Tree of souls: the mythology of Judaism

The mythical strata of Judaism

The categories of Jewish mythology

Mythic parallels

Myth and ritual in Judaism

The light of the first day

The continuing evolution of Jewish mythology

Book 1: Myths of God

Book 2: Myths of creation

Book 3: Myths of heaven

Book 4: Myths of hell

Book 5: Myths of the holy word

Book 6: Myths of the holy time

Book 7: Myths of the holy people

Book 8: Myths of the Holy Land

Book 9: Myths of exile

Book 10: Myths of the Messiah.

[0]. Introduction Mythical strata of Judaism The categories of Jewish mythology Mythic parallels Myth and ritual in Judaism Light of the first day The continuing evolution of Jewish mythology Book 1. Myths of god A. God's throne of glory Isaiah's vision Daniel's night vision God's throne of glory The descent of god's throne The crown of god God's crown of prayers B. Sefirotic myths The thirty-two paths of wisdom The ten Sefirot The twenty-two letters The infinite being The seven forms of god The ten crowns of god C. God's existence The first being The cause of all causes God's omnipresence God alone God's existence God's gaze God's day D. God's mystery The hidden god The contraction of god Adam Kadmon God's disguises Where god dwells The holy spirit E. God's attributes The breath of god The mind of god The eyes of god The face of god The size of god The three keys The arms of god God's hands The body of god God's back F. Names of god The god of the fathers The tetragrammaton The lord of hosts God's robe of glory G. Warrior god The warrior god God's sword H. God's voice and word A still, small voice God's voice God's image The elders of Israel behold god I. God studies the Torah God studies the Torah God puts on Tallit and Tefillin God's tabernacle God's prayer God expounds the Torah J. The suffering god The suffering god God's tears God weeps over the destruction of the temple God's lament at the western wall God's oath God considers ending all existence K. God walks in the world God walks in the garden God's lantern God descends to Mount Sinai The tent of meeting The cottage of candles L. Early incarnations of the Shekhinah The creation of wisdom Mother Zion M. Myths of the bride of god The creation of the Shekhinah God's names for the Shekhinah The two Shekhinahs The earthly dwelling of the Shekhinah The roaming of the Shekhinah The garments of the Shekhinah The sacred bedchamber The casting down of the Shekhinah The wandering of the Shekhinah The lament of the Shekhinah The wailing of the Shekhinah The exile of the Shekhinah Mourning over the Shekhinah The suffering of the Shekhinah Lilith becomes god's bride Israel and the Shekhinah in exile God's exile with Israel The face of the Shekhinah The Shekhinah within N. Visions of the bride of god The Shekhinah at the wall A vision at the wailing wall O. God defers to the earthly court God makes matches The rabbis overrule god God defers to the earthly court

Book 2. Myths of creation A. Before the world was created The first to exist Before the world was created Prior worlds The primordial elements God created everything with its knowledge The beginning of time Seven things created before the creation of the world B. The creation of the world The seven days of creation Ten things created on the eve of the first Sabbath Five heavenly things sleeping in the universe God the creator The rainbow The time of creation Everything was created at once How god begot being What does the Earth stand on? Creation ex nihilo The order of creation C. The primordial light God's garment of light The light of the first day The first cloak The tzohar How light and darkness were created Creation by light The light of prophecy D. The work of creation God's shout The work of creation How the heavens were created The Earth's foundations Creation by god's name Creation by god's beauty The palace of heaven Creation according to Philo E. The cosmic seed The cosmic seed A universe of water The three craftsmen The pillars of the world The foundation stone Creation by thought A single utterance The divided world F. Myths of origin The origin of chaos The first sunset The origin of fire What causes earthquakes? The roots of everything G. Myths of the sacred waters The great sea The fiery waves The upper waters and the lower waters The spirit of the firmament H. Rebellions against god The rebellion of the waters Thr rebellion of rahab The prince of darkness The fall of Lucifer Satan cast from heaven Satan's bargain with god I. Myths of the sun and moon The quarrel of the sun and the moon The sun stood still A garment for the moon J. Creation by angels The creation of angels Creation by angels Anafiel, the creator of the beginning The creator of the world The first created being The angel who created the world K. The wheel of creation The wheel of creation The cosmic tree The shattering of the vessels and the gathering of the sparks Creation by broken vessels L. The creation of man The heavenly man Adam the angel Adam the golem Adam the giant Adam the last and first Adam's body of light The enthronement of Adam Adam's body formed by an angel God consults the angels about the creation of Adam The creation of man Creation from a mold Wisdom created man Adam's choice Adam's breath The first twelve hours of Adam's life Adam brings down fire from heaven Adam the hermaphrodite Samael and Lilith God and the spirits of the unborn M. Adam and Eve Adam and the spirits The frst Eve What happened to the first Eve? The creation of woman The first wedding N. Mythological creatures Adne Sadeh Sea monster Leviathan Behemoth The ziz The re'em The phoenix The lion of the forest Ilai The ram sacrificed at Mount Moriah O. The unfinished creation God the potter The unfinished creation

