The kiss of God : spiritual and mystical death in Judaism
Fishbane, Michael AThe book identifies a persistent passion for religious perfection, expressed as the love of God unto death itself. The masters of the tradition cultivated this ideal in all periods, in diverse genres, and in different modes. Rabbinic law and midrash, medieval philosophy and mysticism, public and private ritual all contributed to its development. Rooted in the understanding that the spiritual life requires discipline, the sages set up different ladders of ascension.
For some, the Law itself was the means of spiritual growth; for others, more private practices were built upon its foundation. But all agreed that the purification of desire and the perfection of the soul offered the hope of personal salvation. None denied the historical redemption of the nation.
Abstract: Fishbane (Jewish studies, U. of Chicago) explores early rabbinic sources and Jewish philosophy and mysticism to trace the quest for personal salvation through purification of desire and the perfection of the soul. Annotation copyright Book News, Inc. Portland, Or.