El Zohar: El Libro del Esplendor

by Shimon bar Yochai

Escrito en Castilla en el siglo xiii, pero atribuido a Rabí Shimón Bar Iojai, célebre maestro que vivió a finales del siglo i, el Séfer ha-Zohar o El libro del Esplendor es el texto fundamental de la Cábala. Tanto por su extensión como por la variedad de temas que toca, el Zohar ha fascinado a todos los cabalistas posteriores, que lo han colocado a la misma altura que la Torah o el Talmud.

Fuente inagotable de enseñanzas de una originalidad inigualada, el Zohar es el tesoro de la tradición esotérica hebrea. La presente antología reúne los pasajes más significativos de esta magna obra.

396 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2013

About the author

Rabbi Shimon (Simeon) bar Yochai (רבן שמעון בר יוחאי), also known by his acronym Rashbi, was a 2nd-century tannaitic sage in ancient Israel, said to be active after the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE. He was one of the most eminent disciples of Rabbi Akiva, and is pseudepigraphically attributed by many Orthodox Jews with the authorship of the Zohar, the chief work of Kabbalah.

In addition, important legal homilies called Sifre and Mekhilta are attributed to him (not to be confused with the Mekhilta of Rabbi Ishmael, of which much of the text is the same). In the Mishnah, in which he is the fourth-most mentioned sage, he is often referred to as simply "Rabbi Shimon".

According to popular legend, he and his son, Rabbi Eleazar b. Simeon, were noted Kabbalists. Both figures are held in unique reverence by kabbalistic tradition. They were buried in the same tomb in Meron, Israel, which is visited by thousands year round.

According to a legend in the Babylonian Talmud, Rabbi Shimon bar Yohai criticized the Roman government and was forced to go into hiding with his son for thirteen years. They sheltered in a cave (which local tradition places in Peki'in). Next to the mouth of the cave a carob tree sprang up and a spring of fresh water gushed forth. Provided against hunger and thirst they cast off their clothing except during prayers to keep them from wearing out, embedded themselves in the sand up to their necks, and studied the Torah all day long. He and his son left the cave when they received a bat qol (divine revelation) saying that the Roman emperor had died and consequently all his decrees were abolished.

Reviews

[Bblaire · Rating 3 out of 5]

a very enlightening reading and a must-read for every one interested in the kabbalah or the esoteric side of judaism. some parts ended up being a little bit slow, heavy or even quite difficult to process to me but in general this edition is quite educative and explicative, which is something to be grateful for if, like me, are not very familiar with this subject.