Tree of Souls (Schwartz)

645 texts · Page 44 of 72

Texts from Howard Schwartz's Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism, a landmark anthology gathering myths and legends spanning the full arc of Jewish tradition, from the creation of the world to the coming of the Messiah.

Keeping The Sabbath

Tree of Souls

It's called Shabbat, the Sabbath. And it’s powerful. The mystics teach us that keeping Shabbat is more than just refraining from work. It's about entering a different dimension of ...

TorahHoly Land

The Sabbath Angels

Tree of Souls

Jewish tradition suggests we're constantly surrounded by unseen forces, especially on Shabbat, the Sabbath. And some of those forces? Well, they’re angels. The Talmud, specifically...

AngelsHeavenAdam & EveSoul

The Sabbath Feast In The Celestial Eden

Tree of Souls

The Zohar, that foundational text of Kabbalah, tells us that the angels hold their own Sabbath feast in heaven. Imagine thousands of them gathered in the fourth heavenly palace, a ...

AngelsHeavenAdam & Eve

The Spice Of The Sabbath

Tree of Souls

There's a beautiful story, a whispered secret really, that suggests the fragrance of Shabbat comes from a very special spice. In fact, some say it’s actually called Shabbat! But wh...

AngelsHeavenPatriarchsAdam & Eve

The Song Of The Sabbath

Tree of Souls

Imagine angels, each with six wings – one for every day of the week. The Or Zaru'a and Geonica both touch on this idea. Each day, they chant a unique song to God. A celestial choir...

AngelsHeavenAdam & Eve

Adam's Song Of Praise For The Sabbath

Tree of Souls

Our tradition tells a story about Adam, the very first human, that hits on just that feeling. Imagine this: Creation is fresh, the world is brand new, and Adam is experiencing ever...

CreationAdam & Eve

Why Women Light Two Candles On The Sabbath

Tree of Souls

It's one of those customs that's so familiar, so deeply woven into the fabric of Jewish home life, that we might not always stop to ask why. But the reasons, as you might guess, ar...

CreationHeavenAdam & EveNoah & Flood

The First Havdalah

Tree of Souls

Havdalah, meaning "separation," is that beautiful, poignant ceremony we perform as the Sabbath ends, a ritual filled with light, spices, and a deep sense of transition. But where d...

CreationAdam & EveNoah & FloodSoul

The Sabbath In The World To Come

Tree of Souls

And it’s pretty funny. : in this world, you could theoretically wander into an orchard on Shabbat and pick a fig. The tree wouldn’t exactly yell at you. It just stands there, passi...

Messiah