Tree of Souls (Schwartz)

645 texts · Page 54 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.

The Quarrel Of The Sea And The Earth

Tree of Souls

It’s a question that surfaces, quite literally, when we read the story of the Exodus. We know Pharaoh's army drowned in the Red Sea. As it says in Exodus 15:1, "Horse and driver He...

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Miriam's Well

Tree of Souls

The sun beats down, the sand stretches endlessly… and you’re thirsty. Really thirsty. What would you give for a cool, refreshing drink? Well, according to tradition, the Israelites...

CreationAngelsPatriarchsMoses

How Moses Survived

Tree of Souls

That’s hardcore. What's the secret? Well, Jewish tradition offers a fascinating explanation. It wasn’t just about toughing it out. It goes much deeper. The Makhon Siftei Tzaddikim ...

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The Enthronement Of Moses

Tree of Souls

It sounds radical, I know. But let's delve into a fascinating, and perhaps surprising, corner of Jewish tradition: the enthronement of Moses. According to some accounts, God bestow...

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Moses Transformed Into Fire

Tree of Souls

It’s a question that’s captivated mystics and storytellers for centuries, and one particularly vivid legend tells us how Moses himself experienced just that. The story goes that Go...

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The Divine Radiance

Tree of Souls

That's a glimpse into the story of Moses and the divine radiance. We find the account in Exodus 34:29-35, a passage that has captivated and, at times, puzzled readers for centuries...

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The Light That Shone From Moses' Face

Tree of Souls

The Torah tells us about such a person: Moses. When he descended from Mount Sinai after those momentous forty days and nights, he was… different. The text says his body was bathed ...

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The Souls Of The Patriarchs

Tree of Souls

Jewish tradition offers some powerful and moving images of what happens to the souls of the righteous after death. And some of these images paint a picture of them continuing to fi...

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The Pillar Of Cloud

Tree of Souls

For forty long years, as they wandered, they had a constant companion: a pillar of cloud by day, and a pillar of fire by night. The Torah tells us, in Exodus 13:21, "And Yahweh wen...

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