Charismatic seeker: A.D. Gordon in the eyes of his contemporaries and in his own eyes

Gordon enchanted and fascinated those around him. The young pioneers of the Second Aliyah, among whom he lived and worked, looked up to him as a guide and teacher – many even saw in him a prophet. Yet despite Gordon's magnetic charisma, most of his views and teachings were rejected as impractical even by the pioneers who admired him. The common Weberian association between charisma and authority, led scholars to conclude that Gordon's charisma failed to deliver his call. This article, however, suggests an alternative understanding of Gordon's charisma and its impact. As will be demonstrated, Gordon embodies a unique anti-authoritarian model of charisma, a “charisma of a seeker” as it will be termed here. Gordon held an intense, continuous connection with the very foundation of existence. As a seeker, Gordon chose to harness his charismatic magnetism to call to those who wish to follow him – to follow themselves. By associating with Gordon, the pioneers could strengthen their connection to the core of existence, worn down by everyday routine, and live an attuned life in which every action arises from within rather than being externally imposed. They knocked on Gordon's door, in their quest to open the door to themselves.