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Authenticity of the Zohar
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Latest Comments:
To learn more about Zohar, you can start in our Zohar folder. Just click on "Classic Kabbalah in the left menu on any page
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I wish to learn more about the zohar. How can I do that online?
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Bar Yochai is used sometimes in Midrash too and even occasionally in the Talmud. And more often simply "Rabbi Shimon" and sometimes "Rashbi" where the 'b' can be 'ben' or bar'.
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I believe in the authenticity and holiness of the Zohar, but I have always wanted to know why in the Gemara Rashbi is always referred to as Shimon "Ben" Yochai and not Shimon "Bar" Yochai as he is called by the Zohar. After all, the Gemara is also written in Aramaic yet uses the Hebrew word for son. Are there perhaps other ancient sources such as Midrashim that also use the term "bar"? Thanks, I've searched a lot of the answer to this question and have not been able to find one!
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Go to our Zohar section under "Classic Kabbalah"
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i wish learn more of zohar from begining
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This is a true service to our people. Thank you for this incredibly important work.
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I believe that since the publication of several works by Professor Moshe Idel (current head of Dept of Jewish Mysticism and Kabbalah at the University of Jerusalem) much of Scholem's work on the Zohar has been called into question. Interestingly, Scholem himself wrote a treatise explaining why Moshe de Leon could not possibly have been the author of the Zohar. He suddenly changed his thesis when appointed the head of dept of Jewish Mysticism, without ever disproving his previous proofs. There are those who suspect that he changed his opinion in order to capture that post.
You are right; I could have used more measured tones. Attribute that to the passion of youth.
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As I'm sure you're aware and have even alluded to, Scholem's main conclusion that de Leon is the main author has continued to be accepted although certain details of his analysis have rightly been questioned (such as the quality of the Zohar's Aramaic), as we'd certainly expect in any scholarly exercise. Some of your comments on individuals, seem overly harsh.
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In any event, review the verses in Bamidbar 17:11-13 and see the Targum Onkelos and Yerushalmi. This, my friend, is the origin of the phrase itbasma dina – when Aaron was told to use the incense (busmin or busmaya in Aramaic – itbasma is the verb form) to mitigate the plague which was causing people to die – i.e. to overcome the harsh decree with incense [or in general with good deeds that are “a pleasing scent to Hashem”] (which a better translation of the phrase itbasma dina). Why Scholem finds it necessary to dig up some extremely unlikely connection to Spanish instead of looking first and foremost in Jewish literature, I don’t know. Perhaps he had an agenda?
All the best.
Rabbi Moshe Miller
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