Gehenna: Adam saved from, 136;
Arsiel (prince of Gehenna), 214, 232
bridge over, 234
coming of Messiah and, lxi
creation of, 74, 75, 232
dancing in, 507, 508
darkness in, 213, 234–35
Dumah’s role in, 214
duration of punishment, 233, 242
entrances, 233, 239–40
expansion of, 239
gatekeeper, 240–41
God’s visualization of, xlvi
history of, 232–33
inhabitants of, 236
Israel redeemed from, 523
Kaddish recitation, lxx
key of, 23
landscape, 233–34
light in, 235
lower waters, 104
mythology of, liii–liv
nonbelievers in, 502
planets in, 291
princes of, 239
punishments in, lxi, lxxxi (n. 57), 21, 199, 231, 232, 233–35, 236–37, 238, 241, 242
purification in, 242–43
raining boiling waters of, 463
righteous protected from, 169, 191, 201, 397
Sabbath (Shabbat) in, liv, 214, 236, 237, 238, 242, 308, 312
Satan destroyed by, 521
scorpions, 234
seething of, 238–39
Sheol and, 231
size of, 239, 241
slanderers’ fates, 237
souls rejected from, 229
Terafim users in, 354
Gehinnom, 74, 233, 239. See also Gehenna
genders: Adam as hermaphrodite, 138–39
of cherubim on Ark, 423
of converts, 335
Creation story, 76, 139, 145
determined by Lailah, 199, 200
of heavenly man, 125
of souls, 66, 163
of waters, 104
Gentiles, 112–13
Gershom (son of Moses), 376
Geshtu-e (Mesopotamian mythology), 133
get (bill of divorce), 240, 241, 435–36
Gevurah (Strength sefirah), 7, 9, 104, 529
giants: Israelites as, 472
Nefilim (giants), 454, 455, 456, 457, 458–59, 460, 461–62
Gihon (river), 401
Gikatilla, Yosef, 52, 53, 403, 473
Gilgamesh (Mesopotamian mythology), lxvi, 133
gilgul (transmigration of souls; reincarnation): Adam’s soul, 162
of Rabbi Abraham, 65
redemption of souls, 517
souls’ path to Garden of Eden, 168
sparks of souls and, 163, 164
suffering of souls, 169–70
Giller, Pinchas, xxxiv
Ginsburg, Elliot K., xxxiv, xxxiv (note), lxxix (n. 27)
Ginzberg, Louis, 144, 365, 523
Gnosticism: creation myths, lxxiii, 100, 119–20, 213
creation of darkness and light, 89
demiurge, l, lxiii, lxxix (n. 24), lxxx (n. 38), 4, 110, 175
dualism, 199
eighth level of Heaven, 185
of Elijah’s demon children, 225
enthronement myths, 3–4, 131
influence on Jewish myth, xxxv, lxxx (n. 38)
Jacob worship, 366
parallels with Jewish mythology, xlvii
pre-existence of light, 411–12
in Sabbatianism, lxxix (n. 24); Seth in, 444, 450
on Wisdom, 46
goats, 295–96, 323
God: Abraham bargaining with, 334–35, 522
accompanied by angels, 192
anthropomorphic imagery of, xlvii, 15, 25, 40–41
appearance, 16–17
atonement of, 296, 323
baby boys protected by, xlvi, 372, 385
beauty of, 92
body of, 21–25, 32, 33, 34, 72, 77–78, 94, 103, 248, 252, 426
bound in chains, 58
breath of, 20, 133, 140, 143, 200, 226
causes of earthquakes, 38, 102
at Celestial Academy, 193
clapping hands, 102
comforting Jerusalem, 420
concern for all creations, 385–87
considering ending existence, 40, 438
consulting others, lxxviii (n. 4), 160–62
corporeality of, 10
crowns of, 5–6, 9–10, 92, 248, 250
daily schedule, 12
Daniel’s vision of, 3–4
defending Israel, 29–30, 104, 113
deferring to earthly court, 68
disguises, 16–17
dreamtime, 12
dwelling place, 17
in exile with Israel, 61
fallibility of, 52–53, 113, 122, 123, 138
as father of Isaac, lxvii
‘father” role in Creation, 46
feminine identity, xlvii–xlviii, li, lxxvii, lxxviii (n. 2), lxxx (n. 35), lxxxi (n. 74), 8, 9, 47–48, 58 (see also Shekhinah)
