Michael D. Swartz

Michael D. Swartz is a Professor in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Cultures at The Ohio State University. His research focuses on the cultural history of Judaism in late antiquity, rabbinic studies, early Jewish mysticism, and ritual practices. He holds a Ph.D. from New York University.

Swartz has authored numerous influential works including The Mechanics of Providence: The Workings of Ancient Jewish Magic and Mysticism (2018), The Signifying Creator: Non-Textual Sources of Meaning in Ancient Judaism (2012), and Scholastic Magic: Ritual and Revelation in Early Jewish Mysticism (1996). He also co-authored critical texts like Avodah: Ancient Poems for Yom Kippur (2005) and Hebrew and Aramaic Incantation Texts from the Cairo Genizah (1992). Currently, he is working on a project examining ideas of sacrifice in post-biblical Judaism.

Swartz served as Associate Editor for Judaica for the second edition of the Encyclopedia of Religion (2005), demonstrating his scholarly leadership in the field. His work bridges textual analysis with ritual studies, contributing significantly to understanding Jewish mystical traditions and magical practices in antiquity.