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Book Reviews by Tomer Persico

Journal of Israeli History, 2020

Book Review

Papers by Tomer Persico

Journal of Israeli History, 2019

Religions

The field of mystical and meditative research lacks a basic typology delineating the varied genre... more The field of mystical and meditative research lacks a basic typology delineating the varied genres and characteristics of the mystical experience and of the meditative practices that may be correlated to those. Such a state hinders the comparative study of mysticism and meditation through different philosophical, religious and spiritual traditions, or along the chronological development in a single tradition. In this article, I introduce phenomenological typological tools developed in a previous monograph dealing with the Jewish meditative tradition and illustrate how these can be used to analyze the adjustments and the variations between previous and contemporary Jewish mystics, through examining the four different types of mystical experience and five different characteristics of meditative techniques.

Routledge Handbook on the Philosophy of Meditation, 2022

Religious Studies Review, 2018

At the end of the nineteenth century, the prominent Zionist thinker Max Nordau stated that "Zioni... more At the end of the nineteenth century, the prominent Zionist thinker Max Nordau stated that "Zionism has nothing to do with religion" but Yadgar explains why he was wrong in more than one way. It is not only that Zionism was constructed out of the Jewish tradition and could never fully disengage itself from it, but that the very definition of Zionism as secular Jewish nationalism owes its existence to the era of emancipation's conception of Judaism as "religion." Yadgar's important book joins other works (such as those by Talal Asad and Russell McCutcheon) intent on questioning the usefulness, indeed the very validity, of the concept of "religion," while applying his analysis specifically to the Jewish case. Following Leora Batnitzky's pathbreaking work on the creation of "Jewish religion" as part of Judaism's passage through the prism of Protestant-made modernity, Yadgar examines the way the Jewish national movement employed the modern distinction between "religious" and "secular" as a basis for its own project of building a novel Jewish identity, that is, a national, secular one. Judaism, however, does not fit neatly, if at all, into this model, leading, as Yadgar demonstrates, to varied ideological and political inner contradictions. Studying the writings of such prominent Zionist thinkers as Aḥad Ha'am, Berdyczewski, Syrkin, and Brenner, Yadgar points to the remainder ever hanging over the supposedly neat summation of Judaism as nationality. Realizing this allows one, for example, to understand the never-ending tensions between "religion and state" in Israel not as a lamentable series of political skirmishes but as part of continuous and unavoidable efforts at identity construction both on the "secular" and the "religious" sides. For Yadgar, the way to better grasp Jewish existence is by viewing it as a tradition having multifaceted ethnic, national, ethical, and religious dimensions. This work is a natural extension of Yadgar's former insightful writings on the complex existence of tradition and traditionists in Israel, and it is recommended to scholars of religion and Jewish studies.

Israel Studies Review, 2017

Zionism has always displayed a complicated relationship with the Temple Mount. While secular soci... more Zionism has always displayed a complicated relationship with the Temple Mount. While secular socialist Zionism wanted little to do with the site for pragmatic reasons, right-wing and guerilla Zionist groups considered it, before the founding of the state, as the embodiment of Jewish sovereignty over the Holy Land. And although Religious Zionism, until very recently, shied away from the site, over the past decade tremendous changes in this public's attitude have taken place, leading to intense interest and activity concerning it. This article surveys past and present attitudes toward the Temple Mount, studying its recent rise as a focal point for ethnonational yearnings, and analyzing these developments vis-à-vis the secularization process.

Contemporary Alternative Spiritualities in Israel, 2016

The chapter explores the rise of what might be called “the utilitarian self” in the contemporary ... more The chapter explores the rise of what might be called “the utilitarian self” in the contemporary spirituality arena in Israel through analyzing the teachings of two major Neo-Kabbalah movements in Israel. The utilitarian self, which has its origins in the religious field of late-nineteenth-century America, is in Judaic social circles quite a recent development, and has begun to play a significant part in Israeli contemporary spirituality only since the 1990s. By examining the proliferation and writings of emblematic Neo-Kabbalah movements found at this time in the Israeli contemporary spirituality scene, the structure and formation of the utilitarian self are displayed. The economic and social developments which lie at its background and present the cultural conditions for the utilitarian self’s bourgeoning are also brought to light.

Modern Judaism, 2014

More than two-hundred and fifty years after its birth under the light-blue sky of Podolia, Hasidi... more More than two-hundred and fifty years after its birth under the light-blue sky of Podolia, Hasidism is still the single greatest resource for any Jewish attempt at spiritual renewal. As the first Jewish "revival" movement displaying significant modern characteristics, Hasidism offers, to the modern and postmodern spiritual seeker, a range of theological structures, religious practices and ethical frameworks suited for interpretation and adoption. It is no accident than, that since the early twentieth century we find important elements of Hasidism used and elaborated upon in the works of almost any Jewish thinker, observant or non-observant, set out to enliven her or his tradition.

