Jillian Rubin
September 9, 2008
Jews in the Modern World
Professor Lesses
Safed Kabbalah and the Sephardic Heritage
1. The rise of a new kind of Kabbalah in Safed in historical terms can be explained by when the Jews were exiled from Spain in 1492, the kabbalists of Spain went to the Ottoman Empire. They were able to create a revolution in Jewish life. As a response to the expulsion of Spain, there was an increased amount of spiritualization of religious modernism. This new spiritual revolution transformed the way Judaism was practiced throughout the world. As early as the 1530s Safed was the most important center of spirituality. Safed was important for Kabbalah because it had an economic base in the wool trade.
2. The most important aspects of Safed kabbalah included not getting angry, being conscientious in prayers and study, living a frugal life, not overindulging in material goods. Other aspects that were important were weeping during their prayers, and confessing sins to equals. This type of kabbalah had communication with spirits and mystical figures as well.
3. Safed Kabbalah views the redemption of the Jewish people as something that had to be done. They felt like it was their right to help the Jewish people.
4. New rituals that Safed Kabbalah created included ideas and concepts that was abstract before. The two kinds of tikkunim were new rituals. One of them made up the night vigils on holidays such as Passover and Hoshanah Rabah. The other one is a night vigil having to do with the exile and redemption of the Shekhinah.
September 9, 2008
Jews in the Modern World
Professor Lesses
Safed Kabbalah and the Sephardic Heritage
1. The rise of a new kind of Kabbalah in Safed in historical terms can be explained by when the Jews were exiled from Spain in 1492, the kabbalists of Spain went to the Ottoman Empire. They were able to create a revolution in Jewish life. As a response to the expulsion of Spain, there was an increased amount of spiritualization of religious modernism. This new spiritual revolution transformed the way Judaism was practiced throughout the world. As early as the 1530s Safed was the most important center of spirituality. Safed was important for Kabbalah because it had an economic base in the wool trade.
2. The most important aspects of Safed kabbalah included not getting angry, being conscientious in prayers and study, living a frugal life, not overindulging in material goods. Other aspects that were important were weeping during their prayers, and confessing sins to equals. This type of kabbalah had communication with spirits and mystical figures as well.
3. Safed Kabbalah views the redemption of the Jewish people as something that had to be done. They felt like it was their right to help the Jewish people.
4. New rituals that Safed Kabbalah created included ideas and concepts that was abstract before. The two kinds of tikkunim were new rituals. One of them made up the night vigils on holidays such as Passover and Hoshanah Rabah. The other one is a night vigil having to do with the exile and redemption of the Shekhinah.
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