Speaking Infinities: God and Language in the Teachings of Rabbi Dov Ber of Mezritsh

Enshrined in Jewish memory simply as “the Maggid” (preacher), Rabbi Dov Ber Friedman of Mezritsh (1704–1772) played a critical role in the formation of Hasidism, the movement of mystical renewal that became one of the most important and successful forces in modern Jewish life. In Speaking Infinities, Ariel Evan Mayse turns to the homilies of the Maggid to explore the place of words in mystical experience. He argues that the Maggid’s theory of language is the key to unpacking his abstract mystical theology as well as his teachings on the devotional life and religious practice.

 

Ariel Evan Mayse teaches religious studies at Stanford University.