Etz Chaim(book)

For the Humash used in conservative Judaism, seeEtz Hayim Humash.

Etz Chaim(Hebrew:עץ חיים, "Tree of Life" ) is aliterary workthat deals with theKabbalah,written in 1573. The book ofEtz Chaimis a summary of the teachings of theRabbiIsaac Luria,theArizal(1534-1572). TheArizalwas a rabbi and a kabbalist who led a study group on Kabbalah in the city ofSafed,inOttomanPalestine.

TheAridid not publish any works of his own. TheEtz Chaimwas compiled thanks to the student and disciple of theAri,the RabbiChaim Vital,who wrote down the lessons taught by theArizalto his study group on Kabbalah.

The book talks about the divine order and the existence of things, and deals withrevelationand the perception ofrealityby human beings. The first fragment of the book makes reference to thetree of life,which gives the book its name: "You know, before the beginning of the Creation there was only the highest and fullest light. The description of the creation process starts from that point, especially."

The book marks the beginning of the school of thought known as the Lurianic Kabbalah.Before theArizal,the Kabbalists revealed in their books, the development of reality from its origin to our world (from the understandable light). According to Rabbi Chaim Vital, theArizal HaKadoshdiscovered a method to better understand this reality.