Israel Studies Review, 2014

The quest for personal and inner spiritual transformation and development is prevalent among spir... more The quest for personal and inner spiritual transformation and development is prevalent among spiritual seekers today and constitutes a major characteristic of contemporary spirituality and the New Age phenomenon. Religious leaders of the Bratslav community endeavor to satisfy this need by presenting adjusted versions of hitbodedut meditation, a practice that emphasizes solitary and personal connection with the divine. As is shown by two typical examples, popular Bratslav teachers today take full advantage of the opportunity to infuse the hitbodedut with elements not found in Rabbi Nachman's teachings and to dispense with some elements that were. The article addresses the socio-political rationale at the root of these teachers' novel interpretation of Bratslav hitbodedut and the ways they attempt to deal with the complications that arise out of their work.

Israel Studies Review, 2021

Near the end of Israel's second COVID-19 lockdown in October 2020, a cartoon appeared in the Isra... more Near the end of Israel's second COVID-19 lockdown in October 2020, a cartoon appeared in the Israeli Calcalist newspaper depicting a Likud election ballot; where Israeli readers would expect to see the name of Benjamin Netanyahu, the text read, "The Likud under the leadership of Rabbi Kanievsky" (Weismann 2020). Quickly making the rounds on social media, the drawing referenced Netanyahu virtually relinquishing authority to ultra-Orthodox leaders and Knesset members when it came to the Haredi public's conduct during the pandemic. Already by March of that year it had become clear that the ultra-Orthodox were particularly ill-equipped to handle any kind of lockdown. The government's order to close gathering places (schools, synagogues, etc.) and stay at home was an exceptional challenge for them, not only because of their living conditions-they tend to have large families and small apartments-but because the fabric of Haredi society is woven together by the constant operation of synagogues and even more so of yeshivas, the religious schools that a majority of young Haredi men attend. The forced closure of these places disrupts not only the study of Torah but the entire social cycle that brings Haredi men together with their peers, rabbis, and moral instructors (mashgikhim), immerses them in a comprehensive atmosphere of study and indoctrination, and disconnects them from their families and the temptations of the world. Idle hands are the devil's plaything, even more so when those hands fidget with an unlimited-access, 'non-kosher' smartphone. The last decade has seen the percentage of Haredim who use the internet almost double to 53 percent (Malach and Cahaner 2021). The Haredi leadership could hardly afford to have its young wandering the streets, still less the Web. But what Israel witnessed was not haphazard attempts to circumvent the lockdown and engage in hide-and-seek shenanigans with law enforcement. Instead, the ultra-Orthodox proclaimed open mutiny. As early as mid-March 2020, Lithuanian Haredim leader Rabbi Chaim Kanievsky issued a decree that the yeshivas not be shuttered, directly contradicting the government order. Yaakov Litzman, Minister of Health and a member of the Ger Hasidic court, likewise pressed for ritual bath houses (mikva'ot) to remain open. Heavily attended funerals continued to be defiantly conducted; mega-synagogues, especially those of the Hasidic courts, regularly drew thousands of worshippers over each holiday; and it soon became clear that, even as Haredim were experiencing disproportionate numbers of sick and hospitalized, they would neither conform to the special ordinances issued by the government nor face any formal sanctions for their

It this article I would like to explore the rise of what can be called “the utilitarian self” in ... more It this article I would like to explore the rise of what can be called “the utilitarian self” in the contemporary spirituality arena in Israel. This social reality, which has its origins in the religious field of late nineteen century America, is in Judaic social circles quite a recent development, and has begun to play a significant part of Israeli contemporary spirituality only since the 1990’s. I would like to suggest that the proliferation of certain Neo-Kabbalah and Neo-Hasidic movements since the 1990’s is indicative of its rise. By examining these we can better understand the utilitarian self, which lies at their background and presents the cultural conditions for their popularity. I will therefore present a few typical examples of the utilitarian self’s manifestation in Israel, and will then try to clarify the socio-cultural reasons for its prevalence at this time. Let us start, however, with a description of the subject matter. The utilitarian self, I propose, is a particul...

Finding Meaning

Contemporary spirituality has been bourgeoning in Israel since the 1990s, with a growing presence... more Contemporary spirituality has been bourgeoning in Israel since the 1990s, with a growing presence of Jewish characteristics. This chapter focuses on the sociological reasons underlying the growth of alternative Jewish religious and spiritual identities. Taking the collapse of the Secular Zionist meta-narrative as a point of departure, this growth in spirituality will be explained as a response to a need for alternative meaning, in this case Jewish identity, one shaped by the post-collectivist, individualistic ethos. The author explains why this search for identity and meaning does not regularly end in becoming observant Orthodox Jews, and how this process fits in with different trends of secularization.

The Oxford Handbook of Meditation

The Jewish meditative tradition is a diverse collection of techniques and practices, originating ... more The Jewish meditative tradition is a diverse collection of techniques and practices, originating at different eras and exhibiting varying characteristics. In the following a summation of the major trends of Jewish meditation is attempted, following a chronological scheme and aiming to underline the shifts in emphasis displayed by different Jewish meditative paths, from the Bible, through the Merkabah literature, to Kabbalah, Hasidism, and ending with contemporary spirituality circles. Special consideration will be given to the effects of modern subjectivity and secularization on the development of Jewish meditative practices and to the inherent tension they exhibit with the Halakhic tradition.