Tree of Souls: The Mythology of JudaismOxford University Press, 2004 M11 1 - 704 pages The first anthology of Jewish mythology in English, Tree of Souls reveals a mythical tradition as rich and as fascinating as any in the world. Drawing from the Bible, the Pseudepigrapha, the Talmud and Midrash, the kabbalistic literature, medieval folklore, Hasidic texts, and oral lore collected in the modern era, Schwartz has gathered together nearly 700 of the key Jewish myths. The myths themselves are marvelous. We read of Adams diamond and the Land of Eretz (where it is always dark), the fall of Lucifer and the quarrel of the sun and the moon, the Treasury of Souls and the Divine Chariot. We discover new tales about the great figures of the Hebrew Bible, from Adam to Moses; stories about God's Bride, the Shekhinah, and the evil temptress, Lilith; plus many tales about angels and demons, spirits and vampires, giant beasts and the Golem. Equally important, Schwartz provides a wealth of additional information. For each myth, he includes extensive commentary, revealing the source of the myth and explaining how it relates to other Jewish myths as well as to world literature (for instance, comparing Eves release of evil into the world with Pandoras). For ease of use, Schwartz divides the volume into ten books, Myths of God, Myths of Creation, Myths of Heaven, Myths of Hell, Myths of the Holy Word, Myths of the Holy Time, Myths of the Holy People, Myths of the Holy Land, Myths of Exile, and Myths of the Messiah. |
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Abraham Adam Kadmon Adam’s Angel of Death Ba’al Shem Tov Bereshit biblical blessed Book Bride Chariot created the world creatures darkness days of Creation demons descended described divine earth Elijah Enoch evil exile existence Exod Exodus Rabbah face fiery fire Garden Garden of Eden garment Gehenna Genesis Rabbah Gnostic God’s Name golem Hagigah Hayim Vital heaven heavenly Hebrew Hekhalot Holy human identified Isaac Israel Jacob Jerusalem Jewish Jewish mythology Jews Judaism kabbalah kabbalistic King letters Lilith linked Lord Maimonides Messiah Metatron Midrash Tanhuma Midrash Tehillim moon Moses Mount Sinai mystical mythic mythology palace Paradise Pesikta Rabbati Philo Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer prayer primordial light punishment Rabbi Ishmael Rabbi Nachman righteous ritual role Rosh ha-Shanah Sabbath sages Sefer sefirot Shekhinah souls Sources spirits Studies Sukkot tablets Talmud Temple texts Throne of Glory Torah tradition Tree verse vision voice waters Yahweh YHVH Zohar