[NGFP-BookClub] Correction and addendum to previous response from Professor Elior

[Aron Trauring]

[Part of the response sent previously was cut off in the middle of a  =

sentence and subsequent materials was inadvertently left off. What  =

follows is the rest of Professor Elior's response to David Arfa]

 > Howard Schwartz's Re Imagining the Bible is a sweeping overview of  =

shifting stories and myths throughout the tradition.
 > How normative is that thesis of built in change - midrash as  =

'ancient-post modern literature'?

The midrash has a "post-modern" dimension because it demonstrates  =

relativity and open dialogue between the reader and the text. It also  =

demonstrates deconstruction of the literal level and reconstruction of  =

new interpretive levels.

 >Another question I am wondering is how wide were the mystic=92s  =

library shelves?

They developed gradually between the 12th century to the 15th century.  =

All the mystical library was confined to manuscripts in limited  =

numbers, but starting from the time of the printing press revolution  =

in the 16th century, manuscripts were printed into books and were  =

disseminated in great numbers.

 > How widely available were these different mystical books?

 From the 16th century onwards mystical books such as Sefer Yetzira,  =

Zohar, Tikunei Zohar, Rekanati al ha'Tora, Shaarie Ora, Avodat  =

ha'Kodesh , Ramban al ha'Tora etc. were widely available.

 > Were there scribal copyists?

Before the printing press every community had scribal copyists.

 > Did all the rules of writing Torah=92s apply for these other holy  =

books?

No, the rules of writing Torah applies only to Torah writing.

 > How much was learned orally, in whispers?

We do not know. We can only assess what was learned from written  =

manuscripts and printed books.

 > What access might the Baal Shem Tov [ed. founder of modern  =

Hassidism] have had to the ancient mystical literature?

The Baal Shem had access to Heikhalot literature as we are told by his  =

student and by Shivchei ha'Besht. He also had access to the mystical  =

diary of Joseph Karo, Magid Meisharim (I wrote an article about this:  =

Joseph Karo and Israel Baal Shem Tov:  Mystical Metamorphosis,   =

Kabbalistic Inspiration, Spiritual Internalization, Studies in  =

Spirituality 17 (2007), pp.  267-319). He also had access to the Zohar  =

and to other mystical writings including the Praises of the Ari  =

(hagiography about Luria).

 > How about Moshe de Leon, main author of the Zohar?

He might have had access to some writings of Moshe de Leon, but he  =

certainly had access to the Zohar.

 > You mention that other religious mystical traditions might have  =

similar language but different meaning.
 > What are some examples of getting into trouble trying to compare  =

traditions?

Asserting that mystics of different background are striving to achieve  =

union with God is correct, but not realizing that the perception of  =

God is profoundly different in various traditions may cause sever  =

misunderstandings. A Jewish mystic is not usually contemplating the  =

Islamic expression of the divine and he will not be visualizing or  =

imagining Muhammad. He will be most likely contemplating on the  =

Shechinah and he will be concerned with Mosaic law. This does  =

illustrate similarity of language =96 all mystics are contemplating the  =

divine world. However, they experience entirely different meanings,  =

informed by their respective cultures.

 > Is it safe to infer that Sufi/Shiite mysticism of the 1200=92s in  =

Spain cross-pollinated with Jewish mysticism of the era of the Zohar  =

in 1200=92s Spain?

This is a possibility that needs substantiation. It has not been  =

sufficiently proven yet.

 > The one book I=92ve found is Alone with the Alone by Henri Corbin,  =

about Ibn Arabi.
 > Are his ideas applicable to medieval Jewish mysticism?  Are there  =

other times/places where there is cross pollination?  What are examples?

Every culture is always affected by the surrounding culture in many  =

dimensions, visual, lingual, cultural etc. However I am not aware of  =

direct connections between Moslem mysticism and Jewish Mysticism.  =

Concrete examples need to be adduced before generalizations can be made.
  =

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