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In the study of Judaism, the
Zohar has captivated the minds of interpreters for over seven centuries, and continues to entrance readers in the modern day. Yet despite these centuries of study, very little attention has been devoted to the literary dimensions of the text.
The Art of Mystical Narrative argues that the
Zohar story must be understood first and foremost as a work of the fictional imagination.
List of contents
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: Voice, Gesture, and Drama
- Chapter 2: Encounters Along the Way
- Chapter 3: The Play of Borders and Genre: Between Exegesis and Fiction
- Chapter 4: Magical Realism and the Fantastic
- Chapter 5: Narrative Ethics
- Chapter 6: The Zoharic Frametale in Context: Correlations and Implications
- Conclusions
- Bibliography of Works Cited
- Index
About the author
Eitan P. Fishbane is Associate Professor of Jewish Thought at the Jewish Theological Seminary. His previous works include As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist (2009).
Summary
In the study of Judaism, the Zohar has captivated the minds of interpreters for over seven centuries, and continues to entrance readers in contemporary times. Yet despite these centuries of study, very little attention has been devoted to the literary dimensions of the text, or to formal appreciation of its status as one of the great works of religious literature.
The Art of Mystical Narrative offers a critical approach to the zoharic story, seeking to explore the interplay between fictional discourse and mystical exegesis. Eitan Fishbane argues that the narrative must be understood first and foremost as a work of the fictional imagination, a representation of a world and reality invented by the thirteenth-century authors of the text. He claims that the text functions as a kind of dramatic literature, one in which the power of revealing mystical secrets is demonstrated and performed for the reading audience. The Art of Mystical Narrative offers a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on the Zohar and on the intersections of literary and religious studies.
Additional text
In his exquisite and wonderful book, Eitan Fishbane illuminates the ways in which the literary aspects of the Zohar are intimately woven to the core of the Zohar's mystical and interpretive insights. From Fishbane's masterful presentation we learn that the poetic and dramatic dimensions of the Zohar do not serve merely as a narrative frame to its content, but rather they embody, enact and perform the calling of the master of the mystical circle and his disciples. Fishbane's careful and brilliant readings add another dimension of depth and wonder to our encounter with the Zohar and his work is a major contribution to the ongoing exploration of one of the greatest literary and religious achievements of the Jewish tradition.
