{"product_id":"the-heart-and-the-fountain-an-anthology-of-jewish-mystical-experiences-9780195139785","title":"The Heart and the Fountain: An Anthology of Jewish Mystical Experiences","description":"\u003cp\u003eAuthor of more than fifty books  winner of the 1997 Israel Prize  Joseph Dan is one of the worlds leading authorities on Jewish mysticism. In this superb anthology  Dan not only presents illuminating excerpts from the most important mystical texts  but also delves into the very meaning of mysticism itself. Dan takes readers through the historical development of Jewish mysticism  from late antiquity to the modern period. He explores the Kabbalah  the esoteric tradition that delves into the secrets delivered by God to Moses on Mount Sinai  and the emergence of Hasidism  and much more. He presents the great texts  from Hekhalot Rabbati  \"The Greater Book of Divine Palaces \" set in the temple in Jerusalem; to the apocalyptic vision of Abraham Abulafia in the thirteenth century; to the Zohar  perhaps the best-known volume of all. For each piece  he offers an extended introduction that deftly places the work in the context of its time and its antecedents. Equally important  in his opening essay  he addresses the paradoxes inherent in Jewish mysticism  noting for instance that \"mystical\" is a Christian concept  one that poorly describes the relevant strains of Judaism  and that a mystical approach to religious truth springs from a deep doubt that language can communicate divine truth. \"Mysticism is that which cannot be expressed in words  period \" Dan writes. In this remarkable volume  he guides us through that seemingly impenetrable barrier to show how the inexpressible has been expressed in some of the most profound and challenging writing in existence.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"My Store","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45647886811189,"sku":"ByrdShop_019513978X","price":22.17,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0627\/8139\/0901\/files\/9780195139785.jpg?v=1781698861","url":"https:\/\/atxbooks.com\/products\/the-heart-and-the-fountain-an-anthology-of-jewish-mystical-experiences-9780195139785","provider":"ATX Books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}