Zohar on Esther Fragment - The Battle of the Shekhinah against the Klippot (April Fools 2022)

To be clear, again, this episode was an April Fools' Joke for 2022!
The Sefer Zohar (The Book of Radiance) is the foundation of Kabbalah. Despite the centrality of this text, entire sections of it are known to have gone missing through history, most famously the Zohar's commentary on the book of Esther. A recent discovery made during renovations have uncovered the first fragments of this very text revealing a novel narrative in which the Shekhniah (the feminine presence of the divine) makes battle upon the the Sitra Achra (the 'other side') and the forces of the demonic klippot ('husks').
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[@TheEsotericaChannel]

TO BE CLEAR - This was a April Fools Joke for 2022. There is no so such fragment or genizah.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

I so need to do actual reading on the Shekinah and the Book of Esther and on the Qlippoth so I can be better informed and vigilant about untrue stories. Future note to self: avoid content on April 1st.

[@samuelshepard]

So you’re telling me that there’s no apple bottom jeans and boots with the fur?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

@@samuelshepard y e s

[@samuelshepard]

@@TheEsotericaChannelnot to rain on this parade but those absolutely exist. There was a song about it and everything. This video may need some tweaking

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

@@samuelshepard yeah, there's a joke and you might no be getting it ;)

[@ashleydewing1420]

I'm furious with how brilliant that interpretation was. Absolutely unmatched in scholarship.

[@skykat6489]

divine feminine with the ✨apple 🍎 bottom jeans 👖 boots 👢 with the fur ✨

[@BrookhousianNightmare]

A whole lot of people forgot it's just about April Fool's

[@zacstark2158]

She got low low low low low low low

[@changer1285]

@@BrookhousianNightmare I forgot, but as soon as trousers with apples at the bottom and fur attached to boots came up I knew something was afoot lol

[@BrookhousianNightmare]

@@changer1285 it was still the 31st when I started watching, so I went in like "Oh, cool, new ancient text just dropped" -- but that same moment made me do a double-take. Excellent execution, though, I loved this

[@applewagon253]

She went low low low

[@caladaley5248]

This flew over my head for an embarrassing amount of time

[@jeanettewaverly2590]

I’m getting used to it with Dr. Sledge’s videos. Once in a while a tiny puff eddies around me and whispers its knowledge in my ear.

[@punkchaos9]

You had me in the first half not gonna lie

[@danielemagnaterra4117]

I can't believe you made a 14-minute kabbalistic interpretation of Low by Flo Rida

[@themegalithicmast2774]

Here's a more modern translation: "She had those apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur, the whole (klippot) club was looking at her, she hit the floor, the next thing you know, shorty got low low low low low low low low"

[@DavidR_VH]

Thank you, my good Sir. Thank you very much.

[@courtneybrock1]

I heard these lyrics in my head while desperately wanting everything to be an account of a genuine recent finding. It all fits SO well! Since the post is labeled "april fools" I suspect the origin of this story is more likely attributed to drunken napkin notes than a finding from the 1400's within the walls of a Spanish bar, but a girl can dream, right?

[@andrewberger2142]

Came to the comment section just for this. Thank you :)

[@nicoletim8095]

Just listening in my kitchen, dying of laughter with my roommate. That was incredible, and I'm such a massive nerd for loving it. Well done.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Aldrnari]

Wow. You really had me in the first half, not gonna lie. Well played, sir.

[@SeekersofUnity]

Brilliant work. What an incredible finding, a stunning fragment. Might the strapped “Re’evok” refer to the androgynous tefillin worn by the Shechina, as she descends back into the masculine, into the eighth sefirah (low, low, low, low, low, low, low + low) keter, which follows the ‘seven lower ones’ the ‘zayin tachtonim,’ and which is symbolized by the ‘tefillin of the head’ called ‘the crown.’ Assisting its return and re-ascent to the ‘heights of the crown.’? Edit: This would fit with the words from the verse in Esther the fragment is commenting on (5:1): “and Esther donned [the garments of] kingship/majesty” and the rabbinic reading of the “levush malchut” “garments of kingship,” from later in the text, associated with “the large crown” and “yakar.” Both references to the tefillin of the head. See Crowns, Tefillin, and Magic Seals, In Keter: The Crown of God in Early Jewish Mysticism (pp. 49-57). Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2014.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

I think this is a solid read, Z. What an exciting discovery!

