Signifying Creator

Michael D. Swartz is Professor of Hebrew and Religious Studies at the Ohio State University. His books include Scholastic Magic, Mystical Prayer in Ancient Judaism, Hebrew and Aramaic Incantation Texts from the Cairo Genizah (with Lawrence H. Schiffman), and Avodah: Ancient Poems for Yom Kippur (with Joseph Yahalom). He also served as Judaica Editor for the second edition of The Encyclopedia of Religion.

• Preface Acknowledgments 1. Introduction: Outside the Text 2. Myths of Creation 3. The Semiotics of the Priestly Vestments 4. Divination and Its Discontents 5. Bubbling Blood and Rolling Bones 6. Conclusions: The Signifying Creator Notes Index About the Author

"Recommended [for] libraries in general, especially those supporting Jewish studies, [as well as] upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty, [and] general readers." (CHOICE) "In this remarkably concise, yet massively researched, volume, Michael Swartz lays the historical and hermeneutical foundations for a massive revision of the idea of late antique Judaism as an essentially text- and logocentric intellectual tradition. His elegantly written argument will challenge scholars--and, one hopes, their students--for years to come!" - Martin S. Jaffee,University of Washington "With gestures to the music of John Cage and the meaning of fashion, Michael Swartz explores the manifold ways that ancient Jews believed God could speak through worldly things: animals and dreams, zodiac and temple, priestly vestments and the flowing of blood. Using such diverse sources as ancient synagogue mosaics and liturgical poetry, Swartz shows with economy and insight that formative Judaism looked well beyond the Torah to find divine intention." - David Frankfurter,Boston University