Haggadah reading, 303
Jacob transported, 356
prayers from Land of Israel, 407
rabbis’ arguments and, 67
Red Sea passage, 382–83, 383–84
sun and moon’s midheaven stop, 113
Tetragrammaton pronounced for, 27
Miriam’s Well, 272, 387
Miriam the prophetess, 190, 191, 299, 380, 387
mirrors, invoking angels through, 204, 205
mitzvah, 202, 299
mitzvot, xlix, 123
Moab, 487
Mohammed, 98
mold (tzelem), 134
Moloch, sacrifice of children to, 74
monolatry, lxiii–lxiv, lxxxiii (n. 116) monotheism: angels’ role in Creation, 117
angels subject to God, 203
as central principle of Judaism, xliii, 32, 407
contradictions to, xliv, xlix
Council of Souls traditions, 161–62
creation myths and, li
difficulty of conversion to, 469
enthronement myths, 4
evil in, 199
God as pillar of world, 96
heavenly Adam myth, 129
kabbalah as inclusive form of, lxxx (n. 34)
multiple names for God, 26
mythology and, xliv–xlv
origins of, 329
primordial light and, lxxiii
Shekhinah within structure of, xlviii, 48
moon: Abraham and, 328–29
canopy made of light of, 347
creation of, 73, 83, 119, 249
in David’s crown, 395
garment for, 114
as God’s gift to Adam, 130
at God’s right hand, 523
heavenly palaces and, 92–93
at Isaac’s birth, 336
Jacob as man in the moon, 365
Kiddush Levanah (Blessing of the Moon), 113
new moons, 403, 505
rebellion of, 112–13, 114
reprimanded by God, 522
Rosh Hodesh, 323
Sarah as, 345–46
in second heaven, 184
size of, 112–13, 114, 296, 323
standing still, 113
sun’s quarrel with, 112–13, 296
suspended in firmament, 104
worship of, 438
Mordecai, 264
Moroccan mythology, 81
Moses: angels’ objections to giving Torah to Moses, 258
angels’ objection to elevation of, 133
angel’s revelation of Law to, 119
ascent of, 194, 195, 197, 261–63, 270–71, 389, 412–13
as basis for other myths, 27–28
birth of, 372–73
Bitiah’s rescue of, 422
body of, 301–2
as bridegroom to Torah, 256–57
burning bush, 257–58, 375–76, 469
bypassing death, 207
childhood of, 329
comforting Jerusalem, 420
confrontation with God, 429
contraction of God (tzimtzum), 14
covenant renewed with, xlvi
David’s link to, 397
death by kiss of Shekhinah, 173
defense of Israel, 429
desire to see Akiba, 521
divine radiance of, 389–91
dual Messiah, 519
enthronement myths, l, 4, 131, 157–58, 388–89
evolution of myths, lxxv
in exile, lix
fasting on Mount Sinai, 388
fire transformation, 389
First Created Being, 118
garments of, 388
God’s image, 25, 33–34, 35, 42, 186, 262
God’s name revealed to, 25–26
God’s omnipresence, 11
God’s tallit, 83
God’s voice, 31, 32
golden calf, 467–69
at Golden Gate of Jerusalem, 511
heavenly journey, 170
heavenly music, 188–89
heavenly Temple, 412–13
Holy Spirit and, 19
immortality of, lviii, 348, 370, 394–95
Israel in exile, 61
in Jacob’s dream, 356
Joshua bin Nun’s parallels with, 393–94
ketubah (wedding contract) of God and Israel, 306
Korah and followers, 235
last request, 393
Luria’s link to, 392
merits of, 51
as messianic figure, 384, 388, 413
Metatron and, l; Miriam’s Well, 387
at Mount Sinai, 41–42, 73, 259–60, 388, 392
name of, 373
Og slain by, 461–62
as one of the Ushpizin (Seven Shepherds), 210
parallels with Elijah, 31
plague of darkness, 234–35
prayers, 313
punishment of Korah and followers, 233
questioning God, 272
raised by Bitiah, 190
ram’s horn, 150
