Works of classic pre-Hasidic Kabbalists in English

Here are works of the classic, pre-Hasidic Kabbalists in English. This is by no means a comprehensive list.

Where available I am noting complete translations of their classic works. In some cases few such translations exist, and so many of the below books offer several chapters, rather than complete translations.

Some books are an academic overview; these offer translated quotes, and then discuss and explain them.

Abraham Abulafia 1240-1291

Abraham Abulafia was born in Zaragoza, Spain, and spent much time in Barcelona and Castile, then spent time in Greece and Rome.

The Heart of Jewish Meditation: Abraham Abulafia’s Path of the Divine Names, Avi Solomon, Hadean Press, 2013

The Mystical Experience in Abraham Abulafia (SUNY series in Judaica) Moshe Idel, 1987

Language, Torah, and Hermeneutics in Abraham Abulafia (SUNY series in Judaica) Moshe Idel, 1988

Abraham Abulafia’s Esotericism, Moshe Idel, De Gruyter, 2020. Volume 4 in the series Studies and Texts in Scepticism

“This book focuses on Abraham Abulafia’s esoteric thought in relation to Maimonides, Maimonideans, and Islamic thought in the line of Leo Strauss’ theory of the history of philosophy…. The book also examines Abulafia’s universalistic understanding of the nature of the Bible, the Hebrew language, and the people of Israel (or the Sinaic revelation.)”

Moses Cordovero, the Ramak 1522–1570

He lived in Tzfat (Safed) צְפַת, then Ottoman Syria. He is author of these works

Pardes Rimonim (“Orchard of Pomegranates) 1548

Ohr Yakar (“Precious Light”) – was a 16 volume commentary on the Zoharic literature in its entirety

Tomer Devorah (“Palm Tree of Deborah”)

Moses Cordovero’s Introduction to Kabbalah: An Annotated Translation of His Or Ne’Erav, Ira Robinson, 1994

The Palm Tree of Devorah, Moshe Miller, Targum Press/Feldheim Publishers, 1993

The Palm Tree of Deborah: Translated from the Hebrew With an Introduction and Notes, Louis Jacobs, 1960, reprint 1974

Tomer Devorah (The Palm Tree of Deborah) online translation

The Kabbalah of Forgiveness: The Thirteen Levels of Mercy in Rabbi Moshe Cordovero’s Date Palm of Devorah. Henry Abramson. 2014

And a four part translation of Pardes Rimonim: Orchard of Pomegranates

Pardes Rimonim: Orchard of Pomegranates, Parts 1-4. Parts 5-8:5. Parts 8:6-26, and Parts 9-12. In English, Hebrew, and Aramaic. Translated by Elyakim Getz, Providence University

Isaac Luria Ashkenazi, Ha Ari 1534-1572

He lived in Egypt, Tzfat (Safed) and finally Damascus.

He is more commonly referred to as Ha’Ari (the Lion,) Ha’Ari HaKadosh (The Holy Lion), or AriZaL (the Ari of blessed memory.)

He is the father of contemporary (Lurianic) Kabbalah. While Kabbalah existed for centuries before him, it is his reconceptualization of Jewish mysticism which is most known today. He did not write any books; his ideas are known to us through the work of his students, primarily Hayyim Vital.

Physician of the Soul, Healer of the Cosmos: Isaac Luria and his Kabbalistic Fellowship, Lawrence Fine, Stanford University Press, 2003

Judah Loew, the Maharal of Prague, 1512-1520 to 1609

Judah Loew ben Bezalel יהודה ליווא בן בצלאל; born between 1512 and 1520, died 1609. Known as the Maharal , the Hebrew acronym of Moreinu ha-Rav Loew (“Our Teacher, Rabbi Loew”.) He was a Talmudic scholar, mystic, mathematician, and philosopher. He served as a leading rabbi in the cities of Mikulov in Moravia and Prague in Bohemia (modern day Czech Republic.).

