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In a broader context, it is a speculative religious work of Jewish mysticism. It is no more inherently Masonic than would be the writings of Soren Kierkegaard or St. Hildegard of Bingen. However, like those two bodies of work, it may prove valuable to an individual.
I have a copy. I do not feel that I have achieved much understanding from simply reading the text on my own. I believe that I would need a mentor or guide to help me to comprehend the depth of the meanings it contains.
It makes sense that you feel that its usefulness for self-study is limited. The Zohar was written in the context of groups of Jewish mystics, particularly the Merkabah mystics. They weren't hermits. They worked together.