The Zohar

The Zohar looks beneath the surface of scripture and existence, illuminating the infinite light that underlies and unites all things. Composed in medieval Spain (though traditionally attributed to Shimon bar Yochai in Roman-occupied Israel) and becoming the central text of Jewish Kabbalah, its mystical commentaries, dialogues, and narratives are concerned with the subtext of existence, probing scripture and reality for deeper connections and hidden meanings. Its visionary teachings about creation, emanation, the soul, exile, and redemption profoundly shaped the interpretation and practice of Kabbalah and Jewish mysticism, and its themes of hidden light and cosmic emanation echo through later esoteric syntheses, including Theosophy and the Kabbalistic interests of early Anthroposophy. By revealing the world beneath the world, the Zohar continues to inspire readers to seek the divine depths concealed within scripture, existence, and themselves.