Zohar
The Zohar is widely considered the most important work of Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism. It is a mystical commentary on the Torah (the five books of Moses), written in medieval Aramaic and medieval Hebrew. It contains a mystical discussion of the nature of God, the origin and structure of the universe, the nature of souls, sin, redemption, good and evil, and related topics.*
Kabbalah teaches that the universe began not with an atom or a subatomic particle, but with a thought of God. This thought of creation encompassed a world in which every human being would enjoy total happiness and fulfillment, free from any form of chaos or pain. This is what the Creator desires and intends.
For us to manifest complete fulfillment, we need to evolve into our greatest selves. In our thoughts, feelings, and actions, we need to erase negativity and replace darkness with Light. It is for this purpose that the teachings and tools of Kabbalah were given to all humanity—and the greatest of these tools is The Zohar.
The Ultimate Resource of Connection with the Light Physically, The Zohar is a book, a commentary on the Bible, structured as conversations among a group of friends, scholars, and spiritual masters. But the far-reaching reality and power of The Zohar transcends the limits of the physical world. Zohar is a Hebrew word meaning “splendor” or “scintillation,” and The Zohar is literally an unlimited resource of brilliant spiritual Light. As the kabbalists explain, simply possessing The Zohar brings power, protection, and fulfillment into our lives. Then, as we scan the pages in the original language or study them in translation, a deep connection to the Creator’s Light comes into being. As we gain intimacy and understanding of The Zohar, our consciousness deepens and expands. Spiritually, we grow and evolve. We become who we need to be in order to gain the joy and fulfillment that God intends for us. The Zohar is like a mirror in which we see our own expectations and intentions.
There are some who depict The Zohar as simply another “spiritual” text, or an object for academic study. They find The Zohar difficult and even forbidding—but what they find was already determined by what they set out to look for. In contrast to this, the greatest minds in history have found wisdom and enlightenment in The Zohar’s pages. From Pythagoras in ancient Greece, to Sir Isaac Newton in the 17th century, to the architects of modern physics and biology in the modern era, students of Kabbalah and The Zohar have discovered startling insights and information.**
A good book to start delving into the mystical wonders of Kabbalah is Zohar: The Book of Splendor: Basic Readings from the Kabbalah. Click here for more information.
Sources
* Wikipedia | ** The Kabbalah Centre