The Three Temples - (Littman Library of Jewish Civilization) by Rachel Elior (Paperback)

About the Book

Rachel Elior demonstrates convincingly how the Jewish mystical tradition crystallized in its early stages. She attributes its origins to priests prevented by circumstances from serving in the Temple: replacing the earthly Temple liturgically and ritually with a heavenly Merkavah and heavenly sanctuaries known as Heikhalot, they created a mystical world in which ministering angels replaced Temple priests, thereby giving Judaism a new spiritual focus.

Book Synopsis

In this ground-breaking study, Rachel Elior offers a comprehensive theory of the crystallization of the early stages of the mystical tradition in Judaism based on the numerous ancient scrolls and manuscripts published in the last few decades. Her wide-ranging research, scrupulously documented, enables her to demonstrate an uninterrupted line linking the priestly traditions of the Temple, the mystical liturgical literature found in the Qumran caves and associated directly and indirectly with the Merkavah tradition of around the second and first centuries BCE, and the mystical works of the second to fifth centuries CE known as Heikhalot literature.

The key factor linking all these texts, according to Professor Elior's theory, is that many of those who wrote them were members of the priestly classes. Prevented from being able to perform the rituals of sacred service in the Temple as ordained in the biblical tradition, they channelled their religious impetus in other directions to create a new spiritual focus. The mystical tradition they developed centred first on a heavenly Chariot Throne known as the Merkavah, and later on heavenly sanctuaries known as Heikhalot. In this way the priestly class developed an alternative focus for spirituality, based on a supertemporal liturgical and ritual relationship with ministering angels in the supernal sanctuaries. This came to embrace an entire mystical world devoted to sustaining religious liturgical tradition and ritual memory in the absence of the Temple.

This lyrical investigation of the origins and workings of this supernal world is sure to become a standard work in the study of early Jewish mysticism.

Review Quotes

HEBREW EDITION
'Rachel Elior's broad historical perspective on mysticism and the writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls demands that the reader grapple anew with the essence of Jewish tradition.' Joseph Dan, Ha'aretz
ENGLISH EDITION
'Very readable . . . This is only the second of Elior's many Hebrew works to be translated into English. Hopefully, it is the harbinger of many more. I recommend this work for inclusion in all academic and theological collections.' Daniel J. Rettberg, AJL Newsletter
'In this major work, senior scholar Rachel Elior demonstrates her sure command over a broad swath of ancient esoteric texts, examining together sources usually treated in isolation . . . Elior has put forward a series of incisive . . . arguments that are sure to provoke discussion.' G. Spinner, Choice
'This very worthwhile work deserves praise for its breathtaking scope, its bold courage, and its brilliant creativity.' Andrea Lieber, Journal of Religion
'Elior succeeds in her attempt at answering the question constantly discussed in the scholarship on early Jewish mysticism, by and for whom the poetic descriptions of heavenly palaces were written . . . What makes her exposition exciting is its reversal of the existing view . . . Rachel Elior's sketch of a different picture of early Judaism, which is written with much verve, has opened up many new problems for research. Her book does not merely deal with the origin of Jewish mysticism, but with the foundations of Judaism and thereby, even in its method, breaks down disciplinary barriers.' Gerold Necker, Judaica
'Innovative . . . This is an important book for anyone interested in the Qumran sectaries and in the origins of the Jewish mystical tradition. It is well written, lays out its arguments clearly, and can be highly recommended.'
Morris M. Faierstein, Religious Studies Review