Hasidism As Mysticism: Quietistic Elements in Eighteenth Century Hasidic Thought - Rilegato

Schatz Uffenheimer, Rivka

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0691032238 ISBN 13: 9780691032238

Casa editrice: Princeton Univ Pr, 1993

Riassunto

Offered here for the first time in English translation, Hasidism as Mysticism is a classic in its field. Using the tools of phenomenology, Rivka Schatz Uffenheimer places Hasidism squarely in the context of religious studies. Hasidism's theoretical texts have been largely ignored by historians of the movement, but Schatz Uffenheimer analyzes these materials fully, disclosing the mystical, quietistic tendencies that existed alongside Hasidism's more activist, popular elements. The author carefully reviewed this translation of her work: it includes a revised introduction with much new material, two new chapters, and an appendix containing a translation, history, and literary analysis of one of the few extant texts attributed to the Baal Shem Tov.
Schatz Uffenheimer's inquiry covers the full gamut of Hasidic life and thought, embracing such topics as the emphasis on joy and the concomitant ban on sadness and regret in Hasidism, the focus on contemplative rather than petitionary prayer, the subordination of the mizvot (commandments) to the spiritualistic goal of devequt (attachment to God), and the anarchic elements of Hasidism's approach to life within society. Also discussed are the problematic role of Torah study resulting from this spiritualistic emphasis, the movement's neutralization or internalization of the traditional concept of a historical messiah, and the transformation within Hasidism of traditional concepts borrowed from Kabbalah. The author's illuminating hints as to the affinity between Hasidism and Christian Quietism should be of particular interest to scholars in the field.

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Recensione

"A great strength of this interesting and rewarding book is the rich documentation: through the many quotations from the Hasidic literature the reader comes away with a good sense of the toneof Hasidic teaching and preaching."--Theological Book Review

Contenuti

	Foreword	9
	Introduction	15
Ch. 1	The Basic Argument of Quietism	65
Ch. 2	The Concept of Annihilation (Ayin) and the Extinction of Human Will	67
Ch. 3	The Standing of Existential Problems	80
Ch. 4	Despair, Sadness, Regret and Their Connection with Sin	93
Ch. 5	The Status of the Mizvot	111
Ch. 6	Petitionary Prayer and Its Position in Hasidism	144
Ch. 7	Contemplative Prayer	168
Ch. 8	Divine Immanence and the Question of Prophecy	189
Ch. 9	The World of Speech and the World of Thought	204
Ch. 10	The Doctrine of Kavvanot and its Place in Hasidism	215
Ch. 11	Anarchic Manifestations in Hasidic Life	242
Ch. 12	Habad: Anti-Spiritualism as a Quietistic Value	255
Ch. 13	Diary of an Agnostic: "I Know Not" as a Quietistic Value	290
Ch. 14	The Problem of Torah Study in Hasidism	310
Ch. 15	History and National Redemption	326
	Afterword	340
	Appendix: The Baal Shem Tov's Commentary to Psalm 107: Myth and Ritual of the Descent to Sheol	342
	Bibliography	383
	Index of Names	393
	Index of Subjects	396

Dettagli dell'edizione

• Editore: Princeton Univ Pr
• Data di pubblicazione: 1993
• Lingua: Inglese
• ISBN 10: 0691032238
• ISBN 13: 9780691032238
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero di pagine: 400
• Contatto del produttore: non disponibile
• Persona responsabile: non disponibile