A question I received: If we read The Book of Zohar in another language, does it still have the same effect as in Hebrew and Aramaic?

My Answer: It doesn’t matter what language one reads The Book of Zohar in. Everyone in the world will have to study this book and every person will read it in his language.

Even though The Zohar contains parts that talk about the elements making up the Hebrew letters, such as the lines and dots that form the letters, these aren’t really letters, but rather symbols, markings, and forms that designate forces. It doesn’t matter whether you are looking at a letter from the Hebrew alphabet or just a symbol; what is important is its meaning. At the end of the day, it’s all about one’s desire, and desire has no language or nationality. It is just that – a desire.

When you translate the words “sweet,” “bitter” or “sour” to other languages – every reader will still feel those tastes. The Zohar talks about sensations, and since words that sound different evoke the same sensations in people, reading in another language does not hinder one’s attainment.

Filed under: Daily Kabbalah Lesson, Zohar | Add Comment →