Sefer HaZohar

Sefer HaZohar HaKadosh is the central book of Kabbalah teachings. It is composed of midrashim on the Torah divided according to the weekly Torah portions. The Zohar was not widely known and was passed down from generation to generation only to select individuals, until Rabbi Moshe de Leon in Spain disseminated the Zohar and the book became public property. Many commentators arose for the Zohar who taught and expanded the teachings of Kabbalah, such as the Ramak - Rabbi Moshe Cordovero, the Arizal - Rabbi Yitzchak Luria Ashkenazi, and other commentaries from later generations. The Zohar also has explanations from the Alter Rebbe (see entry "Biurei HaZohar (Admur HaZaken)"), as well as explanations from the Tzemach Tzedek (see entry "Biurei HaZohar (Admur HaTzemach Tzedek)"). There are also explanations on the Zohar written by Rabbi Levi Yitzchak, the Rebbe's father (see entry "Likkutei Levi Yitzchak").

Sections[edit | edit source]

The Zohar is divided into three main divisions:

The main Zohar book.
Sitrei Torah and the Hidden Midrash.
Ra'aya Mehemna and the Tikkunim.

In addition, there is another section called "Tikkunei Zohar."

Structure of the Book[edit | edit source]

The body of the Zohar consists of teachings from Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai and his companions on the Torah portions, and its language is mostly Aramaic. The book includes the "Idros" - "Idra Rabba" (the Great Assembly), "Idra Zuta" (the Small Assembly), and "Idra D'bei Mishkana" (the Assembly of the Tabernacle).

In the Idra Rabba, Rashbi reveals the Partzufim - Divine revelations in a spiritual and abstract form likened to the face of a man according to the verse "upon the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man above upon it." Ten companions present their teachings each in turn, and Rashbi concludes the discussion and reveals things that the companions knew only in outline. At the end of the "assembly," three of the companions pass away from the overwhelming sanctity as they were not sufficiently refined.

In the Idra Zuta, it tells of Rashbi's passing and how he imparts secrets to his disciples that he had feared to reveal previously. Finally, Rashbi's soul departs with the word "chaim" (life).

In the Idra D'bei Mishkana, Rashbi and three of his disciples discuss the secrets of prayer based on teachings built on verses about the construction of the Tabernacle.

The Zohar also includes a description of the upper chambers in a section called: Heichalot D'Rashbi, which describes the seven chambers of Gan Eden reserved for the righteous, and on the other hand, the seven levels of Gehinnom designated for the wicked. In the section "V'atah Techezeh" in Parshat Yitro, there is an article explaining the wisdom of facial features and palm reading, attributed in the teaching to Moshe in his selection of men as advised by Yitro. Other parts of the Zohar refer to hidden tzaddikim such as Rav Yeiba Saba, who works with clay and initially appears to be an ignoramus, but is revealed as a great Kabbalist who expounds on matters of the soul's teachings. Another figure is "the Yanuka" - that wonder child, the son of Rav Hamnuna Saba, who from infancy knows how to expound on the secrets of Torah and surpasses them in wisdom. Another story in the Zohar describes the meeting of Rashbi and his companions in Gan Eden with the 'Rosh Mesivta,' the head of the heavenly academy, who discusses with them matters of the World to Come and the soul.

The second division of the Zohar includes the work Sitrei Torah, which contains collected articles on the book of Bereishit; and the Hidden Midrash on the Torah, whose language is a mixture of Hebrew and Aramaic and deals with creation, the World to Come, and the soul.

The ten companions called Chevraya Kadisha (the Holy Fellowship) who are the masters of the Zohar are: Rashbi, the head of the group; his son - Rabbi Elazar; Rabbi Abba the Scribe; Rabbi Yehuda; Rabbi Yosi; Rabbi Yitzchak; Rabbi Chizkiya; Rabbi Chiya; Rabbi Yeisa; Rabbi Acha.

Additional parts belonging to the Zohar are "Ra'aya Mehemna" (the Faithful Shepherd - meaning Moshe Rabbeinu) and "Tikkunei Zohar." The composition "Ra'aya Mehemna" is integrated into the body of the Zohar, and the composition "Tikkunei Zohar" is a separate part.

Tikkunei Zohar[edit | edit source]

Tikkunei Zohar is an additional part to the Zohar, containing seventy tikkunim (rectifications), which are seventy facets of Torah that Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai interprets in the word "Bereishit." In the introduction to Tikkunei Zohar, the discourse "Patach Eliyahu" is presented.

