Gershom Scholem - The Tselem: The Astral Body in Jewish Mysticism

In this (1975) lecture the preeminent scholar in Jewish mysticism Gershom Scholem speaks of the Kabbalistic doctrine of the tselem, the astral body. The word “tselem” first appears in Genesis 1;26 when God creates man and says “let us make man in our image (tselem) and in our likeness.” In Hebrew “tselem” means “plastic image” and describes the individual essence of each human being. It constitutes an independent entity mediating between body and spirit. In mystical experience, the tselem could manifest as the perception of one’s own double, which revealed the deepest spiritual essence within man. Professor Scholem retraces the historical development of the doctrine of the tselem in Jewish mysticism and tells us how it is related to the principle of individuation in man.


Books by Gershom Scholem:

Kabbalah: https://amzn.to/2LWYOtl

Alchemy and Kabbalah: https://amzn.to/2NMIVHr

Jewish Gnosticism, Merkabah Mysticism, and Talmudic Tradition: https://amzn.to/2oHBlmO

Zohar: The Book of Splendor: Basic Readings from the Kabbalah: https://amzn.to/2NizDGm

On the Mystical Shape of the Godhead: Basic Concepts in the Kabbalah: https://amzn.to/2NmbZsE

Origins of the Kabbalah: https://amzn.to/2LWGYqc

On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism: https://amzn.to/2Nlgl2S

Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism: https://amzn.to/2CqZ1Fo

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