Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment (Classics of Western Spirituality (Paperback))

This is an excellent book, tough only a small part of the Zohar, reading, explanation and comments gives a clear idea of what meant Moses de Leon in 1300. A great read, highly recommended for those just starting out in this kind of reading.

Purchased this to add to my Classics of Western Spirituality collection. When I get around to reading it, probably years from now, I'll probably review it then.

Another in the Classics of Western Spirituality series. The Zohar is a text cosidered inspired or semi-canonical by some Jews. It is considered a kabbalistic text, and as such is really a significant kabbalistic exegesis on the Torah. Daniel Matt is considered one of the finest scholars on the subject, and this book provides a worthy introduction. He begins with a discussion of the somewhat controversial hsitory of the Zohar (when it was written and by whom), the emergence of the Zohar as a religious text, and the challenges of interpretation. He then exerpts about 5% of the text, translates it, and provides a detailed exegesis and interpretation of the symbolism and meaning in the notes. Without reading the exegetical notes, one will be very lost in just reading the text - and even after reading the notes, without a good familiarity of the Bible and even some of the Talmud, it is tough sledding. I wish the exegetical notes followed each excerpt instead of being in a separate appendix to avoid having to flip back and forth for the necessary interpretation. This relatively minor criticism aside, if you have interest in the subject, this scholarly and approachable work will be a welcome read.

One of the best books on the Zohar. Dr Matt hasselected some of the most easily entered of themysteries on this amazing teaching.

Awesome book!

One of my favorites, I have spent many an evening going over it's pages, and studying it's concepts, not light reading.

Love this book!

Daniel Matt prepared this very elegant translation of the Zohar. It is only about 2% of the complete Zohar, but it provides an excellent selection of various themes in the Zohar. He prepared a commentary on each selection to assist the novice reader in decoding the language and the allusions in the text. Jews of the 13th Century were more versed in Jewish literature than the average Jew today, so the commentary is very helpful to the modern reader.The Introduction is also very worthwhile reading. I particularly like Matt's take on how to read the Zohar - read it and let it blow your mind. That is, take what you can from it. The text operates on so many levels that it is profitable reading for almost any audience.The Zohar itself is structured as midrash on the Torah. Consequently, it is helpful if the reader has some experience with the midrashic process. Midrash can seem really weird to modern people, not schooled in the medieval mindset.Each selection in this book operates on at least three levels. There is the peshat of the midrash (read it for the basic story). You can decode it according to the doctrine of sfirot (aspects of the Divinity). Finally, there is the ethical/theosophical/ontological content. Some of the selections appear to also relate to peak mystical experiences - either what they are like, or how to produce them.One way to understand Zohar (which is Gershom Scholem's) is that the Zohar is essentially anti-Maimonidianism. That is, Moses de Leon, the author (there is some dispute about whether some portions were written by committee) did not like Maimonidian rationalism (Aristotle) and was producing a counter-text based on the philosophy of Plato (actually Neoplatonic paraphrases and abridgments produced in Spain).

Es interesante ver cómo este libro nos lleva de la mano prácticamente a partir de cero, a una correcta introducción al Zohar, haciendo mucho más fácil entender de qué se trata realmente el Zohar.