recipient of God’s teachings, lx
as Redeemer of Israel, 375, 377, 379
Red Sea passage, 104, 382–86
resistance to Angel of Death, 346, 347, 413
reverence for, lvii
role in Exodus, lxxi
Sabbath as bride of Israel, 312
Sar ha-Torah secret, 275
search for Joseph’s coffin, 379
sepulcher of, 77
Seth’s soul in, 444
shofar sounded, 297, 298
sparks of soul, 163
staff of, 77, 437
stutter of, 374
as sukkah guest, 299
swallowed by serpent, 376–77
Tabernacle construction, 52
tablets, 123, 267, 273, 274, 389, 425
teaching the Torah, 390
tefillin’s knot, 34, 35
Tent of Meeting, 42–43
before Throne of Glory, 270–71
Torah received by, xliv, 34, 38, 137, 248, 252, 255, 258, 261–63, 265, 268–69, 277
Torah study, 190
Treasuries of Merits and Comfort, 189
Tzohar possession, 86
on Uncircumcised (Evil Inclination), 453
viewing God’s back, 25
in the wilderness, 391
Yocheved, mother of Moses, 190
mothers, prayers for, lxix–lxx
Mother Zion, 46–47, 57, 65
Mountain of Hailstones, 94
mountains. See also specific mountains: of fire, 397
heavenly Jerusalem on, 418, 512, 513
held over Israel’s heads, lv, 263, 264, 461–62
quarrel of the mountains, 258–59
on winds, 94
Mountains of Darkness, 459
Mount Carmel, 258–59, 418, 512, 513
Mount Hermon, 418, 457
Mount Horeb, 30, 31. See also Mount Sinai
Mount Moriah: Abraham’s recognition of, 338–39
Akedah (binding of Isaac), lii, lxvii, 19, 44, 150, 171–72, 297, 329, 337–42, 343, 384–85, 429
alter of, 415
creation of, 414–15
Jacob’s vision, 356, 357, 359
journey to, lvii; Mount Sinai created from, 414–15
ram’s sacrifice, lxii, 150, 410
Red Sea passage, 384–85
as site of Isaac’s sacrifice, 415
Temple Mount and, 415
Mount of Olives, 55–56, 425, 474, 505
Mount Seir, 493–95
Mount Sinai: cloud enveloping Moses on, 392
covenant formalized in Torah, xlvi
created from Mount Moriah, 414–15
death and rebirth on, 259–60
descent of heavenly Jerusalem, 418, 512, 513
Giving of the Torah, xliv, liv, lv, 34, 260, 265
God’s appearance at, xlvii, 33–34, 41–42, 260, 263–64, 270
God’s descent to, 51
held over Israel’s heads, lv, 263, 26
4
Israel at, 274, 328
Jacob’s dream, 356
lifted to Heaven, 263
Moses fasting on, 388
quarrel of the mountains, 258–59
shofar sounded on, lxii, 297
Song of Songs given at, 277–78
stone from, 426
voice of God heard on, 31, 32
worthiness of, 407
Mount Tabor, 258–59, 418, 512, 513
Mount Zion, 498–99
mourning dove, 321–22
mourning rituals, lxix–lxx, 12, 321, 350–51
music: of all creation, 12, 188–89
of angels, 20, 22, 115, 158, 159, 184, 188–89, 197, 317, 361, 362, 385–86, 408
choirs of heaven, lii
of David, 395
of Israel, 197, 469
of Messiah’s bird, 488–89, 490
of mountains, 512, 513
of Sabbath, 317
of stars, 187, 188
of sun, 188
of Temple, 513
of Torah, 248
of trees, 184
Muslim tradition, lviii, lix, lxvii, 267, 272, 348, 416
mysticism: aura of Moses, 390
Ben Azzai’s death, 173
cautionary tales against, 80, 173
Chariot of God, 5
creation myths, 93
four sages who entered Paradise, 173–74
hastening of messianic era, 491
heavenly Jerusalem, 414
journeying to Heaven, liii
of patriarchs, 368
restrictions on study of, 285
warning against, 276, 286
mythology: defining, xxxiv (note), xliv, lxxviii (n. 5)
destructive powers of, lix
mythic absorption, 26
objections to term, xxxiv, xliv–xlv
