Introduction

"But the wise shall understand that their elevation comes from the Creator, the Tree of Life. And they who are righteous shall shine like the brightness of the firmament" (Daniel 12:3) thanks to the book of Rabbi Shimon, which isThe Book of Zohar, from the supernal force that brings all back to the Creator. In the future the children of Israel will taste from the Tree of Life, which is The Book of Zohar; they will leave the exile with the Creator's mercy" (Naso 90). more...

• The List of Abbreviations and Explanations
• Original Names and Their Equivalents Accepted in the English Translation
• The Example of the Original Text of the Zohar
• Literal Translation of the Aforecited Text From Aramaic Into English

Chapters: 

Rose

"In the beginning Elokim created" (Elokim is the Creator's name that points to His attitude towards the souls by the force of law). This is when He thought and initially created 13 words to surround the Community of Israel and guard it. Here they are: THE, HEAVEN, AND THE, EARTH, AND THE EARTH, WAS, WITHOUT FORM, AND VOID, AND DARKNESS, WAS UPON, THE FACE, OF THE DEEP, AND THE SPIRIT, up to the word Elokim. more...

Flower Buds

"In the Beginning," Rabbi Shimon quoted the verse, "the flower buds appeared on the earth" (In Hebrew the words "country" and "earth" are designated by the same word Aretz; Shir HaShirim 2:12). "The flower buds" refer to the act of creation. more...

Who Has Created These

And who is He? He is the opening of the eyes, which is the Malchut of theRosh (head) of Arich Anpin. And you shall see that Atik is concealed and within it lies the answer to the question: WHO HAS CREATED THESE? WHO is called MI, ZAT de Bina, the highest boundary of heaven, and everything depends on Him. Since the question lies in Him, He is concealed. He is calledMI, because MI is when the question "Who?" is asked, because beyond him there lies no question. This question is only found at the highest boundary of heaven. more...

"Who Has Created These" of Eliyahu

Rabbi Shimon said, Elazar, my son, reveal the supernal secret, which the dwellers of this world know nothing about. more...

The Mother Lends Her Clothes To Her Daughter

The heavens were created by the name (property) MA (Malchut). However, the phrase "above the heavens" refers to Bina, which is called MI, the heavens that are above ZA. The explanation of this lies in the name ofElokim. MA (Malchut) rises up, includes itself into Bina, and receives its properties. Bina is called Elokim. more...

The Letters By Rabbi Amnon Saba

It is said that when the Creator was about to create the world, all of the letters were still hidden. For two thousand years before the creation of the world, the Creator watched the letters and amused Himself with them.more...

Supernal Wisdom

The word BERESHEET consists of the words BARAH (created) and SHEET (six), meaning that 6 properties were created. And who created them? He who is not mentioned; He who is concealed and unknown, Arich Anpin. more...

The Lock and the Key

There is a lock with a tiny and narrow keyhole inside the gates. This lock is marked and known only by the impression of the key. No one knows about it without having the key. It is written about this secret, BERESHEET BARAHELOKIM - IN THE BEGINNING THE CREATOR CREATED. "In the beginning" is the key in which everything is hidden, as it unlocks and locks. more...

Abraham

When did this key unlock the gates, and prepare everything for the existence and development of generations?  This occurred when Abraham appeared, as he is the property of Hesed (mercy), of which it is written: "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth Be-Ibar'am (with which He created)." more...

The Vision of Rabbi Chiya

"Dust, do not be proud! The pillars of the world will not be delivered into your hands, and Rabbi Shimon shall not be consumed by you!" more...

The Two Points

At the end of all those gates, He set up a gate with many locks, many entrances, and many chambers one on top of the other. He said, "Whoever wants to reach Me must first pass through this gate. Whoever enters through this gate, may enter." This is the first gate to supernal wisdom, the gate of the fear of the Creator, which is Malchut. This is why it is called the "beginning." more...

The Night of the Bride

Rabbi Shimon was sitting and studying the Torah on the night when the Bride,Malchut, was to be joined with her husband, Zeir Anpin. All the friends present in the bridal chamber on that night, following the holiday of Shavuot, are obliged to stand under the wedding canopy (Heb. Houppah) and rejoice in the corrections of the Bride, i.e. study the Torah, the Prophets, Holy Writings and finally the inner secrets of wisdom, for these are Her corrections (Heb.Tikkunim) and adornments. more...

Heavens and Earth

Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." This verse has to be examined carefully because whoever claims that there is another Creator will be wiped from the face of the world, as it is written, "He who says that there is another Creator, will perish from the earth and from heaven because there is no other Creator besides the Lord." more...

Among all the Wise Men of the Nations, There is None Like You

A philosopher of a remote nation approached me, and said, "You claim that your Creator governs the entire heavens, and all the heavenly hosts are not able to attain Him, nor do they know His place. However, this verse does not add a lot to His greatness, as it is written, ‘as among all the wise men of the nations, and in all their kingdoms, there is none like You.' What kind of a comparison is this, with a human being who is nothing?" more...

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An Essay About Letters

"An Essay About Letters" is taken from the Preface to The Book of Zohar By Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai with the Sulam (Ladder) Commentary by Kabbalist Yehuda Ashlag, translated and edited by Rabbi Levy I. Krakovsky. more...