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There are three elaborate narratives, given by an old man, a child, and the head of the celestial academy, each discussing aspects of the [[Kabbalah]] from their own perspective. | There are three elaborate narratives, given by an old man, a child, and the head of the celestial academy, each discussing aspects of the [[Kabbalah]] from their own perspective. | ||
The Secrets of Letters section is a monologue on permutations of the letters in the names of [[Yahweh|God]] and their use in creation. | The Secrets of Letters section is a monologue on permutations of the [[Tetragrammaton]], the letters in the names of [[Yahweh|God]] and their use in creation. | ||
The largest section of the Zohar, The Faithful Shepherd, is a Kabbalistic commentary on Moses' teachings revealed to ben Yochai and his friends. Moshe Cordovero said, "Know that this book, which is called Ra'aya Meheimna, which ben Yochai made with the tzadikim who are in Gan Eden, was a repair of the Shekhinah, and an aid and support for it in the exile, for there is no aid or support for the Shekhinah besides the secrets of the Torah... And everything that he says here of the secrets and the concepts—it is all with the intention of unifying the Shekhinah and aiding it during the exile. | The largest section of the Zohar, The Faithful Shepherd, is a Kabbalistic commentary on Moses' teachings revealed to ben Yochai and his friends. Moshe Cordovero said, "Know that this book, which is called Ra'aya Meheimna, which ben Yochai made with the tzadikim who are in Gan Eden, was a repair of the Shekhinah, and an aid and support for it in the exile, for there is no aid or support for the Shekhinah besides the secrets of the Torah... And everything that he says here of the secrets and the concepts—it is all with the intention of unifying the Shekhinah and aiding it during the exile. | ||
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On the one hand, the Zohar was lauded by many rabbis because it opposed religious formalism, stimulated one's imagination and emotions, and for many people helped reinvigorate the experience of prayer. In many places, prayer had become merely an external religious exercise, while prayer was supposed to be a means of transcending earthly affairs and placing oneself in union with God. | On the one hand, the Zohar was lauded by many rabbis because it opposed religious formalism, stimulated one's imagination and emotions, and for many people helped reinvigorate the experience of prayer. In many places, prayer had become merely an external religious exercise, while prayer was supposed to be a means of transcending earthly affairs and placing oneself in union with God. | ||
Many classical rabbis, especially Maimonides, viewed belief in [[angel]]s, [[demon]]s, and other spirits as a violation of [[Judaism|Judaic]] principles of faith. Its mystic mode of explaining some commandments was applied by its commentators to all religious observances, and produced a strong tendency to substitute mystic Judaism in the place of traditional rabbinic Judaism. For example, Shabbat, the Jewish | Many classical rabbis, especially Maimonides, viewed belief in [[angel]]s, [[demon]]s, and other spirits as a violation of [[Judaism|Judaic]] principles of faith. Its mystic mode of explaining some commandments was applied by its commentators to all religious observances, and produced a strong tendency to substitute mystic Judaism in the place of traditional rabbinic Judaism. For example, Shabbat, the Jewish [[Sabbat]]h, began to be looked upon as the embodiment of [[Yahweh|God]] in temporal life, and every ceremony performed on that day was considered to have an influence upon the superior world. | ||
Elements of the Zohar crept into the liturgy of the 16th and 17th centuries, and the religious poets not only used the symbolism of the Zohar in their compositions, but even adopted its style. Thus, in the language of some Jewish poets, the beloved one's curls indicate the mysteries of the Deity; sensuous pleasures, and especially intoxication, typify the highest degree of divine love as ecstatic contemplation; while the wine-room represents merely the state through which the human qualities merge or are exalted into those of God. | Elements of the Zohar crept into the liturgy of the 16th and 17th centuries, and the religious poets not only used the symbolism of the Zohar in their compositions, but even adopted its style. Thus, in the language of some Jewish poets, the beloved one's curls indicate the mysteries of the Deity; sensuous pleasures, and especially intoxication, typify the highest degree of divine love as ecstatic contemplation; while the wine-room represents merely the state through which the human qualities merge or are exalted into those of God. | ||
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Johann Reuchlin included significant amounts of material from the Zohar in his own book of ritual magic, ''[[De Arte Cabbalistica]]''. | Johann Reuchlin included significant amounts of material from the Zohar in his own book of ritual magic, ''[[De Arte Cabbalistica]]''. | ||
The Zohar's influence over [[occult]] rituals and practices remain significant. Many of the tenants of [[King Solomon|Solomonic magic]], and [[ritual magic]] in general originated with the philosophies found in this book. Nearly every [[grimoire]] from the Medieval Period drew some of its information from the Zohar, and the attempt by European [[magician]]s to syncretize Christian and Jewish mysticism sprang from the principles of the Zohar. | |||
Concepts such as the 72 [[Kabbalistic angel]]s, the [[Archangels of the Zodiac]], and other esoteric topics first appeared in this book. | |||
==See also== | |||
* ''[[Sefer Raziel HaMalakh]]'' | |||
* ''[[Sefer HaBahir]]'' | |||
[[Category:Books]] | [[Category:Books]] | ||
[[Category:Kabbalah]] | [[Category:Kabbalah]] | ||