Book 3. Myths of heaven A. The translation of Enoch Enoch walked with god Enoch's vision of god The metamorphosis and enthronement of Enoch B. The treasury of souls The river of fire The living creatures The council of souls Adam's soul The creation of souls Tree of souls The treasury of souls The path of the soul in the garden of Eden The field of souls The transmigration of souls How to grasp a soul C. Heavenly journeys Adam is taken into paradise Isaac's ascent The ascent of Elijah The four who entered paradise A vision of metatron Rabbi Ishmael's ascent The entrance of the sixth heavenly palace Before the law A journey to the stars A Jewish Icarus D. The divine chariot Ezekiel's vision Mysteries of the chariot E. The seven heavens The seven heavens The eighth heaven The pargod The map of time and space The place of the stars The rainbow of the Shekhinah The music of the spheres The treasury of merits The wings of heaven F. The palaces of heaven The palaces of heaven Women in paradise G. The landmarks of heaven The tent of the sun The tent of heaven The crystal palace The celestial academy Where heaven and Earth meet H. The ministering angels The primordial metatron The angel Metatron The angel Sandalphon Michael, the patron angel Elijah, the angel The keeper of the book of records The angel Gallizur The angel of conception The angel of the covenant How Rabbi Ishmael was conceived The angel of friendship Guardian angels The might of the angels The angel of losses The angel Tzadkiel The angel of rain God changes the roles of the angels I. The angel of death The creation of the angel of death Rabbi Joshua ben Levi and the angel of death Rabbi Loew and the angel of death J. The gates of heaven The heavenly court The windows of heaven The Ba'al Shem Tov ascends on high

Book 4. Myths of hell A. The unfinished corner of creation The unfinished corner creation The darkness that existed before creation The banishment of Dumah God's prison Adam and the demons B. Lilith rises from the deep Adam and Lilith Lilith rises from the deep A spell to banish Lilith The woman in the forest The cellar Lilith, the queen of Zemargad The two Liliths Lilith's children The night demoness Lilith the witch Lilith and Elijah Lilith flees from the apparition of Eve C. Vampires, spirits, dybbuks, and demons The spirits of the sixth day The vampire demon An evil demoness The widow of Safed Demonic doubles The underworld When a man dies D. The history of Gehenna The creation of Gehenna The prince of Gehenna The history of Gehenna The openings of Gehenna The landscape of Gehenna The scorpions of Gehenna The bridge over Gehenna The darkness of Gehenna The light of Gehenna The punishment of Korah The inhabitants of Gehenna The fate of the soul The punishments of Gehenna The fate of slanderers Sabbath in Gehenna Gehenna seething The size of Gehenna The gates of Gehenna The door to Gehenna The gatekeeper of Gehenna The messiah in hell The Sabbath resurrection The ashes of sinners Purified souls How the dead see the dead

Book 5. Myths of the holy word A. The letters of the alphabet Creation by word Two worlds The primordial language Creation of the Torah Creation by the Torah The letters of the alphabet Creation by letters The shining letters B. The primordial Torah The Torah written on the arm of god God's original plan The book of Raziel Creating new heavens and a new Earth God's warning The light of the Torah Betrothal of the Torah The vestment of the Shekhinah The letters and the burning bush C. God offers the Torah to Israel The angels and the giving of the Torah The quarrel of the mountains The necklace of letters Death and rebirth at Mount Sinai The seven voices of the Torah The ascent of Moses Mount Sinai is lifted to heaven How god revealed himself at Mount Sinai God offers the Torah to Israel God tears apart seven firmaments The primordial Torah The first tablets The second tablets The first Torah How the Ten Commandments were given The order of the Torah D. The giving of the Torah God abrogates the first decree The giving of the Torah Moses before the throne of glory God teaches Torah in the world to come Moses questions god The ark of the covenant E. The changing Torah The changing Torah The flying letters God's signature The crowns of Israel F. Studying the Torah The prince of the Torah Studying the Torah The boy who read the book of Ezekiel The two Torahs The giving of the Song of songs G. Myths of prayers The origin of the shema The holy breath H. The golem Rava creates a man Jeremiah creates a golem The golem of Ibn Gabirol The golem of Prague The end of the golem The golem in the attic The homunculus of maimonides

