Interpretation and Power:
The Emergence of Zohar Hermeneutics in the 16th century

Inroduction

Zohar exegesis has been a central cultural practice in the field of Kabbalistic production, since the mid 16th century. Although interpretations of Zohar passages were written previously - indeed, almost simultaneously with the creation of the Zoharic texts, it was only in the 16th century that the first running commentaries to the Zohar were written. It is during this period that two major Kabbalistic systems, the Cordoverian and the Lurianic, emerged as interpretations to the Zoharic corpus.
This paper will offer a short survey of the development of Zohar exegesis, ¹ followed by a discussion of the reasons for the 16th century emergence of Zohar hermeneutics as a major cultural practice. My thesis is that the centrality of Zohar exegesis is dependent upon the stabilization of the Zoharic corpus and its first printings. Previous to the definition of the Zoharic corpus, cultural capital in the Kabbalistic realm could be obtained through collecting, editing, and possessing Zoharic manuscripts. Subsequent to the definition of the Zoharic corpus and its publication in print, cultural power was achieved through obtaining control over its meaning - i.e., through its exegesis. But before turning to the examination of the emergence of Zohar hermeneutics, I would like to give a short description of the Zohar and the early stages of its reception.

  The Zohar and its reception   >