Mystic Quest: An Introduction to Jewish Mysticism

The Mystic Quest is a lucid, accessible introduction to the esoteric mystical tradition in Judaism known as Kabbalah.

Jewish mysticism is a rich and varied tradition of secret teachings and practices that has been a part of Judaism since antiquity. Ariel locates the Jewish mystical tradition within the context of Jewish history and traces its evolution throughout the ages, concluding with the role of mysticism in contemporary Judaism.

David S. Ariel is president of the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies.

The Mystic Quest by David S. Ariel may be the most accessible and sophisticated introduction to Jewish mysticism available. Ariel starts by comparing Jewish mysticism to Christian mystical traditions, drawing on writers such as William James and Sigmund Freud to define his terms. He then provides a history of Jewish mysticism, starting with Ezekiel's vision of the chariot and working up to the present day, with special attention to the ways that kabbalah has influenced mainstream Judaism. (One notable detail is that Lekha Dodi, or "Come, My Beloved," the Friday-evening prayer, is a hymn to the kabbalist-derived feminine dimension of God.) In the book's concluding chapters, Ariel gives practical advice about how contemporary Jews can cultivate mystical spirituality. By demonstrating the pervasive mystical dimension of Jewish culture, Ariel gives his Jewish readers the great gift of enlarging their understanding of what they already know, enabling them to find new revelation in the religion that has always guided them. --Michael Joseph Gross