Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Caren Loebel-Fried (Illustrator), Elliot K. Ginsburg (Foreword)
Key Phrases: evil inclination, avodah zarah, gan eden, Genesis Rabbah, Garden of Eden, Mount Sinai (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Schwartz notes in his impressive introduction that some may be surprised at the idea of a Jewish mythology since Judaism is a monotheistic religion, meaning there can be no interaction among multiple gods, one of the hallmarks of mythology. Yet the Bible, Schwartz notes, is written so compactly that there is plenty of room for interpretation, and out of interpretation, mythology flowers. Drawing from the Bible, from the Talmud and Midrash, and from kabbalistic literature and medieval folklore, Schwartz explicates nearly 700 Jewish myths organized around broad themes such as myths of creation, heaven, and the Messiah. Some are familiar, such as the stories about Adam's first wife, Lilith, but most are not well known, although they are linked directly to biblical stories. For instance, one section begins with the Genesis story of Cain and Abel and then follows with myths about various aspects of the brothers' lives. Going beyond the mythologies, Schwartz provides a wealth of supplementary information including sources and other world myths. This remarkable work will be of interest to both the scholar and the browser. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"This remarkable work will be of interest to both the scholar and the browser."--Booklist
"One of those few books that can be cherished and enjoyed by all readers, whether scholars or merely those interested in good stories.... In this massive work, Schwartz gathers nearly seven hundred myths to show that there is, indeed, a Jewish mythology. His selections are wisely and cleverly chosen.... No one in recent times has even attempted to put together such a comprehensive work. In both the collecting and organizing of his material, Schwartz has done a masterful job."--Josepha Sherman, Parabola
"Howard Schwartz offers a resounding rebuttal to the old accusation that the Jews have no mythology: hundreds of myths, in an unbroken line from the Tanakh itself to many new, previously untranslated contemporary retellings from the Middle East and throughout the diaspora. Tree of Souls illuminates the mythic elements of stories previously seen as theological or folkloric. Now properly classified as world mythology, they will for the first time be more accurately compared and contrasted with the foundational myths of other cultures. This is that rare book that is both a fascinating read for the non-specialist and a turning point for scholarship." --Wendy Doniger, author of The Woman Who Pretended to Be Who She Was: Myths of Self-Imitation
"Beyond any of his other books, in Tree of Souls: The Mythology of Judaism Howard Schwartz offers us his masterwork. If only Joseph Campbell had lived to see it. Schwartz has brought the underground streams of Midrash to the surface for the delight and edification of his academic as well as his popular readers." --Rabbi Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi, author of Wrapped in a Holy Flame: Teachings and Tales of the Hasidic Masters
"Under the complex, meaning-rich, and culturally important heading of 'mythology,' Howard Schwartz provides a beautifully introduced and annotated collection of essential stories and scenes that help to define Judaism in the classical tradition. Schwartz's careful, erudite method of presentation and his excellent selection of texts reveals fine mastery of the material and the pleasingly comparative orientation of the folklorist." --Susan Niditch, author of Ancient Israelite Religion
"Tree of Souls promises to shatter the myth that Judaism is mythless. Drawing on primary source texts of the Jewish tradition itself, storyteller Howard Schwartz introduces us to a dimension of this ancient path that has for centuries been overshadowed by attempts at religious correctness and party-line theology. Jewish mythology, Schwartz demonstrates with ample commentaries, is not only a fact, it is the very kernel out of which grew the deepest of Kabbalistic mystery wisdom as well as the most pragmatic of Jewish law and lore. Clearly, Judaism owes its survival to its mythology, and in Tree of Souls Schwartz invites us to discover the mystique, actually the very life force, of this very ancient religion." --Gershon Winkler, author of Magic of the Ordinary: Recovering the Shamanic in Judaism

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 704 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA; annotated edition edition (November 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195086791
• ISBN-13: 978-0195086799
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 7 x 2.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #319,417 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Luminous . . . . , January 14, 2005

By	Joan Conwell "Mother" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Want to know what happened before the world was created according to mythic Judaism? Turn to page 71: "God rode upon the wings of the wind and upon the flames of the sword." Curious about the ten kabbalist sefirot (channels of God's energy)? Check page 529 for a diagram. Not sure if the above falls within the accepted Jewish tradition or outside of it? Peruse the "Note on Sources," clear-as-day footnotes and fifty-six page bibliography.

