Zohar Commentary Notes: Introduction, Chapter 10

9 min readJan 31, 2025

The Text

Introduction Chapter 10

R. Hiya then prostrated himself on the earth, kissed the dust, and said weeping: ‘Dust, Dust, how stiffnecked art thou, how shameless art thou that all the delights of the eye perish within thee! All the beacons of light thou consumes and grindest into nothingness. Fie on thy shamelessness! That Sacred Lamp that illuminated the world, the mighty spiritual force by whose merits the world exists, is consumed by thee. Oh, R. Simeon, thou beacon of light, source of light to the world, how hast thou turned to dust, thou leader of the world whilst alive!’ After falling for a moment into a reverie, he continued, ‘O dust, dust! pride not thyself, for the pillars of the world will not be delivered into thy power, nor will R. Simeon perish within thee.’

R. Hiya then arose weeping and set out in company with R. Jose. He fasted from that day for forty days, in order that he might see R. Simeon. ‘Thou canst not see him’ was all the answer to his supplication. He then fasted another forty days, at the end of which he saw in a vision R. Simeon and his son R. Eleazar discussing the very subject which R. Jose had just explained to him, while thousands were looking on and listening.

Meanwhile, there appeared a host of huge winged celestial beings upon whose wings R. Simeon and his son R. Eleazar were borne aloft into the heavenly Academy, whilst those beings remained at the threshold, awaiting them. Their splendour was constantly renewed, and they radiated a light exceeding that of the sun.

R. Simeon then opened his mouth and said, ‘Let R. Hiya enter and behold what the Holy One, blessed be He, has prepared for the rejoicing of the righteous in the world to come. Happy is he who enters here without misgiving, and happy is he who is established as a strong pillar in the world to come.’ On entering he (R. Hiya) noticed that R. Eleazar and the other great scholars that were sitting near him stood up. He drew back in some embarrassment, and sat down at the feet of R. Simeon.

A voice thereupon went forth, saying, ‘Lower thine eyes, raise not thy head and do not look.’ He lowered his eyes and discerned a light shining afar. The voice went forth again, saying ‘O, ye unseen celestials, ye open-eyed who sweep to and fro throughout the world, behold and see! O, ye terrestrial beings who are sunk deep in slumber, awake!

Who among you laboured to turn darkness into light and bitter into sweet before you entered here? Who among you awaited every day the light that shall break forth what time the King shall visit his beloved gazelle, when He will be glorified and called King by all the kings of the world? He who did not thus wait every day in the world below will have no share here.’

Meanwhile he beheld a number of his colleagues gather round, even all the mighty pillars of wisdom, and he saw them ascend to the heavenly Academy, while others in turn descended. At the head of them all he saw the chief of the winged angels, who approached him and solemnly declared

that he had heard ‘from behind the curtain’ that the King visits each day and remembers his gazelle which is trodden in the dust, and that at the moment He does so He strikes the three hundred and ninety heavens so they all quake and tremble before Him: for her fate He sheds tears hot as burning fire, which fall into the great sea. From these tears arises and is sustained the presiding genius of the sea, who sanctifies the name of the Holy King, and who has pledged himself to swallow up all the waters of the creation and to gather them all within himself on that day when all the nations shall assemble against the holy people, so that they shall be able to pass on dry land.

Anon he heard a voice proclaiming, ‘Make room, make room, for King Messiah is coming to the Academy of R. Simeon.’ For all the righteous there have been heads of Academies on earth, and have become disciples of the heavenly Academy, and the Messiah visits all these Academies and puts his seal on all the expositions that issue from the mouths of the teachers. The Messiah then entered wearing heavenly diadems, with which he had been crowned by the heads of the Academy.

All the colleagues stood up, along with R. Simeon, from whom a light shot up to the empyrean. The Messiah said to him, ‘Happy art thou, for thy teaching mounts on high in the form of three hundred and seventy illuminations, and each illumination subdivides itself into six hundred and thirteen arguments, which go up and bathe themselves in streams of pure balsam. And the Holy One, blessed be He, Himself places His seal on the teaching of thy Academy and of the Academy of Hezekiah, King of Judah, and of the Academy of Ahijah of Shiloh.

