1. Monday Spinoza and Mendelssohn Haskela

2. Wed. Rise of Reform: Reformers: know why you are reforming... –Goals. –Questions will be asked… Everyone else: plan your responses!

3. Friday: Early Orthodox response.

4. Mysticism and Messiah Isaac Luria 1534-1572 taught that a saintly teacher could redeem a generation Revolutionary Messiah replaced by Heroic messiah

5. Lurianic Kabalah Tzimzum: Ein Sof (GOD) contracts to open a space for creation remnant of divine light preserved in jars.

6. Lurianic K. Breaking the vessels Light cannot be contained. Shards of vessels are root of evil Light scattered and surrounded by matter

7. Lurianic K. TIKKUN: Repair. Separating divine sparks from shards. Obedience to torah etc: Elevating world to original purity

8. Luria: Gradual redemption. Acts of righteousness prepare the way for Messiah Jews have special obligation to help bring Messiah

9. Breslauer, p. 100 Torah a secret code –Open to any interpretation outside of Oral Torah Prayer has magical power –New prayers will replace the old Disorder is fundamental to nature –Descent into disorder necessary to restore cosmos Leader is essential to salvation. –Small step to Messiah

10. 1648 “Messiah will come…” Eastern European Kabbalists determined that Messiah will come in 1648

11. 1648-1649 Ukraine / Poland Slaughter Cossack rebellion 300,000 Jews left dead?

12. New prediction: Messiah in 1666

13. Sabbatai Zevi 1626-1676 1648 Claimed to be Messiah. Overturned traditional Halakhah Turks forced conversion to Islam. Died in prison as an apostate Many followers saw his “descent into sin” part of mystical repair of the universe.

14. 17 th -18 th century Increasing violence against Jews in East Europe Jewish economy falters Considerable poverty

15. Jacob Frank (1726-1791) Polish Claimed to be Messiah Overturned sexual ethics. Rejected by Rabbinic leadership, Converted to Christianity. Speaks against Judaism –Incites further violence.

16. Jewish classes differences Poor Jews feel they are made to bear the burden of supporting the wealthy and the rabbinical schools. Rabbinical schools not providing spiritual leadership for the larger community: –Elitist

17. Alternative religion Many Askenazi Jews in Poland Turn to mystically influenced religious teachers astrology magic Miracle-workers manipulate divine name. Belief in demons, spirits etc grows.

18. Amulet to protect baby

19. Baal Shem Tov 1700-1760 Rabbi Israel ben Eliezer Massive legendary material Herbal Doctor “Baal Shem” Good Name Distinguishes him from magicians.

20. Simple teacher Stories / Parables Appealed to the uneducated. Studied Kabbalah

21. Teachings Emotion over intellect Intuition more important than even Talmud God’s immanence “sparks of holiness” In nature& simple objects Joy in life and worship antidote to bigotry Songs, dancing drinking Folksongs seen as religious allegories.

22. BeshT (B. Shem Tov) Prayer Clinging: continual awareness of God’s presence Ecstasy / Enthusiasm: Traditional prayer regulations ignored spontaneous.

23. BeshT on Messiah: 2 theories. His teachings were a prelude to redemption by Messiah. Downplays “eschatology” (end of the world) Reaction to false messiahs Sees eschatology as allegory of personal transformation.

24. Legend 1747 BeshT sees Messiah “When will you come?” “When every Jews is as spiritual as you” Mission: to bring the Messiah.

25. Modern Denominations Is Messiah a person or Is there only a “messianic period” when justice will prevail?

26. Successors Tzaddik “righteous” Rebbe Disciples of BeshT who form their own schools. Became dynastic

27. Hasidic Jews

28. R. Zalman of Ladi 1745-1812 Habad (Chabad)– Lubavitch Hasid Integrated Mysticism with renewed emphasis on Oral Torah

29. Backlash Rabbinic Elite challenges Hasids “Mitnagdim” Elijah ben Solomon Zalman 1720-97 “Gaon of Vilna”

30. Modernity Hasidic Judaism: anti-modernist in many respects. Return to tradition, and Judaism as a special people Rejected rise of modern “citizenship”

31. Irony Mitnagdim taught Hasidism was a dangerous innovation Hasidism rejected modernity and became a force for orthodoxy.

32. sources http://www.williams.edu/library/citing/styles /chicago1.html http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/axismundi/The _Rise_Of....htm#anchor596778