The Art of Mystical Narrative
Oxford University Press eBooks November 22, 2018 Eitan P. Fishbane 11 citations
The Zohar, a foundational work of Jewish mysticism, is examined as a literary creation rather than solely as a theological or exegetical text. The book develops a poetics of its narratives, analyzing how mystical storytelling functions through devices such as dramatic monologue, gesture, and the theatrics of the tale. It explores themes of diaspora and exile, the wandering quest for wisdom, and moments of recognition. The relationship between narrative and exegesis is considered dynamic, and the Zohar's use of magical realism and the fantastic is discussed. The work also places the Zohar's frame-tale within the context of medieval Iberian literature, both Jewish and non-Jewish.