Cabbalists

CABBALISTS. The Rabbinical Doctors among the Jews are called by this name, who receive not only the Text of Scripture, but also the Explanations of the Talmud, and the Traditions of the Antients, and who besides study to discover mysterious and concealed Meanings in the Scripture, of God’s appointing, and left by him to the enquiries of Men; for, in their opinion, there is not a Word, Letter, or Accent in the Law, without some Mystery in it.

The first Cabbalistical Author that we know of, is Simon the Son of Joachai, whom the Jews, and some Christians glory in mightily, and affirm him to have lived some little time before the ruin of Jerusalem by Titus¹; but others allow him to have appeared no earlier than in the tenth Century, and understand all that is said of this famous person to be fabulous. His Book entitled Zohar is printed; but it is agreed, that many additions have been made to it.

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