Conference taveng::bagels

870.0. "The Zohar" by BANZAI::EASTLAND () Thu Jan 18 1990 12:21

    
    Although not Jewish I have been, and hope again to be, a serious
    student of the Zohar (meaning "The Flash"). These series of essays,
    attributed to Simeon Ben Yochai, are primarily devoted to a quabalistic
    exegesis of the pentateuch. For instance Bereshith (the first word) can
    also be read as bara shith (he created six [days or sephiroth]). If one
    takes sephiroth to be the meaning, one is plunged into the deep
    mysteries of creation, with the 3 upper sephiroth (Kether, Chokmah and
    Binah) coalescing through Daath to produce the lower 6 sephiroth
    of Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth, Netzach, Hod, Yesod and then finally to
    Malkuth, the physical Universe. This is absolutely fascinating stuff
    for anyone who has an interest in cosmogonies in general, and in the
    redeeming symbols of the Tree of Life.

    
    
    I'm not sure what you need. I can tell you who published my set if you
    like. It runs to 6 volumes and is the English translation. I bought it
    some 20 years ago in England.
    

    Publisher is Soncino Press, South Audley Street, London SW1. The Zohar
    was translated into English in 1934 from Hebrew and Aramaic.