Imagine: A second
century manuscript by Shimon bar Yohai faithfully handed down through the
generations from master to disciple. And
imagine more, that copies of selected portions are for sale at a modest price.
A young Kabbalist named Isaac ben Samuel, fleeing the
Mamaluk invasion of Acre by way of Italy, came to Castile in 1305. There Isaac learned that these tantalizing
folios were of Moses ben Shem Tov de Leon.
Isaac records the meeting in his diary.
Moses promised Isaac that he did indeed possess a copy of the coveted
ancient manuscript and he could examine it for himself.
But alas, before Isaac arrived, de Leon fell ill and
died. Saddened, Isaac sought out de
Leon’s widow. The manuscript apparently
vanished, the woman swore it never even existed. Professor Daniel Matt relates the account in
the widow’s words:
"When I saw him writing with nothing in front of him, I said
to him, “Why do you say that you are copying from a book when there is no
book? You are writing from your
head. Wouldn’t it be better for you to
say so? You would have more honor!”
He answered me, “If I told them my secret, that I am writing
from my own mind, they would pay no attention to my words, and they would pay
nothing for them.” -Rabbi Larry Kushner
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