Foreword

“Looking was I at that eternal world...”

Next to the Bible, The Book of Zohar [The Book of Radiance], also known as The Zohar, is the most enchanted and mysterious composition ever written. No other composition has aroused such profound emotions of awe and reverence as did The Zohar. The book contains all the secrets of creation but until not long ago, the wisdom of The Zohar was locked behind a thousand doors. Now The Zohar is being disclosed in order to take humanity forward, as was written in it, “When the days of the Messiah draw near, even infants in the world will find the secrets of the wisdom” (The Book of Zohar, VaYera [The Lord Appeared], Item 460).

The great Kabbalist, Rav Yehuda Ashlag (1884-1954), built for us a key to unlock The Zohar—the Sulam [Ladder] commentary. The book you are holding contains selected excerpts from a series of books titled Zohar for All, which is a reader friendly version of The Book of Zohar with the Sulam commentary. The excerpts were selected with great care to make the reading easy and enjoyable. Each portion in The Zohar comes in its own chapter, and each item number is clearly marked at the beginning of the text.

The Book of Zohar holds within it a unique capability to usher us into the utmost good; it is a source of energy, of vital force, allowing us to connect with eternity. It is inspiring, fascinating, and so enthralling that it keeps readers coming back to it for more.

"And the wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament ... are the ones who exert in this brightness, called The Book of Zohar."

(The Book of Zohar, BeHaalotcha
[When You Mount the Candles], item 88)