Love of God in Moses de León’s Book of the Pomegranate and in the Zohar
The Transcendent Beloved April 24, 2026 DOI: 10.1093/9780197842805.003.0006 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Historical analysis Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that Moses de León's Book of the Pomegranate preserves philosophical terminology in its kabbalistic account of love, whereas the Zohar's parallel texts fully adapt Platonic and Neoplatonic concepts, presenting them as inherent aspects of the discourse. |
Abstract
Abstract The merging of philosophical and mystical categories in the concept of love allows for the creation of a space shared by philosophers and mystics. This shared space is explored in this chapter by inquiring into works that belong to the flower of medieval Kabbalah in Castile. In the Book of the Pomegranate, Moses de León’s discussion of the commandment to love God provides a remarkable example of a kabbalistic account reflecting key Platonic and Neoplatonic concepts of love, while partially preserving a philosophical terminology. Parallel texts from the Zohar, however, demonstrate a complete adaptation of the philosophical concepts. Appearing in rabbinical and symbolic garb, and deeply embedded in the exegetical context, these concepts come across as inherent aspects of the discourse rather than borrowed elements from other bodies of thought.