Zohar, Vayeshev 6:1

NOW ISRAEL LOVED JOSEPH MORE THAN ALL HIS CHILDREN, BECAUSE HE WAS THE SON OF HIS OLD AGE; AND HE MADE HIM A COAT OF MANY COLOURS. Said R. Eleazar: ‘It is written: “Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast” (Is. 26, 20). God holds Israel in affection above the idolatrous nations, and on that account He warns them and puts them on their guard in all their deeds.

Zohar, Yitro 1:12

In just the same way God broke here on earth the power of an “old and foolish king”, namely Pharaoh, who, when Moses said to him, “The God of the Hebrews hath met with us”, replied, “I know not the Lord,” but when the Holy One, desiring that His Name should be glorified on earth as it is in heaven, punished him and his people, he came and acknowledged the Holy One.

Zohar, Balak 1:4

All his wisdom was through that bird. He covered his head and crawled before it, saying “The people”, and the bird answered “Israel”. He said “exceedingly” and the bird answered “numerous”. Seventy times they thus chirped to one another, with the result that he was seized with fear, as it says: “And Moab was sore afraid of the people, for they were many”.

Zohar, Shemot 10:4

Not so the “other side”, where there is a place called “Accusation”, because in that abode of the Serpent, the “Wife of whoredom”, every effort is made to procure the condemnation of humanity, and to prejudice the servant in the eyes of the Master.

Zohar, Bereshit 1:1

With the beginning of the manifestation of the King's will, that is, when the King desired to emanate and create the world, a hard spark made an engraving upon the supernal light. This hard spark, which emanated from the most concealed of all concealed things from the secret of the Endlessness Light took a shapeless form. The spark was then inserted into the center of a circle that was neither white nor black nor red nor green, nor any color at all. When it began its measurements, it created colors that shone into the empty space and the engraving. From within the spark - This hard spark - a fountain spouted, from which the shades down below received their colors.

Zohar, Lech Lecha 7:7

“A wind passeth and cleanseth them”: because subsequently Terah and all his household repented, as it is said, “and the souls which they had saved (lit. made) in Haran”, referring to Terah’s household, and further, “and thou shalt come to thy fathers in peace” (Gen. 15, 15), which shows that Terah joined Abram.

Zohar, Achrei Mot 1:5

Come and see: It is written here, "After the death" and later, "Speak to Aaron your brother...Thus shall Aaron come." (Vayikra 16:2-3). (From the death of the sons of Aharon) commences the warning to each of the priests that they must be mindful of Zot (Eng. 'this' fem.), which is the fear of Hashem.

Zohar, Vayera 6:16

He therefore endeavoured to purify people in all respects-to cleanse them from idolatry and to cleanse them from ritual impurity. In the same way Sarah purified the women. The result was that all in their house were in a state of ritual purity.

Zohar, Beshalach 13:18

When she is about to bear a child and is in difficulty, she puts her head between her knees, and cries bitterly, and the Holy One sends a serpent which stings the place, and straightway deliverance comes to her.’ R. Simeon, however, added: ‘In this matter, “thou must not ask nor tempt the Lord”.’

Zohar, Bamidbar 1:12

But he who, recounting his neighbour’s good points, omits to bless him, will be the first to incur heavenly displeasure. Whereas he who does so bless will receive blessings from above. The man’s blessing, moreover, must be given not grudgingly, but generously and with a good heart, as God above all desires man’s good heart.1v. T. B. Sanhedrin, 107a. How much more so must this be the case when a man offers praise to the Holy One, blessed be He! So Scripture says: “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart”, etc. (Ibid. 6, 5).

Zohar, Bamidbar 2:2

Observe this’, he continued. ‘The precepts of the Torah are exalted essences on high. Whenever a man fulfils one of the precepts, that precept presents itself, all adorned, before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: So-and-so fulfilled me and I proceed from him. That man, thus, as he roused that precept below, caused a stirring on high, and brought about peace on high and below. Of this Scripture says: “Or else let him take hold of my strength, that he make peace with me; yea, let him make peace with me” (Isa. 27, 5); twice “peace”, to wit, peace on high and peace below. Happy is the portion of the man who observes the precepts of the Torah.