Men of deed used to study or recite daily during the days of mercy and forgiveness of the month of Elul and the Ten Days of Teshuvah several pages from Tikkunei Zohar, in order to complete it by Yom Kippur. Rabbi Pinchas of Koretz said: 'Fortunate is one who completes the book of Tikkunei Zohar in these days.'

Regarding this custom of studying "Tikkunei Zohar" in Elul, the Rebbe said in 5722 (1962): "I searched in various places whether this custom was accepted among Chabad Chassidim, and did not find decisive evidence one way or another until I found in a talk from Pesach 5694 (1934) which describes the month of Elul in Lubavitch and there it says: '...others say Tikkunei Zohar...' Seemingly, why specify Tikkunei Zohar? - The month of Elul is the appropriate time to study Shaar HaTeshuvah, Derech Chaim, and the like, and even if studying Zohar - why specifically Tikkunei Zohar, and not the Zohar book itself? And from these words it is proven that the aforementioned custom in the book Kisei HaMelech (studying Tikkunei Zohar in the month of Elul) was also accepted in Lubavitch." And the Rebbe concludes: "This does not mean that one must study (or at least recite) Tikkunei Zohar, but in any case, it is an accepted custom among Chabad Chassidim."

Translation of Zohar[edit | edit source]

The Zohar was written in Aramaic in a dialect different from the Aramaic of the Babylonian Talmud (Babylonian Aramaic), and it is not accessible to most Zohar learners. Therefore, the Zohar has been translated throughout the generations into several languages: Hebrew, Latin, Yiddish, Ladino, Judeo-Arabic (Arabic in Hebrew letters), German, English, and French.

One of the translations of the Zohar into Hebrew is the translation by Rabbi Yehuda Yudel Rosenberg, in which only parts of the Zohar were translated (5 volumes, New York, תשכ"ז/1967). The commentary is called "Zohar Torah." The Rebbe writes about Rabbi Rosenberg's commentary: "In response to your question about the book Zohar Torah, I have seen it once, and as I recall, it is a translation of the Zohar into the Holy Language, and not a commentary on the Zohar. Therefore, I am surprised at you—why would you learn from a translation if you can learn from the Zohar itself, as it is impossible for a translation to include all the interpretations, and consequently, this is also in the holiness, as it exists in the language spoken by Rashbi and his colleagues."

A famous commentary on the Zohar is the "Hasulam" (The Ladder) commentary by the Kabbalist and Admor Rabbi Yehuda Leib Ashlag, who had his own approach to Kabbalah. The commentary includes a complete translation of the entire book of the Zohar, with explanations and expansions to elucidate the inner meaning of the text where needed. These explanations were written according to Rabbi Ashlag's approach. Additionally, Rabbi Ashlag also wrote an introduction to the Zohar and an opening to the wisdom of Kabbalah, which were also written according to his approach and printed as an introduction to his commentary. The Rebbe writes about the "Hasulam" commentary: "Regarding what you wrote about the Hasulam commentary on the Zohar, I have only seen it in passing for a few moments, and it is understood that one cannot form an opinion based on this. The book is not in my possession, and as I have heard, he paved his own way in the study of Etz Chaim and the Zohar, and we have only the royal path of our leaders in the teachings of Chassidus."

Another Hebrew translation of the Zohar is the book "Matok MiDvash" (Sweeter than Honey) by the Jerusalem Kabbalist Rabbi Daniel Frisch, one of the heads of the Shaar HaShamayim Yeshiva and a distinguished student of Admor Rabbi Aharon Ratta. The book, which appears in a multi-volume series as a translation beneath the language of the Zohar, is written in a more popular language with simplified Kabbalistic explanations, with the goal of bringing the book to additional audiences.

The Rebbeim and the Zohar[edit | edit source]

The approach of Chassidus is primarily based on the Zohar and the teachings of the Arizal (written by Rabbi Chaim Vital), and because of this, the Zohar is mentioned many times in Chassidus.

