Jewish mysticism and esoteric currents (Maaseh Merkava, Maaseh Bereshit)

Ancient Jewish mysticism unfolds around two esoteric domains mentioned in the Mishna: Maaseh Bereshit (the "Work of Creation"), speculation on cosmic origins, and Maaseh Merkava (the "Work of the Chariot"), contemplation of the prophet Ezekiel's vision of the divine chariot. The latter gave rise to the mysticism known as Hekhalot ("palaces"), a corpus of texts written approximately between the second and seventh centuries, which describe the perilous ascent of the adept through the celestial palaces to the throne of glory, guarded by angels and accessible through divine names and secret formulas. These traditions, transmitted in restricted fashion owing to their awesome character, bear witness to a contemplative and theurgic dimension of early rabbinic Judaism. They constitute an essential milestone between ancient mysticism and medieval Kabbalah, which took up and transformed many of their motifs. Their study has been renewed by the work of Gershom Scholem and his successors.

Sources & resources

• Encyclopaedia Judaica — 2e éd., Keter/Macmillan
• Sefaria ↗