   Greive (1973, 103–114) characterizes Hayy as “a religious-philosophical work, expressed in a mystical fashion.” It is part of a tradition of Himmelsreisen that stretches back to antiquity and is open to a number of interpretations. Three central moments can be discerned: (1) The soul’s imprisonment in the terrestrial world, which is foreign to her; (2) the role of self-knowledge (i.e. coming to know one’s true, other-worldly self) in the process of liberation; (3) wisdom as the means to this liberation.  Greive explores in particular, the literary connections with Avicenna’s recital, also called ‘Hayy’, as well as Ibn Gabirol’s liturgical masterpiece, Keter Malkhut.