Reviews (2)

Only Buy when you are ready for Life Transformation
Hello Seeker. A miracle from the Zohar
I an a Catholic, but I can recognize the real stuff when I see one. The Zohar represent a real miracle in my life. As they say: you do not need to know Hebrew to "read" the Zohar, all that is sufficient is just "to scan" the Hebrew sentences with your eyes. I was very poor and unemployed, I purchased this version of the Zohar (with an English translation and notes beside the Hebrew text). I started scanning with all my faith. The collision with my Catholic faith was huge, I started challenging many of the explanations given in the English text (because I could understand them). At the end I could not scan any longer because I was challenging everything. Nothing seemed to fit into my previous mindset and I was extremely upset about that. But a little voice was telling me: "There is TRUTH in those volumes, do not give up." So I purchased the Hebrew Zohar, no English text whatsoever, I finally could not challenge a single word. I started scanning, again faithful 100%. I scanned the Zohar for a year and a half, nothing happened. They say that the Zohar provides miracles, I believed that, but I was not seeing a single miracle in my life, despite all my scanning. I spent many nights awake, just to scan the Zohar. Now, FINALLY, I saw a miracle, and what a miracle! I am talking about real stuff here, not those intellectually justified explanations that want to show you that you had a miracle when indeed you had none. I received an offer from a company, they want to pay me huge money, just to work from home, and it is in a field I like very much (actually it is in the field of my .....hobbies), I also put into practice many of the principles that the Kabbalah Centre teaches, like tithing your money, like using the energy of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, using the energy of Chanucka to manifest miracles.
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Reviews (1)

volume III.., at last!
Those who have purchased the previous two volumes may find this to be no less an endeavor of exegesis and scholarship.What this edition has done is quite simply (for all the effort) bring forth the gem within the text that for many has been hidden for so long a time.
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Subjects:  1. Bible - CriticismInterpretation - Old Testament    2. Bible.    3. Cabala    4. Commentaries    5. Early works to 1800    6. Judaism - Kabbalah & Mysticism    7. Judaism - Sacred Writings    8. O.T.    9. Pentateuch    10. Religion    11. Religion - Judaism    12. Zohar    13. Judaism    14. Sacred texts   

Editorial Review

Kabbalah, often defined as a Jewish mystical tradition, actually encompasses "the spiritual heritage of all mankind," according to Rav P.S. Berg in Read more

Reviews (26)

Alive with Meaning
In Part One: Foundations, the author explains that the Zohar is the central text of Kabbalah which is the spiritual heritage of all humanity. Kabbalah is not religious in the traditional sense of the term and isn't based on literal interpretations of scripture. Logical analysis is however an important tool for investigating spiritual matters. But logic in Kabbalah can take paradoxical forms. The authorship and structure of the Zohar and its relationship to the Hebrew alphabet are discussed here, as well as the dissemination of the Kabbalah. Here I have also found one of the clearest and most accessible explanations of the Ten Sefirot and the Tree of Life.
A start to research
it is a good starting point for who doesn't know anything about Kabbalah and hebrew language. After it....

Amazing Insights
This is one of the best Kabbalah books I ever read.Kabbalist Rav Berg continually inspires us in the quest for understanding life using the wisdom of the Zohar as a guide. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible.    3. Cabala    4. Commentaries    5. Judaism - Kabbalah & Mysticism    6. Judaism - Sacred Writings    7. O.T    8. O.T.    9. Pentateuch    10. Religion    11. Religion - Judaism    12. Zohar    13. Magic & alchemy    14. Mind, Body, Spirit    15. Mind, body, spirit: mysticism & self-awareness    16. Religion / Judaism / Sacred Writings   

Reviews (6)

