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The Mystic Heart of Judaism

Miriam Bokser Caravella

1. In the Beginning...
   
   Abraham
   Moses: The archetypal prophet
   Joshua
2. Early Prophets
   
   Samuel
   David: The prophet- king
   Prophets and their disciples
   Elijah and Elisha: The ecstatics
3. The Classical Prophets
   
   Amos: Seek the Lord and live
   Hosea: The husband betrayed
   Isaiah: A vision of holiness
   Jeremiah: A message of comfort
   Ezekiel: Visionary of the chariot of God
   Second Isaiah and Third Isaiah: Polished arrow and servant of God
   The concept of the messiah
4. The End of Prophecy?
   
   Mystic masters at Qumran
   1 Enoch
   Concept of the messiah at Qumran
   End of prophecy? A postscript
5. Sages and Rabbis
   
   Jesus of Nazareth
   The rabbis at Yavneh and Tiberias
   Babylonia
6. Magic and Mystic Ascent
   
   Rabbi as miracle worker
   The power of numbers, letters, and names
   The merkavah and the power of names
   The Sefer yetsirah
7. Early Messiahs
   
   Abu Isa
   Yudghan and Mushka
8. Philosophers and Sufis
   
   Jews in the world of Islam
   The Maimonides family
   Abraham he-Hasid and the Maimonides family
   Practices
9. The Middle Ages: Hasidei Ashkenaz
   
   Teachings of the Hasidei Ashkenaz
   The Special Cherub circle
   Practice
   Conclusion
10. The Middle Ages: Early Kabbalah
    
    The Bahir
    First kabbalists in Provençe and Gerona
    How did the mystics live? Renunciates and ascetics
    How the teachings were revealed and passed down
    Symbolism of the early Kabbalah
    Kavanah and devekut
    The Gerona circle
    The Iyun circle
    A mystical rationale for the commandments
11. The Kabbalah Matures
    
    Moses de León
    Abraham Abulafia
12. The Mystic Fellowship of Safed
    
    Moses Cordovero
    Isaac Luria
13. Messiahs of the Post-Inquisition Age
    
    David Reubeni and Shlomo Molkho
    Shabatai Tsevi
    Jacob Frank
    Moshe Hayim Luzzatto
    Yemenite messiahs
    A return to inwardness
14. Hasidism: A New Paradigm
    
    The tsadik as foundation of the world
    Social background
    The Ba’al Shem Tov
    Ba’alei shem: Masters of the name
    Disciples
    The doctrine of the tsadik
    Teachings
    Fountain of grace and wisdom
    The court of the rebbe
    Rabbi Nahman of Bratslav
    Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Lyady and Habad- Lubavitch
    Other tsadikim
    The unending story

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