ABSTRACT
This chapter considers the role of charisma in Jewish history from the time of the Hebrew Bible until modern times, with particular attention to the prophets and messianic figures of ancient times, the profound disillusionment with and distrust of charismatic phenomena in mainstream Judaism (particularly in reaction against the false messiahs, Bar-Kokhba and Shabbetai Zevi), the muted charisma inherent in Hasidism from the mid-18th century, and the re-emergence of charisma as a factor in Jewish political life from the late 19th century