His works include Gur Aryeh al HaTorah, a supercommentary on Rashi’s Torah commentary; Gevuroth HaShem (“God’s Might”) on Passover; Derech Chaim (“Way of Life”) on the Mishnah tractate Avot; Be’er ha-Golah, on the Talmudic and Midrashic Aggadah; and many others. The Maharal is famously the subject of a later legend that he created the Golem of Prague.

There is some debate about in what ways the Maharal was a mystic of Kabbalist. Many scholars use the term “Kabbalah” to refer to Jewish mystical schools of thought which focus on the Sefirot, which includes the Zohar and subsequent works of Moses Cordovero, Isaac Luria, Hayyim Vital, etc. They use the term “Jewish mysticism” to more broadly include other and earlier Jewish mystical ideas.

As the Maharal doesn’t explicitly use kabbalistic language in his works, many have concluded that he was not a Kabbalist. Other readers discern that the Maharal draws on many Kabbalistic ideas from the Zohar but explains them more simply, making him a true kabbalist. Perhaps this is related to the prohibitions against making much of Kabbalah publicly taught?

The Maharal: The Mystical Philosophy of Rabbi Judah Loew of Prague by Ben Zion Bokser, Jason Aronson, 210 pages

Be’er Hagolah: The classic defense of Rabbinic Judaism through the profundity of the aggadah, Yitzchok Adlerstein, ArtScroll, 2000

“Maharal on the Parshah” by Rabbi Chaim Brown, Adir Press, 2022

Paths of the Maharal, David Kuhr and Idan Kuhr. Translations of Path of Acts of Kindness, Love of Hashem, Path of Suffering

By The Light Of The Maharal: Illuminating The Weekly Parsha And Festivals With The Brilliance Of Rabbi Yehuda Loew Of Prague, Avraham Weinroth, 560 pages. Feldheim

A Taste of Maharal, Doniel Baron , Mosaica Press, 327 pages, 2022

Hayyim Vital 1542-1620

He lived in Tzfat (Safed) צְפַת, then Ottoman Syria.

He is the author of Etz Chaim, Tree of Life, 1573.

The Tree of Life. Chayyim Vital’s Introduction to the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria [Etz Hayim Vol 1: The Palace of Adam Kadmon] translated by Donald Wilder Menzi & Zwe Padeh, Jason Aronson Inc., 1999

The Tree of Life: The Palace of Adam Kadmon. 4 volumes. Translated by E. Collé & H. Collé, 2015

Window of the Soul: The Kabbalah of Rabbi Isaac Luria: Selections from Chayyim Vital, Translated by Nathan Snyder. Edited and with an introduction by James David Dunn, Weiser Books, 2008

Isaiah (Yeshayahu) Ha-Levi Horowitz aka the Shelah HaKaddosh 1555-1630

He lived in Prague, Lublina, Austria, and Frankfurt. Author of Shney Luchot Habrit, this book has had a profound influence on the early Hasidic movement. It has been translated into English in 3 volumes:

Shney Luchot Habrit, Eliyahu Munk, Urim Publications, 1327 pages, 2000.

A 2nd edition is available from Lambda Publishers.

Joseph Ben Emanuel Ergas 1685-1730

Lived in Pisa and Livorno, Italy. Author of Shomer Emunim, an introduction to Lurianic Kabbalah.

Shomer Emunim; The Introduction to Kabbalah, Avinoam Fraenkel, Urim Publications, 1080 pages, 2021

See “An Interview with Avinoam Fraenkel” with Alan Brill.

Moshe Chaim Luzzatto, Ramchal 1707-1746

Moshe Chaim Luzzatto (משה חיים לוצאטו), 1707-1746, was a prominent Italian Jewish rabbi and kabbalist. He is known by the Hebrew acronym RaMCHaL (or RaMHaL) רמח”ל‎. He lived in Venice, Padua, Italy, and then Amsterdam.

Author of Mesillat Yesharim, Path of the Upright, a mussar text; Derech HaShem, (aka Dereckh Adona) The Way of the Name;

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