by Dean F. Wilson

Created on: July 24, 2008   Last Updated: July 25, 2008

The Zohar is one of the primary sources of Qabalistic material we have, and also the largest, spanning a number of volumes in its various translations. Its teachings penetrate the very fabric of Qabalah, both Jewish and Hermetic, even when not overtly referenced. However, it is also one of the most difficult texts to read and interpret, and thus an introductory book is often needed. "A Guide to the Zohar" by Arthur Green qualifies as one of the best books to fill this need.

Accompanying the excellent new Pritzker Edition translation by Daniel C. Matt of the Zohar (which Green also wrote an introduction in the first volume to), this book continues the high standard that the Stanford University Press releases have been to date. A slim book of just under 200 pages, this is a work that is surprisingly packed with information, yet not densely so. Green's style is informative without being overly dry, and it is easy to see that, while retaining an academic interest (and confining himself to academic procedures), Green is actually quite sympathetic to both the Zohar and Qabalah in general, which is a welcome change from some of the more derogatory scholars, or those who, lacking personal experience with the system, fail to grasp some of the more abstract notions.

The first few chapters deal with a brief history of the Qabalistic tradition and an insightful look at the Sephiroth, one of the key areas that needs to be understood if the Zohar is to make any sense.

In the next four chapters Green answers the question of what the Zohar actually is, including a discussion on it as midrash (interpretation) of the Torah, a mystical treatise, and a historical defence of Judaism against the rise of Christianity and Islam, which threatened to lure away Jews to the more fanciful works that were being produced in those traditions (an argument which Green makes very well, giving a new insight to some of the motivations behind the writing and publication of the Zohar).

The eight chapters that follow, making up one of the largest sections of the book, deal with some of the dominant themes with the Zohar itself, including the Creation story, the origin of evil, the revelation of the Torah, a mystical understanding of the Ten Commandments, the life of worship, the Tzaddiqim (righteous) and religious piety, and the Jewish people as a whole, including the recurring notions of exile and the coming messiah. These sections provide a valuable "crash course" on what Green admits are only a few of the main concepts, and will aid the new reader of the Zohar to no end.

The final five chapters deal with some historical and academic debates, such as the main divisions and sections of the Zohar, who actually wrote it, the style of language used within it (primarily a unique form of Aramaic, which was unusual at the time), the editing and printing of the text, and the influence and canonization of it. These sections condense much of the volume of material out there in academic circles, including the work of Scholem, which can be read once the basic overview of the debates has been garnered here.
Arthur Green's work on the Qabalah has always been of high calibre, and this has not changed with his guide to the Zohar. Along with the new Pritzker Edition translation, of which up to the fourth volume is available as of this writing, this will make an excellent addition to any Qabalist's bookshelf.

"A Guide to the Zohar", by Arthur Green: Stanford University Press (2004)

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