Introduction to the Book of Zohar (PDF) - Kabbalah Media Archive

I N T RO D U C T I O N T O T H E B O O K O F Z O H A R
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from up down. This determines what souls descend to this world,
how they dress into bodies, in what society, state or environment they
find themselves, etc.
But since the soul of the Ari appeared after the development of all
the vessels of NHY, he was able to reveal the greatness of “The Book
of Zohar” and the wisdom of Kabbalah and by so doing overshadow
all of his predecessors.
That is, from the moment “The Book of Zohar” appeared, it concentrated
in itself all the knowledge that had been received from the
Kabbalists living before the destruction of the Temple. The book is considered
so great, not because the Kelim of NHY were still undeveloped,
but because its wisdom was received by very exalted souls that lived at
that time.
Baal HaSulam says that he would have been glad to hear that “The
Book of Zohar” was written by one of the 48 prophets or by Moses, for it
contains all wisdom of the previous generations.
Only the Ari could be the next in line; only he could explain and
elevate Kabbalah by expounding everything that is available to us today.
Practically, the Ari introduced the method of correction to the world.
Since the Kelim de NHY
had completed their development, his soul
could descend to our world and provide us with everything necessary for
the correction of our souls (Kelim). His soul is a collective image of all
the Kelim of HaBaD, HaGaT, and NHY. He, as it were, completed their
development. After the Kelim manifested, but before the lights entered
them, the Ari appeared at once. Therefore, the collection of his works
(more than 20 volumes) constitutes a complete method of spiritual ascent,
spiritual correction.
None of the Kabbalists before the Ari could understand exactly
how the spiritual correction takes place. No one could reach his level of
attainment because these Kelim were not sufficiently developed in the
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