'And how much do you believe of this marvellous story?' asked
Arthur Burdon.
'Not a word,' answered Dr Porhoët, with a smile. 'Criticism has
shown that Zohar is of modern origin. With singular
effrontery, it cites an author who is known to have lived during
the eleventh century, mentions the Crusades, and records events
which occurred in the year of Our Lord 1264. It was some time
before 1291 that copies of Zohar began to be circulated by
a Spanish Jew named Moses de Leon, who claimed to possess an
autograph manuscript by the reputed author Schimeon ben Jochai. But
when Moses de Leon was gathered to the bosom of his father Abraham,
a wealthy Hebrew, Joseph de Avila, promised the scribe's widow, who
had been left destitute, that his son should marry her daughter, to
whom he wou