The Zohar is a jewel.
This five volume set offers the best translation of the Zohar available in English as yet. While it does not contain the entire Zohar, it offers enough so that if one feels inclined, they may also read the Kabbalah centre translation. What is refreshing about the soncino edition is they did not add commentary to the text like so many other translators do. This is the problem with such translations as the one by Daniel Matt or the Kabbalah centre, while their commentary may have some jewls of wisdom in it, the bulk is very misleading, and reptative. In Daniel Matt's translation, he also misplaces certain esoteric sections of the Zohar into a separate book, like a section describing the chambers in the palace of light. Not knowing that All sections were placed in their order for a reason. For these reasons, I would recomend the soncino edition. And because the Zohar is so obscure, it is a good idea to study it with someone who knows the text most intimately from a mystical perscective, without such a guide, one will likely find reading the Zohar confusing and cryptic.
The Mountain
You should know that you have come to a good place. You are standing on a plateau, on a high mountain and you have three, no, but four paths that can lead you out of here.
not complete zohar set...
if my memory serves me corectly this is not the complete set of the zohar. the entire zohar was not translated into english untill the kabbalah center finaly translated it this last 15 years. up untill that there were only 5 volumes translated into english. i would save my money and by the one put out by the kabbalah center. if you want to look at their zohar set they have the whole thing on line at [...]i would by theirs as it is the most acurate one out there. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible.    3. Cabala    4. Commentaries    5. Early works to 1800    6. Judaism - General    7. Judaism - Sacred Writings    8. O.T    9. O.T.    10. Pentateuch    11. Religion    12. Religion - Judaism    13. Judaism    14. Sacred texts   

Reviews (10)

I am sure the effort and the book is fine I just do not understand the point.
First off I must admit that I do not own this book, or any book in the series. These comments are not so much aimed at this specific text as they are general. To be fair I did seek out some online excerpts to see if this book was different from what was expected.
I would give it SEVEN STARS if I could.
Poetic and awesome.Cannot put it down.I am ordering a second one so my wife and I can read it at the same time.Simply a must have.Thanks to Daniel C. Matt for devoting so much of his life to assist others.

The depth of the river.
Professor Daniel Matt's Zohar translation provides the best scholarly interpretation. This is because of his objectivity and scholarly approach. Not being a Kabbalist he approaches the translation without "loading" the Zohar with his own interpretation. He provides the optimal and most probable translation. The reader needs to understand that this is very different from the Kabbalah Centre's translation. Why? Well if you are looking for the best technical translation Professor Matt provides this. His footnotes, which explain the derivation of the English translation by providing the Aramaic word, the Bible source, and it's possible meanings gives the reader an indepth understanding of the difficulty of the language and its potential understandings. However, this is much more difficult for the beginner who is simply looking for a translator they can trust to give them the basics.
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Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible.    3. Cabala    4. Commentaries    5. Early works to 1800    6. General    7. Judaism - General    8. Judaism - Sacred Writings    9. O.T    10. O.T.    11. Pentateuch    12. Religion    13. Religion - Judaism    14. Zohar    15. Criticism & exegesis of sacred texts    16. Judaism   

Reviews (4)

Interesting First Look
This was an intense book and was frightfully challenging at times.Part of the challenge was due to a lack of cultural relevance.The book makes reference to all kinds of Jewish history and culture without any explanations.It felt as though I were missing huge chunks of important references. A Glimpse at the Mysterious Zohar
This book was primarily written for those people that want to get a flavor for the large compilation of writings known as the Zohar.The Zohar is the most widely used text in the study of Kabbalah.This book, written by Gershom Scholem, takes various exerpts from the Zohar to give the reader a basic idea of what manner of instruction and knowledge one can find in the Zohar.His selections are chosen to cover most of the stages of life and the major questions concerning what lies after and possibly our return.For taking such a small selection, Scholem masterfully picked his selections to provide a smooth transition between subjects.This book is very short and can be read in a couple of days without too much effort.Let the reader beware, if you choose to obtain the full version after reading this book, you might be surprised to find that much of the text is extremely difficult to understand.Scholem definitely chose those exerpts that are not too difficult to understand for this book.In spite of its brevity, I would recommend this book because it adequately portrays the Jews rich scholarship over the centuries and their constant striving to understand the more mysterious matters of their existence.

prayer book
I enjoy this small book by Herr Doktor Gershom Scholem."Zohar : The Book of Splendor : Basic Readings from the Kabbalah" is a collection of passages from the Zohar.The Zohar is a five volume set which is the central work in the literature of the Kabbalah.It was written in the late 13th Century CE in Spain.As such, this little book is much too small to be considered as anything but snippets and favourite passages.At the same time, I find solace in the meditations.Like many prayer books, I find it helps to centre myself spiritually as I conform my conscious mind to my faith.If you are interested in a book of meditations to strengthen a prayer life, this book may be interesting to you. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible.    3. Cabala    4. Commentaries    5. Early works to 1800    6. Judaism - Kabbalah & Mysticism    7. Judaism - Sacred Writings    8. Mysticism    9. O.T    10. O.T.    11. Pentateuch    12. Religion    13. Religion - Judaism    14. Criticism & exegesis of sacred texts    15. Judaism    16. Religion / Mysticism   

