The Heart and the Fountain An Anthology of Jewish Mystical Experiences [Paperback]

Joseph Dan is one of the world's 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, 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.
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.

Preface
Introduction
I. Religion, Mysticism, and Language
II. Jewish Mysticism
III. Jewish Concept of Language: The Midrash
IV. Historical Outlines: Late Antiquity
V. Historical Outlines: The Middle Ages
VI. Historical Outlines: The Modern Period
VII. The Christian Kabbalah
1. The Revelation of the Secret of the World
2. Visions of Rabbi Akibah and Rabbi Ishmael
3. The Deification of Enoch
4. Rabbi Bahya Ibn Paquda: To See Without Eyes, To Hear Without Ears
5. Gabirol: God and the Universe
6. Addressing an Emanated Godhead
7. The Voice of God Over the Water: The Worship of the Holy Name
8. The Rokeah: The Devotion in Prayer
9. Divine Will Clothed in Human Will: The Intention of Prayer in Early Kabbalah
10. Abraham Abulafia: An Apocalyptic VilC´