[@jbaquinones]

Wow. This makes a lot of sense. You guys are awesome.

[@jbaquinones]

When I heard this part of being perceived and she descended sounds a lot like the Pistis Sophia. "She hid her glory." In meditations I have done this a lot. And I have seen it happen.

[@benjaminhildebrand2220]

Reebok's with the straps...

[@MicheleRenee18]

This made me think of that photograph by Leonard Nimoy. Aries season is definitely here, of course he was an Aries ♈ too, amazing guy 🖖♾

[@HeavenlyEchoVirus]

What is the likelihood that this narrative may have survived, perhaps somewhat disguised, in ballad form through the ages?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

It's possible, of course. Some studies have established connections between troubadour and Zoharic narrative and poetic structures and motifs.

[@rustyshackleford4093]

Low by flo rida

[@rustyshackleford4093]

It's word for word

[@jknott1509]

@@rustyshackleford4093 flo rida like many other artists obviously studied kabbalah

[@thefreh6888]

When I first saw you I didn't expect this kind of humor from this channel at all. All your videos are laced with it. It's unexpected but welcome. You're hilarious dude

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

You gotta have some fun with this stuff, right ?

[@thefreh6888]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Right you are

[@Dravoth]

Masterclass in trolling Dr Sledge. Bravo. Had me fucked up for a sec.

[@sibyl9124]

Ok, you had me up until the boots with the fur. Happy April fools. 😂👍

[@socialcommentary1014]

The underworld gazing at her Next thing you know She hit the floor…

[@GnosticInformant]

WOW. I always wondered about the Esther Ishtar connection. Asked so many scholars and now someone cracked it!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

The Anshe Korach Genizah truly is an immense discovery!

[@F3z07]

Oh man, you got em Doc. You rock.

[@jeremysmith4620]

You win the day. Reading the comments that just missed the point completely are the absolute best.

[@fdddsigns7274]

I really thought i was going insane when i heard what was going on

[@nicoletim8095]

I got to, apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur, before I realized what was going on.

[@theinfomorphsguidetothenoo4817]

this is the funniest thing that has happened to me. you are amazing.

[@sealeyfamily6521]

I love you so much for this. 😂🤣🤣😂😂🤣🤣😂 I feel like you should receive some kind of reward for this. This is the most perfectly executed April Fool's joke in the history of EVER.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

It still seems to be fooling people despite me literally putting April fools in the title!

[@sealeyfamily6521]

@@TheEsotericaChannel I was fooled. I caught the reference straight away, but was ready to give all glory to Ha'Shem. I even told my husband, "G-d is timeless and all knowing, so He knew that song was coming out one day. Our G-d is hilarious." I didn't realize it was a joke until low, low, low, low.... You did a fabulous job.

[@Tinkering4Time]

I have found another source that attests that this was written by a Rabbi named or called רוכב על זרימות (sorry, I cannot read Hebrew, nor do I know how to transliterate it well), but using online translators it seems to interpret his name as being “Rider on Flows”. A “rider” being a possible reference to the chariot of Merkava mysticism!?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

This may very well be possible!

[@vasilenapetrova5085]

Shekhina had the apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur. But in all seriousness, amazing video, thank you for bringing this to us Professor Sledge.

[@thomasrands5728]

Lmfao

[@Qlipphoth]

This is absolutely awesome, I really appreciate how extensive is your knowledge on this topic. I'm being fascinated by Kabbalah esoterism since I was a teenager, it's so interesting. I love your channel.

[@Whimsicalbrainpan]

You sir are a priceless human being.

[@Kmurray9244]

😂 you totally had going !! The fur boots and apples made chuckle a little…. Then the “down low, low, low” … I started cracking up 😂🤣🤣 Mind you, I’m at work in a microbiology lab and no one ever laughs 😏 … so I looked like an idiot 🤷‍♂️😂😂

[@geraldmeehan8942]

Dr. Sledge, Thank you so much for this update on these excited new discoveries out of Spain. Though a gentile, I am still studying your old videos and trying to up to speed with your teachings. Once again thank you for this episode and your series

[@ForksandFreaks]

I’m so excited and astounded to hear that not only another Genizah full of such treasure has been found (how can you NOT be excited about textual culture being uncovered?) but that fragments of the Zohar on Esther has been discovered resting within! I couldn’t be more thankful for you bringing this into my knowledge, and even more so, I’m just thankful for your channel overall. It’s been your incredible scholarly detail and religious/cultural respect that has reignited my own passion for scholarly research on religious and cultural esoteric topics, and it was your videos pertaining to Jewish topics that has ignited my newfound love for Jewish history. You’ve even inspired me to take classes from the Biblical Institute of Israel to learn Biblical Hebrew, and it’s so far been an absolute outpouring of joy for me to learn! I can’t say enough how much I respect and admire your perspective on every topic you cover, and I hope you’ll keep up the amazing work you do. As a rather funny side note, I make jokes all the time about Brill now, with their pricing always having been a plague on my life, and my colleagues are starting to hop on the Brill-despair-joke train as well.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Thanks for the kind words and good luck with the Hebrew! This is a really interesting and important discovery - glad to share it!

[@Jim.G]

Exciting times, I can't wait to see what else comes from this find. For some reason the "straps" on some sort of magical garment/weapon makes me thank of Athena's Aegis...she being another of the many goddesses with ancient connections back to Ishtar...I wonder if Moses De Leon or the Sephardim in general could have ever seen iconography or read myths depicting goddesses with such garments? Or perhaps a goddess tradition was preserved in Judaism itself, known to De Leon et al., going all the way back, that was scrubbed out by orthodoxy. I know Tanakh contains references to this, but nothing so specific as describing her features or clothing... PS. You totally need to start a Stoner/Sludge metal band called "Dr. Sledge". The album cover would be a black light poster art style depicting the Ezekiel vision, with your face in front, glasses totally white, surrounded by mushrooms and blue smoke

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Ha, yes ! It's possible about the garments, many if these kabbalists were very well traveled.

[@SuenteusPi]

I wonder how many people in the future will find this video, miss the date (which shows as March 31 for me), and come away totally hoodwinked

[@ConqueringChildDenver]

Thank you for this! I love how excited you sound and it just really hyped me up too!

[@Elochai_]

You had me in the first half, not gonna lie.

[@FrankMonday]

Yes!!! One of the best things about your work for me is that I can finally learn accurate pronunciation of Hebrew words that hitherto my only reference has been dusty tombs and the echos of my subconscious mind. Throw wide the Gates of the Temple! Lux Veritas!

[@FrankMonday]

Easily my favorite video to date! Your production value leveled up! You certainly are a scholar to emulate! Thanks Doctor Sledge! ‏שבת שלום

[@dcmurray6466]

Great stuff, Doc!!! Really appreciate all the work that must go into making these videos.

[@abigailhillen-schiller3641]

This video is so amazing, I'm in tears 😂 Thank you!

[@rianrodrigues8195]

Shawty had them apple bottom jeans (jeans) Boots with the fur (with the fur) The whole club was lookin' at her She hit the floor (she hit the floor) Next thing you know Shawty got low, low, low, low, low, low, low, low

[@tdarons]

Love love love this lol!