Reviews (3)

Selected passages with commentary
In the Foreword, series editor Andrew Harvey relates his interesting experience with a wise man in Israel who taught him about the seven wonders of Kabbalah, whilst in the Preface Daniel Matt explains the origin of this book of commentary, drawn from his volume for the Paulist Press. These are the most powerful passages from that book in a revised translation. A Celebration of Life
Daniel Matt's beautifully annotated Zohar leads one into the depth of Jewish mysticism while celebrating the wisdom of our ancestors.Study of the Kabalah requires a teacher, one who can guide the learner deeper into Torah and Talmud, and is not for the easily discouraged.This is a complex book with multiple levels of meaning and Daniel Matt opens the door to the initiate.

The finest short anthology of the Zohar
This work, a careful update of Matt's earlier edition of Zohar excerpts, provides an accurate and thoughtful translation of many of the most important sections of the Zohar, a primary text in the mystical tradition of the kabbalah. The Zohar itself is voluminous, and it has never been fully translated into English. This book, though, it short and just covers the basics (without being watered-down). It's a great place to start if you've recently heard about the Zohar and are wondering about it. There are a lot of unreliable and "fluffy" treatments filling the shelves these days -- this is the authentic article, prepared by one of the most highly regarded scholars in the field.Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternate Spirituality    2. Bible    3. Bible.    4. Cabala    5. Commentaries    6. Early works to 1800    7. Judaism - Sacred Writings    8. Mysticism    9. O.T    10. O.T.    11. Pentateuch    12. Religion    13. Spirituality - General    14. Zohar    15. Judaism   

Reviews (7)

The Zohar is the ultimate way of eliminating chaos in our world
i have read these books and have been sooo overly energized with LOVE for all people and for the world. I am so exicted to get the bigger picture about why i am here, i have been searching for that my entire life and finally i found it.

THESE BOOKS ARE JUST THE MOST LIFE CHANGING THINGS I HAVE EVER READ
Before i read these books, i was really searching for reasons of life and why do things happen to me the way they do.I was so sick of being a victim and just being in NO control of my life.And then my best friend told me about the Zohar and told me that The Zohar facilitates the elimination of negative blockages - rather than experiences situations that cause you to become emotional, you became emotionally charged.So i bought it, and i have really experienced miracles in my life. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!

The most power collection of books
This is the main books for all the teaching of kabbalah. Written over 2000 years ago during the item the bible was written. The Zohar is the commentary of the bible and the torah. Scanning the letters in this book will protect you, and the teachings are the greatest gift you will ever receive. Just own the book and having the book will give you great protection. The reading is advance, but their are great study guides by the Kabbalah Centre and other kabbalah organiztions around the world. This collection of books is worth every cent you spend on it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Healing    3. Healing - General    4. Mysticism    5. New Age    6. New Age / Body, Mind & Spirit    7. Spirituality - General    8. Alternative belief systems   

Reviews (1)

accessible and understandable
There are many books on Kabbalah and the Zohar in English floating around these days, but this one is understandable, accessible, profound and academic.Professor Green introduced Daniel Matt to Ms Pritzker, and got the ball rolling on the what probably will be a 15 year translation project for the Pritzker Edition of the Zohar.This book is a companion that has been published in time to coincide with Volume 2 of the Pritzker edition.When I opened Volume 2, and started with Parshat Lekh Lekha of the Zohar, I was lost after sentence two.Green's book is an invaluable aid.As promised on the back cover, Green unravels the historical and intellectual origins of the Zohar's rich text and provides an excellent introduction to its themes, complex symbolism, narrative structure, and language. Topics include: The Kabbalistic Tradition: A Brief History Until the Zohar; Teachings of the Kabbalists: The Ten Sefirot; The Zohar: Midrash on the Torah;The Zohar Narrative; Mysticism of the Zohar;The Zohar in Historical Context; Selected Themes within the Zohar: Creation and Origins, Between Worlds, Evil and the Demonic, Torah and Revelation, The Commandments, Avodah : The Life of Worship, The Tsaddiq and the Life of Piety, ....; The Question of Authorship; The Language of the Zohar; and the Influence and Canonization of the Zohar.Chapter 5 on the narrative is a must read for anyone who dares to open a page of the Zohar. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible.    3. Cabala    4. Commentaries    5. Early works to 1800    6. Judaism - General    7. Judaism - Sacred Writings    8. O.T    9. O.T.    10. Pentateuch    11. Religion    12. Religion - Judaism    13. Zohar    14. Criticism & exegesis of sacred texts    15. Jewish studies    16. Judaism    17. Kabbalah & hermetic thought    18. Magic & alchemy    19. Mysticism   

