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Unlocking The Zohar

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by Michael Laitman, PhD

The Book of Zohar (Book of Radiance), also known as, The Zohar, is one of the most mysterious and misunderstood compositions ever written. The awe, admiration, and even fear it has evoked over the years are unsurpassed. This book contains the secrets of the whole of Creation, but until recently these secrets were shrouded in a cloud of mystery and misconceptions.

 

Now The Zohar is openly unfolding its wisdom throughout the world, to show humanity a way forward, as the book itself declares (VaYera, Item 460), “When the days of the Messiah draw near, even infants will discover the secrets of the wisdom.” The greatest Kabbalist of the 20th century, Rav Yehuda Ashlag (1884-1954) paved a new way for us by which we can reveal the secrets of The Zohar. He wrote the Sulam [Ladder] Commentary and the four introductions for The Zohar to help us come to know the forces that govern our lives, and teach us how we can assume control over our destinies.

 

Unlocking The Zohar is an invitation to a wondrous journey to a higher world. The author, Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman, wisely ushers us into the revelations of the Sulam commentary. In so doing, Laitman helps us fine-tune our thoughts as we read in The Zohar, to maximize the spiritual benefit derived from reading it. In addition to explaining The Book of Zohar, the book contains numerous inspiring quotes from The Zohar, specifically translated, edited, and compiled for easy reading and understanding of this powerful text.

 

 

Table of Contents

 

From Publisher

Foreword

PART I: THE WISDOM OF THE ZOHAR. CHAPTER 1: TIME TO ACT

  • Time to Act
  • A Hidden Treasure

PART I: THE WISDOM OF THE ZOHAR. CHAPTER 2: NATURE AND US

  • Nature and Us
  • Discovering Nature’s Overall Law
  • The Zohar—a Book of Many Layers
  • Letters and Words

PART I: THE WISDOM OF THE ZOHAR. CHAPTER 3: THE ZOHAR RETURNS TO ALL

  • The Zohar Returns to All
  • The Allegory about the King and the Queen

PART I: THE WISDOM OF THE ZOHAR. CHAPTER 4: A LADDER TO THE ZOHAR

  • A Ladder to The Zohar
  • The Sulam [Ladder] Commentary
  • Acknowledgement of Spiritual Leaders of the Writings of Baal HaSulam
  • Zohar for All
  • The Necessity to Engage in The Zohar

Part II: The World Was Created for Me. Chapter 5: The Actual Reality

Part II: The World Was Created for Me. Chapter 6: Outer Is Inner

PART II: THE WORLD WAS CREATED FOR ME. CHAPTER 7: AS ONE MAN IN ONE HEART

  • As One Man in One Heart
  • They Helped Every Man His Friend
  • A Prayer of Many

PART III: UNLOCKING THE ZOHAR. CHAPTER 8: BEING LIKE THE CREATOR

  • Being Like the Creator
  • From Darkness to Light
  • The Middle Line
  • Tears
  • Eternal Pleasure

PART III: UNLOCKING THE ZOHAR. CHAPTER 9: THE “RABBI SHIMON” SYSTEM

  • The “Rabbi Shimon” System
  • A Spiritual Support System

PART III: UNLOCKING THE ZOHAR. CHAPTER 10: THE UPPER WORLDS

  • The Upper Worlds
  • All Are His Words

PART III: UNLOCKING THE ZOHAR. CHAPTER 11: THE EXPERIENCE OF READING IN THE ZOHAR

  • The Experience of Reading in The Zohar
  • Why Makes Salt So Important?
  • O Fairest Among Women
  • Jacob, Esau, Laban, and Balaam
  • Fear Not, You Worm of Jacob
  • The Sea Monsters
  • What Is Hell?
  • The Gate Over the Deep
  • On My Bed at Night
  • The Friends
  • Selected Questions about the Study of The Zohar

APPENDIX 1: SELECTED REFERENCES IN PRAISE OF THE ZOHAR

  • Zohar for All
  • The Necessity of Studying The Zohar in Our Days
  • The Appearance of The Zohar
  • From Exile to Redemption
  • The Zohar Brings Abundance
  • The Light of The Zohar
  • The Zohar Affects Even when Not Understanding
  • Correction of the Soul
  • Purifying the Heart
  • Studying The Zohar Compared to Other Studies
  • The Zohar as a Means to Discover the Creator
  • Study Hours Prescribed by Sages
  • Exertion in Studying The Zohar
  • The Wisdom of The Zohar and Worldly Wisdoms
  • Rashbi and the Group that Authored The Zohar

APPENDIX 2: INTRODUCTIONS OF BAAL HASULAM TO THE BOOK OF ZOHAR

APPENDIX 3: ZOHAR FOR ALL, SELECTED EXCERPTS

  • Abraham
  • Love
  • Love of Friends
  • Light
  • Letters
  • Men and Women
  • Exile and Redemption
  • Nature
  • Zivug [Coupling]
  • Good and Evil
  • Days of the Messiah
  • Exodus from Egypt
  • The Evil Inclination and the Good Inclination
  • Fear
  • Jerusalem
  • Israel and the Nations
  • Life’s Purpose
  • Souls
  • Ups and Downs along the Way
  • Poor and Rich
  • Mixed Multitude
  • Righteous and Wicked
  • Middle Line
  • Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai [Rashbi]
  • Desire
  • Peace
  • Joy
  • Torah
  • Torah – Night Study
  • Correction