[@CHAOSDEATHCULT]

Hehe okay I thought I had my mind in the gutter but I guess not lol

[@mogulroger]

I was going to post this but I see several people beat me to it! On serious note, could occult knowledge be hidden in plain sight in pop culture and music? What do these catchy songs do to our subconscious? kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2Pakodvid2Di5I

[@rogue5jm]

Damnit Justin, You had me right up until the Apple Bottom Jeans and those boots with the Fur. (This is meant in friendly frustration, it's because of how much I respect and enjoy your work that I didn't expect something for today, I've been laughing at this ever since)

[@cm9770]

🙏🙏🙏

[@dragonman1346]

I was following the Kabbalah lectures and got busy for a while wow the amount of content I got to come back to is amazing, greatly appreciated sir amazing work as always

[@ashrb9034]

Such an interesting discovery! It’s always wonderful to hear your thoughts.

[@vrillionaire88]

Thanks dude. Now it's stuck in my head.

[@yochanan770]

That's a real treasure trove of documents. As a historian I find even basic documents interesting if they are beyond a certain age so I'm excited to see what else is revealed in the coming years. I also saw that a potential scroll might be added to the Qumran collection.

[@vespasw]

John, do you read Hebrew?

[@yochanan770]

@@vespasw I can read it but I can only understand a handful of words.

[@markzima2335]

I enjoyed your willingness to connect Esther and Ishtar. I'm glad that you aren't hardline about rejecting "comparative study".

[@MythVisionPodcast]

This is amazing 👏 🙌 😍

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

It's truly an astounding discovery - we'll have to deep dive it next time we chat !

[@laurah1020]

Very cool stuff!! Thank you for sharing it!! I know you have an superior sense of humor, but you had me on this one, I admit (with much embarrassment!)....a great example of taking myself way too seriously!! Thorough and thought provoking presentation, as always! Thank you.

[@hogasreluflorentin2105]

You are the best !!!!! I will suport you gladly!!

[@agender7052]

You had me in the first half, so excited and pumped and glued to the screen and then the apple bottom jeans and boots with the fur made me want to comment a joke about it...and then the low (x8) came in and I remembered what day just happened.

[@Nortandrew]

Fascinating, great work, I noticed one of the damaged edges of text as 'Esther making it rain' (perhaps) 'when she loudly clapped' it's unclear but a possible translation.

[@ktkatte6791]

something about this video in hindsight made me go "wait..." and then i remembered the date. I really hate this day and what it brings but this is actually really clever and got me good so vOv well done

[@sarahjensen2473]

I would love to see more coverage of such texts in the future! I look forward to you keeping your promise and bringing us more stories of battles in the underworld. 😂

[@vrixphillips]

Wow! How exciting :D I love when old texts get discovered

[@TheADHDNerd]

Outstanding. The only thing I genuinely want to know is how many takes were required in order to deliver such incredible lines without displaying your tongue which was firmly placed within your cheek. Seriously, until you started describing her distinctive apparel, I was sold...

[@Melanie-ke4nu]

That's awesome. You totally got me!

[@frost8077]

Damn, you have to visit that bar now and order an absinthe.

[@speedygogo]

What exciting news! I am so happy about this discovery!

[@DSalesGuy]

Thank you. Exciting information.

[@-Kal-]

Incredible discovery! I was shocked when I heard the description of the Shekhinah's attire and things only became more intriguing from there. Brilliant scholarship as always and I can't wait to hear more about the Shekhinah's descent.

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Might want to read the title of the episode again ;)

[@-Kal-]

@@TheEsotericaChannel Now that I think about it it's a little odd that the lyrics of a certain club banger from a few years back mirror this narrative so perfectly. 🤔

[@jameszatopa7652]

This is the best April fools day joke ever, omg in dying, this is fucking genius, you win the internet today, I love you

[@jesseglass5674]

What great news! Even the discovery of what could have been the center of worship and discussion for Moses de Leon and his circle is news enough, but the recovery of the image of the Shekhinah dressed for battle and engaging the Klippot is mind-boggling. Thank you so much for this news and the consequent reshaping of 'the little one' as I imagine her. Jesse of Japan

[@MarlonOwnsYourCake]

This is my favorite channel on KZbin

[@danterosati]

this is so amazing. What a treasure trove!

