In this anthology, Joseph Dan not only presents illuminating excerpts from the most important Jewish mystical texts, but also delves into the very meaning of mysticism itself. Dan takes readers through the historical development of the subject, from late antiquity to the modern period.

Preface Introduction I.: "Religion, Mysticism, and Language" II.: "Jewish Mysticism" III.: "Jewish Concept of Language: The Midrash" IV.: "Historical Outlines: Late Antiquity" V.: "Historical Outlines: The Middle Ages" VI.: "Historical Outlines: The Modern Period" VII.: "The Christian Kabbalah" 1: The Revelation of the Secret of the World 2: Visions of Rabbi Akibah and Rabbi Ishmael 3: The Deification of Enoch 4: Rabbi Bahya Ibn Paquda: To See Without Eyes, To Hear Without Ears 5: Gabirol: God and the Universe 6: Addressing an Emanated Godhead 7: The Voice of God Over the Water: The Worship of the Holy Name 8: The Rokeah: The Devotion in Prayer 9: Divine Will Clothed in Human Will: The Intention of Prayer in Early Kabbalah 10: Abraham Abulafia: An Apocalyptic Vision 11: The Mystical Immersion in Names and Letters: Shaarey Zedek 12: Zohar: The Beginning 13: Rabbi Simeon Bar Yohai and his Society of Mystics 14: The Zohar: The Wondrous Child 15: To Write Without Pen and Ink 16: Joseph Della Reina: From Experience to Legend 17: Walking with the Shekhinah: The Palm Tree of Devorah 18: The Messianic Dreams of Rabbi Hayyim Vital 19: A Prophetic Vision by Nathan of Gaza 20: Nathan of Gaza Facing the Monsters of Evil: The Myth of the Doenmeh 21: Luzzatto: Messianism and Sanctity 22: The Mystical Prayer of Rabbi Israel Ba'al Shem Tov 23: Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav: A Vision and a Dream 24: Bialik: Mystical Poetry and Mystical Language 25: The Sweet Voice of the Lord: Four Contemporary Israeli Poets Notes Permissions Index

"Dan...carefully explodes several misconceptions. More than 25 selections reflect the remarkable scope of Jewish mysticism, from the visions of Rabbi Akiba and Rabbi Ishmael to the secrets of the Zohar; from the apocalyptic, messianic, and magical texts to the vibrant writing of four contemporary Israeli poets-an unconventional inclusion."--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"Dan...carefully explodes several misconceptions. More than 25 selections reflect the remarkable scope of Jewish mysticism, from the visions of Rabbi Akiba and Rabbi Ishmael to the secrets of the Zohar; from the apocalyptic, messianic, and magical texts to the vibrant writing of four contemporary Israeli poets-an unconventional inclusion."--Publishers Weekly, Starred Review "Dan's writing is lucid and engaging, bringing an expert's view to a subject that has, unfortunately, been subsumed into popular culture."--Library Journal "Author of more than fifty books and winner of the 1997 Israel Prize, Joseph Dan is one of the world's leading authorities on Jewish mysticism. In this anthology, Dan not only presents illuminating excerpts from the most important mystical texts but also delves into the very meaning of mysticism itself."--Gadfly Online

Joseph Dan is the Gershom Scholem Professor of Kabbalah at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. A winner of the Israel Prize in 1997, he is recognized as one of the most influential scholars of Jewish mysticism in the world today.