fire surrounding, 155
as First Being, 10
free will of, 79–80
garments of, 5–6, 38, 82–84, 85, 87, 91, 155, 289
gaze, 12
glory of, 259–60, 262, 301, 303, 393, 469, 523
grief over destruction of Temple, xlvi, 36–37, 38–39, 40, 321, 427, 522
groaning of, 102
Hebrew as language of, 248
hidden God, 13, 31, 186
image of, 33, 62
interdependence between man and, 28
Israel’s relationship with, xlvi, l, 35, 37, 57, 303, 327, 384, 408, 423, 426, 428–29
jealousy of, 77–78, 318, 434
lantern of, 41
‘Let us” phrase, 116, 133, 134, 135, 160–62, 272
love for Israel (Likutei Torah), 264
masculine identity, xlvii, lxxx (n. 35), 306
as match-maker (shadkhan), 66
mercy of, 36, 439
might of, 77–78
mind of, 20
at Mount Sinai, xlvii, 33–34, 41–42, 260, 263–64, 270
myths of, xlvi–l
names of, liv, 10, 25–26, 27, 28, 62, 91–92, 104, 118, 173, 175, 186, 188, 189, 191, 254, 265, 339
nature of, 3, 199, 439
oath of, 39
omnipotence, lxxviii (n. 4), 37
omnipresence, 11
omniscience, 21
personification of, 20, 35, 37, 76, 90, 296, 305, 335
physical manifestation, 42
as potter, 150–51
power of, 77–78, 81, 149–50
praise of, 71
prayers, 35–36, 37, 39, 416
presence filling the world, 14, 20, 24
rabbis overruling, 67–68
regard for man, 112
regret about creating four things, 453
regret about creating man, 455
regret about moon, 296, 323
rejection of Israel, 19, 369, 425
ring of, 409
robe of glory, 29
role as Creator, 11, 78, 95
role in Exodus, lxxi; Sabbath as daughter of, 312–13
Samael and, 139
Satan’s bargain with, 110–12
seven forms of, 9
Shekhinah dis-missed by, 59–60
Shekhinah’s communication with, 49–50
Shekhinah’s conflict with, 57–58, 425, 515
Shekhinah’s reunion with, lxxix (n. 25), 60
Shekhinah’s separation from, xliv, xlviii, xlix, lxv, 53, 54–55, 56, 107, 424
Shekhinah’s wedding to, 304–5, 309
signature, 274
singular and unique nature, 11
size of, 22, 24, 42–43
suffering of, xlvi, lxv, 36–37, 58, 490
sword of, 30, 77–78
as teacher, 313
tears of, 37–39, 102, 107, 427
as Temple’s builder, 35, 357, 412–13, 416, 512, 513
Temple’s destruction, 422, 424, 425, 426, 427, 473
tenderness of, xlvi; ten descents to earth,
51
tenfold structure to, xlvi; on Torah, 36
Torah as gift, lv
Torah as incarnation of, liv
Torah as names of, liv, lxxxi (n. 65)
Torah dictated by, xliv, 34, 268, 272
Torah instruction of, 36, 271, 509, 523
Torah on, xliv; Torah study, 12, 34, 36, 304
unknowable nature of, 25 (see also Ein Sof)
visions of, 25, 183, 262, 263–64, 357–58, 361, 380, 393
voice of, 30–33, 42, 78, 90, 99, 115, 127, 196, 247, 259, 260, 269
walking in garden, 40–41
as warrior God, lxiv–lxv, 16, 17, 29–30, 385
wedding of Israel and, 304, 305–6
wedding of Shekhinah and, 304–5, 309
weeping of, 36
Wisdom’s relationship to, 45, 46
Ziz allegories, 148
goddesses. See also Shekhinah: Asherah (suppressed goddess), xlix, lxxviii (n. 3)
creation myths, 93
goddess worship, lvi
Mother Zion, 47
Sabbath as goddess, 307
Sarah portrayed as, 335
Shekhinah’s parallel with, lxxxiv (n. 121)
Godhead, xliv–xlv, xlvii, 9
God’s Bride, xliii, xlv, xlvi, xlvii–xlviii, lxiv, lxxvii, 358, 512. See also Shekhinah
Gog and Magog, lxi, lxii, lxxxiii (n. 103), 320, 488, 495, 499
golden calf, lv, 266, 267, 268, 273, 274, 313, 467–69
Golden Gate of Jerusalem, 511–12
golems: Adam as, 127–28
calf, 127, 279, 283
carrying water from river, 247
