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The first two volumes of "The Zohar", Pritzker edition, cover more than half of the "Zohar"'s commentary on the Book of Genesis (through Genesis 32:3). This is the first translation ever made from a critical Aramaic text of the "Zohar", which has been established by Professor Matt based on a wide range of original manuscripts. The extensive commentary, appearing at the bottom of each page, clarifies the kabbalistic symbolism and terminology, and cites sources and parallels from biblical, rabbinic, and kabbalistic texts. The translator's introduction is accompanied by a second introduction written by Arthur Green, discussing the origin and significance of the "Zohar" "Sefer ha-Zohar", "The Book of Radiance", has amazed and overwhelmed readers ever since it emerged mysteriously in mediaeval Spain toward the end of the 13th century. Written in a unique Aramaic, this masterpiece of Kabbalah exceeds the dimensions of a normal book; it is virtually a body of literature, comprising over 20 discrete sections. The bulk of the "Zohar" consists of a running commentary on the Torah, from Genesis through Deuteronomy.This translation begins and focuses here in what are projected to be ten volumes. Two subsequent volumes will cover other, shorter sections. The "Zohar"'s commentary is composed in the form of a mystical novel. The hero is Rabbi Shim'on son of Yohai, a saintly disciple of Rabbi Akiva who lived in the 2nd century in the land of Israel. In the "Zohar", Rabbi Shim'on and his companions wander through the hills of Galilee, discovering and sharing secrets of Torah. On one level, biblical figures such as Abraham and Sarah are the main characters, and the mystical companions interpret their words, actions and personalities. On a deeper level, the text of the Bible is simply the starting point, a springboard for the imagination. For example, when God commands Abraham, "Lekh lekha, go forth ...to the land that I will show you" (Genesis 12:1), Rabbi El'azar ignores idiomatic usage and insists on reading the words more literally than they were intended, hyperliterally: "Lekh lekha, go to yourself!". Search deep within to discover your true self.At times, the companions themselves become the main characters, and we read about their dramatic mystical sessions with Rabbi Shim'on or their adventures on the road, for example, an encounter with a cantankerous old donkey driver who turns out to be a master of wisdom in disguise. Ultimately, the plot of the "Zohar" focuses on the ten "sefirot", the various stages of God's inner life, aspects of divine personality, both feminine and masculine. By penetrating the literal surface of the Torah, the mystical commentators transform the biblical narrative into a biography of God. The entire Torah is read as one continuous divine name, expressing divine being. Even a seemingly insignificant verse can reveal the inner dynamics of the "sefirot" - how God feels, responds and act, how She and He (the divine feminine and masculine) relate intimately with each other and with the world.
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24 reviews
167 of 171 people found the following review helpful
Best Zohar translation out there!
6 Dec 2003
Format:Hardcover
I've also got the Soncino edition as well as the Kabbalah Centre translation of Zohar and I must say this one is certainly the best. Daniel Matt provides an excellent set of footnotes which elucidate why he made the translation decisions he did for particular words and phrases in addition to giving a lot of background material from other Jewish texts. The Zohar is a particularly difficult text to translate due to the idiosyncratic nature of the pseudo-Aramaic it is written in in addition to the very abstract nature of the material covered. Having alternate readings of various passages available at one's fingertips is indispensible for those of us not qualified to read the text in its original language. While reading other translations, especially the Kabbalah Centre one, it was pretty obvious that the text's meaning was oversimplified and there was no way to avoid the translator's personal biases short of going back to the Aramaic text. The Soncino edition is similarly limited because it is only a translation of a small portion of the text. The only drawback to this particular edition is that the Aramaic text is not included, so one cannot simply look up the original phrases without resorting to an outside resource. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend this book for academics, mystics, or anyone who cares deeply about the meaning the author(s) of the Zohar were trying to convey. I'm looking forward to purchasing the additional volumes as they are released!
100 of 104 people found the following review helpful
At last, the translation the Zohar deserves!
8 Jan 2004
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Professor Matt has given the Sefer ha-Zohar the translation students have longed for for generations. It is scholarly but literarily skillful. Most importantly, Matt's version is not overly interpretive. He knows how to put interpretive notes in the footnotes, not in the translation itself -- there are over 2400 footnotes in volume one! This allows the text to retain more of its original character and meaning. Some "translations" are so thick with the interpreter's beliefs that they are nearly useless.
