Rachel Elior
She achieved her PhD Summa cum Laude, in 1976, and maintains interests in Early Jewish Mysticism, the Dead Sea Scrolls, Messianism, Sabbatianism, Hasidism, Frankism and the role of Women in Jewish Culture. She also is an expert on the concept of prophecy in the modern world, and an expert on the modern Chabad movement. Some scholars consider her views as highly challenging.
For example, her theory of the origins of mysticism in the priestly class has been challenged by Prof. Yehudah Liebes of Hebrew University, however those contentions were highly praised by Joseph Dan {article in haaretz} and her understanding of the ancient calendar was rejected by Sacha Stern.However the same ideas were highly praised by April DeConik in her recently edited book Paradise Now.
Eibert Tigchelaar noted that her examples have a “lack of historical specificity that are disturbing and frustrating.” While Joseph Dan (Haaretz), Hamutal Bar Yosef (Haaretz), Haviva Pedaya (Masekhet)Andrea Lieber (SBL Papers), Hananel Mack (Dimui), Jerold Necker and George Brook, Raanan Boustan (SBL Papers), April DeConik in the introduction of Paradise Now, highly praised it.
She was appointed as an Associate Professor in 1988 and given a full professorship in 1994. She has been a visiting professor at Princeton University, UCL, Yeshiva University, the University of Tokyo and the University of Michigan.
Elior made headlines on March 16, 2009 when she claimed that the Essenes, the supposed authors of the Dead Sea Scrolls never existed.
Elior contended that the Essenes were really the renegade sons of Zadok, a priestly caste banished from the Temple of Jerusalem by intriguing Greek rulers in 2nd century B.C. When they left, they took the source of their wisdom — their scrolls — with them.
"In Qumran, the remnants of a huge library were found," Elior says, with some of the early Hebrew texts dating back to the 2nd century B.C. "The scrolls attest to a biblical priestly heritage," says Elior, who speculates that the scrolls were hidden in Qumran for safekeeping.
Bibliography
The Dybbuk and Jewish Women, Jerusalem and New Yor, Urim Publications, 2008
Jewish Mysticism: The Infinite Expression of Freedom, Oxford, The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 2007
The Mystical Origins of Hasidism, Oxford, The Littman Library of Jewish Civilization, 2006
Heikhalot Literature and Merkavah Tradition Ancient Jewish Mysticism and its Sources, Tel Aviv: Yediot Ahronot; Sifrei Hemed: 2004 (Hebrew)
The Three Temples: On the Emergence of Jewish Mysticism Oxford: Littman Library of Jewish Civilization 2004
Herut al Haluhot – Studies in the Mystical Foundations of Hasidism, Tel Aviv: Broad Cast University: Defense Ministry Press 1999.
Paneiah ha-Shonot shel ha-Herut -Iyunim be-Mistika Yehudit (Alpayim 15, Am Oved 1998)
The Paradoxical Ascent to God: The Kabbalistic Theosophy of Habad, Albany: State University of New York Press 1993.
Torat HaElohut BaDor haSheni shel Hasidut Habad, Jerusalem: Hebrew University: Magnes Press 1982 (Hebrew)
Heikhalot Zutarti: An Early Mystical Manuscript of the Mishnaic Talmudic Period, Jerusalem: Hebrew University: Magnes Press 1982 (Hebrew)
Galia Raza: 16th Century Kabbalistic Manuscript, Jerusalem: Hebrew University 1981 (Hebrew)
Yehudah Liebes, "Children of the sun vs.
children of the moon" Haaretz 4/6/2003
Sacha Stern, "Rachel Elior on Ancient Jewish Calendars: A Critique" Aleph: Historical Studies in Science and Judaism - Volume 5, 2005, pp.