Zohar, Introduction 10:1

R. Hiya then prostrated himself on the earth, kissed the dust, and said weeping: ‘Dust, Dust, how stiffnecked art thou, how shameless art thou that all the delights of the eye perish within thee! All the beacons of light thou consumes and grindest into nothingness. Fie on thy shamelessness! That Sacred Lamp that illuminated the world, the mighty spiritual force by whose merits the world exists, is consumed by thee. Oh, R. Simeon, thou beacon of light, source of light to the world, how hast thou turned to dust, thou leader of the world whilst alive!’ After falling for a moment into a reverie, he continued, ‘O dust, dust! pride not thyself, for the pillars of the world will not be delivered into thy power, nor will R. Simeon perish within thee.’

Zohar, Vayera 18:5

For whilst the Holy One is taking vengeance on the idolatrous nations, He “will make a man more precious than gold”, to wit, the Messiah, who will be raised and glorified above all mankind, and to whom all mankind will pay homage and bow down, as it is written, “Before him those that dwell in the wilderness will bow down… the Kings of Tarshish and of the isles shall render tribute” (Ps. 72, 9-10).

Zohar, Yitro 14:7

Said R. Jesse: ‘It is evident that R. Jose’s various applications of this verse are incompatible one with the other!’ But when these interpretations came to the ears of R. Simeon, he put his hands on R. Jose’s head and blessed him, saying: ‘That which thou hast said is quite right. It is perfectly true, but whence hast thou these interpretations?’ ‘From my father, who heard it from R. Hamnuna the ancient,’ replied R. Jose.

Zohar, Vayishlach 4:10

Now, although Jacob was beloved by the Almighty, yet when he was left alone a strange spirit immediately came and joined battle with him.’

Zohar, Balak 6:1

Once, when R. Isaac and R. Judah were on a journey, they came to a place called Kfar Sachnin, where Rab Hamnuna the Elder used to live. They put up at the house of his wife. She had a young son who was still at school, and when he came from school and saw the strangers his mother said to him: ‘Go up to these distinguished gentlemen that you may obtain a blessing from them’. He began to approach, but suddenly turned back, saying to his mother: ‘I don’t want to go near them, because they have not recited the Shema this day, and I have been taught that if one does not recite the Shema at the proper time, he is under a ban the whole of that day.’

Zohar, Vaera 2:4

It is written: “And the wise shall be resplendent as the splendour of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness shall be like the stars for ever and ever.” The “wise” is he who by the power of his own contemplation attains to the perception of profound mysteries which cannot be expressed in words. The “firmament” is the “firmament of Moses” (his grade of Divine knowledge), which is set at the centre and whose splendour is veiled. This firmament is above that other which is non-resplendent and the colours of which are visible and not so bright as the invisible.

Zohar, Vaera 1:1

AND GOD SPAKE UNTO MOSES, ETC. R. Abba began his reflections on this portion with the verse: Trust the Lordfor ever (lit. unto Ad), for in KAH TETRAGRAMMATONis fashioning of worlds (lit. rock of ages) (Isa. 26, 4). ‘AII mankind’, he said, ‘should cleave to the Holy One, blessed be He, and put their trust in Him,

Zohar, Balak 6:7

If so much significance is attached to them is it not right that they should be clean when a blessing of God is said over them, seeing that through them and what they stand for the Holy Name is blessed? Seeing, therefore, that you are so wise, why did you not take heed of this and listen to R. Shemaya the Saint, who said that all dirt and all stains betake themselves to the “other side”, which derives sustenance from them, and therefore it is a religious duty to wash the hands after a meal?

Zohar, Balak 6:92

Now, Companions, let us say grace.’ They handed him the cup and he said grace, and the Companions rejoiced more than they had ever done since the wedding of R. Eleazar. They blessed the boy with all their hearts, and he said to them: ‘You should not depart save with words of the Torah.’

