Gershom Scholem transformed the academic study of Jewish mysticism by shifting the focus toward the historical and irrational forces within the tradition. Born in Berlin in 1897, he established his scholarly career at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he served as the inaugural professor of Jewish mysticism until his retirement in 1965.
Early Intellectual Development
Scholem began his formal education at the Frederick William University in Berlin, where he studied philosophy, mathematics, and Hebrew. His intellectual formation was deeply influenced by friendships with figures such as Walter Benjamin and Leo Strauss. He pursued advanced training at the University of Jena under Gottlob Frege and later earned a degree in Semitic languages from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München. His early interest in the Kabbalah culminated in a doctoral thesis regarding the Sefer ha-Bahir.
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In 1923, Scholem immigrated to the British Mandate of Palestine. His contributions extended beyond research into administrative roles, as he headed the Department of Hebrew and Judaica at the National Library. There, he reorganized the library's collection using an adapted version of the Dewey Decimal System. Following the Second World War, he participated in the Otzrot HaGolah project, tasked by the Hebrew University to recover and return Jewish books plundered by the Nazi regime.
Historiographical Challenges
Scholem contested the prevailing methodology of the 19th-century Wissenschaft des Judentums school, which he argued treated Judaism as a stagnant historical object. He posited that the mystical and mythical components of the faith provided its vital, living core. This approach insisted that research must remain tethered to historical context, incorporating non-normative and marginal aspects of Jewish history into the academic record. His analysis of Kabbalistic concepts often diverged from contemporaries such as Martin Buber.
Notable Publications and Legacy
His prolific written output includes Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, From Berlin to Jerusalem, and On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism. His scholarship earned him international recognition, including the Israel Prize in 1958, the Harvey Prize in 1974, and the Bialik Prize in 1977. He was a member of several institutions, including the British Academy and the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities. He died in Jerusalem in 1982 and was interred at the Sanhedria Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1897, Berlin
- Died: 1982, Jerusalem
- Primary Field: Kabbalah and Philosophy
- Academic Home: Hebrew University of Jerusalem
- Notable Book: Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism
- Major Recognition: Israel Prize, 1958
- Burial Site: Sanhedria Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Scholem's role at the Hebrew University?
He was the first professor of Jewish mysticism, serving from 1933 until his retirement in 1965.
Did Scholem support the Wissenschaft des Judentums approach?
No, he rejected their view of Judaism as a dead historical object, arguing instead that mystical elements were essential to its living history.
Achievements
- Israel Prize — 1958
- Bialik Prize — 1977
- Harvey Prize — 1974
- Fellow of the British Academy
- Rothschild Prize — 1961
- Notable work: Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism
- Notable work: From Berlin to Jerusalem
- Notable work: On the Kabbalah and its Symbolism
- Notable work: On the Mystical Shape of the Godhead: Basic Concepts in the Kabbalah
- Held posts at Hebrew University of Jerusalem
