Adam's tree

Discussion about the Hebrew Bible, Septuagint, pseudepigrapha, Philo, Josephus, Talmud, Dead Sea Scrolls, archaeology, etc.
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Joseph D. L.
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Adam's tree

Post by Joseph D. L. »

Image

The above is a medieval, twelfth century depiction of Adam sleeping, while God removes the rib from his side.

The tree that grows from his phallus, similar to other depictions of the Tree of Jesse, is reminiscent of the arborfication of Attis, whom Adam was conflated with by the Naassenes and Ophites.

Are there any older, c. 100 bc-150 ad, sources of a similar nature?

Isn't there a medieval legend that says that seeds from the Tree of Life were planted in Adam's body? Or am I thinking of another patriarch?
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Joseph D. L.
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by Joseph D. L. »

The medieval book, The Penitence of Adam chronicles the history the Tree of Life to the cross of Christ:
The manuscript is an account of how Cain and Abel slew each other and how Adam's inheritance therefore passed to his third son, Seth. Seth was permitted to reach the gate of the Earthly Paradise without being attacked by the guardian angel with his flaming sword, and beheld the Trees of Life and Knowledge, which had joined to form a single tree, said to symbolise the harmony of science and religion in the Kabbalah. The guardian angel presented him with three seeds from this tree, which he was instructed to place in Adam's mouth when he died. From these grew the burning bush which God used to talk to Moses, who made his magic wand from part of it. This wand was placed in the Ark of the Covenant and was planted by King David on Mount Zion, where it grew into a triple tree which was cut down by Solomon to construct the pillars of Jachin and Boaz at the entrance to the Temple in Jerusalem. Another portion was inserted into the threshold of the great gate and permitted no unclean thing to enter the sanctuary. It was, however, removed by some wicked priests, weighted down by stones and thrown into the Temple reservoir, where it was hidden and guarded by an angel. During Christ's lifetime the reservoir was drained and the piece of wood found and used as a bridge across the brook of Kedron, over which Jesus passed after his arrest on the Mount of Olives. It was then made into the cross on which he was crucified.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of ... ce_of_Adam
Image

(1) Adam directing Seth how to reach the Garden of Eden. (2) Seth placing the three seeds from the Tree of Life under the tongue of the dead Adam. (3) The Queen of Sheba, refusing to place her feet upon the sacred tree, forded the stream. (4) Placing the sacred tree over the door of Solomon's Temple. (5) The crucifixion of Christ upon a cross made from the wood of the holy tree. (6) Distinguishing the true cross from the other two by testing its power to raise a corpse to life.
semiopen
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by semiopen »

Isn't this forum supposed to be Jewish writings?

Why not ask about Jewish Tarot cards?
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Joseph D. L.
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by Joseph D. L. »

My question was about Jewish traditions in which Adam was turned into a tree. The Naassenes--as per Hippolytus--syncretized Attis into an Adamic figure; and Attis did become a tree (Hippolytus also says that they believed the earthly Adam sprung up spontaneously from the earth and was immovable until he was given the spirit of the Heavenly Adam... Attis likewise became a tree upon his death, and was reborn through this same tree.)

Image

Attis lies castrated and dying under the tree while another, smaller Attis comes out from behind, in this image from the first century bc.

My second post was as a response to my second statement in the first post of there being medieval traditions where seeds from the tree of Life were placed in Adam's body.
semiopen
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by semiopen »

You've made enough posts on here to know that the denizens of the Christian forum can answer these questions at least as well as anyone here.

The Naassenes
(Greek Naasseni, possibly from Hebrew נָחָשׁ naḥash, snake)[1] were a Christian Gnostic sect known only through the writings of Hippolytus of Rome.

The Naassenes claimed to have been taught their doctrines by Mariamne, a disciple of James the Just.[2] The retention of the Hebrew form shows that their beliefs may represent the earliest stages of Gnosticism. Hippolytus regards them as among the first to be called simply "Gnostics", alleging that they alone have sounded the depths of knowledge.[3]
Delightfully obscure and weird, but not Jewish.

Etz_Chaim and [wiki]Etz_Hayim_(disambiguation)[/wiki] discuss the term Tree of Life in Judasim.

The [wiki]Tree_of_life_(Kabbalah)[/wiki] discusses the relationship of the Sephirot to the tree of life.

That's probably medieval.

Adam_Kadmon
(Primordial Man; also Adam Ila'a, אדם עילאה "supreme man"; abbreviated as א"ק, A"K) , in Kabbalah, is the first spiritual World that came into being after the contraction of God's infinite light. Adam Kadmon is not the same as the physical, Adam Ha-Rishon (Adam, the first man), whom God created from the dust. The spiritual realm of Adam Kadmon corresponds to the sefirah (divine attribute) of Keter ("crown"). It is the divine will and program for subsequent creation.

In Lurianic Kabbalah, the description of Adam Kadmon is anthropomorphic. Nonetheless, Adam Kadmon is divine light without vessels, i.e., pure potential. In the human psyche, Adam Kadmon corresponds to the yechidah, the collective essence of the soul.
Also more or less medieval - note the wiki mentions Philo, Talmud and Midrash but that seems more on the lines of Man created in God's image, as opposed to a tree of life rap.

Compare the representation of the Sephirot to the pictures you are posting. Your pictures don't really belong in a Jewish forum.
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by Ethan »

The Hebrew word Image (צלמ) means "off a tree" (צאלים ), figuratively, the shadow cast by a large tree.
https://vivliothikiagiasmatos.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/joseph-yahuda-hebrew-is-greek.pdf
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Joseph D. L.
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by Joseph D. L. »

semiopen wrote: Tue Jun 19, 2018 5:22 am You've made enough posts on here to know that the denizens of the Christian forum can answer these questions at least as well as anyone here.
I don't understand the reason behind your attitude. I posted this on the Jewish forum--maybe this crossed your mind?--because I wanted predominantly Jewish sources. Even the wiki page for the Book of the Penitence of Adam states that it came from Kabbalahistic sources.

And the Naassenes were Jews heavily immersed in the customs of the Phyrgians, and even adopted their hymns and beliefs.

And unless Peter Kirby himself disoproves of me making such posts on the Jewish forum, and he feels that they would be more appropriate on the Christian forum--it's really none of your concern where I post what on this site.
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Joseph D. L.
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by Joseph D. L. »

Ethan wrote: Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:08 am The Hebrew word Image (צלמ) means "off a tree" (צאלים ), figuratively, the shadow cast by a large tree.
Could this relate to Paul saying that Christ is the visible image of God?
semiopen
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by semiopen »

Joseph D. L. wrote: Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:44 pm
Ethan wrote: Tue Jun 19, 2018 8:08 am The Hebrew word Image (צלמ) means "off a tree" (צאלים ), figuratively, the shadow cast by a large tree.
Could this relate to Paul saying that Christ is the visible image of God?
I think it relates to Yoshke stuff being idolatrous and belonging in the Christian forum.
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Joseph D. L.
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Re: Adam's tree

Post by Joseph D. L. »

My post is appropriate for the Jewish forum. It's none of your business where I post what. Let me make this blatantly clear for you: YOU ARE IN NO POSITION TO TELL ME WHERE MY POSTS BELONG. UNLESS YOU ARE A MOD OR THE SITE ADMIN, YOUR WORD MEANS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING REGARDING SUCH ISSUES.

Now, unless you have something relevant to the topic you would like to bring up, such as Jewish texts in which Adam becomes a tree or is connected to the Tree of Life, kindly refrain from making further superfluous comments.
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