Zohar, Lech Lecha 2:3

A herald proclaimeth lustily: “To you we speak, exalted holy ones; who is there among you whose ears are quick to hear and whose eyes are open to see and whose heart is alert to perceive, what time the spirit of all spirits culls the sweet effluence of the inner soul, and a voice goes forth from there saying, Disperse, ye hosts, to the four corners of the world?”

Zohar, Vaera 2:9

“but by My Name TETRAGRAMMATON was I not known to them”, namely, in the supernal hidden luminous colours, which only Moses was privileged to behold. The closed eye sees the mirror of light: the open eye sees the mirror which is not luminous. Therefore in regard to the lightless mirror, the term “see” is used, because it is discernible, but in regard to the luminous mirror the term “know” is used, because it is in concealment.’ Then came R. Eleazar and R. Abba and kissed R. Simeon’s hand, and R. Abba wept and said: ‘Alas for the world when thou, master, shalt be removed from it! It will become an orphan without thee; for who will then illumine the words of the Torah?’

Zohar, Terumah 9:1

It is written: “Morning and evening and at noon will I pray and cry aloud ” (Ps. 55, 17). We have referred on another occasion to this verse. It speaks of three seasons for prayer, and the companions have interpreted the significance of the three times in the following way’ “Evening” is the mirror which has no radiance, “morning” the radiant mirror, while “noon” is symbolic of a place which should properly be called “darkness”, because it adjoins the evening, only it is designated by the very opposite by a certain elegance of language,

Zohar, Introduction 13:2

Imagine a king greatly exalted who screens himself from the common view behind gate upon gate, and at the end, one special gate, locked and barred. Saith the king: He who wishes to enter into my presence must first of all pass through that gate. So here the first gate to super-Wisdom is the fear of God; and this is what is meant by reshith (beginning).

Zohar, Bechukotai 8:4

AND I WILL WALK AMONG YOU AND BE YOUR GOD. Since my pledge is with you, of a surety you will know that I walk with you, as it is written, “For the Lord thy God walketh in the midst of thy camp to deliver thee and to give up thine enemies before thee” (Deut. 23, 14).’

Zohar, Shemot 13:31

After the thirty days he will again be decked with those adornments from above and from below, and many holy beings will surround him. The whole world then shall see a light extending from the firmament to the earth, and continuing for seven days, and they will be amazed and not comprehend: only the wise will understand, they who are adepts in the mystic lore, blessed is their portion.

Zohar, Shmini 4:8

The term “sin-offering” is not used in connection with Israel as with the priest, because Israel had already suffered their punishment in many places, and therefore God did not wish to mention their sin; hence it is written here, “for a peace offering” and not “for a sin-offering”, as a sign of peace, to show that God had been reconciled with Israel in respect of this.

Zohar, Miketz 4:8

In the verse: “Israel also came into Egypt; and Jacob sojourned in the land of Ham”, we may take Israel to be an allusion to the Holy One, blessed be He, for it was for the sake of Jacob, who sojourned in the land of Ham, and his sons that the Shekinah came into Egypt. God thus arranged that Joseph should first be brought into Egypt, as through his merit the covenant was confirmed with him, and made him ruler over all the land.

Zohar, Mishpatim 3:268

But, Sovereign of the Universe, when a child is but one day old, shall he be judged? These are “the tears of the oppressed ones, who have no comforter”. There are many different kinds among them, but they all shed tears.

Zohar, Vayishlach 1:5

R. Eleazar applied this verse to Jacob when God assigned to him companies of angels as an escort because he came with the full number of tribes, forming with them a godly company. Hence it says: “And Jacob went on his way, and the angels of God met him” (Gen. 32, 2), as already explained. Here, therefore, when he was delivered from the hands of Laban and dissociated himself from him, the Shekinah joined him, and sacred camps came to encircle him, so that “Jacob said when he saw them, etc.” (Ibid. 3). It was from these angels that he sent a mission to Esau, as it says: “And Jacob sent angels” (mal’akhim).’