I come not to set my seal in thy Academy, since it is the chief of the winged angels who comes here; for I know that he does not visit any but thy Academy.’ After that R. Simeon told him what the chief of the winged angels had so solemnly declared. Thereupon the Messiah fell a-quaking, and he cried aloud, and the heavens quivered, and the great sea quaked and the Leviathan trembled, and the world was shaken to its foundations. His eye then fell upon R. Hiya, who was sitting at the feet of R. Simeon. ‘Who has brought here this man,’ he asked, ‘who still wears the raiment of the other world?’ R. Simeon answered, ‘This is the great R. Hiya, the shining lamp of the Torah.’ ‘Let him then,’ said the Messiah, ‘be gathered in, together with his sons, and let them become members of the Academy.’ R. Simeon said, ‘Let a time of grace be granted to him.’

A time of grace was then granted to him, and he went forth from thence trembling, with tears running from his eyes, saying as he wept, ‘Happy is the portion of the righteous in that world and happy is the portion of the son of Yohai who has merited such glory. It is concerning such as he that it is written, “That I may cause those who love me to inherit a lasting possession; and their treasures will I fill” (Prov. 8, 21.)’

Commentary

This passage from The Zohar is deeply mystical, providing a vision of the celestial Academy, the righteous souls, the Messiah, and the divine mysteries associated with cosmic restoration. It is rich with Kabbalistic imagery and theological themes, particularly focusing on the nature of the afterlife, divine illumination, and the esoteric role of the righteous in sustaining the universe. Below is a detailed commentary on its language and imagery as it applies to Kabbalah.

1. The Mourning of R. Hiya: The Mystery of Dust

The passage begins with R. Hiya prostrating himself, weeping, and addressing the dust.

Dust as a Symbol of Impermanence and Transformation

R. Hiya laments that the physical world consumes even the greatest sages, describing dust as “shameless” for reducing everything to nothingness.
In Kabbalah, afar (dust) represents Malkhut, the lowest Sefirah, which is the realm of physicality and concealment of divine light.
The paradox of dust is that while it signifies decay and death, it is also the substance from which humanity was formed (Genesis 2:7).

The “Sacred Lamp” and the Transcendence of the Righteous

R. Simeon bar Yochai is referred to as a “beacon of light,” indicating his role as one who illuminates divine mysteries.
The lamentation that he has “turned to dust” contrasts with the belief that true righteousness transcends physical decay.
The passage implies that while the body returns to dust, the spiritual essence of a Tzaddik (righteous one) remains alive in the celestial realms.

2. The Vision of the Heavenly Academy

R. Hiya embarks on a forty-day fast to attain a vision of R. Simeon, reflecting the Kabbalistic principle that self-purification grants access to divine knowledge.

Forty Days as a Symbol of Transformation

In Kabbalah, forty represents transition and purification (e.g., the forty days of the flood, Moses on Mount Sinai).
R. Hiya’s fasting mirrors the mystical process of Hitbodedut (spiritual isolation and contemplation), necessary for ascending to higher states of consciousness.

The Vision of R. Simeon and His Son in the Celestial Academy

The depiction of R. Simeon and R. Eleazar teaching in the heavenly realm suggests the immortality of wisdom.
Thousands of souls listen, reinforcing the idea that Torah study continues beyond this world.
This reflects the Kabbalistic teaching that righteous sages exist in higher dimensions where they continue their spiritual work.

3. The Celestial Beings and the Heavenly Ascent

Winged Beings and the Throne of Glory

R. Simeon and his son are carried by celestial beings with radiant wings, imagery reflecting Ezekiel’s vision of the divine Merkavah (chariot).
Their ascent signifies spiritual elevation, linking them to the Partzufim (divine faces or aspects), which mediate between the infinite Ein Sof and creation.

Radiance Greater Than the Sun

Their splendour exceeds that of the sun, symbolising the supernal light (Ohr Ein Sof), the limitless divine illumination that transcends physical luminaries.
This aligns with the Kabbalistic belief that the righteous partake in the divine light in the afterlife, basking in the Ziv HaShekhinah (radiance of the Divine Presence).

