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Jewish

4th Century

Israel/Palestine
(Middle East)

Hekhalot Hymns (Anonymous)

Timeline (4th Century)

Poems by Hekhalot Hymns (Anonymous)
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The Hekhalot Hymns were composed by Jewish mystics.

The word "hekhalot" translates as "palaces" in reference to seven heavenly halls the Jewish mystic must safely pass through in order to approach the Merkavah (the divine throne or "chariot" -- usually equated with the chariot of Ezekiel's vision). The visionary who can make this sacred mystical journey is called a "descender to the chariot."

Hekhalot mysticism also looks to the ascent of Moses up the mountain to receive the Torah from heaven as a template for the mystic's journey to the Merkavah.

There are indications of early Hekhalot mysticism in the apocryphal Fourth Book of Ezra from around 100 CE:

"O Lord who inhabitest eternity, whose eyes are exalted and whose upper chambers [hekhaloth] are in the air, whose throne [merkavah] is beyond measure and whose glory is beyond comprehension, before whom the hosts of angels stand trembling and at whose command they are changed to wind and fire..."
-- 4 Ezra 8:21-22a

Other passages in the Fourth Book of Ezra suggest that the hymns may have been dictated by mystics in deep states of ecstasy, while a scribe sat on either side and recorded the visionary utterances.

There is some disagreement among scholars when trying to date the Hekhalot Hymns, but the consensus is that they were composed sometime between 200 and 800 CE. The 4th century is a common date cited.

Poems by Hekhalot Hymns (Anonymous)

	Hymn for the Descent to the Merkava
	The Face of God
	The Throne of Glory Addresses the King

Recommended Books

Beholders of Divine Secrets: Mysticism and Myth in the Hekhalot and Merkavah Literature, by Vita Daphna Arbel

Amazon.com

Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism, by Gershom Scholem

Amazon.com

The Penguin Book of Hebrew Verse, Edited by T. Carmi

Amazon.com

Related Links:

	Notes on the Study of Merkabah Mysticism and Hekhalot Literature in English http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/karr/mmhie.pdf#search=%22hekhalot%20hymns%22 A scholarly paper available in PDF form that explores early Jewish Merkavah mysticism and the Hekhalot Hymns.
	Changing Images of Moses in Jewish Culture http://www.jewishagency.org/JewishAgency/English/Jewish+Education/Jewish+History/Cultural+History/week+5.htm An article exploring how Moses has been viewed throughout Jewish history, with a brief look at the Hekhalot literature.
	The Kabbalah: Early Cosmogonic Speculation http://www.mystae.com/restricted/streams/scripts/kabbalah.html#Hekhaloth A good collection of extracted quotes on early Kabbalah mysticism, with a section on the Hekhalot literature.

Please support the Poetry Chaikhana, as well as the authors and publishers of sacred poetry, by purchasing some of the recommended books through the links on this site. Thank you!

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Hekhalot Hymns (Anonymous)

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