Jewish Influences in Medieval European Esotericism
Jewish Influences in Medieval European Esotericism

Summary/Abstract: The article claims that throughout the ages Jewish mysticism influenced European thinking both indirectly, through the intermediation of other civilizations (Greek, Roman, Arab) and directly, as they evoloved in parallel, particularly from the Middle Ages onward. Such influence is pursued in fundamental writings that have shaped Western mentality, like Corpus Hermeticum and the Perfect Sermon of Asclepius, which provided the basis of scientific evolution through theurgy, theosophy, magic, alchemy and astrology, on the one hand, and the erotic and demonic instruction works of various authors which provided the basis for the evolution of ethics and morals, on the other hand.

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