Dr. David S. Ariel
Dr. David S. Ariel is head of the Oxford Centre for Hebrew and Jewish Studies. He was previously president of Siegal College of Judaic Studies (formerly the Cleveland College of Jewish Studies). He is author of <i>Spiritual Judaism: Restoring Heart and Soul to Jewish Life</i> and <i>The Mystic Quest: An Introduction to Jewish Mysticism</i>.
Articles by Dr. David S. Ariel
Modern Jewish Messianism
Jewish messianism has been repeatedly reinterpreted in the modern era.
Prayer in Medieval Jewish Mysticism
The masters of Kabbalah ascribed radically new meaning and importance to traditional practices of prayer.
Chosen People: Some Modern Views
While some modern Jews have rejected the notion of chosenness altogether, others have reinterpreted it as an ethical mission or a national spirit.
The Kabbalistic Conception of God
The medieval mystics made a distinction between the infinite, unknowable God and God's revealed aspects.
God the Creator
Unlike the creation stories of other Near Eastern cultures, the biblical creation story is not concerned with God's origins.
Mystical Shabbat
The masters of Kabbalah explained all of the elements of the Sabbath rituals as a consistent thematic drama of the reunion of the Shekhinah the Sabbath bride, with her mate--and in so doing exerted considerable influence on the shape of those rituals.
Mitzvot & Jewish Mystics
"Unitive" and "restorative" impulses propel the religious life of the Jewish mystic.