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Concealed for two centuries and known only to a select individual in each generation, the Scroll of Secrets is the hidden Messianic vision of R. Nachman of Breslav. Despite its being written in an encoded language, with acronyms and abbreviations, after a clarification and cautious reconstruction of what can be decoded, the author has prepared a volume that presents the reader with an exalted Messianic vision. The book marks a turning point in our understanding of R. Nachman's spiritual world and initiates a renewed discussion of an intriguing Hasidism that excites scholars and broad circles within the Jewish and Israeli publics. The reader is presented with a sublime and enticing vision of the eschatological End of Days that contains song and prayer, Torah, melodies, longings, and love and compassion for every man.
List of contents
Introduction by Shaul Magid. Translator's Introduction. Foreword. Section 1: The Scroll of Secrets. Opening Scroll. Section 2: Deciphering the Tepliker Manuscript. Section 3: Chapter One: the Messiah as a Breslavian Tzadik: Made in the Image of R. Nachman. Chapter 2: The Messiah as Baby and Child in the Scroll. Chapter 3: The Nature of the World in Messianic Times. Chapter 4: The Temple. Chapter 5: King Solomon and the Scroll's Messiah. Chapter 6: Is There a Secret Belief that R. Nachman Never Died or Will Return from the Dead? Chapter 7: The Scroll in Light of the Other Secret Writings of R. Nachman. Chapter 8: The Scroll as Esoterica: Social and Spiritual Aspects of the Sanctified Secret. Chapter 9: The Messianic Revolution and the Echoes of the Scrolls among the Breslav Chasidim Today. Chapter 10: Epilogue. Appendix One. Appendix Two: Further Testimony on the Scroll and its Transmission. Appendix Three: The Manuscripts. Appendix Four: R. Avraham Chazan on the Scroll of Secrets: The Sichot Me'anash Manuscript. Appendix Five: The Return of the Baal Shem Tov as the Messiah. Appendix Six: Where is the Golden Tree? Bibliography. Index.
About the author
Dr. Zvi Mark is a Senior Lecturer at Bar-Ilan University and a Research Fellow of Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem. His previous publications include Mysticism and Madness; The Religious Thought of Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav (Continuum, London and New York, 2009) and numerous articles examining the esoterica of Bratslav Hasidism.
Summary
Concealed for two centuries and known only to a select individual in each generation, the "Scroll of Secrets" is the hidden Messianic vision of R Nachman of Bratslav. This book initiates a discussion of an intriguing Hasidism that excites scholars and broad circles within the Jewish and Israeli publics.
Additional text
"This book is one of the most important studies on Hassidism written in the last century. One reason is that Mark has a unique combination of spiritual sensitivity and academic rigorousness that is a model for writing on Chasidism. Not only is this book of crucial significance for the understanding of Breslav Chasidism, it is also fascinating example of eschatological thought that should interest readers of all faiths. For those who think that scholarship is a synonym for dullness, this book will be an eye opener. The scintillating translation is very readable and makes the author's path breaking work accessible to those who do not have a deep background in Chasidic thought but without deviating from the high standards the author set for himself. This book deals with fundamental issues in Jewish thought that are still live questions today. While helping understand the Jewish thought in the past, it is equally a contribution to current thought and discussion. There will be a wide readership that is in debt to the Academic Studies Press for making this Hebrew language classic available to English readers."
