string of God, 292
suffering for, 386
Singer, Isaac Bashevis, 180, 281
Sira, 279–80
sirens of Greek mythology, 221, 458
Sitra Ahra (Other Side), lxxvi, 63, 100, 139, 226, 227
size of God, 22, 24, 42–43
sky. See heavens slanderers, fate of, 237
slavery: of Israel in Egypt, xxxvii, lxxi, 303, 379, 394, 473
of Joseph, 86, 176, 177, 378
Slonimsky, Henry, xlvii
smoke, 60
snake-charmer’s wife, lxv–lxvi
snow: angels of, 115
beneath Throne of Glory, 94, 96
in Gehenna, 238
throne made of, 5
Treasury of Ice and Snow, 166, 185
Sodom: Abraham’s bargain with
God, 290, 334–35, 428, 429, 522
destruction of, 465–66
evil generation of, 463
God’s descent to, 51
judgment of, 291
Lot’s warning, 330
Solomon: authorship of Song of
Songs, 277–78
daughter’s marriage, 147
on Enemy (Evil Inclination), 453
enthronement myths, 396
Foundation Stone cavern, 98
Gate of Mercy, 56
God’s anger at, 422–23
Holy Spirit and, 18
Israel in exile, 61
Messiah-ox’s escape to Christian heaven, 509
Obyzouth and, 217, 223
spirits questioned by, 223, 227–28, 230, 459
Temple construction, 52, 53, 54, 77, 97, 227, 228, 420, 421, 422
vampire tale, 227–28
wedding of, 422–23
world of Tevel, 479
Solomon Ibn Gabirol, 119, 127, 180, 280–81
Song at the Sea, 328
Song of Songs, 6, 18, 34, 55, 277–78
Sons of God, lxvi, lxxxiv (n. 135), 108, 109, 137, 201, 366, 454–63. See also Azazel (angel)
Shemhazai (angel)
Sophia. See Wisdom
soulmates 66, 138–39, 163–64
souls (neshamah): of Adam, 129–30, 162–63
in Aravot (Seventh Heaven), 185
ascent of, 185
attempting to inhabit Adam, 140, 227
of converts, 335
cosmic tree as origin of, 122
Council of Souls (nefashot shel Tzaddikim), xliv, lxxviii (n. 4), 160–62
in Craftsmen creation story, 95
creation of, 163–64
of the dead, 484, 504–5, 506
dybbuks, lxxxi (n. 57), lxxxiv (n. 144), 169
field of souls, 168–69
gathering of, 295
genders of souls, 66, 163
Guf (Treasury of Souls
Chamber of Creation), 22, 164–65, 166–67, 171, 506
Heavenly Man identified with, 126
higher souls (neshamah), 133
Innocent Souls in Garden of Eden, 328
of Isaac, 342
of Israel, 327–28
Lailah (Angel of Conception), 199
light of, 204
of Messiah, 126, 485–87
names of, 170
nefesh (animal soul life force), 133, 311
neshamah yeterah (see second soul)
not yet created, 185
number of, 162–63, 166
old souls, 162
of patriarchs, 391
purified in Gehenna, 242–43
purity of, 199, 200
reincarnation, 162
resting place of, 168, 169
on the Sabbath, 311–12
Shekhinah as source of, 164, 167, 310
of sinners, 231, 236
soul-candles, 43–45
soul-roots, 162, 164
souls of the dead on the Sabbath, 311
souls of the righteous, lii, liii, 53, 121, 127, 159, 160, 161, 169, 185, 231, 236, 243, 256, 403
souls without bodies, 77, 161, 227
sources of, 162–63, 164–65, 167, 168, 190, 199–200, 310, 327, 335
sparks of souls, 163, 164, 168, 486
under Throne of Glory, 53, 167, 236, 416, 417
tree of souls, 164–65
of trees, 165
of unborn, 140, 166–67
in World to Come (Olam ha-Ba), 506
Yesod’s transmission of, 121
sources of myths, xxxiii
Soviet Union, lxii
sparks, 357, 517. See also Shattering of the Vessels and Gathering of the Sparks myth
sparks of souls, 163, 164, 168, 486
sparrows, 166
spices, ritual of smelling, lxix
Spiegel, Shalom, 171
Spirit (of the Holy Spirit), 18
stairway in Jacob’s dream, 355–56
