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Scholem, Gershon (1897-1982)
Gershon
Scholem, Jewish scholar on Jewish mysticism
Born to an assimilated Jewish family in Berlin, Gershon Scholem joined
the Zionist movement as a student. He proceeded to devote himself to a
thorough understanding of Jewish history, religion and culture, acquiring
a knowledge of Hebrew and Jewish sources. He was a friend of Chaim Nachman
Bialik, S.Y. Agnon and Zalman Shazar, all of whom represented traditional
Jewish culture in Eastern Europe and were in Germany during World War
I.
Originally a student of mathematics and philosophy, he transferred to
oriental languages in the early 1920s. His doctoral thesis was a translation
and commentary on an obscure kabbalistic text: this and other studies
led to the Kabbalah becoming an established academic discipline.
Scholem joined the staff of the Hebrew University in 1923, as a librarian
(1923-1927), becoming a lecturer (from 1925), and a professor of Jewish
mysticism and Kabbalah (1933-1965). He wrote a number of texts on Kabbalah
and mysticism: his studies, essays and speeches, which have been collected
"On Kabbalah and Its Symbolism," 1965), have had a major impact on the
knowledge of Jewish mysticism by non-Jews.
His scholarship is marked by painstaking analysis, deep philosophical
insight and profound historical understanding. He was awarded the Israel
Prize in 1958. In 1962 he was elected vice-President, and in 1968, President
of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities.
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