Tree of Souls (Schwartz)

645 texts · Page 68 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 Sleeping Messiah

Tree of Souls

That's the story of two yeshiva students, eighty years ago, burning with a desire for redemption. Their hearts yearned for Jerusalem, for the chance to stand at the tomb of King Da...

MessiahAdam & EveProphecyHoly Land

The Pangs Of The Messiah

Tree of Souls

But what exactly are these “pangs,” and what do they mean for us? Imagine a world where nations are constantly at each other’s throats. Where wisdom seems to have lost its way, and...

CreationMessiahTorahAdam & Eve

The Rainbow Of The Messiah

Tree of Souls

Maybe that’s because the rainbow we see today isn’t the rainbow of the Messiah. Not yet, anyway. Think about it: the rainbow we know is a promise, a beautiful one, certainly. It's ...

CreationHeavenMessiahTorah

Calculating The End Of Days

Tree of Souls

For centuries, people have tried to pinpoint the exact moment of redemption. Piety mixed with impatience. Every generation of Jews has hoped, prayed, and sometimes even calculated,...

MessiahAdam & EveNoah & Flood

The End Of Days

Tree of Souls

Jewish tradition has a lot to say about it, and it’s pretty mind-blowing. Imagine a world without the sun or moon. I know, sounds like science fiction, right? But the prophet Isaia...

CreationHeavenMessiahAdam & Eve

The End Of The World

Tree of Souls

Jewish tradition has some pretty mind-blowing ideas about it. One vision, described in Tree of Souls, paints a picture so vivid, so intense, it’s hard to ignore. Imagine this: in t...

CreationAngelsHeavenMessiah

How The End Of The World Will Come

Tree of Souls

There's a folk tradition, a whisper passed down through generations, that paints a rather surprising picture. It begins not with wailing, but with joy. Imagine: on the very day the...

DemonsHell/GehennaMessiahAdam & Eve

The Vision Of The Valley Of Dry Bones

Tree of Souls

The prophet Ezekiel knew that feeling. And he saw it reflected, not just in his own heart, but in the collective soul of his people. The story, as told in the Book of Ezekiel (Ezek...

CreationDemonsSoulProphecy

How The Dead Will Come To Life

Tree of Souls

Jewish tradition has some pretty vivid ideas about that, especially when it comes to the resurrection of the dead. It’s not just a "poof" and everyone’s back. It's a process, a cos...

CreationAngelsMessiahTorah