Front Matter (PDF) - Stanford University Press

this way, the Zohar is very much a mystical, often even an ecstatic,
Read
or at least one in which the ecstatic dimension is very highly developed.
work,
of the strongest expressions of this reality is found in the Zohar's powerful
One
and poetic soliloquies around the word ``Zohar'' itself, and on the verse
12:3) from which the work's title is taken: ``The enlightened shall shine
(Daniel
the radiance [zohar] of the sky, and those who lead multitudes to right-
like
like the stars, forever.'' Zohar represents a hidden radiance issuing
eousness,
from the highest se®rotic realms, a showering of sparks lighting up all
forth
comes in its path. Its inspiration is surely the night sky, the wondrous
that
of shootingstars against the background of the Milky Way. But like all
event
images in mystical literature, the beacon of light or drop of divine seed is
such
pictorial representation of an event that takes place also within the mystic's
a
the inspiration that ``sparks'' this creative vision.
heart,
inner event of this radiant presence is outwardly manifest in the
The
of the kabbalist's face. ``The enlightened shall shine'' is also
shininggaze
in this rather literal way. Here, as frequently in the Zohar, there is
understood
assimilation of the kabbalist to the biblical description of Moses as he
an
from the Tent of Meeting, his face glowing with the radiant presence
emerged
God. But the kabbalist is also Moses' brother Aaron, the ancient priest
of
face shines with divine presence as he bestows the blessingof God's
whose
countenance upon the children of Israel. ``May the Lord cause His face to
own
upon you'' (Numbers 6:25) is seen as the Torah's personi®ed way of
shine
the same light that the kabbalist as Neoplatonist perceives to be
callingforth
from one cosmic rungto another. He now seeks to become the
shiningforth
bearer of that light, transmitting it to his community of disciples and
earthly
This is the kabbalist (most often personi®ed in the Zohar by Rabbi
readers.
son of Yoḥai) in the role of tsaddiq, conveyer of divine light.
Shim'on
main purpose of the Zohar is to arouse within the reader a constant
A
for such ``enlightenment'' or inspiration. The great religious creativityÐand
longing
even the ecstatic deathsÐof Rabbi Shim'on and his disciples are
to induce in the reader a sense that he too, as an initiate into the
meant
secrets, may continue in this path. While no generation before the
Zohar's
of messiah will fully equal that of Rabbi Shim'on, all those who come
advent
his wake are encouraged to follow in his path. The Zohar is thus a highly
in
work, one that seeks to create and sustain a mood of ecstatic devotion.
evocative
Certain familiar biblical verses, includingthe ``garden'' passages men-
above, are used as awakenersÐone might almost think of them as
tioned
regularly restimulate awareness, rousing readers from their daily
``bells''Ðto
and remindingthem of the constant vital ¯ow needed to quicken the
torpor
This reminder is meant to renew and refresh their participation in
cosmos.
great collective task of rousing Shekhinah. She in turn awakens Her
Israel's
Lover to release the ¯ow of light/water/seed, enveloping Her in His
divine
Introduction
lxviii
presence and renewingthe universal ¯ow of life.