creation of, 251
Elijah’s creation of, 281–82
Golem of Prague, 92, 282–84, 371
Ibn Gabirol’s creation of, 280–81
Jeremiah’s creation of, 279–80
Maharal’s creation of, 280–81, 282–83, 285, 371
popularity of myth, lxxvi; Rava’s creation of, 279
Goliath, 462
Gomorrah, destruction of, 291, 334–35, 463, 465–66
good deeds, 202
Goodenough, Erwin R., 336
Good Inclination (Yetzer ha-Tov), 203, 219, 454, 470
Grandmother Lilith the Great, 222. See also Lilith
grass as souls of the righteous, 168–69
graves: earth’s objections to, 133
God’s presence at funerals, 12
in Land of Israel, lviii
rituals, lxix
Graves, Robert, 8, 58, 128, 132, 137, 215, 306, 434, 457, 459, 520
Gray, John, 106
Greece, 358
Greek mythology: Cadmus, 128
centaurs, 444
creation myths, 78, 91
Furies of, 376
gods of, lxiii, 90, 109, 203
Hermes, 255
Isle of the Blessed, 103
Limbo, 109
on music, 188–89
Niobe, 520
Oedipus, lxv, 393–94
Okeanos (river and sea god), 103
Pandora, 240, 434
parallels with Jewish mythology, xlvii, liii, lxiv, lxv, lxvi, 71, 138
Phoenix, 149
Poseidon, 255
Primordial Metatron concept, 195
Prometheus, 457
sirens, 221, 458
Tantalus, 215
Uranus, 306
Zeus and Hera, xliii, 336
Green, Arthur, xxxiv, xxxvii, xli, xlii, 37
greeting the Sabbath Queen (Kabbalat Shabbat), xlix, lvi, 309, 310
Grimm, Jakob, 281–82, 283
groaning of God, 102
guardian angels, 202–3
Guardian of Paradise (angel), 164
Guf (Treasury of Souls; Chamber of Creation), 22, 164–65, 166–67, 171, 506
Ha’am, Ahad, lxix
Habitation of Joy, 308
ha-Dani, Eldad, 474
Hadarniel (angel), 253
Hadas, Moses, 463
Hades, liii. See also Gehenna Hadrian (Emperor), 316
Hagar, lxvii, 60, 344–45
Haggadah, 33, 303, 384
Haggai (prophet), 18
hail, 115, 116, 185, 232, 392
Hakash, 225. See also Lilith
Halakhah (law), 518
ha-Levi, Binyamin, 169
ha-Levi, Eliezer, 494
ha-Levi, Shlomo ben Yitzhak, lxxv
Halperin, David J., xxxiv, lxxx (n. 34), 181, 183
Ham, 437
ha-Makom (the Place), 26, 62, 186, 339, 363
ha-Nakdan, Berekhiah, 463
Hanan bar Tahlifa, 320
hands of God, 23–24, 426
Haninah, xlix, lvi, 279, 283, 310
Haninah ben Dosa, 426
Haninah ben Hakhinai, 177
Haninah ben Teradion, 176–77, 273
ha-nivra ha-rishon. See First Being
Haran, 350, 352, 353, 355–56
Hashbeth (Angel of Annihilation), 377
ha-Shem (the Name), 26, 62
hashmal, pillars of, 94
Hashmed (Angel of Destruction), 377
Hasidim, lxi, lxii, lxix, lxxvii, lxxxiii (n. 110), 126, 303, 311
Havdalah (conclusion of Sabbath), lxix, 101, 137, 311, 319
Haver, Yitzhak Eizik, 72
Havilah, land of, 401
hayah (living creature; which gazes upon God), 160, 311
Hayim ben Attar (Or ha-Hayim), 99, 267, 390, 526
Hayim of Volozhin, 40, 209, 250, 265
hayyot (holy creatures), 4–5, 158, 159, 160, 185, 316, 366
healing stone motif, 3. See also Tzohar (stone)
Heaven. See also Aravot
heavens: eighth level of, 185
Gate of Heaven, 261, 357, 358–59, 407, 419
geography of, 187
heavenly court, 161, 208–9
House of Study in, 395, 453, 504, 518
Ishmael’s tour of, 187
Jacob’s ladder to, 357, 358
journeys to, 170–71, 172, 176–77, 183
Mount Sinai lifted to, 263
myths of, lii–liii
nature of, 3
palaces, 92–93 (see also palaces, heavenly)
as sanctuary of universe, 417
secrets of Heaven, 18, 117, 140, 157, 198, 254, 277, 457–58, 466, 497
seven heavens, xliii, lii, 184–85, 393
souls’ ascents to, 242
souls of the unborn in, 140
tent of, 192
