THEMES of Featured Zohar Articles

Jethro was originally a priest of idolatry and was worshipping that evil side. Afterwards, he cleaved to G-d and attached himself to holiness. Thus we learn from Jethro that, through learning Torah and walking in its ways, even if a person falls to the lowest levels can leave their wicked nature behind and attach themselves to holiness.

The barley offering brought by the sota [the wife suspected of being unfaithful], was referred to as a "jealousy offering". Jealousy is an attribute of the sefira of yesod [the sefira of sexuality]; whoever is unfaithful arouses the force of yesod and brings jealous zealots against him.

The laws of the Torah place one outside the realm of good and bad and into the realm of truth. The act of learning Torah to arrive at a definitive law separates out the good from the bad that have become mixed as a result of man's lower level of consciousness. In the future the law will be clear to all as the brightness of light.

"And G-d said to Moses, 'They shall offer their offering, each prince on his day, for the dedicating of the altar.'"

The Zohar teaches that each of the offerings brought by the respective tribes was meant to invoke a specific spiritual force in the higher worlds, relating to the 12 permutations the Name of G-d. When these 12 princes of Israel brought their offerings, they took the power of dominion from the 12 princes of Ishmael, and the world became able to stand up against them.