Describe the early development of Jewish Mysticism.

The Hebrew scriptures contain some of the most vivid and arresting depiction of divine encounter. In Genesis, God is illustrated as guiding the destiny of the Jewish nation. God disclosed himself to Jacob as a divine messenger, and in the gorge of the river Jabbok God wrestled with Jacob, bestowing upon him his new name Israel, which later denoted both the Jewish nation and the Promised Land. This is one of the first revelations in mysterious terms God had with the Jews. It is reported that these mystical traditions were repeated in whisper so they would not be overheard by those whom they were not intended.

According to Kabbalists God created the universe with letters of the Hebrew alphabet together with 10 divine emanations, they go on to explain how the individual, world and time are linked through the process of creation by means of the Hebrew alphabet. The Hasid (pios men of Germany, and Eastern Europe, to be a Hasid was a religious ideal) was perceived as capable of mastering magical powers. The writings of Eleazar Ben Judah of Worms for example found tracks on magic and the effectiveness of God's secret names as well as recipes for creating the Golem (an artificial man) through letter manipulation.

Kabblists explain that the Torah has a deeper, spiritual meaning to those who can understand it. One great Kabblist ibn Latif states:

"Kabbalah was superior to philosophy, - the highest intellect understanding reaching only the 'back' of the Divine whereas the 'face' was disclosed only in supra-intellectual ecstasy. True prayer led to communion with the active intellect, and then to union of the active intellect with the first created thing"

Jewish mystics believe that the domains of good and evil are intermingled and it is the individuals duty to separate them.

Poland Hasidim emphasised the centrality of faith and Talmudic study, whereas the Lubavich Hasidim in Lithuania combined kabbalistic speculation and rabbinical scholarship. From its interception at the end of the 18th century to the present day, this movement has kept alive the mystical tradition of the Jewish past.

Jewish mysticism is based on the ethics and teaching of the Torah, mysticism is to the Torah, what philosophy is to science.

2) "Mysticism is completely useless in the modern day" evaluate the validity

of this statement. (10)

When something is called "completely useless" alarm bells should ring, especially in the light of someone's religious beliefs. You have to look closely at what the question is implying. Just because you don't believe in something it shouldn't be labelled useless it all counts as part of the Jewish history and these experiences should count for something.

Of course there will be people that will agree with the statement, in light of current world affairs and Jewish practicality, it may be a waste of time learning about and preaching what some would regarded as fairy tales, technology and science has moved on from the times that mysticism was founded and some people have the attitude that if you don't see it, it cannot exist. The legend of the Golem may seem far fetched to most, and it cannot go to vouch for any "use" to the modern world and the new generation.

However, most of us wouldn't have seen £9000 all in crisp 10 pound notes, but that doesn't go to say that it doesn't exist, and that others wouldn't have seen it. Sometimes it helps to have a little belief in what others have witnessed or claim to witness.

In conclusion, Jewish mysticism has developed over the years like Chinese whispers because the stories "Spiritual encounters" were not written down for centuries and only known by an "elect" it is difficult to believe weather there is any truth in these experiences. However just because some people do not believe, it is true that each story has a moral encounter to strengthen their connection to God.