**Zohar Breshit (1:49a)** (1) “Come and see: When a woman is joined with her husband, she is called by his name: אשה‎ איש (*ish ishshah*), man, woman; צדק‎ צדיק (*tsaddiq tsedeq*), righteous, righteousness. He is עופר (*ofer*), fawn, and she is עפר (*afar*), dust. Then he is צבי (*tsevi*), hart, and she is צביה (*tseviyyah*), doe; צבי (*tsevi*), *fairest, of all lands* (Ezekiel 20:6). (2) “It is written: *Do not plant* אשרה (*asherah*) *or any tree-like object beside the altar that you make for YHVH your God* (Deuteronomy 16:21). *Beside the altar*—Is it permitted above the altar or anywhere else? Rather, we have established: אשר (*Asher*) is her husband, and she is named after him: אשרה (*Asherah*). So it is written: *For Baal and Asherah* (2 Kings 23:4). So, *Do not plant* אשרה (*Asherah*) ... *beside the altar that you make for YHVH your God*—over against *the altar of YHVH*, for *the altar of YHVH* is based on this, so *do not plant* another *Asherah* over against Her. (3) “Come and see: All those sun-worshipers are always called worshipers of Baal, and those who worship the moon are called worshipers of Asherah, so *for Baal and Asherah*, Asherah being named after her husband, Asher. If so, why was this name displaced?[1262] Because Asherah derives from the verse באשרי (*Be-oshri*), *Happy am I\! For daughters will deem me happy* (Genesis 30:13), while the other nations did not deem Her happy, substituting another in Her place.[1263] Further it is written: *All who honored her despise her* (Lamentations 1:8). So this name was displaced in order that those worshiped by other nations not be empowered.[1264] We call Her *altar* made of *earth*, as is written: *altar of earth ..*. (Exodus 20:22). So, *dust of the earth*.[1265] - Translation by Daniel Matt (Pritzker Zohar). I've made changes.