Jewish Mysticism: Visions, Ascents, and Adjurations
T, F 12:30-1:50 Dr. Susan Marks
PME 219 smarks@ncf.edu
Office Hours: Mon. 11:00am-Noon PME 221; x 24271
Thurs. 2:00-3:00pm
and by appointment
Objectives:
In this course we will explore divine encounters, esoteric texts and allusions to ritual activity. These journeys will present unique places, while also sharing features of other contemporaneous materials. By focusing on visions, ascents and adjurations we may observe historical aspects of these presentations. Beginning with biblical traditions of heavenly ascent and continuing into the early modern period we will pay attention to linguistic and thematic developments. In addition, we will examine ways that an understanding of these particular texts challenges certain representations of history. We will consider various definitions of mysticism as we explore texts that are particularly hard to categorize. Ultimately we will inquire as to how and why “mysticism” sometimes stands as a separate branch of the study of Judaism and of religion.
Expectations:
Regular attendance is required. In order to facilitate review by both your peers and myself, assignments must be handed in on time. Class participation counts towards your overall evaluation. Your classmates will come to depend on your comments even as you will come to depend on theirs. If you are a person who does not readily talk in public, I encourage you to come see me during my office hours, and we can devise other ways for you to have input into class discussions.
Responsibilities:
1. Academic integrity.
2. Active participation. Since participation depends on regular attendance, three absences will achieve an official warning, and more than three absences will be grounds for an unsatisfactory evaluation. Students should arrive on time, with readings in hand, having done relevant readings before class session as well as any informal writing assignments.
3. Two papers that involve explicating texts and the methods of these texts.* The second paper will explicitly depend upon drafts and revisions.
4. A mid-semester exam and a final exam.
5. Explorations through informal writing assignments.
*An appropriately formatted hard [paper] copy of formal assignments must be handed in on-time, together with all drafts and doodles. You will be evaluated based on the energy of the original exploration as well as the development in the revision process.
Required Texts:
John J. Collins, The Apocalyptic Imagination : An Introduction To Jewish Apocalyptic (2nd ed; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1998).
Joseph Dan ed., The Early Kabbalah (trans. Ronald C. Kiener; Classics of Western Spirituality; New York: Paulist Press, 1986).
Naomi Janowitz, Icons of Power: Ritual Practices in Late Antiquity (University Park: Pennsylvania State University Press, 2002).
Daniel C. Matt ed., Zohar, The Book Of Enlightenment (Classics of Western Spirituality; New York: Paulist Press, 1983).
Elliot R. Wolfson, Along the Path: Studies in Kabbalistic Myth, Symbolism, and Hermeneutics (Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995)
You will also need a bible. If you plan to buy one, I recommend:
Meeks, ed. HarperCollins Study Bible (New York: HarperCollins, 1993).
*Please note that Bibles are also available in the library*
Additional readings will be available and electronic reserve [* = reserve reading]
***Please also check Library Reserve for many additional, related books***
Schedule:
Read: Genesis 5-6
1 Enoch 1, 6-11, 22, 85-88, 93.1-10 + 91.11-17
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/ or
http://www.pseudepigrapha.com/
Collins, “The Early Enoch Literature,” 43-84
Tues Aug 30 What is Apocalyptic?
Read: Collins, “The Apocalyptic Genre,” 1-42
Book of Daniel
Hand out: First Assignment
Fri Sept 2 Where does Daniel fit in?
Read: Collins, “Daniel,” 85-115
*Grabbe, “Prophetic and Apocalyptic,” 107-133
Tues Sept 6 Hints from Qumran
Read: Collins, “Qumran,”145-176
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/portrait/scrolltranslation.html
Fri Sept 9 Later Apocalypses
Read: Collins, “After the Fall,” 194-232
4 Ezra
2 Baruch
Tues Sept 13 Onward from Apocalyptic
Read: *Halperin, “The Merkabah and Apocalypses,” 62-86 &113-4
Bring: Collins
Due: First Assignment
Fri Sept 16 What is Mysticism?
Read: *Scholem, “General Characteristics of Jewish Mysticism,” 1-39
Janowitz, “Introduction,” xi-xxv
*McGinn, “The Jewish Matrix,” 9-22
*Gruenwald, “Major Issues in the Study and Understanding of
Jewish Mysticism,” 1-49
Tues Sept 20 What is Magic?
Read: *Versnel, “Some Reflections on the Relationship Magic-
Religion,” 177-197
*Schafer, “Magic and Religion in Ancient Judaism,” 19-43
*Smith, “Here, There, and Anywhere,” 21-36
Due: Written Definition
Fri Sept 23 Efficacy
Read: Janowitz, 1-43
Ezekiel 1
Genesis 1
*Schiffman, 735-748
Tues Sept 27 Using Divine Names
Read: Janowitz, 45-84
*Davila, 461-485
*PGM, 189-195
*Lessees, Appendices, pages tba
Fri Sept 30 The Book of Secrets
Read: Janowitz. 85-128
*Morgan, Sepher HaRazim, 17-42
Tues Oct 4 Rosh HaShannah – No Class
Fri Oct 7 Heavenly Journeys
Bring: Texts from Week 6
Due: Mid- term Exam
FALL BREAK
Tues Oct 18 Meet in the Sukkah
Read: Dan, “Introduction,” 1-41
Dan, “The ‘Iyyun Circle,” 43-56
Wolfson, “The Image of Jacob,” (part i)1-29
Fri Oct 21 More Haside Ashkenaz – German Pietists
Read: Wolfson, “The Image of Jacob,” (part ii) 29-62
Dan, “The Kohen Brothers,” 151-182
Tues Oct 25 The Book Bahir
Read: Dan, “The Book Bahir,” 57-69
Fri Oct 28 More Book Bahir
Read: Wolfson, “The Tree that is All,” 63-88
Hand out: Second Assignment
Tues Nov 1 Zohar
Read: Matt, “Introduction,” 3-39
Matt, texts, 43-45, 99-188
Fri Nov 4 Zohar (continued)
Read: Matt, texts, 119-141
Tues Nov 8 Lurianic Kabbalah
Read: *Fine, “Isaac Luria,” 61-80
Fri Nov 11 Hasidic Kabbalah
Read: *Green, Teachings of the Hasidic Masters,” 361-401
Wolfson, “Walking as a Sacred Duty,” 89-109
Tues Nov 15 Hasidic (continued)
Read: *Weissler, “Woman as High Priest,” 525-546
Due: Draft of Second Assignment
[Two copies of paper due]
[Exchange papers with peers]
Fri Nov 18 Peer Review
Read: Two papers from peers
Tues Nov 22 SBL –no class
Fri Nov 25 Thanksgiving – no class
Tues Nov 29 Presentations
Due: Second Assignment
Fri Dec 2 Conclusions and Mysteries
Hand out: Final Exam
Final Exams due by Friday, December 9 at 12:30pm