Zohar, Vayera 9:3

But of a truth the Holy One makes Himself known to every one according to the measure of his understanding and his capacity to attach himself to the spirit of Divine wisdom; and thus “Her husband is known”, not “in the gates” (bishe’arim), but, as we may also translate, “by measure”, though a full knowledge is beyond the reach of any being.’

Zohar, Tazria 5:5

It is forbidden to a man to abandon any vessel of his house into the possession of the “other side”, for many emissaries are in wait to punish such an act, and from that time blessings do not rest upon him-all the more if he assigns to the “other side” the most precious part of himself.

Zohar, Balak 6:67

Then the holy spirit rested on David, saying: David, when I measured out all the earth and cast lots, then “Israel was the lot of his inheritance”, and I remember what Moab did to them.

Zohar, Vayakhel 3:13

Note that the Angel of Death is not found among women if their number is less than seven, or less than ten. That is to say, if seven women are together he is found among them and invokes judgement against men; but if there are no less than ten, he even demands the penalty of death. And it is his presence among the women that is hinted at in the words, “And they came, namely, the men with the women” (Ibid.).’ All that day, then, the Companions put themselves on their guard and absorbed themselves in the study of the Torah.

Zohar, Terumah 5:2

By the second ordering, there was drawn from the Left Side the division of waters through the stroke of a mighty fire, which entered into this apiryon and performed its function therein, dividing between the waters of the Right Side and those of the Left; and afterwards the apiryon brought forth an image in the likeness thereof. This was the second day of the “trees of Lebanon”.

Zohar, Shemot 2:7

When the celestial Company arrived in Babylon, the heavens opened, and the holy spirit of prophecy descended upon Ezekiel, and he saw his wonderful vision, and proclaimed to the exiles: “Behold, your Master is here, and all the celestial beings have come down to be your companions.” But they believed it not, and so he was compelled to disclose to them the whole of his heavenly vision. Then their joy was exceedingly great, and they recked not of the exile, knowing that the Lord Himself was in their midst. They were all filled with a perfect love of Him, ready to sacrifice themselves for the holiness of the All-Holy, blessed be He! This is the reason why the prophet disclosed to them all that he saw.

Zohar, Shmini 2:1

R. Eleazar was once travelling along a road on which R. Phineas ben Yair happened to be coming towards him. The ass on which R. Phineas was riding whinnied, and he said: ‘Verily, from the note of gladness in the ass’s voice, I see that I shall meet someone here.’ When he emerged from under the brow of the hill he saw R. Eleazar approaching, and said: ‘Assuredly, the omen of the ass’s voice has been fulfilled.’ R. Eleazar then came up to him and kissed him. He said to him: ‘If you have the same destination as I have, let us join company, and if not, go your way.’ He replied: ‘Indeed, I was going to look for you, and since I have found you I will follow you and we can keep company.’

Zohar, Shemot 13:2

But happy he who will be found faithful at that time! For he shall see the joy-giving light of the King. Concerning that time it is proclaimed: “I will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried” (Zech. 13, 9).

Zohar, Bereshit 6:2

Moses in his wisdom pondered over this and drew a lesson from the work of creation. In the work of creation there was an antagonism of the left against the right, and the division between them allowed the Gehinnom to emerge and to fasten itself to the left. Then the Central Column, which is the third day, intervened and allayed the discord between the two sides, so that the Gehinnom descended below, and the Left became absorbed in the Right and there was peace over all.

Zohar, Vayeshev 7:2

Now all the prophets drew their inspiration from one side, from the midst of two certain grades which they beheld in a “dull mirror”, as it says: “I do make myself known unto him in a vision”, the word “vision” denoting, as has been explained, a medium reflecting a variety of colours; and this is the “dull mirror”. The dream, on the other hand, is a sixtieth part of prophecy, and so forms the sixth grade removed from prophecy, which is the grade of Gabriel, the supervisor of dreams.

