.

The Prologue to the Zohar starts by quoting Songs of Songs 2:2  “As a rose among thorns” כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים

Prologue: Verse 1
רִבִּי חִזְקִיָּה פָּתַח, כְּתִיב כְּשׁוֹשַׁנָּה בֵּין הַחוֹחִים. מָאן שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, דָּא כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּגִין דְּאִית שׁוֹשַׁנָּה וְאִית שׁוֹשַׁנָּה, מַה שׁוֹשַׁנָּה דְּאִיהִי בֵּין הַחוֹחִים אִית בַּהּ סוּמָק וְחִוָּור, אוּף כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית בַּהּ דִּין וְרַחֲמֵי. מַה שׁוֹשַׁנָּה אִית בַּהּ תְּלֵיסַר עָלִין, אוּף כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל אִית בַּהּ תְּלֵיסַר מְכִילִין דְּרַחֲמֵי דְּסַחֲרִין לַהּ מִכָּל סִטְרָהָא. אוּף אֱלֹהִים דְּהָכָא מִשַׁעְתָּא דְּאִדְכַּר אַפִּיק תְּלֵיסַר תֵּיבִין לְסַחֲרָא לִכְנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וּלְנַטְרָא לַהּ.
Rabbi Chizkiyah opened the discussion with the verse, “As the Rose among the thorns” (Shir Hashirim 2:2) What is the Rose? : It is the Congregation of Yisrael. Because there is a Rose; and there is a Rose. Just as the Rose among the thorns is tinged with red and white, so is the Congregation of Yisrael affected by the qualities of Judgment and Mercy. Just as the Rose has thirteen petals, so the Congregation of Yisrael is surrounded by the thirteen attributes of Mercy. Thus, between the first mention of the name Elohim. These words surround and guard the Congregation of Yisrael.

Now of course Songs of Songs or Shir Hashirim is both a love poem between lovers and also an expression of God’s love of Israel.

But also consider this in Matthew 13:24-30

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

²⁴ Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; ²⁵ but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. ²⁶ But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ²⁷ So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.

Here is also Matthew 13:1-9

The Parable of the Sower

13 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. ² Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. ³ Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. ⁴ As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵ Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. ⁶ But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. ⁷ Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. ⁸ Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. ⁹ Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

Now we go to Prologue chapter 6:23 on the Hebrew letter Tav ת

Here is the Zohar

Prologue: Verse 23
כַּד בְּעָא לְמִבְרֵי עָלְמָא, אֲתוֹ כָּל אַתְוָון קַמֵּיהּ מִסּוֹפָא אֲרֵישַׁיְיהוּ. שָׁרֵיאַת אָת ת לְמֵיעַל בְּרֵישָׁא, אָמְרָה, רִבּוֹן עָלְמִין: נִיחָא קַמָּךְ לְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא, דַּאֲנָא חוֹתְמָא דְגוּשְׁפַּנְקָא דִילָךְ, אֱמֶת, וְאַתְּ אִתְקְרִיאַת אֱמֶת, יָאוֹת לְמַלְכָּא לְמִשְׁרֵי בְּאוֹת אֱמֶת, וּלְמִבְרֵי בִּי עָלְמָא. אֲמַר לָהּ קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָאוֹת אַנְתְּ וְזַכָּאָה אַנְתְּ, אֶלָּא לֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְמִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא. הוֹאִיל וְאַנְתְּ זַמִּינָא לְמֶהֱוֵי רָשִׁים עַל מִצְחִין דְּגוּבְרִין מְהֵימְנִין, דְּקַיָּימוּ אוֹרַיְיתָא מֵא’ וְעַד ת’, וּבִרְשִׁימוּ דִילָךְ יְמוּתוּן. וְעוֹד, דְּאַנְתְּ חוֹתָמָא דְמָוֶת, הוֹאִיל וְאַנְתְּ כָּךְ, לֵית אַנְתְּ כְּדַאי לְמִבְרֵי בָּךְ עָלְמָא. מִיָּד נָפְקַת.