4. The Voice of the Heavenly Academy: Awakening the Sleeping Souls

A celestial voice proclaims a message about the criteria for entering the divine world.

The Call to the “Sleeping” Souls

“O, ye terrestrial beings who are sunk deep in slumber, awake!” — This reflects the Kabbalistic notion that most people exist in a state of spiritual unconsciousness.
In contrast, the righteous are those who “turn darkness into light” and “bitter into sweet,” signifying their role in Tikkun Olam (cosmic repair).

Waiting for the Divine Revelation

The passage states that one must “await every day the light that shall break forth,” referring to the Messianic era.
This echoes the idea that the righteous live in constant anticipation of divine revelation, aligning with the principle of emunah (faith in redemption).

5. The Cosmic Drama of Divine Mourning

The celestial beings declare that God mourns over His “gazelle trodden in the dust.”

The Gazelle as the Shekhinah

The “beloved gazelle” represents the Shekhinah, the divine feminine presence in exile.
Her being “trodden in the dust” symbolises the suffering of divine immanence within the physical world.
The Shekhinah’s exile is a major theme in Kabbalah, where she longs to reunite with Tiferet (the divine masculine).

The Three Hundred and Ninety Heavens Tremble

The striking of 390 heavens suggests cosmic upheaval, reflecting the doctrine that divine sorrow affects all realms.
The Kabbalists associate 390 with Shin-Tav (ש״ת), a permutation linked to divine justice and rectification.

Tears of Fire Falling into the Great Sea

God’s fiery tears falling into the sea evoke the tension between Din (judgment) and Rachamim (mercy).
The sea, often representing Binah (Understanding), receives these tears, indicating that divine sorrow fuels the processes of wisdom and rectification.

6. The Arrival of the Messiah

The passage climaxes with the proclamation: “Make room, make room, for King Messiah is coming!”

Messiah as the Ultimate Teacher

The Messiah enters the Academy, where he validates the teachings of the sages, placing his seal upon them.
This suggests that the righteous sages are co-participants in the redemptive process, preparing the world for its final transformation.

The Messiah’s Heavenly Diadems

He arrives crowned, signifying his authority in the divine order.
The diadems are bestowed by the Academy, indicating that the true Messiah is recognised and endorsed by the righteous.

R. Simeon’s Teachings as Cosmic Illuminations

His teachings ascend as “370 illuminations,” each multiplying into “613 arguments.”
The number 370 corresponds to the radiance (Ziv) emanating from Arich Anpin (the divine macrocosmic face).
The 613 arguments mirror the 613 mitzvot, suggesting that Torah study and observance align with divine structure.

7. The Messiah Trembles: Cosmic Disturbance

When R. Simeon recounts the declaration of the winged angel, the Messiah reacts with trembling.

The Messiah’s Quaking and the Leviathan’s Tremor

The Messiah’s reaction causes the Leviathan to shake, signifying eschatological upheaval.
In Kabbalah, the Leviathan represents primordial chaos, which must be subdued before redemption.

R. Hiya’s Admission to the Academy

The Messiah questions why R. Hiya, who still bears “the raiment of the other world,” has entered.
This implies that R. Hiya has not yet fully transcended physical existence, yet he is granted temporary access.
R. Simeon intercedes on his behalf, securing him a “time of grace.”

Conclusion: The Mystical Vision of Redemption

This passage encapsulates the Kabbalistic vision of the afterlife, the Messianic process, and the role of the righteous in sustaining divine wisdom.

The righteous do not perish but ascend to higher realities.
The divine mourns for its presence in exile, and redemption is a cosmic necessity.
Messianic revelation is tied to Torah wisdom, with the Messiah validating and sealing the teachings of the righteous.
The righteous play a role in sustaining the cosmic order, even influencing the divine.

Ultimately, The Zohar presents a vision where divine wisdom, righteousness, and Messianic anticipation are interwoven into the very fabric of creation.

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NJ Solomon