Zohar, Vayera 9:13

R. Simeon answered: ‘We have elsewhere stated that through Isaac fire supplanted water. For water comes from the side of Geburah (Force), and it is further required of the Levites that they should entertain that side with hymns and songs on divers instruments. Hence Isaac was joyousness, because he issued from that side and became attached to it. Observe that the word Yitzhak (Isaac) means “laughter”, to wit, rejoicing because water was changed to fire and fire to water;

Zohar, Yitro 15:13

Now with regard to the herb which ye saw me bind into bundles and cover with vine leaves. In a northern corner of my dwelling there is a place in which stands a millstone, from the hole of which a man emerges from time to time, and this man has two heads and carries a sharp sword in his hand. He strikes terror into the hearts of all who behold him, and, indeed, is the bane of our lives. On account of him I gathered this herb. Now follow me, and you shall see what virtue there is in it, and what the supreme God has revealed in the world, and how even the wise cannot surmise or fathom all His mysteries.”

Zohar, Balak 6:35

As they were going along, R. Eleazar suddenly remembered that boy, so they went three parasangs out of their way to get to that spot. They arranged to lodge in the house, and when they went in they found the boy sitting there and a table being laid before him. When he saw them he came up to them and said: ‘Enter, holy saints, enter, ye shoots of the world to come, who are praised above and below, to meet whom even the fishes of the sea come up on the dry land.’ R. Eleazar went to him and kissed him on his head. Then he again kissed him on his mouth. He said: ‘The first kiss is for the fishes that leave the sea and come up on the dry land. The second was for the spawn of the fishes which produce good increase in the world.’

Zohar, Miketz 5:3

Said R. Isaac: ‘If that be so, it would signify that Joseph told Pharaoh both his dream and its interpretation, as did Daniel to Nebuchadnezzar.’ Said R. Hiya: ‘Not so. Joseph gathered from Pharaoh’s statement that he was speaking of certain grades, and was able to put him right on certain points, knowing the correct order of the grades. Whereas Daniel gathered nothing from Nebuchadnezzar’s statement and told him outright both his dream and its interpretation.

Zohar, Vayakhel 7:2

Furthermore, man in this world commits sins, imagining that he can flee from the presence of his Master, who takes no notice of this world. The Almighty then rouses a furious tempest; to wit, man’s doom, which constantly stands before the Holy One, blessed be He, and demands his punishment. It is this which assails the ship and calls to mind man’s sins that it may seize him;

Zohar, Vayeshev 6:2

There are three periods in a day during which the world is liable to chastisement, and at each of these periods it behoves a man to be specially on his guard. These are well known and are specified elsewhere.

Zohar, Vaera 4:1

WHEREFORE SAY UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, I AM THE LORD, AND I WILL BRING YOU OUT FROM UNDER THE BURDENS OF THE EGYPTIANS, ETC. Said R. Judah: ‘These words are in the wrong order, and should read, firstly, “I will redeem you”, and then “I will bring you out”. The reason, however, why bringing out is put first is that God desired to announce to them first the best promise of all.’

Zohar, Miketz 9:16

That is, when he saw them bowing to him, he called to mind his dream about their sheaves bowing to his sheaf.

Zohar, Shemot 13:48

and then the power symbolized by the letter Yod of the Holy Name ascended into the upper regions, into the Infinite, and thus during the whole seventy years of exile Israel had no divine light to guide her, and, truly, that was the essence of the exile.

Zohar, Vaera 9:7

It is further written: “These are (lit. this is) that Aaron and Moses”. The singular number “this” suggests the oneness of the two, the fusion of “wind” (=Moses, who symbolizes the Sephirah, Tifereth) with “water” (=Aaron, Grace); similarly the expression in the following verse (28): “These are (lit. this is) that Moses and Aaron” suggests the fusion of “water” with “wind”.’

Zohar, Vayigash 1:1

THEN JUDAH CAME NEAR UNTO HIM, ETC. R. Eleazar discoursed on the verse: For thou art our Father; for Abraham knoweth us not, and Israel doth not acknowledge us; thou, O Lord, art our Father, our Redeemer from everlasting is thy name (Is. 63, 16)….1The passage omitted is a repetition, in a shortened form, of pp. 2b, 3a. He said:1The first twenty lines of the Hebrew text do not appear in the English translation as per the translator’s note on page 205a.

