Idra Rabba ("The Greater Assembly") and Idra Zuta ("The Lesser Assembly") of the Zohar in a small volume for recitation by the rightous Jews who visit the Tomb of Rachel and the Prophet Samuel.

Idra Rabba ("The Greater Assembly"), a description of the gathering of R. Simeon b. Yohai and his companions, in which the most profound mysteries are expounded concerning the revelation of the Divine in the form of Adam Kadmon ("Primordial Man"). It is of a superior literary construction and the most systematic discourse found in the Zohar. Each of the companions says his piece and Simeon b. Yohai completes their pronouncements. At the end of this solemn assembly three of the ten participants meet with an ecstatic death. Among the early kabbalists it was called Idra de-Naso and it is printed in the portion Naso (3:127b–145a). It is, in a way, a kind of Talmud to the Mishnah of the Sifra di-Zeni'uta.

 

Idra Zuta ("The Lesser Assembly"), a description of the death of R. Simeon b. Yohai and his closing words to his followers before his death, a kind of kabbalistic parallel to the death of Moses. It contains a companion discourse to that in the Idra Rabba, with many additions. Among the early kabbalists it was called Idra de-Ha'azinu. This portion concludes the Zohar (3:287b–96b).

 

     

 CD-NLI 0109061; EJ