When He desired to create the world, all the letters came before Him in sequence from last to first. The letter Tav saw itself fit to come forth first. It said, Master of the World, may it please You to create the world with me because I am the seal of Your ring, which is emet (truth), so it would be most appropriate for the King to begin with the letter Tav, and create the world by me. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to it, You are worthy and deserving, but you are not suitable for the world to be created by you. You are destined to serve as a mark on the foreheads of the faithful, who have kept the Law of the Torah from Aleph to Tav. When you appear, they shall die. Not only that, but you are the seal of the word Death. Because of this, you are not suitable for Me to create the world with you. The letter Tav then immediately left.

Remember the Zohar is not scripture or anything with authority but it is interesting what is said about about the letter Tav because the letter Tav traditionally had a meaning a mark or a sign or a cross before the Middle Eastern Alpha-Bet went from pictographic to phonetic and see these examples from more ancient forms of the letter Tav ת

Paleo Hebrew

Phoenician

Proto-Sinaitic (the Alpha-Bet that the oldest threads of the Bible were written)

So you can see in older and more primitive forms it meant a sign or a mark and may have originated from the  Egyptian hieroglyph meaning a tally mark. So besides the importance of a sign and the hint of the crucifix to come it is also the last letter of the Hebrew Alef-Beit and so the “Alef and the Tav is analogous to the Alpha and the Omega in Revelation. I personally am not a big fan of the “Otiot” אותיות or that is the signs or letters and deriving mystical or spititual meanings to the pictographic meanings of Hebrew letters. Its either nonsense or magick if you use it to consult it over actual scripture. However it would be equally naive to deny that there is not some meaning from the letters and the above information on Tav bears that out.

Here at Prologue chapter 10 verse 50 we have something interesting and of course I’m not putting to much into the motives of Rabbi Chiya and why he fasted to meet Rabbi Shimon but what is more interesting the Messianic overtones.

Prologue: Verse 50
קָם רַבִּי חִיָּיא וַהֲוָה בָּכֵי. אֲזַל, וְרַבִּי יוֹסֵי עִמֵּיהּ. מֵהַהוּא יוֹמָא אִתְעַנֵּי אַרְבְּעִין יוֹמִין לְמֶחֱמֵי לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן. אֲמָרוּ לֵיהּ לֵית אַנְתְּ רַשַּׁאי לְמֶחֱמֵי לֵיהּ. בְּכָה וְאִתְעַנֵּי אַרְבְּעִין יוֹמִין אַחֲרִינִין, אַחֲזִיאוּ לֵיהּ בְּחֶזְוָוא לְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּרֵיהּ, דַּהֲווֹ לָעָאן בְּמִלָּה דָא דַּאֲמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, וַהֲווֹ כַּמָּה אַלְפִין צַיְיתִין לְמִלּוּלֵיהּ.

Rabbi Chiya stood up and walked along weeping, accompanied by Rabbi Yosi. He fasted from that day on for forty days so that he might meet with Rabbi Shimon. They told him, you are not fit to see him. He then wept and fasted for another forty days. They showed him Rabbi Shimon and Rabbi Elazar his son, in a vision. They were discussing the interpretation of that word, which Rabbi Yosi mentioned . And many thousands were listening to his words.

Matthew 4

“Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry”

What is interesting is the significance of fasting 40 days and although from Noah to Moses 40 has been an important number but never mentioned before in fasting in particular as far as I know and especially that the Zohar is big on Messianic implications.Next here we go to verse 54 still in Prologue chapter 10 and it says:

Prologue: Verse 54
מָאן מִנְכוֹן, דִּי חֲשׁוֹכָא מְהַפְּכָן לִנְהוֹרָא, וְטָעֲמִין מְרִירָא לְמִתְקָא, עַד לָא יֵיתוֹן הָכָא. מָאן מִנְּכוֹן, דִּמְחַכָּאן בְּכָל יוֹמָא לִנְהוֹרָא דְנָהֵיר בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְמַלְכָּא פָּקֵיד לְאַיַּלְתָּא, וְאִתְיַיקַר, וְאִתְקְרֵי מַלְכָּא מִכָּל מַלְכִין דְּעָלְמָא. מָאן דְּלָא מְצַפֶּה דָא בְּכָל יוֹמָא בְּהַהוּא עָלְמָא, לֵית לֵיהּ חוּלָקָא הָכָא.

