A Journey Into The Zohar

An introduction to the Zohar, the crowning work of medieval Kabbalah. Includes original translations and analysis.

This is the first translation with commentary of selections from The Zohar, the major text of the Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. This work was written in 13th-century Spain by Moses de Leon, a Spanish scholar.

The Book of Zohar (Book of Radiance), also known as The Zohar is one of the most mysterious and misunderstood compositions ever written. The awe, admiration, and even fear it has evoked over the years are unsurpassed. This book contains the secrets of the whole of Creation, but until recently these secrets were shrouded in a cloud of mystery and misconceptions. Now The Zohar is openly unfolding its wisdom throughout the world, to show humanity a way forward, as the book itself declares (VaYera, Item 460), When the days of the Messiah draw near, even infants will discover the secrets of the wisdom. The greatest Kabbalist of the 20th century, Rav Yehuda Ashlag (1884-1954) paved a new way for us by which we can reveal the secrets of The Zohar. He wrote the Sulam [Ladder] Commentary and the four introductions for The Zohar to help us come to know the forces that govern our lives, and teach us how we can assume control over our destinies. This book is an invitation to a wondrous journey to a higher world. The author, Kabbalist Dr Michael Laitman, wisely ushers us into the revelations of the Sulam commentary. In so doing, Laitman helps us fine-tune our thoughts as we read in The Zohar, to maximize the spiritual benefit derived from reading it. In addition to explaining The Book of Zohar, the book contains numerous inspiring quotes from The Zohar, specifically translated, edited, and compiled for easy reading and understanding of this powerful text.

This book deals with the "Book of Splendor" (Sefer ha-Zohar), the greatest achievement of Kabbalah and one of the most influential sources of Western mysticism. This book offers a new interpretation of the Zohar, analyzing both its theoretical content and its historical context; it also brings the theory and the history together by indicating the personal and autobiographical elements in the Zohar's teachings. The author delves into the issues of the messianic elements of the Zohar, the way it was written, and its relationship to Christianity, Gnosticism, and Talmudic literature.

The Science of Kabbalah (Pticha) is the first in a series of texts that Rav Michael Laitman, Kabbalist and scientist, designed to introduce readers to the special language and terminology of the Kabbalah. Here, Rav Laitman reveals authentic Kabbalah in a manner that is both rational and mature. Readers are gradually led to an understanding of the logical design of the Universe and the life whose home it is. The Science of Kabbalah, a revolutionary work that is unmatched in its clarity, depth, and appeal to the intellect, will enable readers to approach the more technical works of Baal HaSulam (Rabbi Yehuda Ashlag), such as 'Talmud Eser Sefirot' and Zohar. Although scientists and philosophers will delight in its illumination, laymen will also enjoy the satisfying answers to the riddles of life that only authentic Kabbalah provides. Now, travel through the pages and prepare for an astonishing journey into the 'Upper Worlds'.

Please see the Zohar Home Page for ancillary materials, including the publication schedule, press release, Aramaic text, questions, and answers.

This comprehensive and accessible entrée into the world of Kabbalah covers 1,600 years of Jewish mystical thought and features a variety of thinkers—from the renowned to the obscure—unavailable in any other volume. It’s a fresh take on an ancient tradition compiled by Edward Hoffman, a psychologist and respected scholar of Judaism, who reveals how this supposedly esoteric material is relevant to a host of contemporary concerns, such as ethics, emotional health, intuition and creativity, meditation, social relations and leadership, and higher states of consciousness. Contributors include: Moses Chaim Luzzatto, Moses Cordovero, Abraham Abulafia, Maimonides, Nachmanides, The Maharal, Nachman of Breslov, The Baal Shem Tov, The Gaon of Vilna, The Netziv, The Ben Ish Chai, Yehudah Ashlag, Kalonymus Shapira, Baba Sali, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Menachem Mendel Schneersohn, Adin Steinsaltz, Zalman M. Schachter-Shalomi, Jonathan Sacks, and many others, along with excerpts from the Sefer Yetzirah, Sefer HaBahir, and Sefer HaZohar.