Reviews (2)

A Mystical Rhapsody, Well Annotated
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.

A Poetic Translation of the Zohar
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 ishighly original, and a very comprehensive introduction and very detailednotes explain the Kabbalistic meanings to the average reader. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible.    3. Cabala    4. Commentaries    5. Early works to 1800    6. Judaism - Kabbalah & Mysticism    7. Judaism - Sacred Writings    8. O.T    9. O.T.    10. Pentateuch    11. Religion    12. Religion - Judaism    13. Christianity    14. Judaism   

Reviews (1)

Lekach TovA sweet taste of the Zohar
The 'Zohar'is perhaps the most difficult and problematic of all of Jewish religious texts. Rabbi Aryeh Wineman provides a good small introduction to a part of it by selecting eight narratives, translating and annotating them. They are a drop from the sea, but avery precious and sweet drop.
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Subjects:  1. Cabala    2. History and criticism    3. Judaism    4. Judaism - General    5. Judaism - Sacred Writings    6. Legends, Jewish    7. Mysticism    8. Religion    9. Religion - Judaism    10. Criticism & exegesis of sacred texts    11. Jewish Studies    12. Mind, Body, Spirit    13. Religion / Judaism / General   

Subjects:  1. Bible    2. Bible.    3. Cabala    4. Commentaries    5. Early works to 1800    6. General    7. Judaism - General    8. O.T    9. O.T.    10. Pentateuch    11. Religion    12. Religion - Judaism    13. Zohar    14. Criticism & exegesis of sacred texts    15. Judaism   

Reviews (1)

A Revelation!
The Zohar is widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah and Waite aids the reader in unraveling many of its most important themes such as the nature of God, the origin and structure of the Universe, the nature of souls, sin, redemption, good and evil.It typifies the highest degree of divine love as esthetic contemplation.It is still a treasured part of the Hasidim and held in great reverence by many Orthodox Jews as well.If you know nothing about the Zohar, then this is an excellent place to start your education! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Alternate Spirituality    2. Judaism - Kabbalah & Mysticism    3. Politics/International Relations    4. Spirituality - General    5. Israel    6. Judaism   

Reviews (1)

This is a strictly Hebrew edition
This is more of an informational review than anything else.This product is a CD containing PDFs of what appears to be the Zohar.It is entirely in Hebrew (without vowels, of course), no English commentary or translation provided. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Judaism    2. Judaism - Kabbalah & Mysticism    3. Judaism - Rituals & Practice    4. Judaism - Sacred Writings   

Reviews (1)

The most authoritative book of its class.
It may very well take a lifetime to learn some of the great wisdom contained in the treassure of Judaism, The Zohar. Only the deep understanding of the Torah itself comes close. For those who are serious about searching the meaning of anything, a good place to stop, but you better know what you are doing and you better have time on your hands, once you start looking, it will grab you and never let go. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Mysticism    3. New Age    4. Spirituality - General   

Subjects:  1. Fiction    2. Fiction - Romance    3. Romance - Fantasy    4. Romance: Gothic   

Reviews (3)

Outstanding
A "must" for any English speaking serious student of the Zohar.
A Trustworthy Translation of the Zohar
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". Peerless in its field --- wisdom literature.
There is no higher wisdom.If you're lucky enough to find this book, get it ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Judaism - Sacred Writings    2. Religion    3. Religion - Judaism    4. Criticism & exegesis of sacred texts    5. Judaism    6. Mysticism   

Subjects:  1. Body, Mind & Spirit    2. Healing    3. Healing - General    4. Judaism - Sacred Writings    5. Mysticism    6. New Age    7. Religion - Judaism    8. Alternative belief systems