The Authenticity of the Zohar -- pt vi

Shadal continues his Vikuach al Chochmat haKabbalah. (See previous segment.) Here, the guest finishes his linguistic proofs of late authorship and forgery, by noting how the author of the Zohar uses a vocabulary and references later innovations, which were not used, or were not in existence back then. He then moves on to errors in terms of who coexisted with and interacted with whom.

The author: All of these are weak matters, from which one cannot bring a clear proof.

The guest: And what will you see that the Zohar mentions עלת העלות {the Highest of the High} (page 22b), the four elements {=אש ורוח ועפר ומים} (page 27a}, the animal soul (page 79b), the soul which desires (page 109b}, the "attainment" {hasaga} (126a), and ואדבקו חכמתא עלאה (chelek 2m 60a) to teach about the attainment of the wisdom. And אדבק in Aramaic and השיג in Hebrew, we do not find them by the early ones for this teaching at all. And also, "the general populace" {hamon haam} (chelek 1, 63b), and the vowels (page 24b), and masters of grammar, and long vowel (Tikkunim daf 7a), and a mnemonic for the vowels pituchei chotam (there, daf 4b). And that the bet haknesset is called "esh nogah" {the fire of illumination?}, which is Sephardic language "Esnoga"?

The author: Perhaps one may say, as in the words of the Rav Yaavetz {=Rav Yaakov Emden} that these statements were added.

The guest: And so too all statements which contain in them combinations of places and generation, admit to me that they are added and forgeries.

The author: Such as what?

The guest: Such as "Rabbi Shimon cited Rabbi Yossi who cited Rav" (chelek 1, 126b in Midrash haNeelam). And Rabbi Shimon would not say something in the name of Rabbi Yossi, for he was his colleague, and Rabbi Yossi would not say something in the name of Rav, who was a student of his student.

And so too, "Rabbi Yossi said: But Rabbi Chizkiyah who cited Rabbi Chiyya" (chelek 1, 81b) and Rabbi Yossi was of the teachers of Rabbi, and Rabbi was the teacher of Rabbi Chiyya, who was the father of Chizkiya, and Rabbi Yossi would not bring a proof from the words of one who was not yet born, and who was the student of the student of his student.

And so too "Rabbi Eleazer say to Rabbi Yasa (chelek 1, 87a), in Yerushalmi of Kela`im, Rabbi Eleazer fasted 80 says to see Rabbi Chiyya Rabba, that means to say after his death. If so, he did not see him in his lifetime. And Rabbi Chiyya was the student of Rabbenu haKadosh {=Rabbi Yehuda haNasi} who was the colleague of Rabbi Eleazer. And if Rabbi Yasa did not see Rabbi Chiyya, how did he speak to Rabbi Eleazer who died before Rabbenu haKadosh?

And also admit to me that it is impossible that Rabbi Abba spoke in the company of Rabbi Eleazer bar Rabbi Shimon: "This is Rav Hamnuna the elder who came to us from that world" (chelek 1 daf 7a), which implies that Rav Hamnuna the elder went to his final resting place before Rabbi Eleazer bar Rabbi Shimon. And in the Talmud we find (Gittin 26), "Rav Hamnuna the elder cited Rav Ada bar Ahava who cited Rav," that Rav Hamnuna the elder was the student of Rav Ada bar Ahava who was born on the day that Rabbi died, and Rabbi wished to marry the widow of Rabbi Eleazar. And how is it possible to say that Rav Hamnuna died before Rabbi Eleazar?