Who among you has, transformed darkness into light and the taste of bitter into sweet before he came here? Who among you has awaited eagerly every day the light that shines when the King calls upon the Gazelle? For then – the glory , and He is called the King of all the other kings of the world. Because he who does not await eagerly for this every day, in that world – has no part here.

So for one let us point out the taste of bitter into sweet could also be like the turning of water to wine.

Here is John 1:5

 ⁵ The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (and from John 14:6 we know Jesus is the light)

John 8:12

¹² When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Here is First Timothy 6:15

¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords,

So here is the Zohar talking about a King of Kings a Lord of Lords who turns the darkness to light and the bitter to sweet (who must this be talking about)

Now still in the Prologue but to chapter 14 verse 129

Prologue: Verse 129
כְּבוֹד אֵל, דָּא כְּבוֹד כַּלָּה דְּאִקְרֵי אֵל, דִּכְתִיב אֵל זוֹעֵם בְּכָל יוֹם. בְּכָל יוֹמֵי שַׁתָּא אִקְרֵי אֵל, וְהַשְׁתָּא, דְּהָא עָאלַת לַחוּפָּה, אִקְרֵי כָּבוֹד, וְאִקְרֵי אֵל, יְקָר עַל יְקָר. נְהִירוּ עַל נְהִירוּ, וְשָׁלְטָנוּ עַל שָׁלְטָנוּ.

“The glory of El” is the Bride, which is called El. As it is written, “and El who has indignation every day” (Tehilim 7:12). During all the days of the year, She is called El, but now, after entering under the bridal canopy, She is called ‘El’, (which means ) glory upon glory, splendor upon splendor, and dominion upon dominion.

I would draw reference to the Bride of Christ here, and what says is the glory of El (God) is the bride and the bride is malkhut (kingdom) and of course we know that the residents of the kingdom of God are Christ’s Bride.

Revelation 19:7-9

7 Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready.
⁸ Fine linen, bright and clean,
    was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

⁹ Then the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

Revelation 21:1-2

21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. ² I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 

And now from chapter 18 verse 174

Prologue: Verse 174
פָּתַח רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וַאֲמַר, כָּל מָאן דְּחָדֵי בְּאִינוּן מוֹעֲדַיָּא, וְלָא יָהֵיב חוּלָקֵיהּ לְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא, הַהוּא רַע עַיִן שָׂטָן שׂוֹנֵא אוֹתוֹ וְקָא מְקַטְרֵג לֵיהּ, וְסָלֵיק לֵיהּ מֵעָלְמָא, וְכַמָּה עָקוּ עַל עָקוּ מְסַבֵּב לֵיהּ.

Rabbi Shimon opened the discussion by saying that he who rejoices on festivals, but does not give his portion to the Holy One, blessed be He, then that Evil Eye – Satan – shall hate and persecute him, and shall take him out of this world. And he will bring many miseries upon miseries.

Although this does not pertain to Mashiach but is interesting as we now enter section 2 of the Zohar B’reishit (which is the book of Genesis).So let us look at Breishit part A chapter 2 verse 13.

Bereshit A: Verse 13
מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא שִׁי”ת, מִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם שִׁית סִטְרִין דְּמִתְפַּשְׁטָן מֵרָזָא עִלָאָה בְּאִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דְּבָרָא, מִגּוֹ נְקוּדָה קַדְמָאָה בָּרָא אִתְפַּשְׁטוּתָא דְּחַד נְקוּדָה דִלְעֵילָא וְהָכָא אִגְלִיף רָזָא שְׁמָא דְּאַרְבְּעִין וּתְרֵין אַתְוָון.