The Alter Rebbe[edit | edit source]

The Zohar is mentioned many times in the book of Tanya.
Maharam Halevi Yafe said in the name of the Alter Rebbe: There are three ways to remove foreign thoughts during prayer, etc., and also the language of the Zohar is beneficial for the soul even if one does not understand what he is saying.
"Someone who is greatly occupied with business should study mostly Zohar even if he does not understand it, for what does it matter if he does not understand—even so, it is a segulah (spiritual remedy)."
Learning the holy Zohar removes blockage of the heart.
Rashbi writes about one who studies the Zohar that "they will leave exile." That is, in the merit of studying the Zohar, Israel will leave the exile.
"One who studies the holy Zohar in this world will not sit in shame in the World to Come."
"There are 13 things that remove all hindrances to prayer, etc., and the third is engagement and study of the words of mussar (ethical teachings) found in the Zohar, from the word 'illumination,' for it illuminates in a place of darkness, which is the heat of truth."
The Tzemach Tzedek writes that he heard from the Alter Rebbe, who heard from his teacher the Maggid of Mezritch, that the Baal Shem Tov said not to study the wisdom of Kabbalah without studying Chassidus together with it, because one who is coarse and understands things literally and makes them material, can come, God forbid, to heresy.
The Alter Rebbe used to give sermons on the Zohar to his sons and asked the Mitteler Rebbe to write them down. In the year תקע"ו/1816, these sermons were printed in the book "Biurei HaZohar" (Explanations of the Zohar).

The Tzemach Tzedek[edit | edit source]

The Tzemach Tzedek Created the book "Biurei HaZohar" (Explanations of the Zohar). "The Tzemach Tzedek said to R' Hendel during yechidus (private audience): Zohar elevates the soul."

The Rebbe[edit | edit source]

During a yechidus with the Chief Rabbis of Israel, Rabbi Mordechai Eliyahu and Rabbi Avraham Shapira which took place on 1 Kislev 5744 (1983), the Rebbe extensively praised the virtue and importance of studying the inner dimensions of Torah in general - and the Zohar in particular, expressing his desire that the rabbis issue a proclamation ("kol koreh") to study the book. Among the things said:

Rabbi Shapira: And there are also letters from Rabbi Kook z"l in which he mentions in strong terms the necessity and need to study Kabbalah, without which it is impossible to study Torah truthfully [similar to what the Rebbe mentioned about what the Vilna Gaon wrote in his commentary on the book of Proverbs, that without studying the wisdom of the hidden aspects - one cannot achieve understanding of the revealed] and he writes that through this we delay the redemption, etc. The Rebbe: If his words had been accepted - there would have been no place for our meeting outside the Holy Land, because we would all already be in the Holy Land, together with Moshiach Tzidkeinu!

In 5750 (1990) during the distribution of dollars, Rabbi Avraham Simcha Ashlag passed before the Rebbe and asked him to sign a proclamation that all of Israel should study the wisdom of Kabbalah, thereby bringing closer the complete redemption - based on what is stated in the Zohar that through the Zohar they will leave exile with mercy. The Rebbe replied to him that it is accepted in Chabad that Chabad Chassidus is built on the foundations of Kabbalah but in the method of Chochmah Binah Daas, and therefore whoever studies Chabad teachings also studies Kabbalah.

When the Admor repeated his request, the Rebbe replied that as a grandson of the Alter Rebbe, he cannot sign a ruling that one must study Kabbalah, as it might imply that one does not fulfill their obligation through Chabad teachings. The Admor continued and brought proof from the Alter Rebbe's language who writes "the words of the Baal Shem Tov according to the Kabbalah of the Arizal" which implies that it is not actually Kabbalah. But the Rebbe replied that since the Alter Rebbe writes explicitly in another Igeres HaKodesh, it is not possible that he contradicted himself elsewhere.

In a letter to someone who suffered from weakness in vision, the Rebbe wrote, among other things: ..."And he should also try to study or at least recite a few lines from the book of Tanya and the book of the Zohar, and I hope that he will be able to report good news that his eyesight is improving."

In 5731 (1971), after the publication of Likkutei Levi Yitzchok - containing notes and insights written by his father Rabbi Levi Yitzchok Schneerson on his personal copy of the Zohar, the Rebbe began to explain a weekly section from them at Shabbos farbrengens, and also to reference them in his Chassidic discourses. In 5750 (1990), these explanations began to be published in edited form by Rabbi David Feldman in the series of books Toras Menachem - Tiferes Levi Yitzchok.

In a talk on Rosh Chodesh Menachem-Av 5740 (1980), the Rebbe gave several instructions aimed at negating and nullifying the concept of exile, and among these the Rebbe instructed to study the Zohar, particularly those aspects that were explained in Chassidus.

On 6 Iyar 5751 (1991), the Rebbe instructed to study matters of redemption and Moshiach from various parts of Torah, and within this list the Rebbe included: "And also - especially - in the inner dimensions of Torah, beginning with the Zohar (that 'through this composition of yours which is the book of the Zohar... they will leave exile with mercy')."