The art of mystical narrative : a poetics of the Zohar / Eitan P. Fishbane.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Fishbane, Eitan P., 1975- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Zohar.

Mysticism--Judaism.

Mysticism.

Cabala.

Physical Description:

xiii, 520 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

New York, NY : Oxford University Press, 2018.

Summary:

"In the study of Judaism, the Zohar has captivated the minds of interpreters for over seven centuries, and continues to entrance readers in the modern day. Yet despite these centuries of study, very little attention has been devoted to the literary dimensions of the text, to formal appreciation of its status as one of the great works of religious literature. The Art of Mystical Narrative offers a critical approach to the Zohar story, seeking to explore the interplay between fictional discourse and mystical exegesis. Eitan Fishbane argues that the narrative must be understood first and foremost as a work of the fictional imagination, a representation of a world and reality invented by the thirteenth century authors of the text. He claims that the text functions as a kind of dramatic literature, one in which the power of revealing mystical secrets is demonstrated and performed for the reading audience. The Art of Mystical Narrative offers a fresh, interdisciplinary perspective on the intersections of literary and religious studies"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

1 The Zohar as Classic p. 4

2 Literary Approaches to the Zohar p. 9

3 Mysticism and Literature in Comparative Perspective p. 17

4 Fiction as History: The Collapse of Time in Zoharic Narration p. 22

5 The Diasporic Gaze: Imagining the Holy Land from Afar p. 26

6 Comparative and Historical Context p. 34

7 The Literary Approach in Light of Evolving Theories of Authorship and Redaction p. 38

1 Voice, Gesture, and Drama p. 54

1 Performance and Theatricality p. 54

2 The Dramatization of Reverence and the Rhetoric of Lament p. 58

3 Gratitude, Celebration, and Dramatic Response p. 72

4 The Anxiety of Disclosure: Monologue and Gesture p. 84

5 Performative Gesture and Dramatic Monologue: The Phenomenon of Weeping in Zoharic Narrative p. 87

6 Prostration p. 113

7 Raising and Laying on of Hands p. 117

8 Sitting and Standing p. 120

2 Encounters along the Way p. 128

1 The Poetics of Recognition p. 128

2 Encounters with the Natural World p. 152

2.1 Shooting Stars and the Light of Dawn p. 152

2.2 The Sheltering Tree p. 163

2.3 The Scent of the Rose p. 173

3 The Play of Borders and Genre: Between Exegesis and Fiction p. 181

1 The Episodic Narrative Form p. 181

2 The Epic Tale and the Craft of Exegesis p. 183

3 A Quest for Shekhinah p. 185

4 Structural Flow p. 206

5 In the Mountains of Ararat p. 207

6 The Rhetoric of Light p. 216

4 Magical Realism and the Fantastic p. 223

1 Representation and the Boundaries of Realism p. 223

2 Descent to the Cave of Fragrance and Visions p. 229

3 Magical Roses, Otherworldly Portals, and the Eagle-Man Spirit-Guide p. 236

4 Speaking with the Birds p. 263

5 Communication with the Dead p. 265

6 The Master of Magical Herbs p. 266

7 Heavenly Fire and the Braying Donkey p. 273

5 Narrative Ethics p. 280

1 Prelude: Aesthetic and Philosophical Considerations p. 280

2 Forgiveness p. 286

3 Poverty, Charity, and Compassion p. 296

4 Hospitality p. 314

5 Anger and Its Control p. 324

6 The Zoharic Frame-tale in Context: Correlations and Implications p. 336

1 Locating the Zohar in Medieval Iberian Literature p. 336

2 Avraham Ibn 'Ezra (1089-1164), Hai ben Meiqiz p. 338

3 Yosef Ibn Zabarah (c. 1140-c. 1200), Sefer Sha'ashu'im p. 357

4 Yehudah Al Harizi (c. 1166-1235), the Tahkemoni p. 369

5 Eliyahu ha-Kohein, Megillat ha-'Ofer (1277) p. 380

6 Yizhaq Ibn Sahulah (b. 1244), Meshal ha-Qadmoni p. 386

6.2 "They Contain a Wondrous Secret" p. 388

6.3 Ha-Havurah: "The Sturdy Vine of Fellowship" p. 391

7 The Christian Literary Context: Correlations and Comparisons p. 397

7.2 Juan Ruiz, Libro de Buen Amor p. 399

7.3 Alfonso X, The Cantigas de Santa Maria p. 403.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Fishbane, Eitan P., 1975- Art of mystical narrative.

ISBN:

9780199948635

0199948631

9780190885489

0190885483

OCLC:

1020024473