Beresheet , BaraSheet (he created six), because from one end of the heaven to the other, there are six branches that extend from the secret of the sublime with the expansion of Bara (created). Bara expanded from within the first point, (WHICH IS ARICH ANPIN). And here, , the secret of the name with the 42 letters was engraved.

so the word Breishit (Beresheet as the Zohar translators spelled it (same difference) it means (in beginning) rooted in the word “reish” meaning head or top and “be” means in or with.And this word is Hebrew for the Greek word Genesis and is also the first word in the Hebrew Bible.What is going on here is a word play ,so you have the proper word B’reishit ok ,now use the beit and reish to make the word “bara”ברא which is Hebrew from to create and put that with the ending of “sheet” which can mean six in the feminine phrasing. So hence you have “barasheet” created in six ,because God created the universe in six days!

Just a fun word play and if you are curious what is the “Arikh Anpin” ,that is Aramaic for “long face” אריך אנפין and the word Arikh is the root of the word used in the Bible when it says “honor your parents so your days on the land will be long” and so its not an alien word.The long face or countenance or Arikh Anpin is a reference to Gods patient side and his long suffering toward us as we remember 1 Corinthians 13:4

⁴ “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”

Now of course the Arikh Anpin has other meanings in Kabalah but this book is not about Kabalah or at least not in the traditional sense but I thought of the importance of patience in both love and God himself.

Now on to something darker ,the demonic force of spiritual blindness klipah קליפה

Now we look at Breishit part A chapter 9 verse 98

Bereshit A: Verse 98
וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹקִים יְהִי מְאֹרֹת וגו’, מְאֹרֹת חָסֵר, דְּאִתְבְּרֵי אַסְכְּרָה לְרַבְיֵי. דְּבָתַר דְּאִתְגְּנֵיז נְהִירוּ אוֹר קַדְמָאָה, אִתְבְּרֵי קְלִיפָּה לְמוֹחָא, וְהַהִיא קְלִיפָּה אִתְפַּשַּׁט וְאַפֵּיק קְלִיפָּה אָחֳרָא. כֵּיוָן דְּנַפְקַת, סַלְקָא וְנַחֲתָא, מָטַת לְגַבֵּי אַנְפֵּי זוּטְרֵי, בָּעאַת לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּהוֹ, וּלְאִצְטַיְירָא בְּגַוַויְיהוּ, וְלָא בָּעאַת לְאַפְרְשָׁא מִנַּיְיהוּ, אַפְרַשׁ לָהּ קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתַּמָּן, וְנָחֵית לָהּ לְתַתָּא, כַּד בְּרָא אָדָם, בְּגִין לְאַתְקָנָא הַאי, בְּהַאי עָלְמָא.

“And Elohim said, ‘Let there be Light(s) ? (Heb. me’orot)’” (Beresheet 1:14). Me’orot with defective spelling, that the children’s disease, croup (diphtheria), was created. (MISHLEI 3:33). For, after the illumination of the primordial light was concealed, the skull of the brain was created. This Klipah expanded and brought forth another Klipah. As soon as (the klipah) went forth, it ascended and descended until it reached the small face. It wanted to cleave to it and become part of its form – it refused to be separated from it. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created Adam, he separated it from there and the Klipah descended below , in order to fix it in this world.

So what are klipah or klipot in the plural ,well the word means shell or husk and they are shells that cover a persons soul and spiritual eyes and prevent someone from seeing God’s truth.How often have you heard a pastor talk about spiritual blindness for instance.

2 Corinthians 4:3-4

³ “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. ⁴ The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

So what is klipot? They are spiritual blindness as a demonic entity and of course the Kabalist would say all those who do not know the truth of the God of Israel have klipot and surely the God of Israel is true. But also is true those who can’t see the true identity of Mashiach (Messiah) also have klipot on their spiritual eyes. I know that this verse alone in the Zohar does not fully explain klipah or klipot but it is an introduction to the concept of what they mean.For instance a Calvinist often will feel that the non elect are blind to see the Gospel of Jesus and God won’t open their eyes to it.This is klipah or klipot in the plural, the shells on their spiritual eyes that stop them from seeing the truth.

• Shells created by an individual’s negative actions that create a metaphysical barrier between one’s self and the Light.
• This means that either by engaing in sin continually or past unrepented sin puts sort of a soot that covers the soul ,or when we put idols before our Lord this also acts as a filter that waters down the light of the Holy Spirit reaching our soul.So as we had shells which is what klipot literally or can mean spiritual soot or dirt that stops us from a better relationship with God.