primary purpose, lxviii
Na’amah (Lilith’s sister or daughter), 215, 222–23, 455, 456
Nachmanides (Ramban), liii, lviii, 75, 133, 460, 526
Nachman of Bratslav: on Adam as hermaphrodite, 139
on Angel of Losses, 204
on calculating the End of Days, 500
on creation, 121, 122
on David’s harp, 396
documentation of, 525
on exile from Garden of Eden, 168–69
on faith of Israel, 256
on garment for moon, 114
on God of renewal, 292
on hidden God, 13
on Holy Breath in the Psalms, 279
on Israel’s Dead of the Desert, 472
on Jacob’s immortality, 371
Land of Israel journey, 407–8
on letters of Torah, 164, 252
on light of Torah, 250, 256;
‘Lost Princess” story, xlviii, 50, 59, 63
on map of time and space, 186–87
on Moses, 413
as potential Tzaddik, 169
on prayers originating from Land of Israel, lviii
on primordial light, lxxiv
on Rabbah bar Bar Hannah’s tales, 147
on rebellion of the waters, 106
on the Shekhinah within, 63
on souls of trees, 165
on sparks of souls, 163
on spirit of Idolatry, 471
‘The Lost Princess” tale, xlviii
on tikkun olam (repair of the world), 295
on Torah, 277
on Treasury of Gifts, 189
Nadab (Aaron’s son), 33–34, 469–70
Nagdasniel (minister of Gehenna), 239
Nag Hammadi, 100, 125
Najara, Israel, lxxxii (n. 76)
names: of angels, 254
of animals, 136, 143, 249
of God, liv, 10, 25–26, 27, 28, 62, 91–92, 104, 118, 173, 186, 188, 189, 191, 254, 265, 339
of Shekhinah, 48–49
of souls, 170
of stars, 187
used in Creation, 249, 250
Naphtali (Jacob’s son), 371
Nathan of Gaza, 486
Nathan of Nemirov, 39, 59, 63, 67, 114
nations of the earth, 213, 236, 239, 264, 349, 408–9
Native Americans, lx, 81, 474
Navarro, Shlomo, 494
Near Eastern mythology, lxiv, lxxxiii (n. 116), 76, 161, 216, 446, 469
necklace of letters, 510
nefashot shel Tzaddikim. See Council of Souls
nefesh (animal soul; life force), 133, 311
Nefilim (giants), 454, 455, 456, 457, 458–59, 460, 461–62
nehar di-nur (River of Fire; Rigyon): angels created from, 115
angels destroyed in, 158–59, 196, 261
Gallizur’s use of coals from, 199
myth development, lii; righteous protected from, 316
sun rising from, 103
surrounding the crystal palace, 192
Nehemiah, 451
Nehorai, Meir ben Yitzhak, 1, 475, 527
Ner Tamid (Eternal Light; previously known as Tzohar), 86, 87
Netzah (Eternity sefirah), 7, 9, 529
Neumann, Erich, xlv Neusner, Jacob, 277
new moons, 403, 505
New Year. See Rosh ha-Shanah Nigal, Gedalyah, 230
night, creation of, 88, 89, 137
Nile, 379, 380, 393, 407
Nimrod (King), 85, 350, 437
Ninth of Av curse (Tisha be-Av), 321–22, 323, 497
Niobe (Greek mythology), 520
Nirvana of Hinduism, 169
Noah: Ark construction, lxxxiv (n. 132); Book given to, 254
divine radiance of, 391
exile of, lix
garments of Adam and Eve, 437
God’s mercy on, 444
Holy Spirit and, 18
Job compared to, 111
mythical parallels of, lxvi
offerings of, 415
Og saved by, 461
Phoenix on Ark, 149
rainbow, 77, 78–79
raven on Ark, 462–63
Tzohar possession, 85, 86–87, 332
Nod, east of Eden, 446, 448
noncanonical texts, 3
non-Orthodox Jews, lxxvi
Noy, Dov, 208, 224
nuclear war, 98, 406
nut grove, 402
oath of God, 39
observant Jews, lxviii
Obyzouth (demoness), 217, 223–24
ocean, creation of, 73
Ode, 225. See also Lilith Odeberg, Hugo, 157
Oedipus (Greek mythology), lxv, 393–94
ofanim (angels), 185
Og (giant), 264, 461–62
