Register at: www.meltonschool.org/beth-judea
No class on 12/25 or 1/1
JEWISH MYSTICISM: TRACING THE HISTORY OF KABBALAH
Beyond Madonna, red strings, and pop-culture, this course provides a deep and intellectually honest understanding of the historical development of Kabbalah. Over 10 sessions, learners will examine how centuries of societal and cultural changes shaped Jewish mysticism, including its cryptic nature and its controversies. Learners will have the opportunity to explore the rich source material itself on a rigorous, scholarly level, and to discuss the timeless mysteries of human existence and the laws of the universe (and, okay, a little Madonna).
Table of Contents
Lesson 1 – The Genesis of Jewish Mysticism: Biblical and Rabbinic Encounters with God
Lesson 2 – In Search of God: The Secrets of the Chassidei Ashkenaz
Lesson 3 – The Ten Sefirot
Lesson 4 – In the Image of God: Sustaining or Destroying Through our Actions
Lesson 5 – Controversy and the Spread of Kabbalah
Lesson 6 – Sefer HaZohar: Reading from the Book of Splendor
Lesson 7 – Mystical Visions and Voices: From Spain to Safed
Lesson 8 – Lurianic Kabbalah: Creation, Destruction and Individual Tikkun
Lesson 9 – Hasidism: Seeking God in a Troubled World
Lesson 10 – Kabbalah in a New Age: 20th Century and Contemporary Forms of Jewish Mysticism