A Guide to the Zohar
Published on 18. December 2003
208 pages
978-0-8047-8291-3 (ISBN)
Description
The Zohar is the great medieval compendium of Jewish esoteric and mystical teaching, and the basis of the kabbalistic faith. It is, however, a notoriously difficult text, full of hidden codes, concealed meanings, obscure symbols, and ecstatic expression. This illuminating study, based upon the last several decades of modern Zohar scholarship, unravels the historical and intellectual origins of this rich text and provides an excellent introduction to its themes, complex symbolism, narrative structure, and language. A Guide to the Zohar is thus an invaluable companion to the Zohar itself, as well as a useful resource for scholars and students interested in mystical literature, particularly that of the west, from the Middle Ages to the present.
Reviews / Votes
"This is more than a useful corrective for the pop-Kabbalah fantasies that have become fashionable among some spiritual seekers-it is also a serious aid to anyone seeking a serious encounter with Jewish spirituality."-Tikkun "...[Arthur Green's] 191-page introduction [to the Zohar] is so lucid and thorough that one almost does not notice how capably it has synthesized and presented the material."-The Forward "This is now the best introduction to the Zohar in English..."-CHOICE "...a succinct study that in distilling half a century's research, including Green's own, proves unflailingly lucid and illuminating: he is equally skillful at explicating ideas and at explaining their historical context."-Times Literary Supplement "This work can stand on its own as an excellent introduction to the Zohar, the central text of the Jewish mystical tradition. It is highly recommended to anyone interested in Jewish mysticism and would make an excellent text for undergraduate courses."-Religious Studies ReviewMore details
Series
Edition
New edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Palo Alto
United States
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Edition type
New edition
ISBN-13
978-0-8047-8291-3 (9780804782913)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions
Arthur Green
A Guide to the Zohar
Book
12/2003
Stanford University Press
€19.00
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Arthur Green is the Philip W. Lown Professor of Jewish Thought at Brandeis University. A historian of Judaism and also a theologian, Professor Green is the author of a number of works on Jewish mysticism and Jewish spirituality.
Content
- Intro
- Copyright
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Diagram of the Ten Sefirot
- Preface
- Part I. Introduction
- 1. Prologue
- 2. The Kabbalistic Tradition: A Brief History Until the Zohar
- 3. Teachings of the Kabbalists: The Ten Sefirot
- Part II. What is the Zohar?
- 4. The Zohar: Midrash on the Torah
- 5. The Zohar Narrative
- 6. Mysticism of the Zohar
- 7. The Zohar in Historical Context
- Part III. Selected Themes within the Zohar
- 8. Creation and Origins
- 9. Between Worlds
- 10. Evil and the Demonic
- 11. Torah and Revelation
- 12. The Commandments
- 13. Avodah: The Life of Worship
- 14. The Tsaddiq and the Life of Piety
- 15. The Jewish People, Exile, and Messiah
- Part IV. The Zohar as Text
- 16. Special Sections of the Zohar
- 17. The Question of Authorship
- 18. The Language of the Zohar
- 19. Editing and Printing of the Zohar
- 20. Influence and Canonization of the Zohar
- Bibliography
