Israel as a Holy People in Medieval Kabbalah

This chapter explores how the notion of Israel as a holy people is employed in Zoharic Kabbalah. Conceptions of Jewish superiority are explicitly connected to discourses of Israelite sanctity throughout the Zoharic corpus. Due to their divine souls and unique role in the cosmic order according to the Zohar, Jews are regarded as playing a central and unique role as an am kadosh , or “holy people.” While medieval conceptions of Jewish sanctity are not employed as justification for inflicting harm upon non-Jews, some contemporary authors do make such a move. As comparison, the works of Yitzchak Ginsburgh are briefly addressed.