Customer Reviews

The Wisdom of the Zohar: An Anthology of Texts 3 Volumes (Littman Library of Jewish Civilization)

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In getting any stuff translated into English, one question that arises is "Is this a good translation of the original?" and this is especially important when we intend to read "holy stuff".

"The Wisdom of the Zohar" is a set of 3 books (Volumes I, II and III), totalling more than 1500 pages. Isaiah Tishby was awarded the Bialik Prize (1972), the Israel Prize (1979) and the Rothschild Prize (1982) mainly for this work on "The Wisdom of the Zohar". David Goldstein was awarded the Webber Prize (1987) for the translation into English.

Numerous footnotes appear corresponding to various verses to clarify the meanings which are not obvious. These I find particularly useful and make things understandable and avoiding misinterpretation on the part of the reader.

Volume I covers the historical and literary background of the Zohar (half of the book) and Part I - The Godhead (about En-Sof and the World of Emanation, Sefirot, and Shekkinah).

The second book, Volume II comprises Parts II, III, and IV. Part II is about the forces of Uncleanness, and activity of such, and also about demons and spirits eg. Lilith, Naamah, etc. Part III is about creation of Worlds and also about Angels and our natural world. Part IV is about the doctrine of Man (the three souls, body and soul connection, sleep & dreams, and Death).

Volume III is the thickest book and comprise Parts V (Sacred Worship) and VI (Practical Life - Morality, Conjugal Life, the Righteous & the Wicked, Repentence).

If you are interested in reading the Zohar in English, this is a good translation, and as demystified as it can be...

A "must" for any English speaking serious student of the Zohar.

While scholarly, plainly written and easy to read, and free from jargon. The introductory chapters that introduce the Kabbalah and the Zohar are plainly written for those without a background in Hebrew history and linguistics. Captivating and interesting. Hard to put down while reading. Lots of footnotes for the scholars as well. Well worth the purchase price. While it is three volumes, don't be intimidated by the size (nearly 1600 pages). It is a faster read if one skims over the footnotes, indices and appendices. Hint: shop around before buying.

Just what we wanted...an exploratory reference for our study and understanding of Kabbalah. So happy our teacher recommended this Anthology.

There is no higher wisdom. If you're lucky enough to find this book, get it