Sign-In
Cart
The Zohar: Volume 2
Hardcover
Series: Zohar: Pritzker Edition, Book 2
Publisher Price: $65.00
ISBN13: 9780804748681
Publisher: Stanford Univ Pr
Published: Dec 31 2003
Pages: 460
Weight: 2.31
Height: 1.22 Width: 7.16 Depth: 10.44
Language: English
Sefer ha-Zohar, The Book of Radiance, has amazed and overwhelmed readers ever since it emerged mysteriously in medieval Spain toward the end of the thirteenth century. Written in a unique Aramaic, this masterpiece of Kabbalah exceeds the dimensions of a normal book; it is virtually a body of literature, comprising over twenty discrete sections. The bulk of the Zohar consists of a running commentary on the Torah, from Genesis through Deuteronomy. This translation begins and focuses here in what are projected to be ten volumes. Two subsequent volumes will cover other, shorter sections.
The Zohar's commentary is composed in the form of a mystical novel. The hero is Rabbi Shim'on son of Yohai, a saintly disciple of Rabbi Akiva who lived in the second century in the land of Israel. In the Zohar, Rabbi Shim'on and his companions wander through the hills of Galilee, discovering and sharing secrets of Torah.
On one level, biblical figures such as Abraham and Sarah are the main characters, and the mystical companions interpret their words, actions, and personalities. On a deeper level, the text of the Bible is simply the starting point, a springboard for the imagination. For example, when God commands Abraham, Lekh lekha, Go forth... to the land that I will show you (Genesis 12:1), Rabbi El'azar ignores idiomatic usage and insists on reading the words more literally than they were intended, hyperliterally: Lekh lekha, Go to yourself! Search deep within to discover your true self.
At times, the companions themselves become the main characters, and we read about their dramatic mystical sessions with Rabbi Shim'on or their adventures on the road, for example, an encounter with a cantankerous old donkey driver who turns out to be a master of wisdom in disguise.
Ultimately, the plot of the Zohar focuses on the ten sefirot, the various stages of God's inner life, aspects of divine personality, both feminine and masculine. By penetrating the literal surface of the Torah, the mystical commentators transform the biblical narrative into a biography of God. The entire Torah is read as one continuous divine name, expressing divine being. Even a seemingly insignificant verse can reveal the inner dynamics of the sefirot--how God feels, responds and acts, how She and He (the divine feminine and masculine) relate intimately with each other and with the world.
5 different editions
Also available
Also in
Judaism
The Kabbalistic Mirror of Genesis: Commentary on the First Three Chapters
Smith, David Chaim
Paperback
Heart of a Stranger: An Unlikely Rabbi's Story of Faith, Identity, and Belonging
Buchdahl, Angela
Hardcover
The Books of Enoch: Complete edition: Including (1) The Ethiopian Book of Enoch, (2) The Slavonic Secrets and (3) The Hebrew Book of Enoch
Schnieders, Paul C.
Paperback
Conversations with My Rabbi: Timeless Teachings for a Fractured World
Goldstein, Nikki
Schlanger, Rabbi Eli
Hardcover
As a Jew: Reclaiming Our Story from Those Who Blame, Shame, and Try to Erase Us
Hurwitz, Sarah
Hardcover
El Poder de la Kabbalah: 13 principios para superar los desafíos y alcanzar la realización
Berg, Rav
Paperback
The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet's Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India
Kamenetz, Rodger
Paperback
The Complete Jewish Study Bible (Hardcover): Illuminating the Jewishness of God's Word
Rubin, Rabbi Barry
Hardcover
The Talmud Unmasked: The Secret Rabbinical Teachings Concerning Christians
Pranaitis, I. B.
Paperback
The Art of Jewish Joy: Crafts and Activities for Celebration and Connection
Kingloff, Amanda
Ultman, Suzy
Hardcover
This Is Real and You Are Completely Unprepared: The Days of Awe as a Journey of Transformation
Lew, Alan
Paperback
Eat Jewish: Over 100 Recipes That Blend Jewish Heritage, Modern Flavors, and Family Traditions
Strauss, Melinda
Hardcover
Passover Haggadah: A New English Translation and Instructions for the Seder
Rabbi Nathan Goldberg
Paperback
The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit: A Jewish Family's Exodus from Old Cairo to the New World
Lagnado, Lucette
Paperback
For Times Such as These: A Radical's Guide to the Jewish Year
Katz, Ariana
Rosenberg, Jessica
Paperback
Jews vs. Rome: Two Centuries of Rebellion Against the World's Mightiest Empire
Strauss, Barry
Hardcover
The Holocaust Industry: Reflections on the Exploitation of Jewish Suffering
Finkelstein, Norman G.
