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

Zohar (Author), Daniel Chanan Matt (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Classics of Western Spirituality | Publication Date: December 1, 1983

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."

Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Paulist Press; First Edition edition (December 1, 1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0809123878
• ISBN-13: 978-0809123872
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #492,548 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #32 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Bible & Other Sacred Texts > Jewish Texts > Zohar

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mystical Rhapsody, Well Annotated, May 17, 2002

By 

Timothy Dougal (Madison, Wi United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment (Classics of Western Spirituality) (Paperback)

Most of the translations of material from the "Zohar" I have seen have been difficult reading, a kind of cross between Talmud and gnostic treatise. In this volume, Daniel Matt translates a small selection (2% of the work by his own estimate) into rhapsodic and rapturuous, truly air-borne free verse. The effect is both surprizing and exhilarating. The only comparable approaches I can think of that might put you in mind of the nature of this translation are Stanley Lombardo's Homer and Stephen McKenna's Plotinus. But lest I create the impression that this book is only pleasure, the introduction to Kabbalistic thought in general, and the Zohar in particular is quite illuminating, as are the detailed notes on each selection placed at the end of the book. In short, this is a great read and a mind-blower.

37 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Poetic Translation of the Zohar, January 29, 2000

By 

David Kidybinski - See all my reviews

This review is from: Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment (Classics of Western Spirituality) (Paperback)

This is the most interesting anthology of Zohar literature I have seen. Though the anthology represents only 5% of the whole Zohar, it is translated in a uniquely modern style. It is translated as poetry, which is highly original, and a very comprehensive introduction and very detailed notes explain the Kabbalistic meanings to the average reader.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent translation, June 18, 2007

By 

Gregory Olsen "renaissance man" (San Ramon, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment (Classics of Western Spirituality) (Paperback)

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).