<p><strong>The best-selling author of <em>The Essential Kabbalah</em> now<br />offers readers the best introduction to the <em>Zohar</em>.</strong></p><p>The splendor and enigmatic appeal of the <em>Zohar</em>, the major text of the Jewish mystical tradition, has never intrigued readers of all faiths more than it does today. But how can we truly understand it?</p><p>Daniel C. Matt brings together in one place the most important teachings from the <em>Zohar</em>, the cornerstone of Kabbalah—described as a mixture of theology, mystical psychology, anthropology, myth, and poetry—alongside facing-page stories, notes, and historical background that illuminate and explain the text. Ideal for the first-time reader with no prior knowledge of Jewish mysticism.</p><p>Guides readers step-by-step through the texts that make up the <em>Zohar</em>—midrash, mystical fantasy, commentary, and Hebrew scripture—and explains the inner meanings of this sacred text, recognized by kabbalists as the most important work of mystical teaching, in a way that is both spiritually enlightening and intellectually fascinating.</p>