Tales of the Great Jewish Mystics

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 unravels Jewish stories and legends from his collection, Gabriel's Palace: Jewish Mystical Tales.

Howard Schwartz is a folklorist, storyteller and Professor of English at the University of Missouri- St. Louis. He is the editor of Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism, Elijah’s Violin and Other Jewish Fairy Tales, Miriam’s Tambourine: Jewish Folktales from Around the World, Lilith’s Cave: Jewish Tales of the Supernatural and Gabriel’s Palace: Jewish Mystical Tales.

Rachel Elior is John and Golda Cohen Professor of Jewish Philosophy and Jewish Mystical Thought at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She is the author of numerous works on Jewish mysticism and hasidism.. The recipient of many honours, she was awarded the 2006 Gershom Scholem Prize for the Study of Kabbalah and Jewish Mysticism by the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.