RE204 Lecture Notes - Lecture 15: Minhag, Baal Shem Tov, Modern Orthodox Judaism
Document Summary
Pre-modern era: exhaustion and renewal into late middle ages, continuity with the middle ages. Solidification/codification of the ways of the talmud. Continuity from early to modern judaism through the talmud: continual growth of rabbinic judaism. Growth through absorption: diversification of rabbinic judaism. Some forms of sectarian rivalry, competing visions of rabbinic. Kabbalah: esoteric texts, practices and teachings of jewish mysticism, from ancient times and those developed from middle ages. Golem protector of prague: sefer ha-zohar: mystical commentary on the torah, attributed to 2nd c. rabbi. Simeon ben yohai; published by moses de leon in 13th c. spain. Sefer ha-zohar main mystical text published. Understood to be considered torah by those who embrace, not just considered commentary. Another testament handed to humanity from god. Reading of torah with a certain level of mysticism involved. Marriage between study of torah and mystical practice.
