The Kabbalistic Mirror of Genesis: Commentary on the First Three Chapters

by David Chaim Smith

A bold line-by-line reexamination of the first 3 chapters of Genesis that reveals the essential nature of mind and creativity

• Deconstructs each line of Genesis chapters 1-3 with esoteric methods derived from the oral teachings of the Kabbalah

• Reveals the sefirot, the Tree of Life, as the Divine blueprint of the creative process

• Explains how Genesis reveals the Divinity of mind and consciousness

Hidden within the first three chapters of Genesis rests one of the greatest jewels of Western mystical literature. For millennia religious literalism has dominated our understanding of the Bible, imprisoning its subtle inner wisdom within the most coarse and superficial aspects of the narrative. Generations have been led to believe that Genesis 1-3 is only a primitive proto-cosmic history, a mythological explanation of the human moral disposition, a religious fairy tale. But by accepting the text as pure kabbalistic metaphor, the mystical content of Genesis springs forth, revealing the Divine nature of creativity as well as a new understanding of the human mind.

Deconstructing each line of Genesis 1-3 with esoteric methods derived from the oral teachings of the Kabbalah, David Chaim Smith reveals how the ten sefirot, collectively known as the Tree of Life, are not simply a linear hierarchy. They are a unified interdependent whole with ten interactive functions, forming the template through which creative diversity manifests. Through acts of creation and creativity, the mind expresses its Divine nature. Through our Divine creative power, we are able to touch upon Ain Sof (the infinite), the lifeblood of all creative expression. Smith’s line-by-line examination of Genesis 1-3 reveals a complete model not only of Divine creativity but also of the predicament of the human mind, of the Divine nature of consciousness as well as our inability to recognize the mind’s Divinity.

With this new interpretation, which removes the concept of a Creator God, we are able to transcend the contrasting notions of “being” and “non-being” at the heart of conventional habits of perception and awaken a new mystical understanding of Unity and the fathomless depth of Divinity.

Genres: Spirituality, Religion, Philosophy

230 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 24, 2015

About the author

David Chaim Smith was born in 1964 in Queens, New York. His early career was as a visual artist throughout the 1980s. In 1990 he began an immersion into the root sources of Alchemy and the Hermetic and Hebrew traditions of the Kabbalah. In 1996 he abandoned visual art for a total dedication to spiritual practice, from which came a unique blend of practical mysticism and creative innovation. This blend coalesced while working with an obscure thirteenth-century text called The Fountain of Wisdom, which he mapped out diagrammatically in notebooks during his ten-year hiatus from visual art. The resulting symbol vocabulary served as the basis for his 2006 return to art, generating the content for several books. He currently lives in the suburbs of New York City with his wife, Rachel.

Reviews

[McCalla Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for an insightful and philosophical exploration on the Kabbalistic mysteries, David Chaim Smith is your man. Studying his literature has expanded my understanding of these esoteric concepts in such a profound way. I loved every moment of this book. It is definitely not an easy reading, with every sentence requiring some unpacking, but the task is definitely worth undertaking. 10/10 would recommend

[Samantha Strong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was interesting and thorough. The author doesn't appear to hold back, introducing a lot of Kabbalistic comments that are foreign to our Western understanding, which I very much appreciated. It's not something that can be breezed through in one sitting. Rather, every sentence has the capacity to inspire meditation. It felt to me like an unfolding, and by the time I got to the end, I was sure I'd read something different upon starting over.

[Avalina Kreska · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I'd read this years ago! Enlightening.

Makes perfect Kabbalistic sense of the 'Garden of Eden' story and the 'Six days of Creation'.
Luckily, I understood the Kabbalistic terms so it made it easier to understand.

A must read for anyone who's 'on the path'; a serious piece of research for any budding kabbalist. An answer to many questions (and illusions) of what the first three chapters of the Torah really are saying...

The synopsis at the back was also very useful. I look forward to reading more books by David Chaim Smith.