O’Hara, John, 478
Oil of Life from Tree of Mercy, 442–43
Okeanos (river and sea god), 103
Olam ha-Ba. See World to Come
olam ha-tikkun (world of repair), 124. See also tikkun olam (repair of the world)
Olam ha-Zeh (this world), 247–48, 250
olam u-melo’o (a world and the fullness thereof), xxxv
omnipotence of God, lxxviii (n. 4), 37
omnipresence of God, 11
omniscience of God, 21
Onan, sin of, 221
Onoskelis (demoness), 228
oral tradition, lxxiv–lxxv
or ha-ganuz (hidden light), lxxii–lxxiii, lxxxv (n. 153), 85, 250. See also primordial light
Or ha-Hayim (Hayim ben Attar), 99, 267, 390, 526
original sin concept, 433
origin myths. See also Creation: Angel of Death, 452
burial, 445
chaos (tohu), 100–101
earthquakes (zeva’ot), 102
fire, 101–2
first Havdalah, 319
Holy Land, 409
roots of everything, 102–3
sunsets, 101
Tower of Babel, 464
Orion constellation, 456, 460
Ornan the Jebusite, 396
Ornasis (demon), 223, 227–28, 230, 425, 459
orphans, 189
Oshaya, Rav, 279, 283
> Other Side (Sitra Ahra), lxxvi, 63 100, 139, 460, 472
Otto, Walter F., lxviii Ouranos (Sky), 103
overruling God, 138
Ovid’s Metamorphoses, lxvi
Ozick, Cynthia, 281
pagan mythology, lxv, 295–96, 313, 460
palaces, heavenly (Hekhalot): Ba’al
Shem Tov’s journey through, 209–10
Ben Azzai in, 173
crystal palace, 192
four sages who entered Paradise, 173
heaven and earth as God’s palace, 192
Isaac’s access to, 171
of Messiah, lxi, 241, 488–89
myths of, lii
palaces as heavens, 92–93
palaces of longing, 489
of patriarchs and matriarchs, xliii
of Serah bat Asher, 381
sixth heavenly palace, 178
Torah study in, 190, 193
of women, 190
Palestinians, lix Pandora (Greek mythology), lxv, 240, 401, 434
pantheon in Jewish mythology, l, lvii, lxiii, lxvi
Paradise (Gan Eden). See also Garden of Eden: Adam’s rule over, 126
as archetype, 401, 445
creation of, 74, 75
dancing in, 507
existence of, 445–46
field of souls, 168–69
four sages who entered, 173–74, 285
Gan Eden reference, 125, 317, 402
Gate of Paradise, 242
God’s exile from man’s paradise, 446
Guardian of Paradise (angel), 164
as heavenly Garden of Eden, liii
light of Creation, 83
Moses in, 262
as reward for righteous, 168–69
three kinds of, 401
women in, 190–91
parallels in myth, lxiii–lxviii, 76–77, 81
Pargod (the heavenly curtain; God’s inner sanctum): Akiba at, 173
God’s decrees behind, 176
Guf behind, 166–67
Isaac’s face on, 171
Ishmael at, 186
limited entrance to, 38
map of time and space, 186–87
Paritasha, 225. See also Lilith
Pascheles, Wolf, 283
Passover ritual and myth: Egyptian bondage and, lv
Haggadah reading, 33, 303, 384
observance of, lxviii
recounting the Exodus, xliv, lx
significance of, lxxi
as time of judgment, 289
Patai, Raphael, xxxiv
patriarchs. See also Abraham; Isaac; Jacob: angels of destruction and, 377
burial site, 344, 501, 504, 505, 516
colors associated with, 79
comforting Jerusalem, 420
coming of the Messiah and, 515, 516–17
defense of Israel, 429, 515
in End of Days, 501
evolution of myths, lxxvii
as God’s Chariot, 53
God’s visualization of, xlvi
heavenly journeys, 170
Holy Spirit and, 18
of Islam, lxvii; Israel in exile, 61
lulav (palm branches) as symbol of, 301
from mythic perspective, 368
palaces of, xliii
prophecy, 89–90
reprimanded by God, 522
Tree of Souls Page 130