Late at night, my four-year-old awoke and asked why God had to be a boy (and not a girl). Thanks to "Tree of Souls," I retold a story I had just read about the Shekhinah, the bride of God--divine presence--exiled at the time of the destruction of the Temple, she will return when it is rebuilt. My daughter loved the story and has since asked me to read to her aloud from the book (Although this is very much a text for grownups, kids will love your personal adaptions of these myths and the hauntingly mysterious illustrations. Or else pick-up one or more of Howard Schwartz's many richly imagined children's books.)

Anyone at all interested in mythology will find something of value in "Tree of Souls." If you were born Jewish but looked to other traditions for your spiritual nourishment (like I did), then turn back. You will find what you seek (or the most thorough beginning of the journey you could ever hope for) right here. The newest jewel in my collection, this treasure will be with me until the end of days.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Assembling the Fragments, December 8, 2004

By	Robert Dyer "Songteller" (Boonville, MO) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Howard Schwartz has been gathering the sparks and the scattered fragments of the vessels of Jewish folklore, scholarship and mysticism for many years. He is truly one of the great illuminators of the ancient and voluminous body of Jewish thought. He is also a poet and a storyteller who performs his vision for the edification of both Jew and non-Jew alike. This work, Tree of Souls, is in many ways the culmination of his lifelong effort to bring together the sparks and fragments he has been so carefully nurturing into a coherent and far-reaching mythology of Judaism. This book should not only be of interest to Jews but to anyone interested in the great mythologies of the world. It can be read cover to cover, or dipped into whenever or wherever the heart desires. I can guarantee you, though, that once you have contemplated even one leaf from this magnificent tree of souls you will return again and again for more.

25 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinary "tree"!, April 17, 2005

By	Nadia Grosser Nagarajan (USA) - See all my reviews

"The Tree of Souls" is a rare book one wants to treasure in one's library, yet it will not suffice just to have it sitting on a shelf. It should be placed on a desk close by, in order to be able to reach out and read once, twice, indeed many times the fascinating stories that engulf us as soon as we open the gates to the contents of the book. Once the reader finds himself inside this wondrous world, it becomes wide open, yet it is not difficult to decide which path to choose since the author has designed ten stepping stones, each of which will lead to a particular destination. In reality though, it does not matter which of the ten books Howard Schwartz has created within "The Tree of Souls" - each an impressive book in its own right - we choose to start with. We may read for sheer enjoyment, yet Howard Schwartz, the scholar, has made it easy also for those searching for a particular theme or topic within this vast domain to find what they are looking for and are interested in.

Initially, when I saw the title of the book, a number of images flashed in front of my eyes since many civilizations in antiquity, and even into the present, treat trees with great reverence with the belief that some are associated with supernatural powers. In the Caribbean basin island of Curacao, a giant tree spreads its immense canopy over a large area, just as its enormous roots extend from the trunk, far and wide in all directions. This particular tree serves as a symbol of homeland and a quest for peace to local Indian tribes who transplanted it from a rain forest into the arid soil of this island hundreds of years ago. It thrives there miraculously despite the harsh conditions it is subjected to. This could be the tree that many in that area of the world believe enables the souls of the righteous departed to ascend to heaven. This marvelous tree could serve as a companion to other mythical trees, such as those found in ancient Greek tales, where they aided certain divine entities that restrained, punished or rewarded human beings, depending on the situation.

The "Tree of Souls" is most marvelous since it facilitates repaired souls to descend, and thus they are not only a source of renewed life and knowledge but also the symbol of the never-ending cycle of re-creation. Whether it is the mysterious tree of Abraham described in this book, or maybe the sacred glistening tree under which the Buddha sat and meditated, or a different mythical tree of perfection from another tradition, suffice it to say that these trees, in different ways, are subject to many interpretations and explanations. It is hard not to succumb to the magic of storytelling, particularly of this storyteller who retells these magnificent tales in his own incomparable way. Thus this tree of narratives will always flourish and remain a source of enjoyment and knowledge to those sitting under its branches ...