Book 6. Myths of the holy time A. Myths of the days of awe God passes judgment The book of life and the book of death The origin of Rosh ha-Shanah The string of god The month of Tishrei Re-creating the world Renewing existence The day of judgment The high priest enters the holy of holies The days of awe Light is sown for the righteous Gathering souls A scapegoat for Azazel Sounding the shofar The closing of the gates The final blast B. Myths of Sukkot The water libation The seven shepherds Dwelling in exile The feast of sukkot in the world to come C. Myths of Simhat Torah The body of Moses The flying shoe D. Myths of Passover God revels in the reading of the Haggadah E. Myths of Lag Ba-Omer The dancing of the Ari F. Myths of Shavuot The wedding of god and the Shekhinah The wedding of god and Israel The parting of the heavens at midnight G. Myths of the Sabbath The creation of the Sabbath The cosmic Sabbath The blessings of the Sabbath The adornment of the Sabbath The princess of the Sabbath The Sabbath bride Greeting the Sabbath queen The second soul The souls of the dead on the Sabbath The soul in the garden of Eden God's daughter God guides Moses in prayer The first Sabbath God keeps the Sabbath Keeping the Sabbath The Sabbath angels The Sabbath feast in the celestial Eden The spice of the Sabbath The song of the Sabbath Adam's song of praise for the Sabbath Why women light two candles on the Sabbath The first Havdalah The Sabbath in the world to come The great Sabbath H. Myths of the ninth of Av A day of fasting and mourning The mourning dove The wailing wall The weeping well The ninth of Av in the future I. Myths of Rosh Hodesh Repenting for god

Book 7. Myths of the holy people A. Myths of Israel For the sake of Israel The souls of Israel The body of Israel B. Myths of Abraham The lesson of the stars God calls upon Abram God's covenant with Abram God appears to Abraham Abraham's vision of god Abraham's glowing stone Abraham in Egypt Abraham's name Iscah the seer Abraham bargains with god The souls of converts C. Myths of Isaac God begat Isaac The binding of Isaac How Abraham recognized Mount Moriah The sacrifice Satan at Mount Moriah Isaac sees the Shekhinah God binds the princes of the heathens The angel who saved Isaac Isaac's vision at Mount Moriah Sarah's tent The death of Sarah The cave of Machpelah Abraham's daughter The descent of the light-man Abraham and the angel of death Abraham's dying vision Abraham never died The births of Jacob and Esau Isaac returns to Mount Moriah D. Myths of Jacob The bartered birthright Red lentils Isaac's eyes grow dim The stolen blessing Jacob the blessed Rachel and the stolen idols Jacob's dream Meeting the place Jacob's vision Jacob's heavenly vision The gateway to heaven Jacob wrestles with the angel Jacob and Esau's guardian angel The magic flock Jacob's ascent on high Jacob's pillow Jacob's books Jacob the angel Jacob the divine The image of Jacob cast down from heaven The death of Jacob Jacob never died Summoning the patriarchs E. Myths of Moses The birth of Moses An ark in the bulrushes Pharaoh and the child Moses Pharaoh's daughter The burning bush Moses swallowed by a serpent Serah bat Asher The secret of the redeemer The coffin of Joseph A vision at the Red Sea The walls of the Red Sea The death of Serah bat Asher God's footstool The parting of the Red Sea The waters of the Red Sea refuse to part Crossing the Red Sea Mount Moriah and the Red Sea God's presence at the Red Sea Pharaoh's army lured to its death The quarrel of the sea and the earth Miriam's well How Moses survived The enthronement of Moses Moses transformed into fire The divine radiance The light that shone from Moses' face The souls of the patriarchs The pillar of cloud The seven clouds of glory Moses' last request Joshua as Oedipus Moses never died F. Myths of King David King David is crowned in heaven King David's harp The angel of the lord The mountain of fire G. Myths of the Tzaddikim The thirty-six just men