stars: Abraham’s study of, 332, 333
of Adam, 126
Adam Kadmon, 16
astrology, 16, 107, 121, 187, 332, 333, 354, 456, 457
astronomy, 157
constellations in second heaven, 184
creation of, 83, 88, 112–13, 119
in David’s crown, 395
as God’s gift to Adam, 130
at God’s left hand, 523
at Isaac’s birth, 336
Istahar among, 455, 460
journeys to, 181
lessons of, 328–29
in Metatron’s robe, 156
names of, 187
as offerings, 417
ornaments of celestial Temple, 416
Place of the Stars, 187
prison for rebellious stars, 214
prophecy from, 372–73
reprimanded by God, 522
in second heaven, 184
suspended in firmament, 104
State of Israel, lviii
“still, small voice.” See voice of God
Stone, Michael, xxxiv, 401
Stone (Evil Inclination), 453
stones: Jacob’s pillow, 362–63
light hidden in (Tzohar), lxxiii, 84, 85–88, 332
turned to food, 502
stone tablets. See tablets, stone
Storehouses of Snow, 94
Storehouses of Water and Fire, 94
storms, 102, 185
storm-winds, God riding, 71
string of God, 292
Stumbling Block (Evil Inclination), 453
succubi, lxxvi, lxxxvi (n. 172), 221
suffering: celebrating enemies’ suffering, 386–87
of God, xlvi, lxv, 36–37, 58, 490
of Israel, 382, 473, 484–85, 495
ledgers of sorrows and hardships, 189
longing for Messiah, lxi, 489
of Luz inhabitants, 477
of Messiah, lxi, 483, 488–90, 491, 492, 495, 516–17
of Shekhinah, 58–59
of souls, 169
of Tzaddikim, 484–85
sukkah: decorations, lxxi
dwelling in exile, 300–301
from Leviathan’s skin, 510
Seven Shepherds’ visits, 210, 299
Sukkot: dwelling in exile, 300–301
judgment during, 289
origins, lxxi, 300–301
pilgrimages of, 505
Seven Shepherds’ visits, 210, 299
significance of holiday, lv
water libation, 298
sun: Abraham and, 328–29, 345–46
angelic representations of, 188
angels’ guidance of, 116
canopy made of light of, 347
creation of, 73, 83, 119, 249
in David’s crown, 395
extinguished in Okeanos Sea, 103
first sunrise and sunset, 101
garment for moon, 114
as God’s gift to Adam, 130
at God’s right hand, 523
heavenly palaces and, 92–93
on Isaac’s birth, 336
lit in River of Fire (Nahar di-Nur), 103
moon’s q
uarrel with, 112–13, 296
Moses’ curse of, 429
Phoenix, 149
reprimanded by God, 522
in second heaven, 184
standing still, 113
sunset, first, 101
sun worship, lxv, 29–30, 155, 305, 438
suspended in firmament, 104
tent of the sun, 191–92
survival, impulse for, 73
Surya (angel Prince of Presence), 196
sustenance, key of, 23
swords: flame of the ever-turning sword, li, lxxv, 165, 226, 404, 433, 440
sword of flame, 406
sword of God, 30, 77–78
symbolism, xlv
Symposium (Plato), 138
Tabernacle: curtain, 186
erection of, 51, 52, 53
Ner Tamid (Eternal Light
previously known as Tzohar), 86
in World to Come (Olam ha-Ba), 510
tablets, stone: creation of, 77
engraved with God’s finger, 273, 274
given to Israel, 266–68, 269
God’s visualization of, xlvi
Moses’ receipt of, 313
shattering of, 266, 267, 467–69
signature of God, 274
Temple’s destruction and, 425
‘Truth” (emet), 470
tallit (fringed prayer shawl), 34–35, 36, 82–83, 176, 342, 348, 472, 476–77, 497
Talmud: creation myths, li
on creation of Holy Land, lix
on Enoch, 157
four sages who entered Paradise, 173
healing stone motif, 3
on judgment, 290
Kabbalat Shabbat ritual, xlix, 310
on Kaddish (prayer of the dead), lxx
on Leviathan, 146
on Metatron, l
