Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment (Classics of Western Spirituality (Paperback)) (English and Aramaic Edition)

Paulist Press deserves credit for adding this new dimension to interfaith dialogue." The Jewish Spectator Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment edited and translated, with an introduction by Daniel Chanan Matt, preface by Arthur Green So this story of Torah is the garment of Torah. Whoever thinks that the garment is the real Torah and not something else--may his spirit deflate! Zohar (c. 1280-1286) Zohar--"the book of Splendor, Radiance, Enlightenment"--has fascinated readers from its first appearance in thirteenth-century Spain until today. It is the major text of Kabbalah, the Jewish mystical tradition. To assure the acceptance of his work within the Jewish community, a Spanish scholar named Moses de Leon claimed that Zohar was an ancient work of the school of the famous Rabbi Shim'on son of Yohai. It was not until our own century that critical scholarship demonstrated that the book's author was Moses de Leon himself. His mosaic of Scripture, Midrash, medieval homily, fiction, and fantasy presents what Professor Daniel Matt describes as "a challenge to the normal workings of consciousness [that] dares one to examine one's assumptions about tradition, God, and self. Contents Preface Foreword Introduction How to Look At Torah Zohar on Genesis The Creation of Elobim The Hidden Light Adam’s Sin Male and Female After the Flood Abram, the Soul-Breath Abram’s Descent into Egypt Openings An Offering to God The Binding of Abraham and Isaac Jacob’s Journey Joseph’s Dream Seduction Above and Below Jacob’s Garment of Days Zohar on Exodus The Birth of Moses Moses and the Blazing Bush Moses and His Father-in-Law Colors and Enlightenment Pharaoh, Israel, and God Manna and Wisdom Is There Anyone Like Moses? All of Israel Saw the Letters The Old Man and the Beautiful Maiden The Gift of Dwelling The Secret of Sabbath The Golden Calf Zohar on Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy Qorban and Olah, Drawing Near and Ascending Guests in the Sukkah God, Israel, and Shekhinah Threshing Out the Secrets The Rabbis Encounter a Child Miracles The Wedding Celebration Notes Foreword & Introduction Zohar Index to Zohar Passages Index to Text A 13th century Cabbalistic text; first appearing in Spain, its author claimed that it was the work of an ancient writer, from the school of Rabbi Shim'on of Yohai. Current scholarship suggests that Zohar may actually be the work of a 13th century Spanish scholar, Moses de León