Original Web Document: http://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~elsegal/Rels463/Rels_463.html

THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY

FACULTY OF HUMANITIES

DEPARTMENT OF RELIGIOUS STUDIES

Textbooks:

• D. Blumenthal, Understanding Jewish Mysticism
• G. Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism

Course Description:

This seminar will explore the major forms of Jewish mysticism and esoteric doctrine, as expressed in writings from the Second Commonwealth until the present day. Emphasis will be placed on the study of representative primary texts in translation, and on in-class student presentations.

* Among the topics to be dealt with are the following:

• The mysticism of the Second Temple and Rabbinic eras: "The Work of the Chariot" and "The Work of Creation."
• Pre-Kabbalistic mystical writings: Heikhalot, Shi'ur Komah, Sefer Yetzirah and Sefer Ha-Bahir.
• German pietism (Hasidut Ashkenaz).
• Classical Kabbalah: the doctrine of the Sefirot, and the Zohar.
• Lurianic Kabbalah and its offshoots (Messianic movements, etc.)
• Eastern European Hasidism.
• Modern and contemporary Jewish mysticism.

Core Competencies:

This class will combine features of both standard and advanced instruction:

Like some lower-level courses, RelS 463 will provide a descriptive survey of certain branches of Judaism that are not studied in depth in other contexts.

However, the course's principal pedagogic objectives will be those of an upper-year seminar. As such, it will place a strong emphasis on the interpretation of primary texts, and the critical assessment of scholarly literature. Students will further their skills in the various aspects of scholarly research, including the collecting of information; independent evaluation from a variety of methodological perspectives; and orderly presentation of their conclusions in written and oral form.

Course Requirements:

Students will be required to submit two research papers of approximately fifteen pages each. A list of suggested topics and recommended bibliography will be distributed at the start of the course. In addition, each student will be expected to give a twenty-minute oral presentation on one of their paper topics. This presentation should not be a reading of their written work, but should be geared to the classroom situation.

There will be no registrar scheduled final examination in this course.

Some Recommended Works:

• L. Fine, Safed Spirituality
• M. Idel, Kabbalah-New Perspectives
• M. Idel, Language, Torah and Hermeneutics
• G. Scholem, Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism and the Talmudic Tradition
• G. Scholem, On the Kabbalah and Its Symbolism
• D. Matt, Zohar, Book of Enlightenment
• D. S. Ariel, The Mystic Quest

Grading:

A numerical mark will be given for each course requirement. Following the final examination, a letter grade will be assigned on the following number and letter grade scheme:

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is a serious offense, the penalty for which is an F on the assignment and possibly also an F on the course, academic probation, or requirement to withdraw. The University Calendar states that "plagiarism exists when:

• a) the work submitted or presented was done, in whole or in part, by an individual other than the one submitting the work (this includes having another impersonate the student or otherwise substituting the work of another for one's own in an examination or test),
• b) parts of the work are taken from another source without reference to the original author,
• c) the whole work (e.g., an essay) is copied from another source, and/or
• d) a student submits or presents work in one course which has also been submitted in another course (although it may be completely original with that student) without the knowledge of or prior agreement of the instructor involved.
• While it is recognized that scholarly work often involves references to the ideas, data and conclusions of other scholars, intellectual honesty requires that such references be explicitly and clearly noted."

Plagiarism occurs not only when direct quotations are taken from a source without specific acknowledgment, but also when original ideas or data from the source are not acknowledged. A bibliography is insufficient to establish which portions of the student's work are taken from external sources; footnotes or other recognized forms of citation must be used for this purpose.

Safewalk Programme

"You don't have to walk alone..." Call 220-5333 and a member of the Safewalk Team will walk you to your car, the LRT, or any destination on campus. Safewalk is available to all students, staff and faculty any time of the day or night. Look for the Campus Security Help Phones located throughout the University. Please don't hesitate to call!

** Please note new regulations for withdrawing from courses 1997

January 21, 1997 is the last day to "drop" a course and receive a full fee refund, there will be no record of the course on the transcript. Students may withdraw from courses from January 22 until April 17, but WILL GET NO REFUND. The course will show up on the transcript with designation of "W."

This is specified on pages 52 (Fee Refund) and 79 (fee Refunds) of the 1996-97 Calendar.

^* The higher grade of the two papers will count for 50% of the total, the other will count for 30%.