Zohar

Definition and stakes

Portrait of Heinrich Graetz Heinrich Graetz,  History of the Jews, Vol. 4 (of 6…

“ And thus there came into the world a book, the book Zohar (brilliancy) , which for many centuries was held by Jews as a heavenly revelation, and was and partly is even now regarded by Christians as an old tradition. But seldom has so notorious a forgery so thoroughly succeeded. Moses de Leon well knew how to produce the proper effect on credulous readers. He made Simon bar Yochaï appear in splendor, surrounded by a halo, in the book Zohar, and impart his revelation to a circle of select pupils (sometimes twelve, sometimes six) , "scholars who shine with heaven's light." ”
Source: Gutenberg

Portrait of Heinrich Graetz Heinrich Graetz,  History of the Jews, Vol. 4 (of 6…

“ The Zohar is particularly concerned with that side of man which is an eternal riddle to man,—the soul, its origin and end. Like the older Kabbalists, the Zohar assumed the pre-existence of the souls in the brilliant world of the Sefiroth. They are there wrapped in a spiritual robe, and entranced in the contemplation of God's light. When the souls are about to enter this world they assume an earthly garment, the body; but as soon as they are to leave the earth, the angel of death divests them of this earthly garment. ”
Source: Gutenberg

Portrait of W. Somerset Maugham W. Somerset Maugham,  The Magician

“ Of all who formed the unbroken line of tradition, David and Solomon were the most deeply learned in the Kabbalah. No one, however, dared to write it down till Schimeon ben Jochai, who lived in the time of the destruction of Jerusalem; and after his death the Rabbi Eleazar, his son, and the Rabbi Abba, his secretary, collected his manuscripts and from them composed the celebrated treatise called Zohar.”
“And how much do you believe of this marvellous story?” asked Arthur Burdon.
“Not a word,” answered Dr Porhoët, with a smile. “Criticism has shown that Zohar is of modern origin.
”
Source: Gutenberg

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