Beholders of Divine Secrets: Mysticism and Myth in the Hekhalot and Merkavah Literature

Title Page, Copyright Page, Dedication Page

Beholders of Divine Secrets Beholders of Divine Secrets Mysticism and Myth in the Hekhalot and Merkavah Literature Vita Daphna Arbel State University of New York Press Published by State University of New York Press, Albany© 2003 State University of New York All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher. For information, address State University of New York Press, 90 State Street, Suite 700, Albany, NY 12207 Production by Kelli Williams Marketing by Patrick Durocher Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Arbel, Vita Daphna. Beholders of divine secrets : mysticism and myth in Hekhalot and merkavah literature / Vita Daphna Arbel. p. cm. Based on a doctoral thesis submitted to the Hebrew University, Jerusalem in 1997. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-7914-5723-0 (alk. paper) — ISBN 0-7914-5724-9 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Mysticism—Judaism. 2. Hekhalot literature—History and criticism. 3. Merkava. 4. Mythology, Jewish. I. Title. BM723 .A68 2003 296.7'12—dc21 2002042638 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 I dedicate this book to my grandparents Ester and Alter-Avner and to my parents Hanna and Micha with love. ...