Melila Hellner-Eshed
Melila Hellner-Eshed is a professor in the Department of Jewish Studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. She has been a research fellow and senior lecturer at the Shalom Hartman Institute for over twenty years. Her scholarship focuses on Jewish mysticism and Zoharic literature, exploring themes of mystical experience, mystical hermeneutics, and the history of Kabbalistic literature.
She received her Ph.D. from the Hebrew University, where she studied under the guidance of some of the leading scholars in Jewish mysticism. Her dissertation focused on the Zohar, which is considered one of the most important works of Kabbalah. Hellner-Eshed's work is characterized by a deep analysis of mystical texts through a literary and historical lens, aiming to uncover the spiritual and cultural contexts in which these texts were written.
Beyond her academic pursuits, Melila Hellner-Eshed is also known for her engaging teaching style and her ability to make complex mystical concepts accessible to a broader audience. She has contributed significantly to the study and understanding of Jewish mysticism and has published numerous articles and books on the subject. Her work not only enriches the academic study of Kabbalah but also contributes to the contemporary spiritual discourse.