Career
He specialized in epigraphy of the Akkadian language, and has been working on the Neo-Assyrian Text Corpus Project since 1987. Matching the characteristics of Ein Sof on the nodes of the Sephirot to the gods of Assyria, he found textual parallels between these Assyrian gods and the characteristics of the Jewish God. However, the Assyrians used a sexagesimal number system, whereas the Sephirot use a decimal system.
Using the Assyrian numbers, additional layers of meaning and mystical relevance appear in the Sephirot.
Normally, floating above the Assyrian tree of life was the god Assur—this corresponds to Ein Sof, which is also, via a series of transformations, supposedly derived from the Akkadian word Assur. Parpola re-interpreted various Assyrian tablets in the terms of these primitive Sephirot, such as the Epic of Gilgamesh, and concluded that the scribes had been writing philosophical-mystical tracts rather than just adventure stories.
Parpola is also the chairman of The Finland Assyria Association (Suomi-Assyria Yhdistys). Parpola is a strong advocate of Assyrianism, supporting the link between the modern Assyrians and their ancient ancestors.
He argues for a direct link between the ancient Assyrians and those who call themselves and their Aramaic language Assyrian today.