Spiritual Transformations of Torah in Biblical and Rabbinic Tradition

Abstract

The article deals with changing conceptions of Torah in the formative two phases of Jewish tradi- tion. The first major transformation in the Hebrew Bible is the ‘arcanization’ (Idel’s term) or esotericiza- tion of the subject. This occurs through the use of an old term for divinization (the verbal stem darash) for exegetical inquiry into the meaning of Torah (Ezra 7: 9-10). The second is the ‘spiritualization’ of Torah, evident in the transfer to it of verbs used with respect to relationship with God (see Psalm 119). A notable transformation in early rabbinic texts is the role of study as a substitute for ritual action.