Rachel Elior

Jewish Mysticism is concerned with the infinity of meaning embedded in the sacred text and with grasping the divine being which transcends the boundaries of time and space. The Jewish mystical tradition is expressed in a huge diverse library written in the course of the last three millennia. Its content could be divided into two major focuses: one is known as Chariot and Temple Mysticism, and one is known as Kabbalah and Messianism.
A substantial body of Jewish mystical tales constitute the legendary dimension of the Jewish mystical tradition. These tales cover a range of mystical experiences, not only of mystical union but of visions, dreams, soul travel, encounters with angels and demons, possession by both good and evil spirits, miracles and experiences out of body and out of time. Howard Schwartz unraveled Jewish stories and legends from his collection, Gabriel’s Palace: Jewish Mystical Tales.