This five-volume set is the only complete English rendering of The Zohar, the fundamental rabbinic work on Jewish mysticism that has fascinated readers for more than seven centuries. In addition to being the primary reference text for kabbalistic studies, this magnificent work is arranged in the form of a commentary on the Bible, bringing to the surface the deeper meanings behind the commandments and biblical narrative. As The Zohar itself proclaims: Woe unto those who see in the Law nothing but simple narratives and ordinary words .... Every word of the Law contains an elevated sense and a sublime mystery .... The narratives of the Law are but the raiment Thin which it is swathed.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
Well, it's a start:
While it is a herculean task, it leaves a lot to be desired. Mostly, I would have liked to see the Aramaic (or a Hebrew Translation)added to the text. It would help a lot to understand some of the things which are simply not translatable. I cannot imagine anyone who dosn't have a basic knowledge of Hebrew and/or Aramaic trying to read this text anyway. It is a good start however.
The Zohar is a jewel.:
This five volume set offers the best translation of the Zohar available in English as yet. While it does not contain the entire Zohar, it offers enough so that if one feels inclined, they may also read the Kabbalah centre translation. What is refreshing about the soncino edition is they did not add commentary to the text like so many other translators do. This is the problem with such translations as the one by Daniel Matt or the Kabbalah centre, while their commentary may have some jewls of wisdom in it,... more info
not complete zohar set...:
if my memory serves me corectly this is not the complete set of the zohar. the entire zohar was not translated into english untill the kabbalah center finaly translated it this last 15 years. up untill that there were only 5 volumes translated into english. i would save my money and by the one put out by the kabbalah center. if you want to look at their zohar set they have the whole thing on line at [...]i would by theirs as it is the most acurate one out there.
Magnificent effort:
Despite the length (over 2000 pages) this English translation is only a part of the actual Sepher ha Zohar (Book of Splendor). The rest was to a large degree untranslatable due to its symbology, plays on words, etc. Yet, the authors (and it took a team to do it) did a great service to Kabbalah in particular and mysticism in general but completing this herculean effort. The Zohar presents itself as a Midrash or commentary on the Bible. This is an ancient literary form. It attributes its authorship to Shimon... more info
