kabbalah. Although an academic text, the author's clear writing style makes the book quite accessible. I found it a very enjoyable and intriguing read. Highly recommended.