Zohar, Vayera 12:3

According to another interpretation, again, the proper reading is ‘asu (they have made), and this accords with the translation of Onqelos. It says: “I will go down and see.” Are not all things revealed before the Almighty that there was need for Him to go down and see? The expression, however, “I will go down”, implies descent from the grade of mercy to that of rigour, and by “and see” is meant the consideration of the kind of punishment to be meted out to them.

Zohar, Miketz 4:13

But when there are no righteous men in the world, He ascends aloft and hides His face from men, and deserts them, inasmuch as the righteous are the foundation and the mainstay of the world.

Zohar, Bereshit 14:2

He then proceeded: ‘We must picture a king who wanted several buildings to be erected, and who had an architect in his service who did nothing save with his consent. The king is the supernal Wisdom above, the Central Column being the king below: Elohim is the architect above, being as such the supernal Mother, and Elohim is also the architect below, being as such the Divine Presence (Shekinah) of the lower world.

Zohar, Vayishlach 7:11

Jacob, on seeing this, as soon as day broke, seized hold of him and did not let him go, so that he blessed him and confirmed to him those blessings, and said to him: “Thy name shall be called no more Jacob (Ya’aqob=supplanter), but Israel (Yisrael=princehood and strength), so that no one can prevail against thee.”

Zohar, Terumah 6:1

So they began to discourse upon holy and supernal matters. R. Simeon first spoke, saying: ‘It is written: “They shall take me a heave offering: on the part of everyone whose heart is willing ye shall take my offering.” “They shall take Me.” This signifies that he who aspires towards piety and fellowship with the Holy One, blessed be He, must not be lax or remiss in his devotion, but must be ready and willing to bring sacrifices according to his strength: “according as the Lord God hath blessed thee” (Deut. 16, 10).

Zohar, Lech Lecha 9:3

Said R. Abba: ‘If so, they must have been a great crowd, if you say that they all went with him.’ Said R. Eleazar: ‘That is so; and therefore the whole company that went with him were called “the people of the God of Abraham”, and he travelled through the land without fear, as it is written, “And Abram passed through the land”.’

Zohar, Mishpatim 3:238

It is prohibited throughout all generations to castrate any creature which the Holy One has created, for castration appertains eternally and in all cases to the “other side”.

Zohar, Kedoshim 1:2

For the Torah has warned them saying: “Whoso is simple let him turn in hither; as for him that is void of understanding (lit. heart), she saith to him” (Prov. 9, 4). Why is he called “void of heart”? Because he has no faith; since he who does not study the Torah has no faith and is wholly blemished. It is the supernal Torah which “saith to him”, and calls him “void of heart”.

Zohar, Achrei Mot 7:4

R. Jose said: ‘The word “equity” (mesharim, lit. equities) in the above quoted verse indicates that the Cherubim were male and female.’

Zohar, Noach 14:2

The Judean said to them: ‘In regard to these four plants which we take in order to propitiate the Almighty, have you heard why we require them precisely on the Feast of Tabernacles?’ Said R. Jose to him: ‘Our colleagues have already discussed this question. But if you have any explanation of your own, tell us.’

Zohar, Nasso 5:21

A woman thus should cover her hair in the four comers of her house. When she does this, then “thy children like olive plants” (Ps. Ibid.). As the olive does not shed its leaves either in winter or summer, but ever retains its superiority over other trees, so her children will excel all other children; her husband, moreover, will receive blessings from above and from below, will be blessed with riches, with children and children’s children. So the Psalm continues: “Behold, surely, thus shall the man be blessed…. And see thy children’s children. Peace be upon Israel” (Ibid. 4-6).’

Zohar, Balak 6:87

If he knows, he must train his son and give him the cup of benediction. And if he does not, then we say of him, “He that withholds his son shall be cursed to the holy Mother” (Prov. 11, 26),

Zohar, Lech Lecha 7:13

"And all their substance that they had gathered..." refers to the good deeds that a person performs in this world because of the awakening of the soul. "And the souls (Nefesh) that they had made in Charan...", that Nefesh, which at first was attached to the foreskin of the body and clung to it and which later was amended (by the Neshamah). So after thirteen years, when the Neshamah is aroused to amend the body, both amend that Nefesh that participated in the harsh (judgments) of the serpent and its evil desires. As it is written, "and the Nefesh that they had made in Charan..."

