Beholders of divine secrets [[electronic resource] ] : mysticism and myth in the Hekhalot and merkavah literature / / Vita Daphna Arbel

• Record Nr.: UNINA9910812117003321
• Autore: Arbel Vita Daphna
• Pubbl/distr/stampa: Albany, N.Y., : State University of New York Press, c2003
• ISBN: 0-7914-8685-0; 1-4175-3741-8
• Descrizione fisica: 1 online resource (263 p.)
• Disciplina: 296.7/12
• Soggetti: Mysticism - Judaism; Hekhalot literature - History and criticism; Merkava; Jewish mythology
• Lingua di pubblicazione: Inglese
• Formato: Materiale a stampa
• Livello bibliografico: Monografia
• Note generali: Based on a doctoral thesis submitted to the Hebrew University, Jerusalem in 1997.
• Nota di bibliografia: Includes bibliographical references (p. 211-235) and indexes.
• Nota di contenuto: Front Matter -- Contents -- Preface -- Abbreviations -- Introduction -- The Hekhalot and Merkavah Literature and its Mystical Tradition -- Hekhalot and Merkavah Mysticism -- Mythical Language of Hekhalot and Merkavah Mysticism -- Mystical Journeys in Mythological Language -- The Concept of God -- Literary, Phenomenological, Cultural, and Social Implications -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index of Passages Discussed -- Index of Authors -- General Index
• Sommario/riassunto: Beholders of Divine Secrets provides a fascinating exploration of the enigmatic Hekhalot and Merkavah literature, the Jewish mystical writings of late antiquity. Vita Daphna Arbel delves into the unique nature of the mystical teachings, experiences, revelations, and spiritual exegesis presented in this literature. While previous scholarship has demonstrated the connection between Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism and parallel traditions in Rabbinical writings, the Dead Sea Scrolls, apocalyptic, early Christian, and Gnostic sources, this work points out additional mythological traditions that resonate in this literature. Arbel suggests that mythological patterns of expression, as well as themes and models rooted in Near Eastern mythological ; traditions are employed, in a spiritualized fashion, to communicate mystical content. The possible cultural and social context of the Hekhalot and Merkavah mysticism and its composers is discussed.