JWST 6.01 Revelation and Interpretation in Rabbinic, Philosophical, and Mystical Literature

The course will be dedicated to in-depth readings of primary Jewish texts from Late Antiquity to Modernity. We will study sources from the rabbinic, philosophical, kabbalistic, and Hasidic corpora. Topics to be discussed include the interplay between interpretation and revelation; the ideal of the sage and the practical application of wisdom through law and ritual; the rabbinic conception of dreams as text; the mediation of the universal and the particular and the philosophical critique of philosophy; negative theology and the limits of human understanding; the mystical ideal of ecstatic union and prophecy; the role of metaphor in envisioning the invisible; the convergence of messianism and mysticism; and the pietistic emphasis on worship and communion with the divine.

Degree Requirement Attributes

Dist:TMV; WCult:W

The Timetable of Class Meetings contains the most up-to-date information about a course. It includes not only the meeting time and instructor, but also its official distributive and/or world culture designation. This information supersedes any information you may see elsewhere, to include what may appear in this ORC/Catalog or on a department/program website. Note that course attributes may change term to term therefore those in effect are those (only) during the term in which you enroll in the course.

Department-Specific Course Categories

Jewish Studies