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Offered here for the first time in English translation, Hasidism as Mysticism is a classic in its field. Using the tools of phenomenology, Rivka Schatz Uffenheimer places Hasidism squarely in the context of religious studies. Hasidism's theoretical texts have been largely ignored by historians of the movement, but Schatz Uffenheimer analyzes these materials fully, disclosing the mystical, quietistic tendencies that existed alongside Hasidism's more activist, popular elements. The author carefully reviewed this translation of her work; it includes a revised introduction with much new material, two new chapters, and an appendix containing a translation, history, and literary analysis of one of the few extant texts attributed to the Baal Shem Tov. Schatz Uffenheimer's inquiry covers the full gamut of Hasidic life and thought, embracing such topics as the emphasis on joy and the concomitant ban on sadness and regret in Hasidism, the focus on contemplative rather than petitionary prayer, the subordination of the mizvot (commandments) to the spiritualistic goal of devequt (attachment to God), and the anarchic elements of Hasidism's approach to life within society.
Also discussed are the problematic role of Torah study resulting from this spiritualistic emphasis, the movement's neutralization or internalization of the traditional concept of a historical messiah, and the transformation within Hasidism of traditional concepts borrowed from Kabbalah. The author's illuminating hints as to the affinity between Hasidism and Christian Quietism should be of particular interest to scholars in the field. Rivka Schatz Uffenheimer (1927-1992) was the Edmonton Community Professor of Jewish Mysticism at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. One of the outstanding students of Gershom Scholem, she forged her own path in the world of scholarship. Her research encompassed a wide range of areas: Zohar and Lurianic Kabbalah, Sabbatianism, Hasidism, and the typology of Jewish messianism. In addition, she was deeply involved in the ongoing discussion concerning the major spiritual and existential issues confronting contemporary Judaism and the State of Israel. Originally published in 1993.
The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.
Contents
Foreword9Introduction15Ch. 1The Basic Argument of Quietism65Ch. 2The Concept of Annihilation (Ayin) and the Extinction of Human Will67Ch. 3The Standing of Existential Problems80Ch. 4Despair, Sadness, Regret and Their Connection with Sin93Ch. 5The Status of the Mizvot111Ch. 6Petitionary Prayer and Its Position in Hasidism144Ch. 7Contemplative Prayer168Ch. 8Divine Immanence and the Question of Prophecy189Ch. 9The World of Speech and the World of Thought204Ch. 10The Doctrine of Kavvanot and its Place in Hasidism215Ch. 11Anarchic Manifestations in Hasidic Life242Ch. 12Habad: Anti-Spiritualism as a Quietistic Value255Ch. 13Diary of an Agnostic: "I Know Not" as a Quietistic Value290Ch. 14The Problem of Torah Study in Hasidism310Ch. 15History and National Redemption326Afterword340Appendix: The Baal Shem Tov's Commentary to Psalm 107: Myth and Ritual of the Descent to Sheol342Bibliography383Index of Names393Index of Subjects396