DEFINITION

Klipot (klipa, singular), which translates from Hebrew as “husks” or “shells,” are metaphysical barriers between ourselves and the Light of the Creator that we, ourselves, have created through our own selfish actions. They are what keep us from receiving all the blessings that are meant for us, or from feeling happy, certain, or fulfilled all of the time.

We who accept the Brit Chadashah (New Testament) know also that Yeshua (Jesus) is the light but you get the idea.And whether you look at them as above as us separating ourselves from seeing God by our actions or you see klipah as demonic beings they are shells or husks that can blind a soul.

here is verse 99

Bereshit A: Verse 99
כֵּיוָן דְּחָמַת לְחַוָּה דְּקָא מִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּסִטְרוֹי דְּאָדָם, דְּשַׁפִּירוּ דִּלְעֵילָא, וְחָמַאת דְּיוֹקְנָא שְׁלִים, פָּרְחָא מִתַּמָּן, וּבָעאַת כְּמִלְקַדְמִין לְאִתְדַּבְּקָא בְּאַנְפּוֹי זוּטְרֵי, אִינוּן נָטְרֵי תַּרְעִין דִּלְעֵיל, לָא שַׁבְקוּ לָהּ, נָזַף קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּהּ, וְאַטֵּיל לָהּ בְּשִׁפּוּלֵי יַמָּא.

When THE KLIPAH saw Eve clinging to the side of Adam, who represented the beauty of above, and saw in them the complete form, it flew up from its place and wanted to cling to the small faces as before. However, the guards at the gates did not allow . The Holy One, blessed be He, scolded it and cast it into the depths of the sea.

A quick diversion here in Breishit part A chapter 37 verse 349

Bereshit A: Verse 349
וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּחָמָא קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דִּיקוּמוּן תְּלָתָא דָרִין חַיָּיבִין, וְאִינוּן: דָּרָא דֶּאֱנוֹשׁ, וְדָרָא דְּטוֹפָנָא, וְדָרָא דְּפַלָּגָה, גָּנִיז לֵיהּ, בְּגִין דְּלָא יִשְׁתַּמְּשׁוּן בֵּיהּ, וִיהַב יָתֵיהּ קָדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמֹשֶׁה, וְאִשְׁתַּמַּשׁ בֵּיהּ תְּלַת יְרָחִין, דְּאִשְׁתָּאֲרוּן לֵיהּ, מִיּוֹמֵי עִבּוּרָא דִילֵיהּ, כְּמָא דְּאַתְּ אָמֵר וַתִּצְפְּנֵהוּ שְׁלשָׁה יְרָחִים.

When the Holy One, blessed be He, had foreseen three sinful generations – namely, the generation of Enosh, the generation of the Flood and the generation of the Tower of Babylon – he hid to prevent them from using it. The Holy One, blessed be He, gave it to Moses, who used it during the three months left to complete his period of pregnancy. This is why it is written: “She hid him three months” (Shemot 2:2).

We come to Enosh אֱנוֹשׁ ,now this name has nuanced meanings but the first is wounded and fatal or mortal but in accordance with our sinful nature or the yeitzer hara יצר הרע (inclination toward evil).Enosh also means man or person and it is very compelling the Biblical word for man means both mortal and wounded which says much about our condition.The most common words in Hebrew for a single man or woman is ish and ishah respectively to which both are rooted in Enosh.

Now to Breishit part A chapter 50 465

Bereshit A: Verse 465
ר’ חִיָּיא אֲמַר, בְּנוֹי דְקַיִן, הֲווֹ בְּנֵי אֱלֹהִים, דְּהָא כַּד אֲתָא סמא”ל עַל חַוָּה, אַטִיל בָּהּ זוּהֲמָא וְאִתְעַבְּרַת, וְאוֹלִידַת לְקַיִן, וְחֵיזוּ דִילֵיהּ, לָא הֲוַת דָּמֵי לִשְׁאָר בְּנֵי נְשָׁא, וְכָל אִינוּן דְּאַתְיָין מִסִּטְרָא דִילֵיהּ, לָא הֲווֹ אִקְרוּן אֶלָּא בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים.