Zohar, Pekudei 8:1

R. Jose and R. Isaac once were walking together when R. Jose remarked: ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, indeed chose Bezalel from all Israel for the work of the Tabernacle. Why so?’ R. Isaac replied: ‘There is something in a name. It has been laid down that God has appointed certain names here on earth to be a crown to men and to enable them to achieve certain things.’

Zohar, Vayishlach 8:3

Similarly, when we read: “And Israel bowed himself upon the bed’s head” (Gen. 47, 31), we are not to suppose that he bowed down in worship to his son, but that his obeisance was directed towards the spot where the Shekinah rested. So in this passage, the words: “and he himself passed over before them” refer to the celestial Shekinah who went before Jacob in order to afford him the promised protection from on high. When Jacob became aware of this he thought it incumbent on him to make obeisance towards the Holy One, blessed be He, who was going, as it were, in front of him,

Zohar, Tazria 7:4

SHE SHALL TOUCH NO HALLOWED THING. Every day the Community of Israel takes from the household of the King food for the spirits of men and feeds them in holiness, save for these, the spirits of which have not yet settled in the bodies. But after thirty-three days She tends them like all other human beings, because their spirits are united with their bodies as in all other men.

Zohar, Shemot 7:3

The Lords of Weeping. Their dwelling here set. Their being is judgement, And chastisement their end. The Judge is there ready. And the books are open. At this hour and moment. The Lord of judgement. Ascends to His Throne. The singing ceases. And silence falls. Judgement begins.

Zohar, Mishpatim 3:15

But this soul which has fallen to the other side, to the stranger, and is oppressed by him, this is “to his hurt” - to that stranger’s hurt, and she “may not eat of the offering of holy things” until the Holy One, blessed be He, does with her what He does.

Zohar, Beshalach 15:14

Moses and the children of Israel will then sing “this song unto the Lord”: the song of the Matrona to the Holy One, blessed be He. We have been taught that every one who sings this hymn daily with true devotion will be worthy to sing it at the Redemption that is to be, for it refers both to the past world and to the future world; it contains confirmations of faith and mysteries relating to the days of the Messiah.

Zohar, Mishpatim 3:243

However, no deed is done by the Lord but has its reason and its justice; and as in all other cases, so also in this. He to whom the Holy One has given a wife, and who has generated with her, is not like others who undergo transmigration. One who in this world truly and humbly endeavoured to make the tree fruitful, but who did not succeed in his attempt, is not to be placed in the same category with one who consciously and wilfully refused the duty of engendering children, so uprooting the tree, scattering its leaves, and wasting its fruit.

Zohar, Nasso 12:3

Now in regard to the Levites it says: “And thus shalt thou do unto them to cleanse them: sprinkle the water of purification upon them, and let them cause a razor to pass over all their flesh” (Num. 8, 7). After the hair has been removed and all the details performed, the Levite is designated “pure”, but not “holy”. But the Nazirite, having abstained from the side of rigour, is designated “holy” and not simply “pure”. So Scripture says: All the days of his vow of Naziriteship…in which he consecrateth himself unto the Lord, he shall be holy, he shall let the locks of the hair of his head grow long.

Zohar, Vayishlach 8:2

A similar difficulty arises with the verse: “And thus ye shall say: All hail! (lehay, lit. to the living one) and peace be both unto thee, and peace be to thy house, and peace be unto all that thou hast” (I Sam. 25, 6). Now, inasmuch as, according to our teaching, it is forbidden to give the first greeting to a wicked man, how could David have sent such a message to Nabal? There, however, the explanation is that David in reality addressed his words to God, as is implied in the expression lehay (to the Living One), although Nabal misunderstood them as addressed to himself.

