Sigmund Freud and the Jewish Mystical Tradition | Deluxe Edition 2026 Paperback – February 13, 2026

Sigmund Freud and the Jewish Mystical Tradition - David BakanSigmund Freud and the Jewish Mystical TraditionOriginally printed in 1958In this groundbreaking study, David Bakan challenges the traditional image of Sigmund Freud as a purely secular intellectual. While Freud is often viewed as a product of modern Western culture, Bakan argues that the father of psychoanalysis was profoundly shaped by Jewish mystical lore—a heritage Freud often appeared to distance himself from in his scientific pursuits."Bakan explores the intersection of personality and cultural history, revealing how Freud’s Jewish identity acted as a silent architect for his psychological theories."The core premise suggests that Freudian theory is deeply rooted in Jewish mysticism, particularly the Kabbala. By examining Freud’s own distinction between cultural Jewishness and religious adherence, Bakan illustrates how mystical traditions informed Freud's technical genius and his complex identity as both an "infidel" and a "Jew."Detailed ContentsPart I: The Background of Freud's Development of Psychoanalysis1. The Problem of the Origins of Psychoanalysis2. Hypotheses Relating the Origins of Psychoanalysis to Freud's Personal Life3. Psychoanalysis as a Problem in the History of Ideas4. Anti-Semitism in Vienna5. The General Question of Dissimulation6. Did Freud Ever Dissemble?7. Freud's Positive Identification as a Jew8. Freud's Relationship to Fliess and His Other Jewish AssociatesPart II: The Milieu of Jewish Mysticism9. Early Kabbala10. Modern Kabbala11. The Zohar12. The Chmielnicki Period13. Jewish Self-Government14. The Sabbatian Episode15. The Frankist Episode16. ChassidismPart III: The Moses Theme in the Thought of Freud17. The Moses of Michelangelo18. Some Relevant Biographical Items19. Moses and Monotheism—A Book of Double Content20. Moses as an Egyptian21. Moses Was Killed by the JewsPart IV: The Devil as Suspended Superego23. Introduction24. The Transition25. The Hypnosis and Cocaine Episodes26. The Discovery of the Transference27. The "Flectere..." of The Interpretation of Dreams28. Freud's Paper on Demoniacal Possession29. The Composition of The Interpretation of Dreams30. Accretion of Meanings to the Devil ImagePart V: Psychoanalysis and Kabbala31. The Problem of Scholarship32. Techniques of Interpretation33. Sexuality Read more