Rabbi Chiya said that the descendants of Cain were the sons of Elohim, because when Samael injected his filth into Eve, she conceived and gave birth to Cain. Consequently, his appearance was not similar to that of the rest of humanity . All those who descended from Cain were called the sons of Elohim.’

This is where we see the Zohar is making things up for mystical value ,there is no supported evidence that Chavah (Eve) ever slept with a demon.Remember the idea of this book is not to show that the Zohar is a guide book or scripture but that the truth of Messiah is found in secret. C.S Lewis said something similar about pre Christian pagan cults in that if the truth of man heart is Jesus then it would make sense that some pagan myths seemed Christological. My point more being is that if Jesus was rejected as Mashiach then his reflection would be in the mystical traditions created to replace him.

But is Samael real ,I would guess yes and that Samael סמא”ל (meaning poison of God) was the demon who possessed the snake in Eden although this is more midrash then proven truth. Also do not confuse Samael with Samuel ,Samuel is spelled like this שמואל and is properly pronounced Sh’muel or Shemuel ,so no relation there.

Things like the Talmud or the Zohar are Rabbinical Literature not altogether different from extra Biblical Christian literature like CS Lewis or Milton or even Joel Osteen self help books, sometimes they are spot on other times full of non sense and Rabbinical literature is no different. Only the Bible is infallible and it takes time to build up your non sense filter to tell the difference.And mainly we do that through scripture for we know that the Zohar shows that Jesus is the Messiah by knowing him through the New Testament. So back to Samael who’s name means poison of God, matter of fact the word sam means narcotics or recreational drugs in modern Hebrew.

Now of course this next section does not say Yeshua by name but says Mashiach (that is Messiah or Christ meaning anointed). Here is Breishit part B chapter 5 verses 18-19.

Bereshit B: Verse 18
שָׁארֵי תִּנְיָינוּת וּבָכֵי, עַד דְּקָלָא נָפֵיק, וּמִתְאַחֵד בְּהַהוּא קָלָא, וְסָלֵיק לְעֵילָא, וְאִשְׁתָּהֵי תַּמָּן עַד רֵישׁ יַרְחָא. וְכַד נָחֵית נָחֲתֲין עִמֵּיהּ כַּמָּה נְהוֹרִין וְזִיוִין, מְנַהֲרִין לְכָל אִינוּן הֵיכָלִין, וְאַסְוָותָא וּנְהוֹרָא לְכָל אִינוּן קָטוֹלִין, וּבְנֵי מַרְעִין וּמַכְאוֹבִין דִּסְבִילוּ עִמֵּיהּ דְּמָשִׁיחַ.

(Messiah) starts crying again till a supernal voice emerges and mixes with the Voice rises up. And it is delayed there until the beginning of the month, when it descends (from Binah). Then it brings down many lights and emanations that shine upon all the chambers. It also brings remedy and light to those killed and those ailing and with pains who suffer with Messiah.

Bereshit B: Verse 19
וּכְדֵין פּוּרְפִּירָא לָבֵישׁ, וְתַמָּן חֲקִיקִין וּרְשִׁימִין כָּל אִינוּן קָטוֹלֵי דִּשְׁאָר עַמִין עכו”ם בְּהַהוּא פּוּרְפִּירָא, וְסָלֵיק הַהוּא פּוּרְפִּירָא לְעֵילָא, וְאִתְחַקַּק תַּמָּן גּוֹ פּוּרְפִּירָא עִלָּאָה דְמַלְכָּא, וְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לְאַלְבָּשָׁא הַהוּא פּוּרְפִּירָא וּלְמֵידַן עַמִּין, דִּכְתִיב יָדִין בַּגּוֹיִם מָלֵא גְוִיּוֹת. עַד דִּי אֲתָא וְנָחֵים לוֹן, וְנָחֲתִין עִמֵּיהּ נְהוֹרִין וְעִדּוּנִין, לְאִתְעַדְּנָא, וְכַמָּה מַלְאָכִין וּרְתִיכִין עִמֵּיהּ, כָּל חַד וְחַד בְּמַלְבּוּשָׁא, לְאִתְלַבְּשָׁא בְּהוֹ כָּל אִינוּן נִשְׁמָתִין דְּקָטוֹלִין, וְתַמָּן מִתְעַדְּנִין כָּל הַהוּא זִמְנָא דְאִיהוּ סָלֵיק וְנָחֵית.

