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| Zohar: Annotated & Explained (Skylight Illuminations) | 
 enlarge | Creator: Daniel Chanan Matt
Publisher: Skylight Paths Publishing
Category: Book
List Price: $15.99 (37.64 RON)
Buy New: $10.87 (25.59 RON)
You Save: $5.12 (12.05 RON) (32%)
Avg. Customer Rating:  6 reviews
Sales Rank: 272335
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 135
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.5
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.5 x 0.5
ISBN: 1893361519
Dewey Decimal Number: 296.162
EAN: 9781893361515
ASIN: 1893361519
Publication Date: June 2002
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Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description
The best-selling author of The Essential Kabbalah now offers readers the best introduction to the Zohar. The splendor and enigmatic appeal of the Zohar, the major text of the Jewish mystical tradition, has never intrigued readers of all faiths more than it does today. But how can we truly understand it? Daniel C. Matt brings together in one place the most important teachings from the Zohar, the cornerstone of Kabbalahdescribed as a mixture of theology, mystical psychology, anthropology, myth, and poetryalongside facing-page stories, notes, and historical background that illuminate and explain the text. Ideal for the first-time reader with no prior knowledge of Jewish mysticism. Guides readers step-by-step through the texts that make up the Zoharmidrash, mystical fantasy, commentary, and Hebrew scriptureand explains the inner meanings of this sacred text, recognized by kabbalists as the most important work of mystical teaching, in a way that is both spiritually enlightening and intellectually fascinating.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 1 more reviews...
 Very good introduction to Zohar/Kabbalah November 1, 2008
The book is a very good introduction to Kabbalah through some translations of its major reference, the Zohar. It focuses on several passages, and how they relate to the Ten Sefirot - about Adam (Adam's sin - driving out the divine), Abraham & Sarah (prophecy of a child - opening to the divine), Abraham & Isaac (balance of love and judgement), Jacob (garment of days - Torah/Zohar - key to the whole world - including resurrection), Joseph (dreams are reflections of the mind - Shekhinah enters), etc.
The book's forward is very good in offering seven 'wonders' of Kabbalah, as a preface to embarking further - like 1) vision of the infinite, Ein Sof, 2) fusion of male/female, good/evil and light/dark, 3) flowing of the Ten Sefirot, 4) Shekhinah - feminine side of God, body of the soul, 5) creativity of Kabbalah, 6) God needs us as we need God - tikkun ha nefesh (mending the soul) and tikkun olam (mending the world), and 7) the glory of living a 'divine' life.
Some other things from the book I think worth mentioning are:
1. Parts of Kabbalah may have been composed by 'automatic writing' - the authors writing while in a state of meditation - writing more from inspiration than analytical thought.
2. The Zohar is poetic, mysterious - only suggests, hints.
3. Zohar means 'radiance' - hidden power.
4. Light shows for the righteous - understanding the Torah.
5. God at Sinai reveals himself through letters.
6. The Sabbath - brings in Shekhinah
Overall, the book is very good, but really just an introduction.
 Very Good Annotations August 25, 2007
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I just wanted to leave a note to those interested in buying this product. I recently read this book and the way it was set up made it very easy to read. It is also easy to take with you because of its size. So i do reccomend it.
 Annotated Zohar March 10, 2007
The book gave me insights into the Zohar, but I felt it didn't give me all of the passages that needed clarification. Since I am just starting to investigate the Zohar, I'll read some other books and come back to this one, maybe I'll be ready for it then.
Selected passages with commentary September 15, 2006
11 out of 11 found this review helpful
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.
The introduction deals with the history and contents of the Zohar, a commentary on the 5 books of Moses written in the form of a mystical novel. The questions of its original author/s, the language, and the Ten Sefirot are also discussed here. I found this interpretation of the first words of Genesis very interesting, as well as the insight that the Zohar urges us to regain cosmic consciousness, a closer connection to the divine.
From a linguistic perspective, it is valuable to learn of the neologisms and the use of multiple connotations, oxymorons, puns, parables and puzzles in the text. A chart of the Sefirot is provided. Chapters 1 to 17 consist of selected passages from the Zohar on the right-hand page, with commentary on the left. Chapter titles include The Essence Of Torah, The Creation Of God, The Hidden Light, Adam's Sin, The Binding Of Abraham and Isaac, Jacob's Garment Of Days, the Secret Of Sabbath, The Aroma Of Infinity, God, Israel and Shekhinah, and The Wedding Celebration.
The book concludes with notes, a glossary, a bibliography and an index of Zohar Passages. I did not find this book very clear or accessible at first. It was only after I had read The Essential Zohar: The Source of Kabbalistic Wisdom by Rav P S Berg that I returned to this one and it made sense. For the novice, I recommend the work by Berg as it is a more comprehensive and cohesive introduction to this fascinating esoteric book.
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A Celebration of Life March 25, 2006
11 out of 12 found this review helpful
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.
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