Old Worlds, New Mirrors

Moshe Idel examines various influential thinkers, including Walter Benjamin and Jacques Derrida, exploring their connections to Judaism within a European context, while emphasizing mystical elements and Gershom Scholem's impact on their ideas.

In Old Worlds, New Mirrors, Moshe Idel explores the intricate relationships between prominent intellectual figures and Judaism within a cosmopolitan, primarily European context. The book examines a diverse range of thinkers, including Walter Benjamin, Jacques Derrida, Franz Kafka, and Franz Rosenzweig, among others. Idel highlights the emergence of a new Jewish elite in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, characterized not by traditional roles such as prophets or rabbis, but by intellectuals and academicians who engaged with secular audiences.

Idel, a distinguished scholar of Jewish mysticism, delves into the mystical dimensions of his subjects' writings. He consciously avoids seeking a singular essence of Judaism in their works, yet he emphasizes the Kabbalistic and Hasidic influences that shaped their thoughts. By doing so, Idel provides a nuanced understanding of how these figures interacted with their Jewish heritage while navigating the complexities of modernity.

Throughout the book, the influence of Gershom Scholem is prominent, as he played a pivotal role in establishing Kabbalah as a modern academic field. Idel’s reflections can be seen as a response to Scholem's impact, offering insights into the broader reception of his ideas. In Old Worlds, New Mirrors, Idel invites readers to reconsider the connections between Jewish thought and modern intellectual currents, illustrating how these relationships continue to resonate in contemporary discussions of identity and culture.