religion · Shared topic · Revision 0

What Is the Zohar?

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Starting explanation, not independently reviewed

The current answer

A 13th-century book wearing a 2nd-century costume, and the radical reading of scripture inside it.

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Claims & evidence

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The Zohar presents itself as the secret teaching of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai (the "Rashbi"), a real Galilean sage of the 2nd century CE, dictated to a circle of disciples in the land of Israel.

Imported citation, not independently checked: Zohar; G. Scholem, Major Trends in Jewish Mysticism (1941)

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The Zohar's medieval Castilian setting is the scholarly consensus, despite its ancient narrative attribution.

Imported citation, not independently checked: G. Scholem, Major Trends; M. Idel, Kabbalah: New Perspectives

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Crucially, the Sefirot are dynamic and relational: human action below (prayer, ethics, the commandments) is said to repair, unite, or wound the flow of divine life above.

Imported citation, not independently checked: Zohar; I. Tishby, The Wisdom of the Zohar

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Daniel Matt's twelve-volume Pritzker translation (2004-2017) finally made its difficult Aramaic accessible in English.

Imported citation, not independently checked: Daniel C. Matt, The Zohar: Pritzker Edition (2004-2017)

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