Tree of Souls (Schwartz)

645 texts · Page 65 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 Dead Of The Desert

Tree of Souls

And the Talmud, specifically Bava Batra 73b, offers a startling, almost unbelievable answer through a story featuring the sage Rabbah bar Bar Hannah. Rabbah, a well-known figure in...

DemonsHeavenTorahMoses

The Secret Of The Egyptian Exile

Tree of Souls

It's more than just a historical event; it’s a foundational myth, packed with layers of meaning. But what if I told you the pain, the suffering, the sheer brutality of the Egyptian...

TorahPatriarchsMosesMysticism

The Ten Lost Tribes

Tree of Souls

It’s one of those enduring mysteries that captures the imagination. They were carried away, prisoners in their own land, and exiled beyond the mysterious river Sambatyon. But what ...

HeavenMessiahTorahMoses

The River Sambatyon

Tree of Souls

It’s one of those enduring mysteries that tugs at the imagination. Where did they go? Did they assimilate? Are they still out there, waiting to be found? Well, Jewish folklore offe...

CreationHeavenMessiahTorah

The City Of Luz

Tree of Souls

But Jewish tradition speaks of just such a place: the city of Luz. Imagine a city whose histories are meticulously kept, filled with all the details of life and learning, spanning ...

AngelsHeavenHell/GehennaTorah

An Appointment With Death

Tree of Souls

The stories we tell ourselves often grapple with these very questions. And one of the most intriguing comes to us from the legends surrounding King Solomon, the wisest of all men. ...

CreationAngelsHeavenPatriarchs

The World Of Tevel

Tree of Souls

We walk on solid ground, sure, but Jewish tradition sometimes whispers of other worlds, hidden realities layered beneath our own. Imagine: not just dirt and rock, but entire ecosys...

DemonsHeavenAdam & Eve

The Creation Of The Messiah

Tree of Souls

Some traditions suggest the answer is a resounding yes! They paint a picture of the Messiah existing even before creation itself. Imagine this: before the sun, moon, and stars were...

CreationAngelsHeavenMessiah

The Birth Of The Messiah

Tree of Souls

Imagine, before the universe even existed, before the stars twinkled into being, there was an idea. A seed of hope. That idea, that seed, was the Messiah. It’s a powerful thought, ...

CreationHeavenMessiahPatriarchs