[@oniondip_420]

what an amazing archaeological find!! a truly remarkable discovery, hope this leads to further scholarship to uncover how this story informs other parts of the Zohar

[@oniondip_420]

also the sigil of poverty 💀 lmaoo

[@devinmccrorey4911]

Yooooooo this is hilarious. Oh my God. I can't believe I didn't see this coming lol

[@jbaquinones]

Wow. What an amazing episode. So exciting. Now I have to go back to Spain. I have to see that place. Thank you Dr Sledge

[@br1qbat]

Absolutely fascinating and exciting.

[@thebeatls09k]

This simply blew my mind!

[@jamesfox019]

A) How did you keep a straight face? B) how many takes did that require to keep from laughing on camera? Brilliant! Job well done!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Ha! It was easy, it's just so silly!

[@bobmcbob9856]

I forgot what day it was today until you started describing the Sheikhna

[@VoidPoet]

The nerdiest imaginable April fools joke. Thank you Dr Sledge 💚

[@robertaltland1086]

This was not even what I thought it was. Well done.

[@genghisgalahad8465]

My unintelligible excitement at this! I was just re-thinking about Shekinah, the Divine Feminine in the Kabbalah! And this versus the Klippoth! It’s just amazing!!

[@FrankMonday]

Agreed... Serious esoteric arcana!

[@genghisgalahad8465]

Also related to the Canaanite Asherah?

[@corticallarvae]

Great one doc.!!!!!!

[@user-hf9rq9xr2o]

I had tears in my eyes I was laughing so hard.

[@christieclunan7022]

Omg 😂 .. that was priceless. Flo rida would be so proud 👌🏼

[@ricktalks7420]

Wow Very interesting information.... Thank you👍🏻🙏🏻

[@jamesmihalcik1310]

On most days, many would go for an elixir in the evening. Some would prefer concoction in the afternoon. But today is special, the first of April and it's a "no cube necessary" Absinthe breakfast. :) Brilliant!

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

Gonna have my share this evening ;)

[@johnclarkeiop97]

Amazing interpretation

[@abracadaverous]

Words fail me. What an astounding discovery! I doubt I'll be able to afford the Brill text, but I look forward to hearing your take on this channel. How could such an epic story of the Shekhina be lost? I wonder if it was hidden because it was considered heretical?

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

The Zohar revels in making the non-sacred radically sacred so it's possible these sections were suppressed as being too radical. We won't know until more fragments are found and published.

[@BeforeTheCause]

Oh wow. you almost had me calling my wife and telling her I found out this bizarre connection between that Applebottom song, and ancient scripture.

[@DarkMoonDroid]

*_WOW!!!!_* What an amazing time we're living in!! "Sigil of Poverty" 🤣😍🤓

[@Ratnoseterry]

Pretty terrifying a rap song would repeat the language almost verbatim, especially when "the text was missing"

[@aislynnmari]

Possibly your best video ever 🤫🤫🤫

[@AlcoholAndAnimeNight]

This is brilliant! G

[@andrewrobinson4019]

Phenomenal. Absolutely stunning.

[@kujjitafari8509]

Thank you! Love this topic as she is very suppressed by religion. 🙏🏽💕

[@simonjester4133]

That's was the best episode of scholarship, satire and true commentary I've ever seen! Well done!

[@FriendlyEsotericDude]

APPLE BOTTOM DRESS, BOOTS WITH THE FURRR (the fur) THE WHOLE HEAVENLY HOST WAS LOOKIN AT HER.

[@meganfrazier4860]

Dr. Sledge, you are a very clever man.

[@changer1285]

Haha wow, that was a conceptual. Roller coaster, something about it speaks to the memories of my youth

[@BojoPigeon]

It took me a little while to catch on, which I will blame on my general lack of awareness of contemporary popular music. But even video this video triggered ideas that made me want to go learn more. The first thing that came to mind was the early Christian idea of the Harrowing of Hell - I was inspired to find audio readings from the "Gospel of Nicodemus," from the section with the interview of the resurrected "witnesses" to Jesus' storming into Hell. Then I was reminded of the stories of Shabbatai Tzvi giving Kabbalistic interpretations to popular Spanish Love songs - I found some recordings on KZbin of what his favorite songs supposedly were. But the thing it mostly reminded me of was the Montepellier Codex - the huge 13th Century collection of French Polyphonic music, most of which seem to fall into 3 categories: Liturgical music, secular music (usually courtly love songs), and songs of Marian devotion - which sound way more like the love songs than the liturgical music. There has been a lot of interesting crossing back and forth between sacred and secular music over the years.