war declared against, 464–65
Wheel of Heaven, 194–95, 235
windows of, 209
wings of, 189
heavenly court, 161, 208–9
heavenly creatures, 159–60
Heavenly Man concept, 15, 124–26, 195, 327
Heavenly Temple. See Temple,
Heavenly heavens. See also Heaven: as craftsman, 95
creation of, 73, 75, 91, 249
at Isaac’s birth, 336
parting of, 306; ‘rolled up like a scroll,” 192
separation of waters, 104
suspended from God’s arm, 94
Hebrew as primordial language, 248
Hebron, lix, 329–30, 332, 344, 348, 492
hekhal. See palaces, heavenly
Helen of Troy, 495
heh (letter), 92, 247, 251, 333
Helios (Greek mythology), lxvi, 30
hell, myths of, liii–liv, 185, 233, 521. See also Gehenna
Hemah (angel of fury and destruction), 236, 237, 376, 377
Hera (Greek mythology), 58
heretics (minim), 129
Hermes (Greek mythology), lxvi, 255
Heschel, Abraham Joshua, lxxiv, 445–46, 525
Hesed (Grace sefirah), 7, 9, 104, 151, 529
Hesiod’s Theogony, lxv, 91
Hidden Cause, 118
hidden God, 13, 31, 186
hidden light (or ha-ganuz), lxxii–lxxiii, lxxxv (n. 153), 85, 250. See also primordial light
&nbs
p; Hidden One (Evil Inclination), 453. See also Evil Inclination
hidden worlds, 72
hieros gamos (sacred marriage), 54
Hillel the Elder, 19, 247, 277
Hilton, James, 478
Hinduism, xliv, 169
Hiram (king of Tyre), 207
Hiwa (giant), 458
Hiya (giant), 458
Hiyya ben Rav, 159
Hiyya, 61, 62, 193, 194, 496–97
Hizkuni, 32
Hod (Glory sefirah), 8, 9, 529
Hokhmah (sefirah). See Wisdom
Holocaust (Shoah), 123, 124
Holy Breath in the Psalms, 279
holy creatures (hayyot), 4–5, 158, 159, 160, 185, 316, 366
holy days, lv, lxxi
Holy (God’s left hand), 23
Holy Land. See also Land of Israel: Adam’s creation, 127, 131–32
cave leading to, 477
celestial version, 424
God’s cleansing of, 424
God’s designation of, 99–100
Israel’s journey to, 391
light from Temple, 411
Miriam’s Well, 387
myths of, lviii–lix
primordial light, lxxiii; return to, lx, 502
Shattering of the Vessels and Gathering of the Sparks myth, 122, 123
holy names, use of, 286
Holy of Holies: Aaron’s sons in, 470
at center of Jerusalem, 99–100
cherubim on curtain, 423
Foundation Stone in, 97, 98
in heavenly Temple, 414, 512
light from, 411
priests’ entrance of, 293–94, 404
Rabbi Ishmael ben Elisha’s vision in, 27–28
Shekhinah in, 51, 54, 56, 425
on Yom Kippur, 293–94
Holy Spirit (Ruah ha-Kodesh): in Abraham, 331
descent of heavenly Temple, 413
described, 18–20
hidden prior to Temple destruction, 425
Holy Breath as, 279
in Messiah’s yeshivah, 519
revealed to Moses, 26
homunculus of Maimonides, 129, 284–86
Horeb (mountain of God), 375
Hoshaiah, 174
House of Study in seventh heaven, 395, 453, 504, 518
huppah (wedding canopy), 144
Hurmin (son of Lilith), 222, 223
Hurwitz, Sigmund, xlv Hutzpit, 177
Hymn to Ra, 76
Ialdabaoth, l
ibbur (‘impregnation” of second soul), xlviii, lxxx (n. 32), 333
Iblis (Muslim traditions), 110
Ibn Ezra, 79, 281, 354, 390
Icarus (Greek mythology), lxv, 181–82
ice, 24, 30, 166, 232, 233, 234
Idel, Moshe, xxxiv, xli, lxxix, 180, 525
Idith, l
idle moments, importance of, 189
idolatry: Azazel’s scapegoat, 460
copper serpent of Moses’ pole, 471
of Enosh’s generation, 444
God’s patience with, 438, 439
golden calf, lv, 266, 267, 268, 273, 274, 313, 467–69
idols destroyed, 519
prohibition against, 10
of Rachel, 354
spirit of, 470–71
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