Moshe Idel
Moshe Idel is a preeminent Israeli scholar of Jewish mysticism. Born in 1947 in Romania, he immigrated to Israel in 1963 and later pursued his academic studies at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he received his PhD under the supervision of Professor Gershom Scholem, a foundational figure in the study of Jewish mysticism. Idel's work has focused extensively on the Kabbalah, exploring its historical development and its philosophical implications.
Throughout his career, Idel has been awarded numerous prestigious awards, including the Israel Prize in Jewish Thought in 1999, which is one of the highest honors in Israeli academia. His scholarship is characterized by its depth and the innovative approach to traditional Jewish texts, reexamining and often challenging previous scholarly conclusions.
Idel has served as a professor at the Hebrew University and has held visiting professorships at various esteemed institutions around the world. His extensive bibliography includes works that have become essential readings in the study of mysticism and Kabbalistic texts, contributing significantly to the understanding and appreciation of Jewish intellectual and spiritual traditions.