Artworks

Rabbi Isaac Luria (known as the Ari) described the Ten Sefirot in great detail in a way known as Partzufim (Faces of God).  This how Prophets and Kabbalists see God in their own likeness and form.  And since humans come in many forms - Masculine and Feminine, Young and Old - the Partzufim are seen in all of these forms.  In this picture, the blue square symbolizes the Masculine, the red triangle… more

This picture is closely related to my picture Family Tree of Life.  The large face at the top represents a Grandfather who blesses his Children through their Fathers and Mothers that are on his arms.  The Grandfather's hands rest upon the head of a dark-haired Son whose hands rest upon the head of a Daughter with reddish hair.    The Grandfather represents Adam who was created in God's likeness… more

The Verse עץ חיים היא למחזיקים בה framing this fiery scene is from the Book of Proverbs (3:18) and refers to the Torah, "a Tree of Life for those who hold fast to it".  This is especially true of the soul of the Torah - Kabbalah.  Its mystical teachings and meditative practices feed our soul. Had Adam and Eve eaten from the Tree of Life while still in the Garden of Eden, they would have lived… more

Psalm 107, called the Psalm of Thanksgiving, describes four perilous situations that could befall us.  It tells us that someone who has gone through any of these situations and survived has a special obligation to give thanks and praise to God.  There is even a special blessings to say in the synagogue when called to the Torah.   The perilous situations described in Psalm 107 are:   1. Being lost… more

This picture is influenced by the amazing art of M. C. Escher.  This design is also reminiscent of Celtic Knots.  It is based on the Sacred Geometry expressed in the order of the 3 groups of the 22 Hebrew Letters - 3 Mothers, 7 Doubles and 12 Simples - found in Sefer Yetzirah.  

The design of this picture is based on the Geometry used in my picture 'The Holy Palace' and derives from the order of the 22 Hebrew Letters according to Sefer Yetzirah - 3 Mothers, 7 Doubles, and 12 Simple Letters. There is a feeling here of spacial relativity I learned from the art of M. C. Escher.  It is hard to know which is the floor, or wall, or roof, of each 'chamber'.  Also, the central… more

I painted this picture not long after I made 'The Orchard of the Torah'.  I wrote the 4 letters of the Hebrew word for orchard פרדס (pardes) along the horizontal line dividing the picture in half.  4 pairs of trees representing the 4 levels of the Torah expressed by the 4 letters of Pardes - פשט - רמז -  דרש - סוד - simple, hinted, derived and secret -.draw the eye inward to the center of the… more

There are several different forms the Tree of Life Diagrams. In the ones based on the teachings of Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Ari), Daat (Knowledge) is not counted as one of the 10 Sefirot, because Daat is the ‘outside’ of Keter and the ‘inside’ of Tiferet.  Another way of saying that is, Daat is the interface between the (3 Sefirot of the) mind and the (7 Sefirot of the) body.  In those Lurianic… more

Life is a dynamic process of balancing between hot and cold; activity and rest;  nature and nurture.  Balancing between what we keep private and what we share with others; and between many other complementary pairs of opposites.  The lower half of this picture shows the circular Root System of this Tree of Life.  The 10 concentric Roots and the Seed relate to the tenth Sefirah, Kingship. It… more

This Geometric picture evokes a Tree of Life Diagram in that it has a ladder-like feel to it.  Several six-pointed Star of Davids can be seen in it, but when one gazes at its center   it changes and moves almost like a kaleidoscope.  When the mind lets go of analyzing and trying the identify the parts it can quiet and just enjoy the experience of looking at the whole picture mindfully. 

This geometric picture is based on the number 8.  I play with the shape of 8 in several pictures - see the Infinite 8; and the Infinite Aleph.  8 represents the Infinite One that is beyond Space and Time.  The High Priests in the Tabernacle and Temple would wear 8 vestments - 4 white line and 4 elaborately spun with gold thread.  Numbers in Time is Music.  Many traditional and modern songs are in… more

This Geometric picture is based on the number 6.  A bright orange 6-pointed Star of David (Magen David) is embedded in the central circle.  A smaller white Magen David is embedded in the hexagon that is the center of the orange Star.  The hexagon at the center of that white Magen David can be seen as a cube.  This motif is similar to the one I used in my picture 'The Holy Palace'.  If you zoom-… more