|: the reason why [3]

“Kabbalah Says…”

When people start sentences with “Kabbalah says…”, or “according to Kabbalah…” what they’re really saying is the Zohar says. The Zohar (the Book of Splendor) is the primary text of the Kabbalah. It was written by Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai who lived in Israel in the first century, during the Roman occupation (70 CE). This was after the destruction of the Second Temple. Essentially, a death sentence was on Rabbi Shimon’s head. Roman authorities sought to kill him for his teachings as they had his teacher, the Rabbi Akiva. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, along with his son, Rabbi Eliezer hid in a cave for 13 years. During these 13 years, it is believed, the Zohar was transmitted to him by Moses and the Prophet Elijah.

It’s also believed that Moses originally “received” the Zohar (along with the tablets of the law) as the oral tradition which was a part of the Torah, making it complete. It’s said that Kabbalah (the Zohar) is the soul of the Torah.