Zohar Raviv

Decoding the Dogma Within the Enigma: the Life, Works, Mystical Piety and Systematicthought of Rabbi Moses Cordoeiro (Aka Cordovero; Safed, Israel, 1522-1570) Zohar Raviv

Rabbi Moses Cordoeiro (aka Cordovero, 1522-1570) wasa towering mystical thinker in Safed and retains tothis day a seat of honor in Jewish intellectualhistory. Ranking among the most prolific and lucidthinkers Judaism has ever known, Cordoeiro had anenormous impact on the trajectory of mysticalphilosophy from the 16th century onward. This book -the first extensive work on Cordoeiro in English -sheds new and important light on his life, writings,practical piety, and, most importantly, systematicthought in Kabbalah. By placing Cordoeiro's personalgrowth and conceptual evolution within sociopoliticaland theoretical context, his works (both publishedand unpublished) are thoroughly investigated with theaim of articulating his elaborate theoretical modeland its relations to his mystical practices. Muchattention has been given throughout this book toCordoeiro's acute philological sensitivity, for hisview of Hebrew as God's Vernacular" had prompted himto introduce bold and often remarkably creativeexegetical maneuvers. This book is a significantcontribution to philosophical scholarship and toanyone interested in exploring the deeper realms ofJewish mystical thought."