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The Book of the Zohar has a long history. The history of its manuscripts, the history of its commentaries and interpretations, and the history of its dissemination and influence. Before an accepted and universally recognized text was established, numerous versions of this text were circulated and studied by the masters of the Jewish tradition in many countries.
However, what gave the Zohar the prominence it enjoys today was its first printed edition, published in Mantua, Italy, between 1558 and 1560.
Indeed, this edition marked a major turning point in the history of the Zohar because it established a text accepted by all, a standardized and fixed page numbering system, and enhanced readability and visibility.
Among its many treasures, the Library of the Alliance Israélite Universelle holds a rare copy of this edition, featuring handwritten annotations and the autograph signatures of the Italian censors. This work was exhibited during the symposium and republished for the first time as a numbered facsimile edition.
To gain a better understanding of this edition’s major event, the Beit Ha-Zohar Association organized an international symposium in May 2018 in Paris at the Museum of Jewish Art and History.
During this event, leading international Kabbalah scholars discussed various aspects of this edition and its history, and we are pleased to present this symposium here, along with the texts of the presentations:
