Gershom Scholem Essays

Walter Benjamin’s (1892-1940) philosophy of language and translation is haunted by a ghost and influenced by Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. This can be seen in his magna opera: On Language as Such and on the Language of Man (1916) and The Task of the Translator (1923). The former essay introduces a distinctly theological understanding of the linguistic theory; the latter is concerned with the translation theory as a form of art. Benjamin’s inspiration comes from both the death of his childhood

confusion. In one of the most significant essays regarding Messianism, “Toward An Understanding of the Messianic Idea in Judaism,” Scholar Gershom Scholem clarifies any uncertainty by uncovering the hidden field of Jewish Messianism. By utilizing various texts and

After attending the Kirchhain Volksschule and the Protestant Rektoratsschule, Leo Strauss was enrolled at the Gymnasium Philippinum (affiliated with the University of Marburg) in nearby Marburg (from which Johannes Althusius and Carl J. Friedrich also graduated) in 1912, graduating in 1917. He boarded with the Marburg cantor Strauss (no relation); the Cantor 's residence served as a meeting place for followers of the neo-Kantian philosopher Hermann Cohen. Strauss served in the German army during

The ancient Hebrew Scriptures describe His functionalities as Ruach Hakodesh (Holy Spirit) and Ha-Mashiach (Messiah). We know nothing about God except what are in these manifestations. We are in error when we give these functionalities distinctive independent personality and individuality as hypostases or as parts of a trinity, each with total independence. They are not three different Gods, but very simply and neatly Elohim’s functions in Creation and Redemption. In Creation the Word said, “Let

Symbolism begins with the first sefirah, containing an element of specific characterization that can be hinted at by a symbol (most often by “Thought” or “Supreme Thought” or “Will”). The dynamism of the sefirot reflects the constant change in divine providence and the relationship between God and His creation. The sefirot contain elements of divine justice and mercy, each insufficient to rule the world separately. Only when God uses both these symbolic “hands” (justice to the left and mercy to the

Cristina Roselli Mr. Dewey Criterion A: Rationale and Preliminary Research Most know the Torah for being the Judaism’s holy book, the first five books of the Bible, and the laws. More advanced Jewish scholars may be familiar with the Talmud. But, few Jews learn the Kabbalah teachings. Traditionally, adults of the age of forty would begin to start learning about the Kabbalah and read from the Zohar (Slick). Although people at some point in their life ask mystical questions, such as: What