Symbols of the Kabbalah: Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives [Hardcover]

Sanford L. Drob (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 2000

Symbols of the Kabbalah: Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives provides a philosophical and psychological interpretation of the major symbols of the theosophical Kabbalah. It shows that the Kabbalah, particularly as it is expressed in the school of Isaac Luria, provides a coherent and comprehensive account of the cosmos, and humanity's role within it, that is intellectually, morally, and spiritually significant for contemporary life.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Sanford L. Drob is Director of Psychological Assessment and the Senior Forensic Psychologist at Bellevue Hospital in New York. He holds doctorate degrees in Philosophy from Boston University and in Clinical Psychology from Long Island University. In 1987 he co-founded, and for several years served as editor-in-chief of, the New York Jewish Review, a publication addressing the interface between traditional Judaism and contemporary thought. In addition to numerous publications in clinical, forensic, and philosophical psychology, Dr. Drob's articles on Jewish philosophy have appeared in such journals as Tradition, The Reconstructionist, and Cross Currents. His philosophical and psychological interests originally led him to the study of Chassidus. For the past fifteen years he has engaged in intensive study of the Kabbalah, the problems of God, Mind, and Evil, and the relationship between Jewish mysticism and other traditions in the history of Western and Eastern thought.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 436 pages
• Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc. (November 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0765761262
• ISBN-13: 978-0765761262
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.4 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #294,734 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Judaism > Movements > Orthodox
  • #42 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > Jewish Texts > Talmud

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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Kabbalistic Theology, June 13, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Symbols of the Kabbalah: Philosophical and Psychological Perspectives (Hardcover)

Drob's work is a blend of Jewish Mysticism, psychology and contemporary philosophy. An introductory chapter provides a rationale for understanding the theosophical kabbalah in philosophical and psychological terms, and subsequent chapters each focus on a key Kabbalistic symbol: Ein-sof, Tzimtzum, Sefirot, Shevirah, Tikkun, etc. The overall result is a comprehensive Jewish mystical theology that provides rational/mystical answers to questions about the existence and nature of God, the creation of the world, the meaning of life, the existence of evil, and the purpose of individual human existence. Drob relates the Kabbalah to the work of Freud, Hegel, Jung, Derrida, etc. A serious and detailed treatment