Then (Messiah) puts on the purple garment (called Purfira), on which the names of all those killed by the idolatrous nations of the world are inscribed and listed. This purple garment ascends and is engraved upon the supernal royal garment of the King. The Holy One, blessed be He, will one day clothe Himself with this royal garment and judge the nations of the world, as it is written: “He shall judge the heathen and He shall fill the places with dead bodies” (Tehilim 110:6). Until descends and returns , bringing lights and bliss down with him for the pleasure and consolation of the souls. And many angels and Chariots , each carrying a garment for the souls of those killed by nations. There these souls experience divine bliss while Messiah ascends and descends.

Here is the Aramaic word purfira meaning purple פּוּרְפִּירָא and this phrase here says The Holy One Blessed is he (a name for the Lord) is ready for his purple garment, וְקֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא זַמִּין לְאַלְבָּשָׁא הַהוּא פּוּרְפִּירָא.

This indicates that not only will the Messiah wear purple but that the Messiah is God! There is nowhere in the Tanakh or Old Testament where it states the Messiah will wear purple.

Now lets look at the book of Mark 15

¹⁶ “The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him”

So if you are wondering being that both early and late dating of the Zohar have in written well after Jesus then could this passage have copied the Gospels? For one thing the writer or writers of the Zohar likely would not have known this passage.I do not doubt that they had some knowledge of Christianity and the New Testament but likely the better known things and this is not an overly known or quoted type passage.Also the writer or writers of the Zohar are not pro Jesus and having something like this would have been against there interest.So I feel this is a spontaneous writing and not a copy.

Now it is time to talk about the Zeir Anpin (small face or countenance)זְעֵיר אַנפִּין.

Ze`ir Anpin (Aramaic: זְעֵיר אַנפִּין meaning “Lesser Countenance/Small Face”, is a revealed aspect of God in Kabbalah, comprising the emotional sephirot attributes: Chesed (kindness, Gevurah(stregnth or courage), Tiphereth(splendor,beauty), Netzach(eternity,endurance,victory)(, Hod(splendor,glory) and Yesod(foundation).These are all part of the Ten Sefirot or the qualities of God and we will get to more on this later but this is an introduction now if you see it in English commentary.There is some question if this represents Messiah but we will get to that later on.Here Breishit B chapter 56 verse 300

Bereshit B: Verse 300
פְּתַח וַאֲמַר, כִּי צַדִּיק ה’ צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב יָשָׁר יֶחֱזוּ פָנֵימוֹ. הַאי קְרָא אֲמָרוּ בֵּיהּ חַבְרַיָיא מַאי דְּקָאֲמָרוּ. אֲבָל כִּי צַדִּיק ה’, צַדִּיק הוּא, וּשְׁמֵיהּ צַדִּיק וּבְגִינֵי כָּךְ, צְדָקוֹת אָהֵב.

He said, “For Hashem is righteous and loves righteousness, and the upright behold His face” (Tehilim 11:7). And the friends have commented on this verse that Hashem, is righteous, and His name, is righteous. For that reason He loves righteousness, .

Here the Aramaic says The Lord “YHVH” loves righteousness and the upright have vision of “his face” but the Aramaic never actually writes Zeir Anpin.

