Florida International University. Department of Religious Studies REL 5629 B51 Kabbalah Peace and War Zohar M Hybrid 2:00pm 4:30pm A1 155

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1 Florida International University Department of Religious Studies REL 5629 B51 Kabbalah Peace and War Zohar M Hybrid 2:00pm 4:30pm A1 155 Prof. Zion Zohar Spring 2011 Preliminary Syllabus (Hybrid Course) GENERAL INFORMATION REL 3308 B51 Studies in World Religions Zohar Tuesdays/Hybrid 11:00am 12:15pm Professor: Dr. Zion Zohar Phone: Office Hours: Mon 1:00pm-2:00pm (By appointment). Classroom: ACI 155 Class Time: Mon. 2:00pm-4:30pm. Office: ACI 225 (Biscayne Bay Campus) Please use CE6 Course Mail only. (When you log in to the course, just click on Course Mail on the Course Menu.) PROFESSOR BIOGRAPHY Dr. Zohar Dr. Zion Zohar is the Director and Chair of the President Navon Program for the Study of Sephardic and Oriental Jewry at Florida International University. He did extensive academic work on world religions when he studied for an M.A in comparative religions at the Hebrew university of Jerusalem and was since then involved with editorial academic work on the Abrahamic traditions (Judaism Christianity and Islam.) He specializes in Judaic and Sephardic Studies in general and Jewish mysticism and philosophy in particular. His doctoral dissertation on The Concept of Kavvanah (Intention) in the Halachic (Jurisprudence) and Philosophic Thought of Maimonides and its Roots in Rabbinic Literature was written for the Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion, where he received his doctorate in Hebrew Literature, specializing in Jewish Mysticism and Philosophy. He studied with some of the greatest scholars of Jewish mysticism in the academic world, first at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he earned his master s degree in Jewish Thought and Mysticism, and then, at New York University, where he did his Ph.D. coursework in Jewish mysticism and

2 philosophy. Since his arrival at FIU, Dr. Zohar has taught many undergraduate as well as graduate classes, such as Studies In World Religions; Moses, Jesus, Muhammad; Moses Priests and Prophets; Meditation and Mystical Traditions; Religion and Society in Israel; Jewish Mysticism; The Golden Age of Sephardic Jewry; Kabbalah and the Bible; and Peace, war and Kabbalah among others. To learn more about this professor, please click: gfgfgf COURSE DESCRIPTION The Jewish mystical tradition is very old and very diverse. One of its essential characteristics is complexity. Its language, its symbols, and its methods of concealment-- all display great variety. The writers of Jewish mystical sources did all they could to intentionally make the subject of mysticism difficult for the uninitiated and the beginner. In this class, we will attempt to break the code hidden in the symbolic language of Kabbalah and by so doing, open-- to the degree possible-- this fantastic treasure of Jewish mystical lore. Each class is comprised of two major parts. In the first part of each class, we will try to provide an overview-presentation on different aspects of Jewish mysticism: a) to focus on the unique language of Jewish mysticism, b) to become acquainted with the basic mystical symbols, and c) to comprehend the mindset of the Jewish mystic using the most ancient mystical sources (1st -6th century CE). In the second part of each class, we will try to provide a close analysis of a variety of primary texts in translation. Upon completion of the background introductory material of early Jewish Mysticism we will move to kabbalah in the Middle Ages which will constitute most of the class. No previous knowledge is necessary.. COURSE OBJECTIVES Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to: Define the main concepts of Kabbalah. Identify and comprehend the contours of the main mystical Jewish trends Identify and comprehend various approaches to Jewish Mysticism. Identify and comprehend important issues in the study of Kabbalah. Demonstrate the acquired knowledge in the quizzes and exams. Analyze essential texts of the different trends of Kabbalah. Apply the acquired skills and knowledge in quizzes, exams, papers and assignments.

3 TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THIS COURSE Thoroughly read all Course Syllabus and Content pages; Log into the course on daily basis to check Course Mail; Take all quizzes; and Participate actively in discussions. COURSE PREREQUISITES There are no prerequisites for this course. TEXTBOOK AND MATERIALS 1. David Ariel, Kabbalah: The Mystic Quest in Judaism [Paperback] Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.; illustrated edition edition (January 25, 2006) ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Lawrence Fine, Essential Papers On Kabbalah, (NewYork and London, New York University Press, 1995) Available in the FIU bookstore. 3. Arthur Green, A Guide to the Zohar Publisher: Stanford University Press; 1 edition (December 18, 2003) ISBN-10: ISBN-13: Daniel Matt, The Zohar 5: Pritzker Edition, Volume Five (Zohar: The Pritzker Editions) [Hardcover]. Publisher: Stanford University Press; Pritzker ed edition (October 19, 2009) ISBN- 10: Extra readings will be posted on the library reserve for this class and will be linked online. GRADING CRITERIA Course Requirements Weekly Quizzes online (each quiz 2%x 10) Weights 20%