Oral Torah (Torah she-be-al-peh), lxxvii, 34
on Phoenix, 149
polytheistic configurations in, xliv
Primordial Metatron concept, 195
Rabbinic traditions, xxxv
on Shekhinah, lvi
Shekhinah in, xlviii
Talve, Susan, 385
Tam, Jacob, 281
Tammuz, lxiii
Tantalus (Greek mythology), 215
Targums (Aramaic translation of Bible), 157
Tashlikh (shaking pockets), lxx
tav (letter), 250–51
tears of God, 37–39, 102, 107
tefillin, 15, 34–35, 36, 176, 503
tehom (deep), 94, 97, 106
tekhelet dye, 472, 476–77
Temple, Earthly. See also Holy of Holies
Western Wall: Abraham in, 428
Adam’s creation, 127, 131–32, 133
as center of Creation, lix, 83, 96, 97, 419
‘Closing of the Gates” prayer, 297–98
coming of the Messiah and, xlix, lxi
construction of, 52, 53, 54, 96, 420, 421, 422
creation of, 23, 24, 74, 75, 420–22
criteria for messianic era, 503, 520, 521
curtain, 186, 421
demons’ objections to, 227
destruction of, 18, 19, 38, 46, 54–55, 57, 138, 183, 298, 321, 420, 424, 425–26, 427, 428, 470, 473, 484, 522
Foundation Stone in, 97, 98
God as builder of, 35, 357, 412–13, 416
God’s descent to, 51
God’s grief over destruction of, xlvi, 36–37, 38–39, 40, 321, 427, 522
God’s prayers for, 416
God’s rebuilding of, 35
God’s visualization of, xlvi
holy days associated with, lxxi
as home of God, 297–98
invisibility of, 429
in Isaiah’s vision, 3
Jacob present for building and destruction of, 370
Jacob’s vision, 356–58
leopards in, 423
light from, 411–12
Messiah’s birth, 484
Messiah’s restoration of, 413
messianic spring, 514
Ninth of Av curse (Tisha be-Av), 323
parallels between Muslims and Jews, lxvii
parallels with the Fall, 433, 436
pilgrimage to Jerusalem, 300
primordial light, lviii, lxxiii
rebuilding of, lxi, 35, 36, 268, 275, 297, 300, 328, 356, 357, 416, 425, 485, 503, 505, 512–13
as sacred bedchamber, 54–55
Shekhinah as inhabitant of, 17, 49, 51, 52, 55, 57, 99–100, 419, 425, 513
Shekhinah’s grief over destruction of, xliv, xlvii, xlviii, xlix, lxv
site of, 415
song of, 418
souls in Guf, 166
stones of, 426
water libation, 298
Weeping Well, 322
Temple, Heavenly: Adam’s soul from, 127
closing of the gates, 297–98
descent of, 268, 416
in the fourth heaven, 184
God’s building of, 357, 412–13, 512
High Priest of, 362, 416
Isaac’s ascent, 171
Isaiah’s vision, 3
mirror image, xliii, lviii–lix, lxvii, 414, 416–17
myth development, lii
variant on theme, 429
Temple Mount, lxvii, 357, 359, 415, 513
Tempter and heavenly prosecutor, 108
Ten Commandments: God’s pronunciation of, 32, 269
inclusion of negative commandments, lv
receipt of tablets at Mount Sinai, 266
second commandment, xlvii
significance of number, xlvi
spoken in a single utterance, 99
Ten Martyrs, deaths of, 123, 124
ten (number), xlvi, lxxviii (n. 8)
ten plagues, 375
ten things created on the eve of the first Sabbath, 77, 150
ten things paramount in God’s thoughts during Creation, xlvi, lxxviii (n. 8), lxxviii (n. 9)
Tenth Man, 348
tent of Heaven, 192
Tent of Meeting: God’s presence in, 11, 14, 42–43
Nadab and Abihu in, 469
Shekhinah as inhabitant of, 52
as source for Ari’s myth, 123
tent of the sun, 191–92
Terafim (talking heads), 354–55
teshuvah. See repentance
Tevel, world of, 479
themes, xxxiii, xxxvi, 446
Theogony (Hesiod), lxv, 91
theurgy, lxx, 70, 297
Thirteen Attributes of God, 313