It's also important to note that this is the first translation of the Zohar based on a modern critical text. That means the Aramaic original used to translate from has been carefully compared and emended from old manuscript copies. While this Aramaic text is not reproduced in the book, it is available for free from the publisher, Stanford University Press. I printed it out, put it in a binder and shelve it next to the translation. The best of both worlds.
This tremendous work of scholarship will certainly be the standard translation of the Zohar for our generation.
43 of 48 people found the following review helpful
A Worthy new Translation
12 Sep 2004
Format:Hardcover
The Zohar - Pritzker Edition (Vols. I and II so far) is a worthy addition to the ever expanding library of traditonal Jewish literature in English.
First, the translation. While I am disappointed that the Aramaic text in not integrated into the volumes (it's available online), this new translation is fresh, adventuresome and witty. It strives, and often succeeds, in capturing the playful language of the original text. Just as important, it is forthright in revealing the frankly erotic flavor of Moses Deleon's vision of the divine dynamis.
Then there is Daniel Matt's commentary, which is remarkable on several counts. First, it is an amazing compendium of the traditional sources that inspired the Zohar. Virtually the entire scope of Biblical, rabbinic, and mystical traditions that DeLeon drew upon in writing the Zohar is obsessively documented in the notes. It is a fantastic treasure trove of Jewish mythic and mystical teachings. These citations alone make the commentary worth reading through carefully. Second, while Matt does an outstanding job of clarifying the meaning of the extraordinarily cryptic language, it is nice to see that he is modest enough to acknowledge in some places that his interpretations are tentative and - in a few places - that he too cannot really get the sense of what DeLeon was trying to say.
My only criticism of the commentary is the frequent repetition of information already given earlier. In many places as one goes deeper into the volumes, the same entry is simply replicated. I realize this is the result of two things: First, the Zohar itself tends toward obsessive repetition of key ideas and images. Second, I assume Matt repeats some commentary entries on the assumption that readers will pick up and study discrete sections, rather than read the volume through, cover to cover. Still, given the amount of spece devoted to repeating the same information over and over again, the consistent use of simple references, like "see note 654 on page 245," would probably shave the number of volumes that eventually need to be published by 20%. Presumably, it would also mean Matt could return to a normal academic life a couple of year earlier, since I understand he has given himself over entirely to this publishing venture for the next decade.
That criticism aside, this is a fine piece of work, and I am looking forward to the future ten (10!)volumes.
First, the translation. While I am disappointed that the Aramaic text in not integrated into the volumes (it's available online), this new translation is fresh, adventuresome and witty. It strives, and often succeeds, in capturing the playful language of the original text. Just as important, it is forthright in revealing the frankly erotic flavor of Moses Deleon's vision of the divine dynamis.
Then there is Daniel Matt's commentary, which is remarkable on several counts. First, it is an amazing compendium of the traditional sources that inspired the Zohar. Virtually the entire scope of Biblical, rabbinic, and mystical traditions that DeLeon drew upon in writing the Zohar is obsessively documented in the notes. It is a fantastic treasure trove of Jewish mythic and mystical teachings. These citations alone make the commentary worth reading through carefully. Second, while Matt does an outstanding job of clarifying the meaning of the extraordinarily cryptic language, it is nice to see that he is modest enough to acknowledge in some places that his interpretations are tentative and - in a few places - that he too cannot really get the sense of what DeLeon was trying to say.
My only criticism of the commentary is the frequent repetition of information already given earlier. In many places as one goes deeper into the volumes, the same entry is simply replicated. I realize this is the result of two things: First, the Zohar itself tends toward obsessive repetition of key ideas and images. Second, I assume Matt repeats some commentary entries on the assumption that readers will pick up and study discrete sections, rather than read the volume through, cover to cover. Still, given the amount of spece devoted to repeating the same information over and over again, the consistent use of simple references, like "see note 654 on page 245," would probably shave the number of volumes that eventually need to be published by 20%. Presumably, it would also mean Matt could return to a normal academic life a couple of year earlier, since I understand he has given himself over entirely to this publishing venture for the next decade.
That criticism aside, this is a fine piece of work, and I am looking forward to the future ten (10!)volumes.
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