{"product_id":"the-scandal-of-kabbalah-leon-modena-jewish-mysticism-early-modern-venice-9780691162157","title":"The Scandal of Kabbalah: Leon Modena, Jewish Mysticism, Early Modern Venice","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eHow the Jewish culture war over Kabbalah began\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Scandal of Kabbalah\u003c\/i\u003e is the first book about the origins of a culture war that began in early modern Europe and continues to this day: the debate between kabbalists and their critics on the nature of Judaism and the meaning of religious tradition. From its medieval beginnings as an esoteric form of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah spread throughout the early modern world and became a central feature of Jewish life. Scholars have long studied the revolutionary impact of Kabbalah, but, as Yaacob Dweck argues, they have misunderstood the character and timing of opposition to it. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eDrawing on a range of previously unexamined sources, this book tells the story of the first criticism of Kabbalah, \u003ci\u003eAri Nohem\u003c\/i\u003e, written by Leon Modena in Venice in 1639. In this scathing indictment of Venetian Jews who had embraced Kabbalah as an authentic form of ancient esotericism, Modena proved the recent origins of Kabbalah and sought to convince his readers to return to the spiritualized rationalism of Maimonides. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Scandal of Kabbalah\u003c\/i\u003e examines the hallmarks of Jewish modernity displayed by Modena's attack-a critical analysis of sacred texts, skepticism about religious truths, and self-consciousness about the past-and shows how these qualities and the later history of his polemic challenge conventional understandings of the relationship between Kabbalah and modernity. Dweck argues that Kabbalah was the subject of critical inquiry in the very period it came to dominate Jewish life rather than centuries later as most scholars have thought.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Yaacob Dweck\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Princeton University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 12\/26\/2013\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 296\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eBinding Type:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 1.01lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.21h x 6.14w x 0.67d\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN:\u003c\/b\u003e 9780691162157\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eYaacob Dweck\u003c\/b\u003e is assistant professor of history and Judaic studies at Princeton University.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Princeton University Press","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":40551724154995,"sku":"9.78069E+12","price":43.95,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0555\/9255\/0515\/products\/img_651e6cbe-c923-4a42-a497-28b3855535ab.jpg?v=1667396965","url":"https:\/\/bookstorenmore.com\/en-de\/products\/the-scandal-of-kabbalah-leon-modena-jewish-mysticism-early-modern-venice-9780691162157","provider":"Bookstore N More","version":"1.0","type":"link"}