Book 8. Myths of the holy land A. The garden of Eden The garden of Eden The creation of the garden of Eden The hidden garden The fruit of the tree of life The tree of knowledge and the tree of life The ever-turning sword of flame Abraham's tree The cave of the four winds The gates of Eden B. The promised land The land of Israel The seventy nations and the land of Israel How the holy land became holy The cave of Shimon bar Yohai C. The heavenly Jerusalem Light from the temple God builds the heavenly temple The heavenly Jerusalem and the Earthly Jerusalem How Mount Moriah was created The altar of Abraham God prays for the building of the temple The celestial temple The true temple of God The descent of the heavenly Jerusalem The elevation of Jerusalem The center of the world The patriarchs seek to comfort Jerusalem D. The Earthly Jerusalem The creation of the temple The temple built itself The building of the temple The wedding of King Solomon and Pharaoh's daughter Leopards in the temple The mystery of the cherubim God's judgment above and below God's cleansing of the holy land E. The destruction of the temple The destruction of the temple A stone from Mount Sinai The hand of god God's mourning The patriarchs weep over the destruction of the temple Abraham in the temple Abraham and the alphabet Moses and the sun The invisible temple

Book 9. Myths of exile A. Exile from Eden The exile from Eden Eve tastes the forbidden fruit God divorced Adam Adam's diamond The garments of Adam and Eve Adam's descendants God descends into the garden The land of Eretz Adam's account of the fall What the serpent said to Eve Satan and the serpent The quest for the oil of life The generations of Seth The creation of centaurs The death of Adam Paradise B. Cain and Abel Cain and Abel How Cain was conceived The seed of Cain The birth of Cain The wives of Cain and Abel Eve's night vision The death of Cain C. The evil inclination The evil inclination How Samael entered the heart of man D. The sons of god and the daughters of men The sons of god and the daughters of men The star maiden The watchers The giants of old A lecherous spirit The lair of Azazel E. The flood The giant Og Noah and the raven The fiery deluge F. The tower of Babel The tower of Babel Building the tower G. Sodom and Gomorrah The destruction of Sodom and Gomarrah The banished angels The pillar of salt H. Myths of the Exodus The golden calf Strange fire The spirit of idolatry The fiery serpents The desert Shur The dead of the desert I. The ten lost tribes The exile of Israel The secret of the Egyptian exile The ten lost tribes The river Sambatyon The city of Luz An appointment with death The world of Tevel The manna

Book 10. Myths of the messiah

A. The creation of the messiah

The creation of the messiah

The birth of the messiah

The scales of the messiah

The requirements of the messiah

The soul of the messiah

The descent of the messiah's soul

B. The heavenly messiah

The enthronement of the messiah

The messiah will descend from the side of evil

A war in heaven and on Earth

The palace of the messiah

A messianic prophecy

The suffering messiah

The ladder of prayers

The messiah and the Ba'al Shem Tov

C. The Earthly messiah

The messiah at the gates of Rome

The chains of the messiah

The messiah comes forth from prison

Until the redemption

The concealment of Elijah

Forcing the end

D. The captive messiah

The captive messiah

The sleeping messiah

E. The end of days

The pangs of the messiah

The rainbow of the messiah

Calculating the end of days

The end of days

The end of the world

How the end of the world will come

F. The resurrection of the dead

The vision of the valley of dry bones

How the dead will come to life

The dew of resurrection

The resurrection of the dead

How the resurrection will take place

G. The world to come

The world to come

The great age

Life in the world to come

The chorus of the righteous

Fat geese for the world to come

The messianic banquet

The messianic Torah

A tabernacle for the righteous

H. Messianic Jerusalem

The new Jerusalem

Messianic Jerusalem

The golden gate to the messiah

The descent of the heavenly temple

The creation of the third temple

Rebuilding the temple

The messianic spring

A magical tree in Jerusalem

I. The pleading of the fathers

The pleading of the fathers

Waking the fathers

The fathers address the messiah

The two messiahs

The messiah petitions god

The coming of the messiah

The messiah's Yeshivah

The dual messiah

J. The ingathering of the exiles

The ingathering of the exiles

The birth of Armilus

Satan and the messiah

K. The wars of Gog and Magog

The arrival of the messiah

God reprimands the universe

A new Torah

Appendix A : note on the sources

Appendix B : primary biblical myths

Appendix C : diagram of the ten Sefirot.