Page:Chapters on Jewish literature (IA chaptersonjewish00abra).pdf/175

Rh cism, or theosophy, made comparatively little impression on Jewish writers. But at the beginning of the thirteenth century a great development took place in the “secret” science of the Kabbala. The very period which produced the rationalism of Maimonides gave birth to the emotionalism of the Kabbala. The Kabbala was at first a protest against too much intellectualism and rigidity in religion. It reclaimed religion for the heart. A number of writers more or less dallied with the subject, and then the Kabbala took a bolder flight. Ezra, or Azriel, a teacher of Nachmanides, compiled a book called “Brilliancy” (Bahir) in the year 1240. It was at once regarded as a very ancient book. As will be seen, the same pretence at antiquity was made with regard to another famous Kabbalistic work of a later generation. Under Todros Abulafia (1234–1304) and Abraham Abulafia (1240–1291), the mystical movement took a practical