Zohar, Beshalach 12:9

It may be asked, is it consonant with the dignity of the King that the Matrona should declare war for him and receive petitions to him? The following parable may explain. A king married a noble lady, whose worth he esteemed so highly that in comparison with her he regarded all other women as a mere vulgar herd. “What shall I do to honour her?” he thought. “I will give her full control over the palace and over my whole household!” So he made a proclamation that all the king’s business should pass through the hands of the queen. He also handed over to her all the weapons of war, all his military advisers and generals, all his regalia, and indeed all his treasures of every sort, and said: “From now anyone who wishes to speak to me must first make known his suit unto the queen.”

Zohar, Achrei Mot 2:2

For when Abram was cast into the furnace of the Chaldeans the angels said before God: How shall this one be delivered, seeing that he has no merit of his ancestors to rely upon? God replied: He shall be delivered for the sake of his sons. But, they said, Ishmael will issue from him? There is Isaac who will stretch forth his neck on the altar. But Esau will issue from him? There is Jacob who is the complete throne and all his sons who are perfect before me. They said: Assuredly through this merit Abraham shall be delivered. Hence it is written: “Jacob who redeemed Abraham,’

Zohar, Beshalach 7:3

For every word that man speaks, whether it be good or bad, causes a vibration in the higher spheres, and he who disturbs the Sabbath joy by uttering profane words causes a blemish in the holy day. When one has been invited to the king’s banquet he would commit a great offence against the king if he were to neglect him in order to converse with some other person: the Sabbath is such a banquet.

Zohar, Lech Lecha 3:1

Sitrei Torah. We have learned that because of the strong desire of the King (Binah) a great and strong tree (Zeir Anpin) was planted. Among the supernal plants (the Sefirot of Binah) this tree is planted. It turns between twelve borders, and its leg expands to the four winds of the world.

Zohar, Bereshit 5:2

Up to this point the whole was suspended in the void in direct dependence on the limitless. When, however, energy had been extended through the supernal palace alluded to in the name Elohim, the term “saying” is used in connection with it, in the words “And God said”. For to that which is beyond no detailed “saying” is ascribed; for although the word Bereshith is a creative utterance (maamar), the actual words “and said” are not used in connection with it.

Zohar, Yitro 6:3

A fine and rounded forehead indicates a man of great penetration, but whose judgement is sometimes clouded. He loves cheerfulness, and is kindhearted to all. He has high intellectual interests. Should he study the Torah he will become very proficient.

Zohar, Vayakhel 3:12

But the Angel of Death did not leave the women until the Tabernacle was erected, and even when the women were bringing their offerings to the Tabernacle he did not leave them until Moses, observing it, advised the menfolk not to come in company with them, and not to look at them face to face, but only over their shoulders. Scripture thus says: “And they came, namely, the men” (Ex. 35, 22), the expression “and they came”, instead of “and they brought” indicating that they did not come alongside of the women, but kept them behind, as the Angel of Death did not depart from them until the Tabernacle was erected.

Zohar, Miketz 8:12

Happy are the righteous who know how to guard themselves against their sins and continually examine their deeds so that no accuser may rise up against them either in this world or in the world to come, the Torah being their guide and preparing the way before them. Of these it is written: “Her ways are ways of graciousness, and all her paths are peace.”

Zohar, Vayigash 1:5

5. Then came the letters Pe and Tzadi, and so on until the letter kaf. Once Kaf descended from the Crown (Heb. keter), the higher and lower worlds shook until all was established using the letter Bet, a sign of blessing (Heb. berachah) - and the world was created and constructed by it.

Zohar, Pinchas 15:7

only if the sickness becomes very severe is it necessary to let blood from two arms, and so here, if the world becomes very sinful all the virtuous are smitten to heal all the generation, but otherwise one is smitten and the rest are left in peace. When the people are healed the righteous are healed with them, but sometimes all their days are passed in suffering to protect the people, and when they die all are healed.

Zohar, Lech Lecha 18:4

Note this. At first Abram proceeded from the lower to the higher, as it is written, “And the Lord appeared to Abram”, and again, “to the Lord who appeared to him”, and then “going on his journeys to the South”-grade after grade until he was endowed with the South which was his rightful portion.

Zohar

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