The Jewish Alchemists
This scholarly work is the first attempt to trace the role of Jews in the field of alchemy from biblical times through the 19th century. A helpful introduction defines alchemy as more than the effort to transmit base metals into gold. The chronological presentation devotes several chapters to individual alchemists, while other chapters cover key manuscripts, treatises, and movements in the history of Jewish alchemy. In an especially absorbing chapter, the author describes the relationship of alchemy and kabbalism, with the latter introducing a mystical and spiritual context for alchemical theories. The conclusion asserts that pre-Enlightenment Jewish alchemists saw in alchemy a connection to their religious observance. Here alchemy comes to be seen as one of the few fields of intellectual endeavor where Jews were allowed to interact with gentiles on an equal basis. For larger Jewish studies collections.Mark Weber, Kent State Univ. Lib., OhioCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.