Zohar, Toldot 8:8

What is the opinion of Rabbi Elazar? From the verse, "And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake" (Daniel 12:2). It is understood by, "those who sleep," (only some will rise); these are the Righteous (who repented) while they were alive, who will rise early. By how many years do they precede other people? Rabbi Yehuda replied, By two hundred and ten years. Rabbi Yitzchak said, Resh Dalet Yud ('210') years, as it is written, "Out of Jacob shall come (Heb. Yerd, Yud Resh Dalet) a ruler" (Num. 24:19). This indicates that the Righteous precede other men by two hundred and ten years. Rav Nachman said, Precedence depends on how much the body is worn in the dust. Rabbi Yosi said to him, If this be true, then there are many resurrections. All revivals will occur at the same time, as was said in the vision, "and the word was true, and for a long period ahead" (Daniel 10:1).

Zohar, Emor 15:1

R. Hiya said: ‘Israel from the eighth day cleave to God and are impressed with His name and become His, but the other peoples do not cleave to Him nor conform to His rules, and they remove from themselves the holy impress until they cleave to the other side which is not holy.

Zohar, Lech Lecha 10:17

Now, (in this world) it is (in the middle) between rising upward and descending downward, between Bethel, (Up) and Ay (Down). If it has merit, it will rise up "to the place of the altar, which he had made..." Who is 'he' who 'had made,' and what is 'the altar'? "He had made there" applies to the Holy One, blessed be He, who had made that altar and established it upon twelve stones, "according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, to whom the word of Hashem came, saying, Yisrael shall be your name" (I Kings 18:31), for sure.

Zohar, Pekudei 2:3

The word “wrought” refers to the fact that God wrought the light as the medium for the creation of the world. “For them that take refuge in thee”, to wit, for those who dwell underneath the shadow of the Holy One, blessed be He;

Zohar, Vayera 5:2

And when the time comes for the days to depart from this world, they all approach the Most High King, as it is written, “And the days of David drew nigh that he should die” (I Kings 2, 1), and again, “And the days of Israel drew nigh that he should die” (Gen. 47, 29).

Zohar, Terumah 15:13

On Sabbath, at midnight, when the wise consummate their conjugal unions, at the time when they are sleeping peacefully in their beds, and their souls are eager to ascend and behold the glory of the King, the supernal spirits with which they crowned themselves at the sanctification of the Sabbath take those souls and bring them up unto the heights. These souls are there bathed in the spices of Paradise, and behold all that is within their capacity to behold.

Zohar, Bamidbar 5:6

He then discoursed (concerning the other nations), citing the verse: “How shall I curse, whom EL (God) hath not cursed, and how shall I execrate, whom the Lord hath not execrated?” (Num. 23, 8). ‘Observe’, he said, ‘that the lower world is modelled on the upper world. On high there is a Right and a Left; so below there are Israel and the idolatrous nations, the former on the right, attached to the holiness of the Holy King, the latter on the left, on the side of the unclean spirit. The grades are linked one with another, all depending finally on the one at the head, and the tail has to move in accordance with the head.

Zohar, Yitro 12:2

that there are two books, an upper and a lower book. The lower book is the “book of remembrance”, and the upper one is called ” this”. And in order to show that the two are not separated, but form one, it is written “this is the book”.

Zohar, Balak 6:68

Hence it is written that David “measured them with the line”; All who were of that tribe and deserving of death the line seized.

Zohar, Mishpatim 3:193

This is also indicated in the words: “And they shall go forth and look upon the carcases of the men that transgress against me” (Isa. 66, 24). It does not say: “who have transgressed“, but “who transgress” namely those who go on transgressing without thinking of repentance; but as soon as they are penitent and remorseful for their sins the Holy One receives them again.

Zohar, Shemot 1:4

The Tree rises to a height of five hundred parasangs, and its circumference is six myriads of parasangs. Within this Tree is a light1Tifereth. out of which radiate certain colours: they come and go, never being at rest save in the Tree.

Zohar

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