Jewish Mysticism
Spring 2003

Paper #1: definitions of mysticism

due January 31, 2003, at noon in my office (Gannett 122)

In this paper, you should explore the different definitions of mysticism offered by David Ariel in pp. 1-49 of The Mystic Quest and by Rodger Kamenetz in The Jew and the Lotus. Ariel cites a number of scholars and thinkers, including William James, Sigmund Freud, and Isaac Bashevis Singer. Kamenetz recounts the experiences of contemporary Jewish leaders and rabbis visiting the Dalai Lama in Dharamsala, India. From your reading of these two books, consider the following questions:

Is there only one kind of mystical experience – in other words, do Jewish, Christian, Hindu, and Buddhist mystics all have the identical experience? Or is their experience determined by their religious upbringing and background?

How have different mystics themselves defined their mystical experiences? Are there commonalities? differences?

What are some of the particular characteristics of Jewish mysticism?

The paper should be two-three pages long, typed, double-spaced. Use the MLA style for citation of your sources.