Those who have purchased the previous two volumes may find this to be no less an endeavor of exegesis and scholarship. What this edition has done is quite simply (for all the effort) bring forth the gem within the text that for many has been hidden for so long a time.
With the addition of a .pdf file library, through the Stanford University Press website (www.sup.org), this edition for the first time puts in reach not only the Aramaic text but a VERY readable translation, with commentary and extensive notes. In particular the highlighting by example of words for explaination (in Hebrew font)is a most welcome addition.
Incorporating an extensive bibliography and reference notation, the only possible lack would be the glossary: that could have been extended just a bit to include colloquialisms of the dialect (but then, that might take up a entire volume itself!... so...)
The chance to peer into the culture of the Jews of the period through the reconstructed text, is another aspect of great value in these volumes. The terminologies the nuances of form, these subtleties are very valuable to any student wishing to get a better grip on the meaning of the intimations of the dialogue, and this opportunity is well afforded us in these volumes.
In closing, if you want to study the Zohar and you are looking for a ready source of analytical work.., that provides text and translation, this is the series to get into your library.
As I have stated before I am not a Hebrew scholar, however I research a great deal of Hebrew (Torah study) literature, and a vast portion of that literature is still out of reach due to out-of-print tomes or manuscripts not being published for ready distribution to a general audience either with a reliable translation or a proper Hebrew text accompanying that translation. Daniel Matt and colleagues have brought to light one very important part of that body of literature. AND THAT (!) in and of itself should be commended and appreciated by any who have a desire to study the depths of the Torah, Kabbalah and Jewish mystical literature.
I would like to thank the editor and those that have pursued the long arduous task of putting this edition into the hands of those of us who wish to 'dig deeper'.
Manuel Colunga-Hernandez