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This article has been published in: Ocula 31, Semiotics and the representation of holiness: methodological reflections and case studies

author: Ugo Volli (Università di Torino, IT)

In the place of sanctity. Religious eminence in Jewish tradition

language: english

abstract: The concept of holiness is among the religious innovations brought by Christianity. In Hebrew there is a word (kadòsh) that normally translates as holy, but its usage is noticeably different, as it applies mostly to deities or entities such as the Land of Israel or the Jewish people and rarely to people. The paper aims to investigate whether some other categories of the Jewish tradition, such as the prophet, the sage (khakhàm), the pious (Hassìd), the righteous (tzaddìk) can be considered in some ways similar to the Christian definition of holiness. But differences are greater than similarities.

citation information: Ugo Volli, In the place of sanctity. Religious eminence in Jewish tradition , "Ocula", vol.25, n.31, pp.105-116, December 2024. DOI: 10.57576/ocula2024-32

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