Creativity And Sexuality: A Kabbalistic PerspectiveJudaism openly recognizes, as an integral part of human nature, the enigmatic relationship between yetzer, or physical desire, and yetzirah, or spiritual creativity. Creativity and Sexuality, written as a fictional dialogue, clearly delineates the psychic interdependence of these two drives, as well as the integration of the concepts as they are defined by both Jewish mysticism and modern psychology. Mordechai Rotenberg is interested in the impact of religion on the psychology of everyday life. He was prompted to write Creativity and Sexuality by the popularity of writings that explore Jewish texts on the subject of sexuality from a historical or literary point of view, but that do not hesitate to include psychological evaluations based on popular secondary psychological concepts. This work seeks to provide an accurate psychological analysis of sexuality and spirituality from a Jewish mystical perspective. As such, it both reconstructs the interdisciplinary bridge between Judaism and psychology and deconstructs some exegetical traditions. The goal is to present new paradigmatic options, which may help modern society struggle more efficiently with its sexuality. Ultimately, the author sees physical desire and spiritual creativity as a regulative continuum. People learn how to spend the tremendous power of energy that the sexual yetzer produces not only on physical sex, but on the spiritual yetzirah. In an introduction written especially for this new edition, the author explains the continuing relevance of Creativity and Sexuality, and the ongoing relationship between sexual desire and a healthy spiritual self-fulfillment. This volume will be of interest to students of Judaism, psychology, mysticism, and sexuality. |
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... writing from the publisher . All inquiries should be addressed to Transaction Publishers , Rutgers - The State University , 35 Berrue Circle , Piscataway , New Jersey 088548042. www.transactionpub.com This book is printed on acid - free ...
... Writing ix xiii xvii 1 7 14 21 The " Yetzer - Yetzira " Continuum 2 The " Yetzer " as Creative Neurosis Sublimation and Dispensation of Sexuality " To Be in ... the Closet " The Yetzer and Romantic Imagination 25 29 34 38 49 3 Ecstasy ...
... writing style , which aspires to eschew the academic norm of assuming the mask of the neu- tral " scientist . " The unevasive exploration of sexual norms and ideolo- gies raises cynical and critical responses in academic and religious ...
... writing of this book on the creation - birthday of my firstborn daughter , Michal , who as a trained clinical psychologist holding also an M.A. degree in Jewish philosophy practically integrates the two disciplines with which this ...
... writers like Philip Roth . However , since sexuality is by definition not a matter of textuality but first and foremost the core of the living energy that constitutes the heart of the themes with which the psychological disciplines ...
Contents
Creation and Procreation | 1 |
Contraction and Emanation as Reading and Writing | 21 |
The Yetzer and Romantic Imagination | 49 |
Manic Disorder versus Creative Ecstasy | 62 |
Romantic Flirting versus Sexual Harassment | 79 |
Harassing the Flirter | 89 |
Ecstatic Prophecy and Imagination | 105 |
The YetzerYetzira Genre and the Musar Movement | 121 |
The Theory of Vaginal Envy | 139 |
The Yetzer in the Sociopsychological Therapy Room | 157 |
Bibliography | 171 |
Kierkegaards Seduction Style 86 | 179 |