The Text and Its Structure

The Zohar is written primarily in an Aramaic dialect, which was the language of Jewish religious discourse during the Talmudic era. It is composed as a mystical commentary on the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Hebrew Bible). The text employs stories, parables, and cryptic metaphors to reveal the hidden, spiritual meanings of the Torah.

Key themes include:

• The nature of God (Ein Sof, the Infinite)
  
  


• The emanation of divine attributes (Sefirot)
  
  


• The cosmic struggle between forces of good and evil
  
  


• The structure of the soul and the path of spiritual ascent
  
  


• The mystical interpretation of commandments and rituals
  
  

The Zohar is divided into several sections, including the main body commentary on the Torah, as well as smaller treatises and mystical discourses.

The Role of the Zohar in Jewish Mysticism

Before the emergence of the Zohar, Jewish mysticism was a relatively marginal part of religious life. The Zohar brought Kabbalah into prominence, influencing Jewish thought deeply.

The text offers an elaborate metaphysical system explaining the relationship between the divine and the created world. Its complex symbolism and spiritual insights were revolutionary in understanding God beyond literal scriptural interpretations.

In the 16th century, the teachings of the Zohar were systematized and popularized by Rabbi Isaac Luria (the Ari), whose school of Kabbalah, centered in Safed (Tzfat), Israel, shaped much of later Jewish mystical practice. shutdown123