4 Research Assignment- (each 5%) 5% Midterm Exam (March 2 nd ) 10% Final Exam (April 13 th ) 20% Midterm & Term Paper (March 30 th, April 22) 25% Attendance & Participation 15% Class presentation 5% Total 100% Extra Credit (Ask Professor)** Up to 5% ** Please note: Extra credit assignments will be offered towards the end of the semester only. Please don t ask for extra credit before Spring break. GRADING SCALE A C A C B D B D B D C+ Below 60 F QUIZZES A time-restricted, online quiz will be given on each religious tradition. You will have to take 1 quiz per week excluding midterm exam and final exam. Please follow the syllabus for the dates and times for these quizzes. You can take each quiz three times, and the highest of the three attempts will be recorded. Taking the quiz is a form of an online class attendance and in order to get credit for an online attendance you have to pass the quizzes with a minimum grade of 80%. Once you get the grade of 80% you got the full credit (2% for each quiz). However if you fail to get the minimum of 80% you will get no credit whatsoever for that session, even if your higher grade is 79%. Thus getting 80% or 100% is equally awarded the full 2%. Having said that, even if you do well on the first attempt and earn the full 2%, it is advisable to use all three attempts. The reason being is that, you will not receive the same quiz every time; the computer randomly chooses the questions from a quiz database. The Midterm and Final exams questions will be taken directly from this database. Thus, the more times you take the quiz, the better prepared you will be for these exams. For the quizzes, you will have 20 minutes to complete 20 questions for each quiz. Each quiz will be open for a few days, make sure to follow the quiz schedule, and you can take it on any of those days at any time (Quizzes are available from Thursday 12:00 am to Sunday 11:55 pm of the designated dates.).

5 In order to mitigate any issues with your computer and online assessments, it is very important that you practice taking the first Quiz from each computer you will be using to take your quizzes. It is your responsibility to make sure your computer is compatible with CE6 ( and that it meets the minimum hardware requirements ( Please take this practice quiz on the date that it is assigned, which is the first day of class. To access the quizzes, click on "Quizzes" on the Course Menu. EXAMS The exams are administered in the classroom in a time-restricted manner. The midterm will cover all the material from the beginning of the semester until the date of the exam, including the latest textbook reading assignment from Huston Smith s The World's Religions as well as all the movies and texts studied so far. The questions of the midterm exam will closely resemble the ones in the weekly quizzes. Students will have to answer 50 multiple choice questions for the midterm exam. The final exam will include all the material covered in the entire semester, from the beginning of the semester to the last day. Please master all the textbook reading assignments from Huston Smith s The World's Religions as well as all the movies and texts studied in this semester. The questions of the final will closely resemble the ones in the weekly quizzes. Students will have to answer 100 multiple choice questions for the final exam. Fgfgfgf MIDTERM & TERM PAPER The Midterm paper should be a minimum of 6-8 and the Term pages in length. Submit your essay via the "Assignment" link in the Course Tools. More details- TBA Late Papers Very Important: Late papers will be downgraded one letter grade for each day late. Fgfgfgf COURSE POLICIES If you have a serious reason for missing the open dates for the midterm or final (e.g., serious accident, hospitalization, incarceration, death in the immediate family) contact the Professor to arrange a make-up. Quizzes are "up" for a few days (About 4 days.) Plan to take them early so that if you have technological problems they can be resolved before the quiz period is over. In order to have a quiz reset you must demonstrate that you were incapacitated for the entire time that the quiz was accessible. Computers are available on campus if your computer is down; many home computers using

6 modems might be too slow leave time enough to access them on campus if your set-up at home does not work. Incompletes University policy allows incompletes only in cases where the student has completed the majority of work in the class and have a passing grade on all completed work. You must ask for an incomplete--they are not automatic for those who have not completed the course. All incompletes expire on the first day the student enrolls in another class, because the longer an I goes on, the worse the student does, the less he/she remembers, and the more unlikely the I is to be completed among the press of other work Late Papers Again- late papers will be downgraded one letter grade for each day late. FIU LIBRARY SUPPORT The FIU library provides a number of services to distance learning students. For example: Students can request a chat session in CE6 for an explanation on how to access library resources. Students can request detailed instructions on how to access library resources. One-on-One assistance from the Distance Learning Librarian. Don't struggle through your library research alone! Help is available. For further information, contact Sarah Hammill, Distance Learning Librarian, via at hammills@fiu.edu or call DISABILITY NOTICE If you have a disability and need assistance, please contact the Disability Resource Center (University Park : GC190; ) (North Campus: WUC139, ). Upon contact, the Disability Resource Center will review your request and contact your professors or other personnel to make arrangements for appropriate modification and/or assistance. RELIGIOUS HOLY DAYS The University's policy on religious holy days as stated in the University Catalog and Student Handbook will be followed in this class. Any student may request to be excused from a class to observe a religious holy day of his or her faith. If you are about to observe a holiday during this course you have to let the professor know about it in the first week of classes. It is imperative that you read and understand the Academic Integrity at if you need further clarification.

