Mystical Teachings
Gain Campus interest

MELANIE KOFF

Special to The Jewish News

T

he passion for Jewish
spirituality is a grow-
ing phenomenon on
college campuses, as young
Jewish men and women seek
their roots through tradi-
tional mystical teachings,
says David Ariel, author of
The Mystic Quest: An In-
troduction to Jewish
Mysticism.
Mr. Ariel says the prolifera-
tion of books, courses and
teachers make Jewish
mystical principles more ac-
cessible today then ever
before.
Mr. Ariel is president and
associate professor at the
Cleveland College of Jewish
Studies. Last week he spoke
at the University of
Michigan's Hillel.
Mr. Ariel says Jewish
mysticism is largely removed
from the Judaism practiced
by Reform, Conservative and
even sects of Orthodox Jews.
Most modern Jews view
Jewish mysticism and Jewish
spiritituality as "nonsense."
He explains that in the pro-
cess of assimilation into the
modern world, European
Jews in the 1800s shunned
the elements of Jewish tradi-
tions which are rooted in
mysticism and spirituality.
"The price of admission in-
to society was abandoning the
spiritual and mystical," says
Mr. Ariel. But, he sees a
renewed interest in recaptur-
ing the mystical tradition.
The most enduring descen-
dant of the Jewish mystical
tradition is the Kabbalah,
which is the tradition within
Judaism which seeks to pro-
mote a direct and unmediated
encounter with God through
meditation, understanding
the hidden meanings of Torah
and through ecstatic prayer
(such as chanting).
Kabbalah is the name of a
mystical movement with
traditional roots in 1200 C.E
Spain. Kabbalists are
students of sacred mystical
texts. Zohar is the best known
book of the Kabbalah.
A more contemporary
relative of Jewish mysticism
is Chasidism, which was
founded in Eastern Europe in
1750. Mr. Ariel says
Chasidim are members of a
community based on mystical
teachings. "They concentrate
more on living the mystical
life through practices and
meditation than through
prayer alone," says Mr. Ariel.
Mr. Ariel says Chasidim's

mystical practices include
Shabbat dinner, a seder, and
the mental and spiritual at-
titude one brings to religious
expression.
There are modern varia-
tions on mysticism, and Mr.
Ariel says Jewish mysticism
can be embraced in many
ways. For instance, Artist
Yaakov Agam uses mystical
elements in his paintings.
"Learning about Jewish
mysticism is part of a larger
phenomenon," says Mr. Ariel.
"It is a way to learn about
Jewish culture. And the more
we understand the past, the
more we can know what
about the past is useful."
A belief central to Jewish
mysticism is that God is the
sum total of all character-
istics that exist in the world.
"Brutality and jealousy are
just as much located in God as
attributes of love and mercy.
Human actions either accent
or blunt the divine
characteristics," he explains.
Another central tenet to
Jewish mysticism is that
before birth, God imbues
humans a soul that is half
female and half male.
As Mr. Ariel relates the
tradition, "During gestation,
either the male or female soul
enters the embryo and deter-
mines the gender, so the child
comes into the world with a
full soul.
"The two halves of one soul
reside in different bodies, and
seek to be reunited in hope of
achieving a reunion of the
masculine and feminine here
in this world; in hope of fin-
ding their soulmate," he
says. ❑

\l:

f

i

;

A ,

A
P*
in,

goil

Sinai Hospital, Michigan's
only Jewish-sponsored
hospital, will celebrate
Chanukah with a latke party
Dec. 9. More than 600 guests
are expected.
The luncheon will be held
11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in the
hospital's Zuckerman Dining
Room sponsored by the Sinai
Hospital Guild.
Following the meal, stu-
dents from Farmington Hills-
based Hillel Day School will
entertain guests with two
musical programs.
The party is in conjunction
with the annual Sinai-Hillel
Art Show, sponsored by the
Sinai Hospital Guild. The art
show, held through Jan. 7 at
the hospital, is an exhibition
of 400 works of art of Hillel
students.

Me

•

30 50% O FF

-

ALL JEWELRY

GREAT SELECTION OF

. EARRINGS • BRACELETS • PINS

DECEMBER 7-14 ONLY
SOUTHFIELD
-ft
Tel-Twelve Mall • 12 Mile & Telegraph

e

Daily 10-10 Sunday 11-6 354-9060

c 4

WEST BLOOMFIELD

-

Sinai Hospital
Hosts Party

4.'0541
Ar

0
,..
Le

, 4., ,..1.?„, „

dbUlLilliolb

6644 Orchard Lake Road at Maple • 855-1600
Mon-Thur-Fri 10-9 Tues-Wed-Sat 10-6
Sunday 12-5

ALL LEATHER STORES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL!
BUY FROM THE "MAVENS"

I

\'

'q7PF-A%
SPECIAL
1=-- ORDERS FOR
°- HARD TO-FIT
SIZES

LEATHERS

o

1 DP;p4

EVERYTHING,o
AT LEAST
20% OFF -:r
<7 EVERY DAY

Downtown Birmingham

FASHIONS AND ACCESSORIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

150 W. Maple
/2 block West of Woodward — 644-4415
HOLIDAY HOURS: Mon.-Fri. 10-9, Sat. 10-6, Sunday 12-5

—

1

BRING IN THIS AD FOR AN EXTRA 10% OFF

coupon expires 12-24-90

final sale items excluded

Owned and Operated by Leslie (Laszlo),ard Agra Weiss

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

15

