Tree of Souls (Schwartz)

645 texts · Page 67 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 Suffering Messiah

Tree of Souls

It’s a powerful and, frankly, pretty startling image. Jewish tradition, in certain strands, paints just such a picture. The idea of a suffering Messiah isn't exactly front and cent...

CreationHeavenMessiahAdam & Eve

The Ladder Of Prayers

Tree of Souls

The Ba'al Shem Tov, the founder of Hasidism, apparently did – and according to one story, he nearly brought the Messiah himself into the world! The tale goes that the Ba'al Shem To...

HeavenMessiah

The Messiah At The Gates Of Rome

Tree of Souls

Jewish tradition is full of stories about that feeling, about the anticipation of Mashiach, the Messiah. And some of those stories are downright surprising. Take this one, recounte...

HeavenMessiahProphecy

The Chains Of The Messiah

Tree of Souls

That’s the kind of fire that burned in the heart of Joseph della Reina. Imagine Hebron, long ago. A city steeped in history, in faith, in the whispers of ancestors. And in this cit...

MessiahMysticism

The Messiah Comes Forth From Prison

Tree of Souls

The apocalyptic wars of Gog and Magog have ravaged the earth, leaving behind a landscape scarred by conflict and despair. But even in the darkest of times, hope flickers. Because f...

MessiahNoah & FloodExileHoly Land

Until The Redemption

Tree of Souls

Eternal bliss, unimaginable beauty... who in their right mind would say no? Well, Jewish tradition tells us about righteous rabbis who did just that, refusing the heavenly reward o...

AngelsHeavenMessiahTorah

The Concealment Of Elijah

Tree of Souls

We know Elijah, right? The fiery prophet who challenged the priests of Baal, who ascended to heaven in a chariot of fire. He's everywhere in our stories. We set a place for him at ...

MessiahMysticism

Forcing The End

Tree of Souls

Jewish tradition actually considers the possibility that certain individuals, through their spiritual potency, could actually force the coming of the Messiah. Wild, right? In every...

MessiahPatriarchsAdam & EveProphecy

The Captive Messiah

Tree of Souls

But Jewish tradition is full of surprises. And one of the most striking is the image of the Messiah, not as a triumphant king, but as someone held captive, waiting for us to set hi...

HeavenMessiahAdam & EveHoly Land