Richard Kalmin
Richard is a professor in the Department of Talmud and Rabbinics at the Jewish Theological Seminary, New York. His research interests are the history and literature of the Jews of Late Antiquity.
Richard is a professor in the Department of Talmud and Rabbinics at the Jewish Theological Seminary, New York. His research interests are the history and literature of the Jews of Late Antiquity.
Karl is a professor in the Faculty of Philosophy at the University of Potsdam, Germany. His research interests are: history of Jewish thought (theology, philosophy, mysticism); interdependence among theology, philosophy and mysticism.
September 1, 2004 - February 28, 2005
Organizer:
Ronit Meroz (Tel Aviv University)
Gideon Bohak (Tel Aviv University)
Yuval Harari (Ben-Gurion University of the Negev)
Shaul Shaked (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem)
One thing shared by all the cultures covered by members of our group is the assumption that there are many occult powers out there (be they demonds, angels, gods, natural forces etc.)|, and that some men and women are better equipped than others to approach these forces and use them for their own aims. Moreover, members of all these cultures took it for granted that there is a body of knowledge (of special rituals, powerful incantations and so on) that can be mastered by competent individuals and that enable them to use these occult forces more effectively. This body of knowledge, and the social tensions involved in using it, are the main focus of all the group's members and the basis of our comparative efforts.