[@susanlee420]

Such an exciting find! Regarding the image of trousers w apples and the fur by the feet... Is this description indicative that Shekhinah has undergone a process of transformation from pure light to a manifestation that can operate effectively within the Sitra Achra (and thereby "do battle upon" it)? Is this story perhaps a metaphor for what the adept practitioner will encounter when they do battle with their own Kiippots? Better bring a bunch of apples; not just one!

[@johannahidalgo7738]

Wow!!! What a find!!!!! It seems to me that many fragments, books, are being found these last 3 to 5 years, coming full circle ⭕️ we’re living some really interesting times. Time to let the truth of our history and existence on this awesome planet be known to all the human race, the more ppl become enlightened maybe we can change for the better some of our differences and difficulties 😉😻😻😻

[@afternoonlightthroughdust1792]

I listen to your channel instead of watching the video and the second you mentioned those furry boots I had to look at the screen and the hebrew text made me laugh so hard אוהב ממש, מעריך ממש ותודה על הסרטונים זכיתי להכיר את הערוץ שלך, כל פעם מחדש אני נדהם מכמות הידע וההומור שלך יא ג'סטין איש הפטישים

[@LordRoku-]

now im 1000x wiser thanks ;)

[@TheEsotericaChannel]

These texts will make us all wiser

[@Ricca_Day]

Perfect timing in the Wake of Purim. I watched a movie about Ester 3 days ago, and it was quite obvious that she played a Messianic role in the history of Babylonian Israel. The timing for understanding her role, the courage it took and the very real risks she took for Israel have been rising in my consciousness for the last several years. I can hardly wait to listen to this video. Many thanks 🙏 Many blessings!

[@erzsebetvarga1788]

Thank you. I hope you will be able to share more of this literature as it comes to light. I am very interested in learning about how the different spiritual traditions understand and explain the divine and the demoniac, their struggles and their meaning. I would be very eager to hear an analysis of what these texts mean. I am trying to grasp the essence of various spiritual paths. I often come across a certain level of 'limited thinking' in that representatives of a certain path consider everybody else 'demoniac', even if those other paths are bona fide, authentic ways of seeking spiritual enlightenment. What is the Kabbalah''s view regarding this? Thank you. I appreciate your efforts to share this knowledge.

[@ryansuarez6258]

Lol I knew as soon as "applebottom jeans boots with the fur" outstanding job bro

[@jonathanhenkel368]

Has anyone else noticed the parallels between this Zohar fragment and the song "Low" by Flo Rida? Am I crazy? Shawty (short one) Got them apple bottom jeans (apple trousers) Them boots with the fur (!) She got the whole club looking at her (the demons?) She hit the floor ("into the darkness") Next thing you know Shawty got LOW, LOW, LOW, LOW, LOW, LOW, LOW, LOW! (Eight times!)

[@jonathanhenkel368]

Well I'm a fool.

[@nonameronin1]

It took me too long to get the joke, but eventually I did.

[@jojones4685]

Apple bottom jeans, boots with the fur the whole club was looking at her She hit the floor

[@laurah1020]

Exactly what I was thinking!!!

[@jojones4685]

@@laurah1020 the video is definitely an april fools joke but it really got me excited for (hopefully) more Kabbalah videos

[@laurah1020]

@@jojones4685 OMG...silly me! How embarrassing! I suppose eventually I would've figured it out- the descendent of the Divine going to the floor- low low low....rather obvious now that I understand! Thank you for your kind, non-judgmental reveal @jo jones.....ROFL!

[@nutz4pugz421]

Thanks!

[@mrshts]

Best channel on youtube