Speaking Infinities: God and Language in the Teachings of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritsh
()
About this ebook
A study of the life and work of 'the Maggid"—a major figure in the mystical thought of early Hasidism
Enshrined in Jewish memory simply as "the Maggid" (preacher), Rabbi Dov Ber Friedman of Mezritsh (1704-1772) played a critical role in the formation of Hasidism, the movement of mystical renewal that became one of the most important and successful forces in modern Jewish life. In Speaking Infinities, Ariel Evan Mayse turns to the homilies of the Maggid to explore the place of words in mystical experience. He argues that the Maggid's theory of language is the key to unpacking his abstract mystical theology as well as his teachings on the devotional life and religious practice.
Mayse shows how Dov Ber's vision of language emerges from his encounters with Ba'al Shem Tov (the BeSHT), the founder of Hasidic Judaism, whose teaching put forward a vision of radical divine immanence. Taking the BeSHT's notion of God's immanence as a kind of linguistic vitality echoing in the cosmos, Dov Ber developed a theory of language in which all human tongues, even in their mundane forms, have the potential to become sacred when returned to their divine source.
Analyzing homilies and theological meditations on language, Mayse demonstrates that Dov Ber was an innovative thinker and contends that, in many respects, it was Dov Ber, rather than the BeSHT, who was the true founder of Hasidism as it took root, and the foremost shaper of its early theology. Speaking Infinities offers an exploration of this introspective mystic's life, gleaned from scattered anecdotes, legends, and historical sources, distinguishing the historical personage from the figure that emerges from the composite array of textual and oral traditions that have shaped the memory of the Maggid and his legacy.
Read more from Ariel Evan Mayse
Speaking Torah Vol 1: Spiritual Teachings from around the Maggid's Table Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Speaking Torah Vol 2: Spiritual Teachings from around the Maggid's Table Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Related to Speaking Infinities
Related ebooks
Jewish Mysticism and the Spiritual Life: Classical Texts, Contemporary Reflections Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Hasidism Incarnate: Hasidism, Christianity, and the Construction of Modern Judaism Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsTranscendental Judaism: Enlivening the Eternal Within to Uplift Ourselves and Our World Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsPassing Life's Tests: Spiritual Reflections on the Trial of Abraham, the Binding of Isaac Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Jewish Prayers to an Evolutionary God: Science In the Siddur Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe River of Light: Jewish Mystical Awareness Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYeshiva Days: Learning on the Lower East Side Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJewish Theology in Our Time: A New Generation Explores the Foundations and Future of Jewish Belief Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Through a Speculum That Shines: Vision and Imagination in Medieval Jewish Mysticism Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Sichos In English, Volume 23: Tishrei-MarCheshvan, 5744 Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThese are the Words (2nd Edition): A Vocabulary of Jewish Spiritual Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5A Living Covenant: The Innovative Spirit in Traditional Judaism Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5God's Paintbrush Teacher's Guide: A Guide for Jewish and Christian Educators and Parents Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsHineini in Our Lives: Learning How to Respond to Others through 14 Biblical Texts & Personal Stories Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSacred Attunement: A Jewish Theology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsAll the World: Universalism, Particularism and the High Holy Days Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsGod in All Moments: Mystical & Practical Spiritual Wisdom from Hasidic Masters Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Stepping Stones to a Higher Vision Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsMirror of His Beauty: Feminine Images of God from the Bible to the Early Kabbalah Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5From the Guardian's Vineyard on Sefer B'Reshith : (The Book of Genesis) Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsYour Word is Fire: The Hasidic Masters on Contemplative Prayer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5As Light Before Dawn: The Inner World of a Medieval Kabbalist Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSichos In English, Volume 17: Nissan-Elul, 5743 Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5Jewish Biblical Legends: Rabbinic Wisdom for Christian Readers Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsThe Male Body in Ultra-Orthodox Jewish Theology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsJewish Culture between Canon and Heresy Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsSome Jewish Witnesses For Christ Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings"Peering Through the Lattices": Mystical, Magical, and Pietistic Dimensions in the Tosafist Period Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Seek My Face: A Jewish Mystical Theology Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratingsBrothers from Afar: Rabbinic Approaches to Apostasy and Reversion in Medieval Europe Rating: 0 out of 5 stars0 ratings
Christianity For You
The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For? Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Uninvited: Living Loved When You Feel Less Than, Left Out, and Lonely Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Your Brain's Not Broken: Strategies for Navigating Your Emotions and Life with ADHD Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Holy Bible (World English Bible, Easy Navigation) Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Book of Enoch Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Winning the War in Your Mind: Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Boundaries Updated and Expanded Edition: When to Say Yes, How to Say No To Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Bible Recap: A One-Year Guide to Reading and Understanding the Entire Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Girl, Wash Your Face: Stop Believing the Lies About Who You Are so You Can Become Who You Were Meant to Be Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5The Good Girl's Guide to Great Sex: Creating a Marriage That's Both Holy and Hot Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth: Fourth Edition Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Don't Give the Enemy a Seat at Your Table: It's Time to Win the Battle of Your Mind... Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Mere Christianity Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Screwtape Letters Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Evidence That Demands a Verdict: Life-Changing Truth for a Skeptical World Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5How to Lead When You're Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Unseen Realm: Recovering the Supernatural Worldview of the Bible Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Boundaries Workbook: When to Say Yes, How to Say No to Take Control of Your Life Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Law of Connection: Lesson 10 from The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Everybody, Always: Becoming Love in a World Full of Setbacks and Difficult People Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Wild at Heart Expanded Edition: Discovering the Secret of a Man's Soul Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Changes That Heal: Four Practical Steps to a Happier, Healthier You Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5I'll Start Again Monday: Break the Cycle of Unhealthy Eating Habits with Lasting Spiritual Satisfaction Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Good Boundaries and Goodbyes: Loving Others Without Losing the Best of Who You Are Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5
Related categories
Reviews for Speaking Infinities
0 ratings0 reviews