Ars Prophetica

Theology in the Poetry of Twentieth-Century Hebrew Poets Avraham Halfi, Shin Shalom, Amir Gilboa, and T. Carmi

by Haim Rechnitzer

Book cover: Ars Prophetica

Extent: 219 pages

Publisher: Hebrew Union College Press

Subjects: Jewish Studies, Literary Studies, Religious Studies

Language: English

Hardback (Published)

(July 2023)

ISBN: 9780878202355

Price: $39.95

In stock

PDF (Published)

(July 2023)

ISBN: 9780878202348

Price: $39.95

In Ars-Prophetica, Haim O. Rechnitzer uncovers and recovers the theological elements within the poetry of four renowned Hebrew-Israeli poets. Rechnitzer introduces major works of modern Hebrew poetry that are viewed as part of the “secular” heritage of the renewed Hebrew-Israeli culture.


In Ars-Prophetica: Theology in the Poetry of Twentieth-Century Israeli Poets Avraham Halfi, Shin Shalom, Amir Gilboa, and T. Carmi, Haim O. Rechnitzer uncovers and recovers the theological elements within the poetry of four renowned Hebrew-Israeli poets. First and foremost, Rechnitzer introduces major works of modern Hebrew poetry that are viewed as part of the “secular” heritage of the renewed Hebrew-Israeli culture, demonstrating these works’ relevance to general theological discourse and to the canon of Mahshevet Israel (Jewish thought). Rechnitzer’s readings illuminate the poems’ multiplicity of meanings, contextualizing the works not only within biblical sources-a prevalent practice of modern Hebrew reading-writing–but also within an intricate net of texts that present “theological worldviews,” such as Heikhalot literature, kabbalah and Hasidism. Thus, Rechnitzer, as he develops a systematic theological interpretation of Hebrew-Israeli poetry, introduces readers to a “new, vibrant, Hebrew-Jewish-Secular Theology.” Rechnitzer’s insights, and his method, will illuminate the discussion of all poetry that converses openly, or elusively, with Jewish texts.

  • By (author) Haim Rechnitzer