Kabbalah: A Very Short Introduction

Keenly aware of the daunting task of condensing thousands of years of history into a "very short introduction," Dan, the Gershom Scholem Professor of Kabbalah at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, sharply defines his mission: from the historical perspective of religious ideas, "…there is no 'true' meaning that is above all others," so he seeks to "present some of the most prominent characteristics of the different phenomena…described as 'kabbalistic' in various periods, countries and cultural contexts." Beginning in the second century CE and continuing through the present day, Dan methodically details the changing definition and practice of Kabbalah, incorporating a wide array of tangential texts and illustrations. He addresses not only ancient Jewish mysticism, but the fifteenth century hybrid Christian Kabbalah, the myriad Hasidic interpretations and contemporary New Age applications. A six-point summary of the most likely ways in which readers today may encounter the Kabbalah and an extensive list of suggested further reading round out the book's conclusion. This survey of Kabbalah offers deep history in succinct fashion, resulting in a fascinating and highly readable effort.