Includes bibliographical references (pages 179-192) and index.
Shar'abi and Beit El -- Kavvanah and kavvanot -- The names of God in the Beit El kavvanot -- Kabbalists in the community -- Beit El practice -- Shar'abi's school -- The literary tradition of Beit El -- The kavvanot in Hasidism -- Conclusion : mysticism, metaphysics, and the limitations of Beit El Kabbalah.
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"Pinchas Giller examines the characteristic mystical practices of the Beit El School. The dominant practice is that of ritual prayer with mystical "intentions," or kavvanot. The kavvanot themselves are the product of thousands of years of development and incorporate many traditions and bodies of lore. Giller examines the archaeology of the kavvanot literature, the principle aspect of which is the meditation on God's sacred names while reciting prayers, the development of particular rituals, and the innovative mystical and devotional practices of the Beit El kabbalists."--BOOK JACKET.