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The Tree of Life: The Palace of Adam Kadmon - Chayyim Vital's Introduction to the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria
Etz Chayyim (Tree of Life), Chayyim Vital's presentation of the teachings of his master, Isaac Luria, is one of the most important books in the development of Kabbalah, the mystical strand of Jewish tradition. Luria himself is generally regarded as the most influential of kabbalists, second only to the author of the Zohar, and Etz Chayyim is considered by kabbalists and scholars alike to be the most authoritative version of his teachings.
Etz Chayyim, sometimes called the Talmud of the kabbalists, has always been considered the most secret of the secret traditions of Judaism. In its present form it consists of a total of seven volumes, or palaces. The first volume, The Palace of Adam Kadmon, presents an overview of Isaac Luria's teachings, outlining the entire Lurianic system and providing a detailed description of its main structural elements.
This first translation into English of The Tree of Life, The Palace of Adam Kadmon will open this fascinating and important text to the large and growing body of readers who have become interested in Kabbalah and are curious about its original sources. It includes a facsimile copy of the original Hebrew text of Etz Chayyim, Heykhal Adam Kadmon and the English text contains page, column and line numbers that enable the reader to compare the translators' rendering to the original version. It is an excellent introduction to the beauty and complexity of the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria, as conveyed to us by his chief disciple, Chayyim Vital.
Etz Chayyim, sometimes called the Talmud of the kabbalists, has always been considered the most secret of the secret traditions of Judaism. In its present form it consists of a total of seven volumes, or palaces. The first volume, The Palace of Adam Kadmon, presents an overview of Isaac Luria's teachings, outlining the entire Lurianic system and providing a detailed description of its main structural elements.
This first translation into English of The Tree of Life, The Palace of Adam Kadmon will open this fascinating and important text to the large and growing body of readers who have become interested in Kabbalah and are curious about its original sources. It includes a facsimile copy of the original Hebrew text of Etz Chayyim, Heykhal Adam Kadmon and the English text contains page, column and line numbers that enable the reader to compare the translators' rendering to the original version. It is an excellent introduction to the beauty and complexity of the Kabbalah of Isaac Luria, as conveyed to us by his chief disciple, Chayyim Vital.
502 pages, Hardcover
First published June 8, 2008
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March 11, 2012
The book is an important first step in the translation into English of the largely Esoteric Lurianic lore. The only way to properly read this type of book is with trembling and awe which is why it is really impossible to review such a work after a 'first pass.' One must re-read the book at different stages of one's maturity and development in order to better appreciate and grasp what they thought they knew before hand but really did not. This process repeats itself asymptotically.
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