"Melila Hellner-Eshed's deep grasp of some of the most complicated and elusive parts of the zoharic literature is palpable and highly impressive, matched by her ability to convey the striking wisdom of the Idra Rabba in a wonderfully lucid, engaging, and evocative manner. Her love for the Zohar is contagious."—Eitan P. Fishbane, The Jewish Theological Seminary, author ofThe Art of Mystical Narrative: A Poetics of the Zohar"Having read this book, I know that I will never read the Zohar in the same way again. All students of Kabbalah will come to view Seekers of the Face as a prerequisite, with its unique and innovative synthesis of the Jewish tradition, Jungian theory, mysticism, and feminist thought."—Pinchas Giller, American Jewish University, author of Kabbalah: A Guide for the Perplexed"The Zohar is the masterpiece of Jewish mysticism, and one of its greatest narratives is the Idra Rabba. For seven centuries, this intricate tale has perplexed readers—but now Melila Hellner-Eshed, a brilliant Israeli scholar of Kabbalah, has decoded the Idra Rabba, revealing its deepest secret: how God needs us."—Daniel Matt, translator of The Zohar: Pritzker Edition"The personal way that Hellner-Eshed connects with her subject and draws her readers into this astonishing realm makesSeekers of the Faceparticularly captivating... By means of her sensitive and methodical approach, Hellner-Eshed has made accessible one of the most difficult and abstruse medieval Jewish texts. Written for a general readership but replete with invaluable insights and wide-ranging references to the contemporary scholarship on her subject,Seekers of the Faceis well worth reading by any and all."—Mark Verman, H-Judaic