7 ACADEMIC MISCONDUCT Statement of Understanding between Professor and Student Every student must respect the right of all to have an equitable opportunity to learn and honestly demonstrate the quality of their learning. Therefore, all students must adhere to a standard of academic conduct, demonstrating respect for themselves, their fellow students, and the educational mission of the University. As a student in Florida International University taking this class: I will not represent someone else's work as my own I will not cheat, nor will I aid in another's cheating I will be honest in my academic endeavors I understand that if I am found responsible for academic misconduct, I will be subject to the academic misconduct procedures and sanctions as outlined in the Student Handbook Failure to adhere to the guidelines stated above may result in one of the following: Expulsion: Permanent separation of the student from the University, preventing readmission to the institution. This sanction shall be recorded on the student's transcript. Suspension: Temporary separation of the student from the University for a specific period of time. Plagiarism Plagiarism will not be tolerated. Plagiarism, or attempting to pass off another's work as your own, falls into three different categories: 1. A written work that is entirely stolen from another source; 2. Using quotations from another source without properly citing them; and 3. Paraphrasing from another source without proper citations. Students are expected to understand the definition of plagiarism. See the University Code of Academic Integrity at if you need further clarification. Offenders will receive a grade of F for the plagiarized assignment, and possibly the course. NOTE: Intensive Auditing of the course will be conducted to prevent academic misconduct. EXPECTATION OF THIS COURSE This is a hybrid course, meaning that substantial part of the course work will be conducted online. Expectations for performance in hybrid courses are the same as for traditional courses; in fact, hybrid courses require a degree of self-motivation, self-discipline, and technology skills that can make them more demanding for some students. Hybrid courses are not independent study courses. You will be expected to interact in the

8 FGFGFGF classroom as well as online with the professor and your fellow students; to do assignments and to meet deadlines. CLASS SCHEDULE/CALENDAR- SPRING 2011 Weekly READING assignments from the textbooks and other resources are listed below for each class session. Students are expected to pace their learning according to the posted course assignments. WRITTEN assignments DUE DATES are highlighted, term paper in Blue, Research assignments in Green and Exams & quizzes in Yellow. Very important Note (concerning Assignments and the Papers.) All written material should be computer generated (only MS Word or PDF) and doublespaced. Preferred style is Chicago Manual of Style, but other styles would be fine too, as long as you clearly indicate which style you are using and use it correctly and consistently throughout the paper. Margins should be one inch all around. It is the student s responsibility to keep a HARD COPY of every paper composed. Please make back-up disc copies- it is your responsibility. Again: Quizzes are normally available from Wednesday 12:00 pm to Sunday 11:55 pm of the designated dates in the Assessment link under Course Tools except for holidays, see below. General note regarding religious holidays: If and when a religious holiday begins at sunset on the due date of an assignment, that assignment is due by noon of that day (check syllabus for specific holidays and dates marked with an * ). DATE TOPIC NOTES M, 1-10 Introduction to course M, 1-17 No class MLK Day M, 1-24 Continue Introduction to course & Judaism background Read Ch. 1 in Green and Ch. 1 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #1a &1b. W, 1-26 Online assignment 1 st assignment (Students will devote the time for completing this assignment for the next two weeks)- This assignment will serve two objectives: a. the students will lean to discriminate between reliable and scientific online sources on the one hand and unreliable and unscientific sources on the other hand, b. experience first-hand how misuse of Jewish mystical texts can be of tragic consequences. M, 1-31 General Introduction to Jewish Mysticism as a background to Kabbalah as well as text analysis and discussion and or a movie. W, 2-2 Read Ch. 2 in Green and Ch. 2 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #2a &2b. Continue Online assignment #1 See above M, 2-7 Assignment #1 is due. Class discussion on the content of the article Pulsa DeNura As well as text analysis and discussion.

9 W, 2-9 Read Ch. 3 in Green and Ch. 3 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #3a &3b. M, 2-15 Text analysis and discussion and or a movie. W, 2-16 Read Ch. 4 in Green and Ch. 4 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #4a &4b. M, 2-21 Text analysis and discussion and or a movie. W, 2-23 Read Ch. 5 in Green and Ch. 5 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #5a &5b. M, 2-28 Text analysis and discussion and or a movie. W, 3-2 In class exam- Midterm (will be held in a computer lab in the library- TBA) & Read Ch. 6 in Green and Ch. 6 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #6a &6b. M, 3-7 Text analysis and discussion and or a movie. W, 3-9 Read Ch. 7 in Green and Ch.7 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #7a &7b. M, 3-14 No class Spring break W, 3-16 No class Spring break M, 3-21 Text analysis and discussion and or a movie. W, 3-23 Read Ch. 8 in Green and Ch. 8 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #8a &8b. M, 3-28 Text analysis and discussion and or a movie. W, 3-30 Midterm papers due Read Ch. 8 in Green and Ch. 9 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #9a &9b. M, 4-4 Text analysis, discussion and or a movie. W, 4-6 Read Ch. 10 in Green and Ch. 10 in Ariel.- Take Quiz #10a &10b. M, 4-11 Text analysis, discussion and or a movie. W, 4-13 Final in class exam. M, 4-18 No class Passover W, 4-20 No class Passover F, 4-22 Term papers Essays due Florida International University College of Arts and Sciences., President Navon Program for the Study of Sephardic and Mizrahi Jewry Copyright All rights reserved worldwide.