Reading Gershom Scholem

Abstract

The article proposes a new reading of Gershom Scholems writings. Especially the diaries of the young Scholem should less be interpreted as a metaphysical or even kabbalistic speculations, but as a specific writing in the making. For Scholem's texts do not only speak about Zionism, Judaism, tradition etc., but actually perform a very complex relationship towards them by different rhetorical and literary techniques. Three close readings of Scholem's esoteric texts from different periods of his life show 1) how he relates himself to traditional Jewish writing on which he reflects and which he imitates, albeit with an ironical twist, thus claiming to be part of tradition and stands outside of it at the same time; 2) how he uses the poetical techniques of overdertermination, self-referentiality, and ambiguity to describe his research on Kabbalah as standing in-between historicist relativism and the continuation of tradition; 3) how Scholem, by semantic condensation and the interplay of metaphors produce texts which seem to be paradox and self evident at the same time - texts which attract the interest of readers who were thus lead to a deeper occupation with Kabbala and Scholem's major historiographic works. More generally, the article pleads for the use of literary categories in modern Jewish intellectual history, since those categories are especially apt to describe and analyze the complex and ambivalent relation of modern Jews towards tradition.

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