It is often argued that man has a neutral nature and can make his own way back to paradise and does not need need a savior who saves by grace not ones own deeds. Let us look at Breishit part B chapter 65 verses 393-394

Bereshit B: Verse 393
וַיַּרְא ה’ כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ וְכָל יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבוֹת לִבּוֹ, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פְּתַח, כִּי לֹא אֵל חָפֵץ רֶשַׁע אָתָּה לֹא יְגוּרְךָ רָע. הַאי קְרָא אִתְּמָר וְאוֹקְמוּהָ. אֲבָל תָּא חֲזֵי, מַאן דְּאִתְדַּבַּק בְּיֵצֶר הָרָע וְאִתְמָשִׁיךְ אֲבַתְרֵיהּ, וְיִסְתָּאַב הוּא, וִיסָאֲבוּן לֵיהּ, כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר.
“

And Hashem saw that the wickedness of man was great upon the earth, and the impulse of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Beresheet 6:5). Of the verse, “For You are not El who has pleasure in wickedness; nor shall evil dwell with you” (Tehilim 5:5), Rabbi Yehuda said: This verse has been discussed and explained, yet come and behold: he who cleaves to and is led by the Evil Inclination is defiled and will be led further into defilement, as we have learned.

Bereshit B: Verse 394
כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם. כָּל בִּישִׁין הֲווֹ עָבְדֵי, וְלָא אִשְׁתְּלִים חוֹבַיְיהוּ, עַד דַּהֲווֹ אוֹשְׁדִין דָּמִין לְמַגָּנָא עַל אַרְעָא. וּמָאן אִינוּן. דַּהֲווֹ מְחַבְּלִין אָרְחַיְיהוּ עַל אַרְעָא. הה”ד רַק רַע כָּל הַיּוֹם. כְּתִיב הָכָא רַק רַע, וּכְתִיב הָתָם וַיְהִי עֵר בְּכוֹר יְהוּדָה רַע בְּעֵינֵי ה’.

“The wickedness of man was great,” because men committed all sorts of sins and their guilt was complete when they spilled blood in vain upon the ground. This refers to those who pollute their ways upon the earth. Thus, it is written: “Only evil (Heb. ra) all day.” In another place it is written: “And Er, the son of Judah, was evil (Heb. ra) in the eyes of Hashem” (Beresheet 38:7).

In verse 393 we have the term yeitzer hara בְּיֵצֶר הָרָע used meaning evil inclination or sinful nature or even total depravity.

Now for some mystical embellishment on the Book of Genesis and on to verse 423 and 424 from the same parashah (section) and chapter.

Bereshit B: Verse 423
הַנְּפִילִים הָיוּ בָּאָרֶץ. תָּנֵי רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אִלֵּין עַזָּא וַעֲזָאֵל. כְּמָה דְּאִתְּמָר, דְּאַפֵּיק לוֹן קֻדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מִקְדוּשָׁתָא דִּלְעֵילָא. וְאִי תֵימָא וְהֵיךְ יָכְלוּ לְאִתְקַיְימָא בְּהַאי עָלְמָא. אֲמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא, אִלֵּין הֲווֹ מֵאִינוּן דִּכְתִיב וְעוֹף יְעוֹפֵף עַל הָאָרֶץ. וְהָא אִתְּמָר, דְּאִלֵּין אִתְחֲזוּ לִבְנֵי נָשָׁא, כְּחֵזוּ דִּלְהוֹן. וְאִי תֵימָא, הֵיךְ יָכְלִין לְאִתְהַפָּכָא. הָא אִתְּמָר דְּאִתְהַפְּכָן לְכַמָּה גְוָונִין. וּבְשַׁעֲתָא דְּנָחְתֵי אִגְלִימוּ בַּאֲוִירָא דְעָלְמָא, וְאִתְחַזּוּן כִּבְנֵי נָשָׁא.

“The Nefilim were on the earth…” (Beresheet 6:4). Rabbi Yosi taught that those were Aza and Azael and as we have learned, they were so called because the Holy One, blessed be He, dropped (Heb. hepil) them from the upper sanctity. How, you may well ask, can they subsist in this world? Rabbi Chiya said that they are among those referred to as “Birds which fly upon the earth” (Beresheet 1:20). And these, as we have discussed, appear to men in the form . And how, you may ask, do they transform themselves. As we have learned, they can transform themselves into all kinds (shapes), and when they come down , they clothe themselves with the garments of earth’s atmosphere and take on human form.

ס