Thirteen Principles of Maimonides, 503, 505
Thirty-Six Hidden Saints / Just Men (Lamed-vav Tzaddikim), 44, 397
Throne of Glory: Akatriel Yah inscribed upon, 28
angels surrounding, 116, 158, 196
angels tending, 13
in Aravot (Seventh Heaven), 4, 185
Chariot and, 118 (see also Chariot of God)
creation of, 54, 74
creation of Adam Kadmon, 18
described, 4–5
earthquakes and, 102
in End of Days, 501
in Ezekiel’s vision, 182–83
Gate of Heaven beneath, 358
God as king, 6
God on, 12, 17
Guf’s proximity to, 166
hayyot’s support of, 4–5, 158, 159, 160, 185
Jacob seated on, 367
Jacob’s face on, 358, 364, 365, 366, 368
Jerusalem before, 419
Jerusalem raised to level of, 511
at judgment of Adam and Eve, 439
letters under, 333
made of fire, 24, 155
of Messiah, 483
Messiah in chains before, 498
Moses before, 270–71, 389
as protection from angels, 261
purpose of, 83
rainbow of Shekhinah, 188
rebellion of waters, 105
revealed to Torah, 256
Shekhinah in, 53, 196
snow beneath Throne, 94, 96
&n
bsp; souls hewn from, 167
souls hidden under, 53, 167, 236, 416, 417
stars surrounding, 187
suspended by breath of God, 20
tablets from beneath, 266
Torah composed upon, 248
Tzaddikim hewn from, 53
Throne of Judgment, 289–90, 291
Throne of Justice, lxx, 296, 297, 395, 466, 522
Throne of Mercy, lxx, 296, 297, 395, 466
thrones: of David, 395
of Moses, 388
thunder, 102, 115, 259
thunderstorms, 71
Tiamat (Babylonian primeval ocean and divine mother), li, lxiv, 76, 106, 146, 162
Tiferet (Splendor sefirah), 7, 9, 404, 529
Tigris (river), 401
tikkun olam (repair of the world), 124, 168–69, 177, 202, 295, 414, 488
Timaeus (Plato), lxxx (n. 38)
time: beginning of, 74
cessation of, 507
nature of, 384
sacred, lvi
Tirer of Chernovitz, Hayim, lx, 122
Tisha be-Av (Ninth of Av curse), 321–22, 323, 497
Tishby, Isaiah, xxxiv, 424
Tishrei, month of, 292, 294, 314
Toledot Yeshu tradition, 181
Tolkien, J. R. R., 88
tongs, creation of first, 77
Topheth (cult site), 74
Torah: according to individuals’ abilities, 32
Adam’s study of, 253
allegories, 147–48
Angel of Death and, 193, 194, 208
for angels, 509
angels’ objections to giving Torah to Israel, 258
astrology transcended by power, 333
betrothal of, 256–57
body of Moses, 301–2
Book of Raziel compared to, 194, 290
Books of Life and Death compared to, 290
changing nature of, 272–73
covenant formalized in, xliv, xlvi, 267, 305
creation by, 249–50, 265
creation of, 74, 75, 248
as Creation plan, 257
crowns of Torah, 308
crowns of Torah’s letters, 271, 413
dependence of existence on, 249, 250, 255–56
dictated to Moses, xliv, 34, 268, 272
dual Torah, 277
Earthly Torah, lv
editors of, lxxv
era of, 320
exile and, lx
expanding nature of, 193–94
faces of, 260, 308
first Torah, 268–69
as garment for Israel, 114
in Gehenna, 238
given to Adam, 291
Giving of the Torah, xliv, liv, lv, 34, 41–42, 259, 260, 264–65, 270
God expounds on, 36
as God’s advisor, 249
God’s study of, 12, 34, 36
God’s teaching of, 36, 271
Holy Land and, lviii
Holy Spirit and, 19
at Ingathering of the Exiles, 519
inscribed on God’s arm, 23, 248, 252
inscribed on God’s crown, 248
inscribed on robe of glory, 29
inscribed with fire, 248, 252, 265, 266
interpretation of, 67–68, 255, 271, 272–73, 518–19
Isaac’s study of, 171
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