Paperback
The Ancient Book Of Jubilees: A Comprehensive Guide to the Lost Secrets of the Bible, Including the History, Mysteries, and Hidden Teachings of Enoc
Johnson, William Robert
Paperback
Sitting at the Feet of Rabbi Jesus: How the Jewishness of Jesus Can Transform Your Faith
Spangler, Ann
Tverberg, Lois
Paperback
Art of Torah Cantillation, Vol. 1: A Step-By-Step Guide to Chanting Torah
Portnoy, Marshall
Wolff, Josee
Paperback
Mind the Gap: How the Jewish Writings Between the Old and New Testament Help Us Understand Jesus
Henze, Matthais
Paperback
Moments That Matter: Marking Transitions in Midlife and Beyond
Geller, Rabbi Laura
Lieberman, Rabbi Beth
Paperback
Separation and Its Discontents: Toward an Evolutionary Theory of Anti-Semitism
MacDonald, Kevin
Paperback
We Plan, God Laughs: 10 Steps to Finding Your Divine Path When Life Is Not Turning Out Like You Wanted
Hirsch, Sherre
Paperback
Tough Questions Jews Ask 2/E: A Young Adult's Guide to Building a Jewish Life
Feinstein, Edward
Paperback
The Bible with and Without Jesus: How Jews and Christians Read the Same Stories Differently
Levine, Amy-Jill
Brettler, Marc Zvi
Paperback
The Complete Books of Enoch: The Full Collection of These Sacred Texts (Large Print)
Publishing, Sefan
Paperback
Josephus the Complete Works: Encounter the World and Traditions That Jesus Knew
Whiston, William
Hardcover
Complete Gospel of Mary Magdalene: Gnostic Gospel, Sacred Feminine Wisdom, and the Secrets of Early Christianity
Q. Publishing, Rubbles
Paperback
Messianic Daily Devotional: Messianic Jewish Devotionals for a Deeper Walk with Yeshua
Geoffrey, Kevin
Paperback
An Anti-Zionist Path to Embodied Jewish Healing: Somatic Practices to Heal Historical Wounds, Unlearn Oppression, and Create a Liberated World to Come
Somerson, Wendy Elisheva
Paperback
Lost in Translation Vol 1: Rediscovering the Hebrew Roots of Our Faith
Klein, John
Spears, Adam
Paperback
A Rainbow Thread: An Anthology of Queer Jewish Texts from the First Century to 1969
Sienna, Noam
Paperback
The Book of the W Atchers: Ancient Guardians, Forbidden Secrets, and the Battle for Humanity
Ashford, Selah
Paperback
The Antiquities of the Jews - A Classic History of Ancient Israel, the Jewish People, and the Biblical World
Flavius, Josephus
Hardcover
The Radical Jewish Tradition: Revolutionaries, Resistance Fighters and Firebrands
Gluckstein, Donny
Stone, Janey
Paperback
A People That Shall Dwell Alone: Judaism as a Group Evolutionary Strategy, with Diaspora Peoples
MacDonald, Kevin B.
Paperback
The Chicken Qabalah of Rabbi Lamed Ben Clifford: Dilettante's Guide to What You Do and Do Not Know to Become a Qabalist
DuQuette, Lon Milo
Paperback
Disasters of Biblical Proportions: The Ten Plagues Then, Now, and at the End of the World
Weitzman, Steven
Hardcover
Torah in English complete: Including: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy
Jps
Schwarz, Noah
Paperback
Opening Your Heart with Psalm 27: A Spiritual Practice for the Jewish New Year
Robbins, Debra J.
Paperback
The Little Encyclopedia of Jewish Culture: 101 People, Places, Things (and Foods) Every Jew Should Know
Klickstein, Mathew
Paperback
The Mystery of the Tabernacle: Ancient Secrets for Experiencing the Divine Presence
Schneider, Rabbi Kirt a.
Hardcover
The Ethiopian Bible In English Complete [Large Print]: A Historical and Canonical Guide to the 88 Books of the Orthodox Church
Decker, Rebecca Norma
Paperback