From Library Journal
The 13th-century Zohar, consisting of theosophical theories concerning the Godhead and the Torah, is the central text of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. Woven through it are several narrative passages or stories. Rabbi Wineman, a specialist in Jewish mystical studies, presents eight of these stories in his own translation, with notes and commentary. The tales deal with the themes of sin and repentance, death, exile, redemption, and resurrection. Wineman's commentary expertly elucidates these esoteric stories. He includes excellent essays on the Zohar and Kabbalistic theory, especially an explanation of the ten Sefirot, or aspects of the deity. There has been a recent upsurge of interest in Jewish mysticism, and the material in this book, while scholarly, can be readily understood by interested lay readers.?Robert A. Silver, formerly with Shaker Heights P.L., OhioCopyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.


Joshua J. Adler, The Jerusalem Post, February 18th, 2000
Wineman's book, comprising eight narratives from the Zohar, is a remarkable example of how a modern scholar interprets a medieval text using a multitude of Jewish sources and modern scholarly tools such as etymology, historical contexts, and parallels. (Many of the parallels and historical notes cited by Wineman point to the fact that the author of the Zohar lived hundreds of years after Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai, who is traditionally credited with being the author of this most popular kabbalistic work.) One is amazed at Wineman's phenomenal knowledge in arriving at his interpretations and his highly readable original English translation of these stories. Even people familiar with the Bible and Talmud must marvel at the way he explains the zoharic narratives by citing midrashim which may even have escaped the eyes of rabbis and others who possess a good background in this literature.


Review
There has been a recent upsurge of interest in Jewish mysticism, and the material in this book, while scholarly, can be readily understood by interested lay readers.


Book Description
Zohar, or "brilliant light," is the central text of Kabbalah. In Jewish mystical tradition, it is the meeting of midrash (storytelling that expands on events in the Bible) and myth. This selection offers original translations of eight of the most well developed narratives in the Zohar along with notes and detailed commentary. The tales deal with the themes of sin and repentance, death, exile, redemption, and resurrection. Most importantly, they are stories, they are literature, and here they are finally analyzed as such. Using comparative information, Aryeh Wineman places the tales in their historical and etymological contexts. He cites a variety of theorists of myth, including Otto Rank, C. G. Jung, Mircea Eliade, and Joseph Campbell, all of whom sought to connect the motifs of the Zohar to universal motifs. He ties the stories to the tenets of Kabbalah, to one another, and to the world's universal symbols and meanings.


Language Notes
Text: English (translation)


From the Back Cover
"Rather than merely identifying literary motifs in the stories, Wineman explains how these motifs convey metaphysical beliefs.... The volume is lovingly composed, meticulously edited and lucidly illustrated.... One could hardly ask for a fuller analysis.... A more reader-friendly book would be difficult to imagine."--Robert Segal, University of Lancaster

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Mystic Tales from the Zohar translates eight of the most interesting and well-developed narratives found in the Zohar, together with notes and detailed commentary. Wineman's commentary combines a keen literary sensitivity with a deep knowledge of Jewish mysticism and of the milieu in which these stories were created. It traces the zoharic author's transformation of earlier motifs and defines the qualities of the underlying mindset that expresses itself in these stories. In addition to his clear and comprehensive introduction to the Zohar, Wineman has provided a glossary, notes, and a bibliography, making the book accessible to the widest possible readership. The beauty of the words and the art in Mystic Tales from the Zohar make it a lovely gift book.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal