Hi! I am not sure what you mean by "symbol", but I can try and explain the source of Etz Hayim - the Tree of Life. It appears first as one of the trees in the garden of Eden in Bereshit 3:24. In Mishley 3:18 one can find the verse, which became part of the prayer service for putting the Torah in the Ark, after the reading in a Minyan. The verse is "She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and happy is every one that holdeth her fast". The Talmud since, understands it as implying the Torah. I hope it helps, Yael Penkower Jerusalem
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